<p>Currently I am a student at Ohio State University majoring in Chemical Engineering. Im in the honors program and will have at least 3.9 but more than likely a 4.0 for my first quarter. I am wondering if it is worth trying to transfer to either Duke or Northwestern or maybe some other schools? I dont hate OSU but both my parents and I feel that I should go to a school that is more academically inclined. </p>
<p>So far I have taken OSU's accelerated Calculus 2 (sequences, vector calc), and Physics (Mechanics) as well as an engineering graphics/design course and a college survey class. The first 3 classes count as honors classes.</p>
<p>My high school stats were pretty decent with:</p>
<p>4.20 GPA
24/330ish
ACT: 32
SAT Subject- math II- 800, chem - 790
I won several math awards and placed in math competitions (these happened senior year so they never made it to my apps last year)
Several APs and an overall though schedule</p>
<p>On a similar topic who should I ask for letters of recommendation? I know I can get a glowing recommendation from my math teacher from last year, and might get something from my academic adviser this year, but is it a good idea to ask professors for recommendation even if all they have to go by me is my grades?</p>
<p>Over the year, you should have made some kind of impression on your professors. I would go ahead and ask them. Even if all they have to go by are your grades that is fine. They can say you’re dependable and hardworking for example if you have never turned in late work and had high marks. Even if you don’t end up using the recommendations, go ahead and ask and then decide whether or not you’re going to send them off as part of your application.</p>
<p>Do you have any college EC’s? That would help with a transfer to Duke or like as well, though even without them I’d say you have a pretty good shot. Go for it! Good luck!</p>
<p>I just read that Northwestern requires atleast 36 quarter hours before transferring at the time of applying. Does that mean I need to 36 hours before the May deadline or do I need the 36 hours before fall 2010? </p>
<p>As far as EC’s I haven’t really looked into them yet, but I am considering becoming a paid math tutor with the math department, would that count or am I better of dong something like an engineering project, ect?</p>
<p>For transfer admissions, you usually need 2 LORs from college instructors (profs or TAs); neither HS teachers or college advisers qualify. You should be trying get to know your profs so that they can write you more personal LORs.</p>
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<p>I just read their website and that’s very peculiar wording. Usually, it is the number of credits that you would have completed before transferring in the fall that counts, but read literally, their wording says that you must have the 36 qt units when you apply. I would definitely email or call NU and find out, and have them put their answer in writing if possible (ie. ask them to email you a response).</p>
<p>How does the engineering program at Ohio State match up the program at Duke or Northwestern? I don’t think its to your benefit to be too caught up in the “name” of schools, if you know what I mean. Duke and Northwestern are great academic schools, but go for the program. If those two schools have a program that’s more to your liking than OSU then I say by all means transfer. You look like a great candidate for it.</p>
<p>In all honesty Im looking for a degree (name on the degree) that can lead me to a more lucrative such as ibanking and alike. Duke and Northwestern can provide better opportunities in that regard than Ohio State, even though OSU is not a bad school by any stretch. </p>
<p>Northwestern and Duke arent the only schools either Im also looking at Dartmouth, and as far as a long shot goes Stanford, they are just two that came to my mind first.</p>