<p>Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend putting “Golden Key Honors Society” on your application unless you’ve absolutely got nothing else.</p>
<p>I am applying to Stanford for transfer. It seems nearly impossible, but I though I might as well try. Here are some basic stats.</p>
<p>HS: -GPA 4.4 (weighted) 3.89 (unweighted)
SAT I: 2300
-AP Tests (received 4s and 5s): European History, US History, US Government, English Literature, English Composition, Calculus AB
-English Department Award
-National Honors Society
-Varsity Water Polo and Swimming (Captain)</p>
<p>SBCC: GPA 3.9(only B was in Calc)
Mechanical Engineering Major (average around 19 units per semester)</p>
<p>EC: -worked as a busser throughout HS and college (3 years)
-Seasonal California State Parks Ocean Lifeguard (3 years; Awards: Rookie of the Year 07, Most Improved Lifeguard 08)
-Internship at engineering firm working on sustainable energy storage
-Student Leaders in Science club: Vice President of Mechanical Engineering</p>
<p>I went to a CC instead of a university due to financial considerations. Additionally, I am a first-generation college student.</p>
<p>stanford only accepts 1-2 percent of applicants so you have the credentials but its still a crapshoot. i would really talk about something unique, you may wanna talk about being a first generation college student and how that affects your life and such. truly make it original and creative</p>
<p>suck it up and make our stand
Now it’s the time.</p>
<p>Hey guys. I am a current Stanford student who transferred in the fall of 2009. I transferred from a pretty prestigious east coast college after my freshman year. I had a far from perfect GPA. How did I get in? I had good reasons for transferring. How will changing schools in the middle of your undergraduate career improve your chances at doing what you feel you were meant to do? Ask yourself this question and then write an honest essay. Anything less and you might as well save yourself the $70 in application fees.<br>
I love Stanford and I could not imagine myself at a different university. This is the coolest, most diverse campus on the PLANET! Stanford is my home. I hope I could see you here next year. </p>
<p>Oh, one more thing. I recommend really improving your speed reading abilities. The coursework is INSANE. There is a joke around campus that before every midterm or final, all students “pray to the gods of partial credit.” </p>
<p>CHEERS!</p>
<p>^ I hate you.</p>
<p>I realize this is the crapshoot of all crapshots so I figured I’d introduce myself so we can be in this together until March 15th when the application is due and May when the decisions are posted. </p>
<p>We should start exchanging stats and information.</p>
<p>In any case, my name’s Calvin. I’m a 22 yr old from Los Angeles. I go to Pierce College, a CCC. In high school I had 7 AP’s, 2 time national scholar, 1390 SAT (out of 1600), Captain of Debate team, 3.7 weighted GPA. All that junk. </p>
<p>But after a lengthy divorce as a kid me, my mom and sis were homeless for 8 months. After we had a home I always fed the homeless on Thanksgiving and what not cause I knew what it was like to have nothing but in junior year of high school I saw it wasn’t enough and founded a non-profit called U.F.I.S.H. that trains the homeless in basic jobs and sets them up with employment contracts at places like Wal Mart and Home Depot. </p>
<p>After it began becoming a success I really could give a crap less about school so I didn’t apply to any colleges and focused on my nonprofit for the last 3 years but then I realized I want to be a civil rights attorney and need an education. So I’ve been at Pierce the last year and a half, I have a 4.0 GPA and still work 30-50 hrs a week as the founder of the umbrella organization ‘Pointe Hope Foundation’ with my closest friends and volunteers doing philanthropy and fund raising around San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles and San Francisco. </p>
<p>Anyways, that’s me. Nice to meet everyone here. Let’s get this process started :)</p>
<ul>
<li>Cal</li>
</ul>
<p>hate you too ^</p>
<p>RileyJohn, why do you hate??? I didn’t mean to to cause this feeling. Just wanted to help. LOL. Good luck everyone.</p>
<p>Hey Riley don’t hate me buddy, I’m not in and I probably won’t be lol </p>
<p>Petya, that’s incredible and congratulations, really!
What else can you tell us about transferring to Stanford? My info is a couple posts above, does that seem eligible or even as an off chance competitive for transfer?</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<ul>
<li>Cal</li>
</ul>
<p>Yeah Petya…what in general were you reasons for transferring?</p>
<p>location, academics, class size, diversity.
You don’t have to tell us exactly but give us an idea of why you wanted to transfer (don’t worry I’m not even applying to Stanford…I’m just curious as you performed an incredible feat haha)</p>
<p>Hey everyone! I am glad to help. </p>
<p>Ok, so I transferred because of academic reasons, obviously, and because of location. I lived on the East Coast my whole life and just wanted to experience a new setting. So rather than be a couple to states away from NYC (my home town), I decided to move all the way to california. I HAVE PALM TREES GROWING BY MY DORM WINDOW!!! At any rate, I don’t really feel comfortable spilling my guts at so what were my reasons because they were very personal and related my family situation and future goals. </p>
<p>As to the number of people transferring—23 people out of 1800 applicants! That is fewer than 2% of applicants, if I am not mistaken. This is seriously like playing the lottery. I felt like they had made a mistake for the entire summer before I arrived on campus. I still think they have made a mistake. LOL. </p>
<p>@Wneckid99, why would I worry about you transferring? I am already a student here. </p>
<p>@TheLongShot, I think you have an amazing bio and you remind me of someone I know who also transferred with me in 2009. He has a similar story. He is a brilliant guy. I think you have a fair shot at stanford. However, I would apply other Universities as well. I personally applied to about 16 during the freshman year of college–I just hated the idea of staying at my school. It was a total mismatch. Luckily, it’s all behind me. </p>
<p>Also, to increase your chances, I would also participate in college EC. I was president of the student council for my freshman class. I volunteered and worked 30 hours a week, etc. Make sure you use your time wherever you are to the fullest. All you have is now, like they say. </p>
<p>Hope my blabbering helped. I am pulling an all-nighter tonight. A common occurrence at stanford. I don’t think anyone in my dorm is asleep now–midterms next week. Haha! </p>
<p>GL and be careful what you wish for.</p>
<p>Thank you Petya, that’s very encouraging actually.</p>
<p>I just spoke to an undergraduate admissions counselor at Stanford University and I think I’m going to go for it. I mentioned my non profit foundation, literary work and GPA and she seemed to think I had a decent chance.</p>
<p>But with admissions at around 2% it seems like no one has much of a chance. </p>
<p>In any case, I’ll do the best I can. </p>
<p>Thanks so much. Let’s keep this thread going as the application deadline and decision are only 4 and 12 weeks away respectively. </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Has anyone finished the application yet? And how do they expect us to explain ourselves in 250 words? Efficiency is a virtue I suppose. </p>
<p>Let’s keep this thread going to help each other out and wait for the crap shoot to end all crapshots in our academic careers lol</p>
<ul>
<li>Cal</li>
</ul>
<p>err those short answer questions are killing me! Anyone submitting any art supplement?</p>
<p>Hey guys its crunch time, I am working on transferring to Stanford as well. Its been such a laborious process but I think it is reaching fruition, I hope this is the case for you all as well. The common sentiment in the forum is the miniscule chase we all have, but what matters is that we give it our best shot, step aside, and admire our work.</p>
<p>I am transferring from the University of the Philippines in Diliman where I was part of the industrial engineering program, I had high grades and was classified as a college scholar. I was also part of their varsity tennis team. My family moved here to the states and now I attend Irvine Valley College where I have a GPA of 3.89 consisting of all science and composition classes (no fluffy GE subjects). I also play for this school’s intercollegiate tennis team, and we are in the strongest conference of california community colleges in tennis, which is safe to say the most competitive in the country. I have worked as an engineering intern at a local engineering firm doing some autocad work, design and prototyping, and product testing as well. I also work with the southern orange county community college I.T Development team to create an online course registration system that is absolutely revolutionary, it learns. Then I am also very involved at home since we, as immigrants, are in the process of installing ourself here and in the midst of some economic hardship. </p>
<p>I have the collage of community service and student government in high school but my main focus all this time has been tennis. I did take the SAT’s and I did not do as good as everyone else, I got something along the 1850, but I maintain thats because I came from a different school system. In high school I was also nominated via congressional nomination to the U.S Air Force Academy, but disqualified for medical reasons. </p>
<p>What do you guys think I should capitalize on in my application? what theme can I use?</p>
<p>thanks in advance!!</p>
<p>@RileyJohn…me too. Why oh WHY are the essays only 350 ish words? I could literally write a two page paper on why Stanford is perfect for me.</p>
<p>It’s 1800 words max for the Stanford Supplement essay on why Stanford would be perfect for you.</p>
<p>1800 characters*</p>
<p>I know… apparently 1800 characters is about 350 words. I cut and paste what I have so far to see what the word limit is…my essay is 364 words, and the little box said I was over the character limit.</p>