Hello guys! I’m in the transfer process and would really appreciate it if I could receive any tips/recommendations and/or admission predictions:
CURRENT SCHOOL: I attend a Top 5 LAC (one of the following schools: Amherst, Williams, Pomona, Bowdoin, Middlebury).
WHERE I’M FROM: I’m from NYC
Why I decided to attend my current school: I went to a high school of 800 students and really enjoyed how close-knit the school community school was. I wanted a small school where I could get close to my professors and receive individualized support. Plus, the idea of a liberal arts curriculum really attracted me.
CURRENT STANDING: I’m applying to transfer as a junior. However, my case is special because due to family issues at home, I will be taking a leave of absence during the upcoming spring semester. This means I’ll be entering my new school having completed three full semesters instead of four (two full years).
WHY I WANT TO TRANSFER: I’ve come to realize that I don’t thrive in really small communities. My experience here has been far from good. It’s been hard registering for classes and there are few opportunities outside of the college campus. My campus is located in a very isolated part and I find myself feeling claustrophobic most of the time. Plus, given the sense of “elite” that exists on campus, I feel like I’m going to school with only economics bros, varsity athletes and rich kids.
I’m looking to transfer into a bigger school, either closer to home or in an urban area. Plus, the reason I want a bigger school is to have more variety in courses to choose from and more opportunities to connect with the community around the college (which is lacking in my current school). Plus, I want to be part of a diverse community of students
MAJORS: I’m a current philosophy and Spanish double major. I’m planning to apply as a philosophy major
MY STATS:
High School
SAT: 1360
Spanish SAT 2: 800
AP Spanish Exam: 5
GPA: 92/100 (Weighted)
College
GPA: 3.55 (My fall semester grades have not yet been determined, but I’m predicting to submit a GPA that is closer to 3.6)
Extracurriculars:
2 fellowships, 2 part-time jobs (20hrs a week), 2 internships, 4 college activities
WHERE I’M APPLYING: I’ve decided that I NEED to leave this school. I’m pretty unhappy here and at this point I don’t mind going into a less prestigous school. Therefore, I’m treating the process as if I’m applying as a freshman (with lots of care)
Reaches: Columbia, UPenn, Brown, Cornell, Northwestern, Rice (applied ED as a freshman and got rejected), Johns Hopkins
Low Reaches: Emory, Vanderbilt (waitlisted as a freshman), USC (rejected as a freshman), NYU, Boston University
Targets: SUNY Binghamton, Stony Brook, SUNY Buffalo
Do you guys have any recommendations? What schools do you guys think I can get into? Any advice on dealing with anxiety during the process? Any other schools I should consider?
I’m planning to work full-time during my leave. Thanks for all the thoughts!