<p>I'm a HS senior and i was rejected from Columbia, but i kind of want to apply as a transfer next spring because it has literally everything i could ever want. </p>
<p>By that time, i'll have 8 AP's and (hopefully, probably) all 4's and 5's (so nat'l AP scholar?). i'm a national merit scholar, 2330 SAT (740M/790CR/800W), and significant EC's are national art honor society, writing, and classical indian dance. 3.83 GPA unweighted. (i'm indian & female, from a public school in NY state). class rank = 8/334. I'll have some credits from APs, plus credits from Harvard Summer from '09 in intro psych and modern dance. </p>
<p>i'm hoping to do a lot of independent studying this summer, does anyone know something more that I should do to make myself a more attractive applicant (other than get the highest grades possible in this coming year)?
Some things I'm planning now are: SAT tutoring business, learning more Spanish, teaching myself Hindi, and teaching Indian dance classes. </p>
<p>On Columbia's website, they said they admit about 100/1300 transfer applicants a year.
will i be disadvantaged significantly coming from a private college (Tufts)? Are they looking more for students transferring from community colleges or state schools who are looking to "upgrade"? </p>
<p>My major reason would be that Columbia has stronger programs and Majors (where Tufts only has minors, or nothing) in 3-4 subject areas that I have strong interests in. I feel like I would be able to do it, I just need to know what to do in the coming 8 months! Please help :)</p>
<p>i know it’s a hectic time since transfers are getting their results now, so i guess bad timing on my part, but any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>know the school inside out, and exactly what you want out of columbia.</p>
<p>definitely, thanks</p>
<p>Wait 2 years, it’s really unlikely to get into a school as a soph that rejected you as a freshmen. Hopefully though you’ll fall in love with Tufts and have a fun 4 years.</p>
<p>I don’t really want to wait two years for Columbia because they have the Core and if I did get in I wouldn’t be able to have certain majors; I feel like it would be very rushed and squished. </p>
<p>There have definitely been people who were rejected first and then got in the year after, they just did very well in first semester. They’re on the Columbia thread on this board.</p>
<p>And do you think my stats really put me out of the running? I don’t think so 
They’re not amazing but they’re not something that’s horrible and will drag me down either, right?</p>
<p>Not that they put you out of the running, but they didn’t get you in this round and it’s easier as a freshan than as a transfer. You’re asking them to change their mind seeing one college term, no new leadership–unlikely.</p>
<p>This is not really a tip, but I strongly advise that you apply to Columbia as a transfer anyway. It definitely isn’t impossible. I was rejected as a senior and waitlisted as a college freshman. My high school grades and extracurriculars were very mediocre and I dulled in comparison to the rest of my school, but in college, I got a 4.0 (though now it’s actually a 3.925) and took on many leadership positions. Just try your best and don’t lose hope. You really never know.</p>
<p>thanks probiotic</p>
<p>and redroses, couldn’t dedicated involvement make up for the fact that freshmen basically CAN’T get leadership positions? if i’m among a pool of other transfers, how would that hurt me? and getting stellar grades for the second semester of senior year and first semester of college doesn’t seem like it wouldn’t be good enough…</p>
<p>I didn’t do anything over the summer. I would start writing transfer essay…</p>
<p>But during the first semester at Tufts, make sure you get to know two professors very well. This is what i’ve done at Emory. I went to office hours even though I knew all the material, and built a strong relationship with him.</p>
<p>(this is response to your PM)</p>
<p>ohilkyusat: sounds good, thanks for the advice! probably profs in the areas I want to major in, unless I totally don’t get along with them, right? (so like an econ teacher and edu teacher if i take an education class?)</p>
<p>anything else? </p>
<p>summer ideas? </p>
<p>i like dance, art, music, writing, (haha too many arts), reading, math, econ, cooking</p>
<p>i bought and read The Transfer Book, has anyone here?</p>
<p>So it’s not impossible to transfer as a freshman?</p>
<p>hey, i got into top schools from tufts-level school as a soph transfer student so you should be fine.
my stats are similar to yours as well!</p>
<p>I would start on writing essay because it’s hard to keep 4.0 gpa and take leadership position in college while writing college app essay…</p>
<p>other than that I dont’ think there is any other stuff that you can do to make a significnat contribution to your application.</p>
<p>seriously, almost all transfer acceptees, especially soph acceptees, did not do any fabulous stuff that could’ve contributed a lot to their applications…</p>
<p>Columbia doesn’t accept spring freshmen transfers. You would have to apply for next fall.</p>
<p>Keep an open mind regarding Tufts. Don’t go into Tufts thinking “I’m going to get the hell out of here next year.” Obviously, be prepared in case you want to transfer (i.e. developing strong relationships with profs, getting involved, doing well academically, etc.). However, being so certain that you want to transfer, even before you have set foot on Tuft’s campus, will lead to a miserable year. Take advantage of all Tufts has to offer and have fun! If you still feel Columbia is a better fit for you after the 1st semester, then apply as a transfer. Enjoy this summer… it is probably the last free summer where you are not obligated to do anything.</p>
<p>i’m thinking transfer to Columbia after my freshman year, I felt some stupid that i didn’t apply any private school while i was in high school…</p>