Tranfer from CC to Ivy..Chances? (Very long)

Transfer Students
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<p>I am a complete novice when it comes to compiling a competitive transcript, and have little to no knowledge regarding the application/transfer process. I have a plethora of questions and am hoping that some of you academic warriors can help me out. I really don't know how much of stretch my aspirations are right now. </p>

<p>I am a second semester student at CC. We are told that it is the best community college in New Jersey...and it is an accepted fact that my college is better than many of the state/private institutions available in Northern Jersey. I am concerned however, will colleges in other states be aware of this? Or will the fact that it is a community college be all that is considered?</p>

<p>My HS transcript is garbage. I believe I had a 2.5 GPA, and didn't participate in many EC's. I got a 1450 on the SAT when I was 13, but it wasn't saved on my record. (I was going through a very difficult familial situation in HS, and am hoping that my letter of rec from my HS guidance counselor will illustrate that) I didn't take SATs after that.</p>

<p>After HS I took 3 years off. 2005 I got my first job at a Best Buy and was promoted to store manager within a few months and stayed there for about a year. 2006 I became a professional video game player for MLG (Major League Gaming) and earned about $15,000 in cash and prizes through competitions and sponsorships. 2007 I shifted my gaming career to the back burner to pursue corporate sales at the age of 20 at an AlphaGraphics (Print/Design Company) </p>

<p>I decided to go back to school full time after a year at Alpha Graphics, and quit gaming entirely. I took up a double major in Spanish and International Studies for French. </p>

<p>In my first semester I took 6 classes (vigorous and well rounded), was chairman of the Judicial Board, and maintained a 4.0 gpa. I am now in my second semester, taking 5 classes (once again rigorous and well rounded). Next year I have been chosen as President of the Student Gov't, and will most likely serve as President of the Honors Society (PTK).</p>

<p>My school has graduated several students to Cornell and Columbia. But I am looking to apply for transfer to JHU, Dartmouth (first choice), Columbia, and Middlebury. I don't know if this is a complete reach for me or not, and I would like to know if there is anything further that I can do to improve my chances for next year. </p>

<p>I was studying for the SAT and was doing well on the practice tests (scored a 2400 several times) but my transfer adviser told me that they wouldn't be considered having already started college courses so I stopped. I just discovered that Dartmouth and Columbia both require SAT scores...What should I do?</p>

<p>Also, I will be working this year at a Score! tutoring center as an instructor.</p>

<p>I really don't know where I stand. A couple things I have going for me are: 4.0 College GPA, Good College EC, would do well in interview, work experience, great rec letters from profs., and finally...I want to major in Romance Languages (Spanish, French as primary) which is not a very popular major. </p>

<p>Things I have going against me: Terrible HS transcript, Community College, lack of achievements and non-academic activities. </p>

<p>Where Do I stand? What can I do? What are my chances? I will have more questions regarding transferring to follow. </p>

<p>I am incredibly thankful to anyone who takes the time to read all of that, and can assist me in my inquiries.</p>

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<p>ur questions and explanation are both contradicting.</p>

<p>I think ur probably anxious. Don't worry too much... just apply.</p>

<p>Ur GPA is decent and ur ec's sound good. But perhaps, I think u must wait until ur sophomore year and then apply for junior. In this way ur terrible HS transcript won't count and SATs won't be that important.</p>

<p>A 4.0 in first semester isn't very emphatic abt ur academic abilities.
That's my take.... but u must apply...and its ok to get rejected. Being rejected first time... u will have better chances the next time u apply. Its worth wasting 280 bucks for those 4 schools.</p>

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<p>From what I'm seeing here on this site, it seems that the more college credentials I have to offer, the less my HS transcript stands to hinder my application. This indicates to me that going to county for another year would really behoove me, and I would be perfectly willing to do that. However, seeing as how it is a CC...after two years is when I would be receiving my AA...and both Dartmouth and Columbia wont accept any transfer students who have already received an undergraduate degree...Am I understanding this correctly?</p>

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<p>undergraduate degree= BA, BS. You will have an AA. Sorry I don't have time to comment further on your post, as you seem like a pretty interesting student. But yeah, apply this time around, and if things don't work out, try again next year. And if you feel like you can get a score close to 2400, I would take the SAT's. Regardless of the weight (or lackthereof) placed on these scores, a 2400 is going to be impressive regardless. I feel really good about your chances. Consider your competition, and the perpective of adcoms. I'd rather have you at my school than some dime-a-dozen little twit they are used to.</p>

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<p>if you havent taken the SATs already, schools wont accept them if you take them later on this year. The last month to take them was Feb, so that it can get there on time; it takes about 4 weeks to process scores to get there RIGHT by the deadline. So if you dont have SAT scores, then u will pretty much get rejected at most ivies that require them.</p>

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<p>Hi donjaun.</p>

<p>Shamfragglerockdarckcrystal (did I get that right?) I am at a CC in San Francisco, and I am in the process of applying to some ivies in a quest to lower my self esteem, so I can offer a little sage wisdom.</p>

<p>1) NEVER listen to Community College guidance counselors! They are agents of evil, and they will ruin your plans if you let them. They are geared towards helping the undermotivated junior college pot heads whose only ambition is to transfer to the nearest state school. They have no idea of what transferring to elite private schools entails. Do all your own research at all the schools your interested in, and confirm everything you can by multiple channels. Email the schools, call them, lurk in their respective CC message boards. I can't stress this enough, take NO advice from your transfer counselors.</p>

<p>2) Transfer after completing two years at your CC, but make sure you take no more than four full time semesters (donjaun can tell you more about why not). This will give you more time to demonstrate commitment/ accomplishment in your selected major, and it will deemphasize your high school numbers.</p>

<p>3) Take the SAT's. As has already been stated, many schools require, or "suggest," them. If you can hit near 2400, it can only help you. In particular, it can mitigate somewhat your problematic high school record. You should also study for and take the SAT II's. They are usually "recommended" or "optional," which is ivy league code for "mandatory."</p>

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<p>Don Juan...</p>

<p>I really really hope that what you mean by "schools wont accept them if you take them later on this year," doesn't mean that I can't take them next fall. </p>

<p>If I take my SATs after having already completed an academic year in college...does that change anything?</p>

<p>Also...why do I want to avoid taking more than 4 terms? I was planning on taking a bunch of summer courses so I could get my dual degree program completed in two years. Is this bad?</p>

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<p>I can answer the second part if you like. Many of the elite private schools have restrictive policies on the number of units or the number of full time semesters you can have and still qualify to transfer. donjaun was kind enough to point this out to me a few months ago. For some, this doesn't apply to community colleges, for others like Harvard, it's not the number of units but the number of full time semesters you take. (Usually no more than four full time semesters). Check out each schools policies yourself, and be careful, sometimes the information is buried or ambiguous. Good luck!</p>

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<p>I was planning on going to my CC for two years and completing my dual degree program....and the transferring to my school of choice the following fall...</p>

<p>However, considering much of what I have read...I am thinking about transferring to a more recognized four year university for my second year...and applying for transfer to my first choice after completing a year there. </p>

<p>I have two reasons for considering this as an option. The first is that I am still worried about how difficult it is going to be to transfer to an Ivy from a CC...And the second is that in order to get my degrees from CC, I will have to take several courses that are degree specific requirements that I believe a) will not transfer for credit and b) will take up time better spent on more rigorous coursework that is more general in nature. </p>

<p>Advice is much appreciated.</p>

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<p>Do what you think is right, but I don't believe earning an AA is valuable if you plan on getting a BA or a BS. The schools I've looked at all advise matching my CC schedule as close to there requirements for breadth (or whatever they want to call it) and my major as possible. I just fulfilled the requirements for transfer to the UC Berkeley physics department, because all the ivies are extreme long shots, but I think I did as well as I could to prepare myself for an unlikely acceptance.</p>

<p>No matter what you do, it's an up hill battle.</p>

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<p>lol hi aneece.</p>

<p>And my bad, i skipped through your entire novel because it was too long...so i just assumed you were a junior transfer. If you are a sophomore wishing to transfer junior year (next year), then you have time to take it. However, if you are a junior transfer now, then you cant take the SATs.</p>

<p>I am a CC transfer too. I am currently in the process of transferring out, and i have had my own fair share of ivies/elite LAC's acceptances. If you have any questions, PM me. </p>

<p>Btw Aneece, hows the amherst application coming along? Have you visited the school? You should go a few posts below and see my amherst experience.</p>

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<p>hey man. I couldn't get that far north. I visited Wesleyan (too small), Yale, and Columbia. I will check that Amherst visit out as soon as I finish this interminable Harvard application, which of course will never end.</p>

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<p>I saw wesleyan in my visit too, and it wasnt for me. You liked it? I think i would rather go to berk than wesleyan even though i prefer smaller schools.</p>

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<p>No, Wesleyan was way too small, even for someone like me that's fleeing the colossus of Berkeley.</p>

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<p>Wesleyan looks better than Amherst in terms of campus aesthetics. You'll be surprised! Wesleyan is a bit smaller though.</p>

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<p>Right on. </p>

<p>So after taking a look at both websites for Dartmouth and Columbia it doesn't appear that either of them have a max number of semesters or anything like that. Which is a plus. They do have a max number of transferable credits, but that shouldn't be a problem. </p>

<p>What I believe I want to do is drop my two majors and pursue something less restrictive. Because I believe that the classes that I am being forced to take as a part of my major aren't very vigorous and could be replaced with something that would be more impressive on my transcript...as well as more enjoyable for me.</p>