Transfer abroad, for class of 2011

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi, I’m a Korean freshman currently attending a Korean college in Korea. Because the semester starts in March here, I have already completed one full semester, with eighteen credits. </p>

<p>My stats:</p>

<p>-School: Yonsei University, Underwood International College
(great univ, college not so much)
-GPA for this semester: 3.78/4.0 (I have two B+'s)
-Current Extracurriculars
UIC debate club (Paju International Debate Tournament, regular intermurals)
Yonsei Korean literature club (mainly write poetry, design covers of books)
-secondary school grades: mostly A’s, they were alright
-AP/SAT’s (completed in high school)
AP Macro/Microeconomics: 3/4 resp.
AP English Literature: 5
AP U.S. History: 5
AP World History: 5
AP English Literature and Composition: 5
AP Psychology: 5
AP Gov. Pol: 3
SATI composite (took test twice): 2340
SATII Literature: 800
SATII World History: 760
-Extracurriculars in high school
Model United Nations (MUNOS, a number of HYMUN’s, YaleMUN…)
Mock Trial (intermural, Seoul, Korea National)
National Forensic League (member)
Consumer Rights Organization (translator, camp president etc)
Choir (soprano)
Orchaestra (3rd violin)
Drama Team (actor)
Yearbook (design, photography)
School Foreign Language Editorial (Editor in Chief of English mag., design)
Internship at International Emmy Awards </p>

<p>…so on, that kind of stuff. I want to transfer, badly, and preferably to either Yale, Cornell, Columbia, or a UC. </p>

<p>With the pool of transfer applicants so tiny (and the acceptance rate much lower) when compared to the freshman applicants’, I have no idea where to turn. I would consider myself pretty well prepared for all freshman applications, but transfers are new waters. I have checked Yale’s section on transfer app., but overall I’m kinda lost. </p>

<p>Soo…If you have transferred successfully to a school of your choice, or if you’re preparing for transfer (like me), or whatever… please give a shout-out. Anything from vague directional guidelines to specific answers to my specific questions below, would really be greatly appreciated. </p>

<p>And the <em>specific</em> Questions:</p>

<li><p>I’m sure this has been covered in many other threads, and I’m taking a look around… but how DOES applying for transfer differ from applying as a freshman?
(e.g. nature of essays, personal qualities looked for, importance of AP’s etc.)</p></li>
<li><p>Is it advantageous/disadvantageous to be an international student seeking transfer application to a U.S. college? Are there different steps to be taken, or matters to tread more cautiously upon (in financial aid or the essays, etc.?)</p></li>
<li><p>Does it help to be more major-specific, even if transferring to an undergraduate college?</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanx!</p>

2

<p>Hm, no replies. Maybe I overloaded the post. The main questions I asked were the three listed at the bottom, but then again maybe I should ask them all separately on other threads? Anything you have to say, really, regarding transfers would be appreciated.</p>

3

<p>hey khebnami. Sorry I can't answer you're transfer questions, but I just want to say that UIC is one of my choices for college. Do you know if it's difficult to get in as a U.S. citizen? My gpa unweigted is around 3.5, SAT 2110, SAT IIs 670,650,700 and etc. I will be applying next month, so it's kinda confusing as to how to go about filling and sending everything. thanks!! ^.^</p>

4

<p>Hey, su542... it's great that UIC is one of your choices for college! I hope I didn't let you down with my wanting to transfer. You probably know all this already, but UIC has many awesome professors, ambitious programs, and interesting students - along with all the benefits of a truly marvelous academic tradition shared by the Yonsei populace as a whole. Ugh, I sound like a school spokesperson. What I mean to say is, don't let my personal reasons for disliking the school affect you. It's an alright school, as schools go.</p>

<p>And, no, being a U.S. citizen will not factor in as a disadvantage when you apply. I don't know the statistics, but quite a few of my friends here are U.S. citizens, and most of those who are not have 'resident status' (I guess the equivalent of a 'green card') in other countries. Nearly all of them are ethnically Korean, though, and the school promotes diversity... to put it a bit bluntly, you'll have a far better go if you're not Korean or Korean-American. This is only because the applicant pool for foreign students is far smaller - the few who have got in are singularly accomplished people, mind. (I'm not a 'foreign student', though - I'm Korean :D)</p>

<p>Your scores seem acceptable from what I can remember of my friends', but if you can improve on them with what time you have remaining, by all means do so! :) The college is pretty competitive when picking its students, and relies a lot on grades and ranks to help validate candidates. Oh, and make sure you get official copies of everything mailed into the office at the right time. Get your SAT report mailed directly from Collegeboard to the UIC office - I think you still have time to apply for a quick mail.</p>

<p>I hope I can help you further. I personally find it's really great that you show interest in something I'm a part of, so I'd like to help as much as I can. Besides, summer vacation is almost, but not quite almost, over - I have so much time on my hands, I could kill myself of sheer boredom. lol.</p>

<p>It shouldn't be too confusing to fill and send everything~ just follow the instructions on the websites and you'll be off. Another thing I remember doing is organizing all the "proofs of attendance", "awards", etc.. into a transparent folder labeled "supplementary material" - this helped support a lot of activities I listed (although I listed less than half of the things I've listed here, the folder got bulky very quickly and looked much more impressive than it was! :D).</p>

<p>Uh, anything else I can help with, like essays and such? :P</p>

5

<p>Wow...thanks for all the great info ^_^ It really helps to have someone who knows about UIC because most of my friends only care about UC's and such. I have a lot of questions about the application process that I hope you can help me on.</p>

<p>What deadline did you apply by? I know there are four, and I'm planning on submitting for Early Decision II. I read that it's based on rolling admission, so I'm guessing the earlier the better~ o.O. </p>

<p>The application is a lot more difficult than I expected, just because there is so much legal info that needs to be included. What papers did you submit when they ask for papers like "legal documentation of verification of family relationship" and "Korean family tree register"? Is it documentation like a wedding certificate?</p>

<p>Also, if I have certificates of awards and such that I don't want to send the originals, can I just make copies of it, or do I have to "affix with a seal"? (What seals are they talking about?)</p>

<p>And another question: (I'm sorry, I have so many <em>-</em>) You attended high school in the U.S., right? So how did you send in the "high school diploma certificate" when you couldn't recieve one until applications were already due? I was thinking about having my principal write a letter saying when I would graduate. </p>

<p>Also, do I have to send SAT and AP and SAT II scores? Does it all send at the same time or do I have to do each one separately? I'm clueless when it comes to the Collegeboard and sending scores. LoL. (I never knew it cost so much money, too!!! >.<) </p>

<p>I noticed that there isn't a spot where I can declare a major on the application...I guess UIC doesn't pick their applicants according to their fields?</p>

<p>Did you feel that UIC's selection process was highly competitive? I know my grades and gpa aren't stellar, (I got a C my first semester in AP Stat , and I get a lot of B's in my classes -_-) but I feel like everything else is pretty solid. </p>

<p>Wow~I majorly overloaded questions on you... I'm soo sorry! I hope you don't feel like some school counselor or something :) LoL. If you want, my email address is <a href="mailto:susan.kim.h@gmail.com">susan.kim.h@gmail.com</a>; I can just email you instead if writing posts is to overbearing. Thankx so much, it really helps to have someone at UIC who went through this process.</p>

6

<p>I have e-mailed you. :)</p>

7

<p>It's good too see many Koreans on the board. I'm a Korean too!
Considering the fact that Yonsei University is second best university in korea after SNU, your stats are fabulous and I think you have a good shot at columbia, cornell or any UCs. But statistically, transfer admission to Yale is extremely difficult if you take a look on the numbers.</p>

8

<p>If you want to transfer to MIT, Stanford, Harvard, and Yale, you need something extraordinary - something that adcoms would never find in other people's packages. For example; Olympiad competitions, Community service in war areas (like the 23 Korean hostages), Fundraising quarter million dollars and donating them all to World Vision, 3000hours of volunteer service since high school, becoming a media attention, etc.</p>

9

<p>I'm a US resident and my stats are similar to yours. I've attended NYU College of Arts and Science for last two years with 3.96 GPA. I applied to HYSM and got rejected, but other than those schools, I was accepted easily. Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, etc.
I'm going to Dartmouth.</p>

10

<p>Yikes, thanks Golazo - it's heartening to know someone with my stats who did succeed in transferring. And Korean, too! All riiight. ;)</p>

<p>I was actually gearing my stuff more specifically for Yale - I love my Yonsei Korean Literature club so much, I don't think I'll be willing to give this up for anything other than Yale (I absolutely fell in love after a Yale MUN.) </p>

<p>It's true, though, that the 3~4% acceptance rate is reeally freaky, and I shouldn't get my hopes up on that... but media attention! </p>

<p>Gee, I'm not one much suited for extravagant extracurriculars - I get stressed out or lose momentum if I'm not dedicated enough, and I've no intention of getting kidnapped & held hostage in a war zone :S it feels a bit superficial, that kind of stuff, yeah? </p>

<p>Well, just some other things I've done, I've been a voluntary English teacher for Mongolian kids in Korea, and I've entered some Korean Traditional Mask Dance (talchum) competitions. I write Korean poetry that's about acceptable in its own right - I'm thinking of publishing my work soon, and I'll also be translating an English work of fiction. I also participate in a North Korean pro-democracy broadcast - not safe to elaborate further on an online forum, but I think it should be alright to list on a college application resume. </p>

<p>D'you think that would work okay for a 'unique package'? </p>

<p>Thing is, I have no idea what these people want from me, but I have a pretty clear idea of what I want from them; I'm not sure I'm what they want, but I don't know how I'm supposed to frill myself up. That's the catch, frustrating.</p>

<p>EC's aside - you said you got into Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth, and will be attending Dartmouth? You're a U.S. resident; do you think it might bode differently for me, because I'm a full-fledged international with every intention of remaining one (hence, at a disadvantage)? Secondly, how did you deal with the tuition? I'm not aware if the schools you were admitted to were need-blind in any way. </p>

<p>Thanks lots, congratulations too!!</p>

11

<p>Oh yeah, and I also have a "certificate of qualification" (whatever you call it) for the DELF (French) A2 level, and I'm studying for the Spanish and Japanese tests as well. I'm also self-taught Khmer (the Cambodian language - I'm partial to Cambodia), and I'll be taking the National Korean Language Proficiency examination next month... does that sort of thing help at all, or is it just so much braggy chaff before the enormity of the highly skilled candidate pool? <em>whimper</em></p>