<p>Hey,
I’m a college freshman at American University who is planning on transferring for sophmore year-Fall 2008. One of my top choices is Barnard College. I was waitlisted as a first-year applicant and am wondering about what applying again looks like?
My high school GPA was inconsitent due to relocation-going from a cumulative 4.0 at the end of my sophmore year to a low/mid three point and bobbing back up again after moving back to my old school (We didn’t move back because of the school, it was just a expat. thing). My SAT is also a puzzle, with a 560 in math and an 800 in the verbal section. I was involved in various activities in high school and held leadership positions in things I cared about. I’m continuing to be involved in college and planning to end the first semester with a 3.7-4.0 GPA.
I would love any perspectives on this, advice, what my application looks like to Barnard, chances, etc. Thanks so much for reading this and for your posts!</p>
<p>i think if you get a 3.7-4.0 the fact taht you were waitlisted wont matter. maybe they did not admit you because they were on the fence. however, since you have proven yourself and done really well in college, maybe that will show them how much you do care and how much you want to be at barnard bc u are applying again. Also, American U is a good school so a 3.7 from there will look good. </p>
<p>Did you take any math classes by chance?</p>
<p>There are some very helpful former-transfer students who post on these boards and I really hope they respond to you. It seems to me, though, that given your grades and hopeful college record you will stand a good chance to transfer to Barnard. I do not think that your being waitlisted before is a bad thing at all. On the contrary, as long as you show that you have done well and been involved in your present college and can then show why Barnard needs you there (and why you need to be there), you know that the adcom at Barnard thought you would fit in when you originally applied!</p>
<p>Best to you!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for your replies, I really hope that the transfer students post too, churchmusicmom. I did take a math class, Statistics 202, I took an AP Statistics course in high school (senior year, got a 3) so this is fairly easy, not exactly a stellar example of amazing math skills.</p>
<p>I transferred to Barnard last year as a junior, but hopefully I can offer up some useful advice:</p>
<p>First off, the fact that you were waitlisted and not rejected definitely means that they thought you might be a great fit for Barnard. You never know - your being waitlisted could have simply been a function of a lack of space. If they didn't think you'd be good here, they certainly wouldn't have put you on the waitlist.</p>
<p>If you have a legitimate explanation for your dip in high school grades (which it looks like you do), make sure that you make this clear to them, perhaps in a letter on a separate sheet of paper (that's the way I did it...).</p>
<p>If you want, you can take the SAT or ACT again since Barnard accepts scores from tests taken after high school graduation. If you don't want to, I wouldn't be too worried about it because of the simple fact that everyone has both strengths and weaknesses, and I think that Barnard is one of those great schools that recognizes that and makes a sincere attempt to understand applicants beyond their numbers. The fact that you took a math class in college also helps, just because it shows them that your SAT score isn't the final word on your academic abilities in math.</p>
<p>With that said, I think that transfer applicants (even more so than freshman applicants) really need to focus on putting together an application that tells the adcoms what the numbers can't. Look at every single piece of the application as a chance to show yourself. When the reader closes your folder, what are they going to know about who you are, what you want, why your current University isn't helping you achieve that, and how Barnard is going to help you achieve that? It's my theory that the clearer the picture, the more likely you are to gain admission.</p>
<p>Just shoot for the highest GPA that you can, and make sure that you make genuine attempts to get to know your professors and academic advisors since you'll need a recommendation and mid - semester reports from them when you apply.</p>
<p>A word of advice I give to every prospective transfer student I come across: Even though you know you want to transfer, try to make the very best of your year at American University. I spent two years of my life complaining about my situation and, looking back on it, I wish I would have just jumped in head first and made the most of it. You don't at all strike me as the complaining type, but I just wanted to encourage you to get out there and enjoy yourself. College is only four years long, and, (trust me...) they all go by in a flash...</p>
<p>Good luck, and keep us posted!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all your replies! Collegegirl, your advice was so helpful, it's great to have a perspective from someone who has successfully been through the transfer process. I was wondering, how did you make connections with your professors and advisor. I'm vocal in class, but I'm not really sure a lot of professors would know my name, much less my qualifications for transfer. I was also unsure about when you applied. One of my regrets my freshman year was not applying sooner, I genuinely believe that waiting so long was one factor that hurt my chances, for space reasons. So part of me wants to apply in January. But another part of me wants to wait because then I will have started Spring semester because I am taking a small lit. class that might provide me with a better letter of rec. This is all probably ridiculous minutia that my brain has turned up by thinking about it all too much, but I'm a worry-er. :)</p>
<p>HopefulTransferA,</p>
<p>Breathe!</p>
<p>I know it's the hardest thing to do when the excitment begins to build, but remember that your application isn't due until next year! Focus on your studies at American for the rest of the semester, and perhaps start to get a plan together for your application process over the winter break. </p>
<p>You might want to map out a timetable for doing things so that you can be sure that you and your professors / advisor have ample time to do everything. Although the application process seems simple enough, advisors sometimes "lose" the recommendation forms, and professors "had papers to grade" and couldn't get to your mid-semester reports until the weekend, or SAT scores took forever to arrive. Needless to say, planning ahead is one of the best things you can do. Since you know that you want to transfer, speak candidly with your advisor about it at the beginning of the Spring semester so that he / she can help you through the process. </p>
<p>However, please don't worry about getting your application in early. When they say that they don't start reviewing apps until after the final deadline, they really mean it. In fact, they probably can't start to review your application until the deadline because they are working on Freshman apps until the end of March! I sent my application in the day before in an overnight package and still got in, so take all the time you need so that your application is the best that it can be.</p>
<p>I came to Barnard from a large state university, so I feel your pain in wondering how the heck a professor could get to know me when he / she had 150 students to worry about. I would just go up to the professor after class to ask questions that I might have had that were not clarified in the lesson. If you have any research interests (for now or for the future) that pertain to a professor's particular area of expertise, try asking the professor about it during office hours or setting up a time to talk to them about it. If you have any classes that require writing assignments, be sure to discuss your writing with the professor, especially if you aren't required to do so already. Just show sincere interest in the things that you are really interested in, and the professors won't be able to help but know your name - or at least your face. You don't have to get to know all of them - just maybe one or two that really strike a chord with you.</p>
<p>I don't know what your advisement system is like at American, but I made sure to collaborate with my advisor in all of my program planning. Ask your advisor to recommend classes or recommend people to talk to if you have any interests in a particular area. If you took classes that you really liked, relay that enthusiasm to your advisor. Not only will they appreciate the feedback, but it might get you started on some interesting conversation topics.</p>
<p>Hope this helps! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions!</p>