<p>Hello! I am a freshman at Mount Holyoke College. I am looking for a physics program that is less focused on the engineering side of physics, a bigger city, and just an overall nicer environment than MHC. My top choice to transfer to is Barnard (I applied before) and my second choice is City College NY. I am also looking at SUNY Stony Brook, Hunter College, Brooklyn College, UChicago, Columbia, and I would love recommendations if possible. My primary interests are astrophysics, particle physics, nuclear physics, and cosmology. I live in California and I need aid. </p>
<p>I'm not 100% sure what my HS GPA was, but I believe it was around 3.65 or 3.7. My school did not offer APs but I took college classes and taught myself calculus. </p>
<p>My SAT scores were-
English-750
Math-570
Writing-650</p>
<p>Subject tests-
Physics-680
Literature-720
Math-650
US History/World History-650 </p>
<p>These were my classes and grades this semester-
1st semester German-A
Math Methods (PHYS 205)-A
Astronomy-A
Electromagnetism (PHYS 201)-C</p>
<p>After a lot of thought and calculating the grades from all my work, I am appealing the C. By my calculations it should be a C+ or B-. However, it still makes me nervous. </p>
<p>These are the classes I'm taking next semester (for now)-
Calc III
2nd semester German
Developmental Psychology
Writing for Politics and Culture
Jewish Mysticism</p>
<p>I am trying to fulfill requirements outside my major and have a more diverse class schedule. This was recommended to me by a transfer admissions rep at Barnard. </p>
<p>In high school, I was a Girl Scout. I earned my Gold Award in my senior year. I was in drama club for four years and starred in the school's first musical. I competed in theatre competitions and was district finalist in Poetry Out Loud. I also did an internship at Caltech and was a finalist in the LA County Science Fair and my school's only entry in the physics category. I campaigned successfully to get my school to offer calculus and precalculus (sadly for me they only instated the classes the year after I graduated.) In my first college semester I was the student government representative for the Jewish Student Union (JSU,) I was an astronomy tutor (the first freshman to have this job,) and I was a board member for JSU. I also campaigned to save the school's observatory and to get more support for science students (I went all the way up to the president with this.) This semester, I am hoping to join the writing club and possibly be a co-chair for JSU. </p>
<p>I'm a good writer so I'm not worried about personal statements and I think I can get some really good letters of recommendation. I'm mostly concerned about my SAT scores and grades, particularly because my high school had no AP classes and did not weight GPAs although our classes were very difficult (except for math, they all had AP-level curriculum.) Also, I don't know what this C in E&M will do to me. </p>
<p>My goal is to get out for fall semester since I really can't stand it at Mount Holyoke. Can you guys chance me for-</p>
<p>Barnard
City College
Hunter College
UChicago
Columbia
Stony Brook
Brooklyn College </p>
<p>Also, if you have any recommendations for schools I should look into I would be so grateful.</p>
As it would be a bit complicated for me to get to the test site (I don’t have a car and Mount Holyoke is in a very rural area) and it’s expensive, I only want to retake them if it’s absolutely worth it.</p>