Transfer chances at Harvard/Princeton

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey guys, I was wondering what chances I would have to transfer to Harvard or Princeton</p>

<p>I am currently in the Schreyer Honors College (Penn State Honors College). For those of you who don't know, this is widely considered the #1 honors college in the nation and it was basically as hard to get in to as an ivy league school.</p>

<p>I will transfer after 2nd semester.</p>

<p>My 1st semester gpa is a 4.0. I'm expecting to get a 3.9-4.0 next semester so...</p>

<p>Anticipated GPA: 3.9-4.0
College Activities:</p>

<p>UPUA Multicultural Affairs Deputy Director (basically a leadership position in main student government of Penn State)
Member of Pre-Med Society
Member of Springfield THON (raise money for cancer)
Member of Schreyer Honors College Student Council</p>

<p>Next semester, I will be starting an organization against alcohol abuse, and I will apply for a research position in a neuroscience lab.</p>

<p>High school info:</p>

<p>Approx. Class rank: 4/408
UW GPA: 3.94
W GPA: 4.81
Toughest possible courseload</p>

<p>SATs: 2250 (720 CR, 790 M, 740 WR)
SAT IIs: 750 Chem, 720 Math IIC, 710 US History
AP Tests: 5 US Hist./5 Euro/5 Chem/4 AP Calculus BC/4 AP German</p>

<p>ECs that shine through in my app:</p>

<p>Leadership:
-Class Secretary
-JSA Vice President of Chapter
-NHS Officer of Chapter
-German Club Officer
-Chess Club Officer
-SGA General Assembly (but only 12th grade so...)</p>

<p>Community Service:
-Total of 520+ hours community service (ranging from volunteer in hospital lab to volunteer tutoring to participator in relay 4 life)</p>

<p>Employment:
-Total of 1500+ Hours of Employment</p>

<p>ECs that don't shine through:</p>

<p>-2 JV Sports, 2 Intramural Sports
-7 More Clubs (im a member of all of them but I hold no leadership positions)
-400 hours/year playing trumpet but I quit after sophomore year</p>

<p>Awards:
-1st Place in Regional German Speaking Competition
-Chemistry Olympiad Regional Qualifier
-AIME Qualifier
-Gold-key winner of Scholastic Writing Awards
-National Merit Letter of Commendation
-Ranked in Top 40 of Kumon Reading National Rankings (u probably don't know what this is, but it's my biggest award...top 40/thousands of really smart kids)
-7 Publications in Creative Communications Journal
-AP Scholar</p>

<p>One thing that might work against me is I received a citation for underage drinking a couple of weeks ago. The case will be dismissed once I complete a class, which means while I have been charged with underage drinking, I was never convicted (found guilty).</p>

<p>I was rejected from Harvard/Princeton when I applied after High school, so I'm wondering if I have good transfer chances at these schools today.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>0...</p>

<p>both don't take transfers.</p>

<p>gl</p>

3

<p>LOL. C'mon - you seem smart, you could've done 2 secs of research before you posted. Neither college is taking transfers now, so your extensive list of EC's and high GPA won't help you out.</p>

<p>If you want to transfer to an elite college, maybe Yale? It has like a 2% acceptance rate...better than Harvard and Princeton's 0% :)</p>

4

<p>272 posts!!!!</p>

5

<p>Good luck.</p>

6

<p>
[quote]
Hey guys, I was wondering what chances I would have to transfer to Harvard or Princeton

[/quote]
</p>

<p>0%</p>

<p>BTW
you have great stats but research helps ;)</p>

7

<p>
[quote]
If you want to transfer to an elite college, maybe Yale? It has like a 2% acceptance rate...better than Harvard and Princeton's 0%

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I'd still say 0% for Yale with that laundry list. Nothing pops out...it's all boring.</p>

8

<p>ok I was just trying to use Harvard/Princeton as a yardstick. Basically I'm interested in my transfer chances at top schools</p>

9

<p>having a citation for underage drinking could hurt you...otherwise you would be very competitive for colleges outside of HYPS...long list of ec's, but nothing that really sets you apart for the top top schools...</p>

10

<p>Just a note, unless your citation resulted in probation, expulsion, or suspension from your school you don't have to report it.</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
ok I was just trying to use Harvard/Princeton as a yardstick. Basically I'm interested in my transfer chances at top schools

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Your best yardstick is going to be your freshman results. Applying as a soph, your HS record and test scores are going to carry more weight than what you've done for 1 sem/qt in college. In addition to that, the schools at the level of H & P have much lower acceptance rates for transfers than for freshman admissions. If you really want to move "up" in selectivity, a jr transfer is going to be a more realistic route.</p>

12

<p>Your high school GPA and SAT scores are pretty good. So having an excellent first semester college GPA is helpful but I'm not sure it would improve your chances at top schools, ie it was not a weakness in high school. But If I were you I would not hesitant to apply to the top 10 schools. I think you should look carefully at your application and your essays. Also you should have a good reason why you want to transfer in the first place. Note, I don't think prestige is a good reason.</p>

13

<p>I don't think transferring during your Junior yr is good. If you wanna transfer, do it ASAP. Cos, it's gonna be hard to make friends, climb your way up to the top position in any clubs, and have fun while doing well in school if you're a Jr transfer. Plus...2 years isn't enough...at least that's what I feel about my new university. I wished I had done that after my first semester in my previous college.</p>

14

<p>I will transfer after 2nd semester.</p>

<p>Why do you want to transfer?</p>

15

<p>hey im also at Penn State and I'm trying to transfer to Penn/Columbia, do you wanna meet sometime and discuss this??</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
I don't think transferring during your Junior yr is good.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you're addressing my comment about the chances of transferring as a jr rather than as a soph, the question is not whether a jr transfer is "better" than a soph transfer, but rather which is realistic given the OPs record.</p>