I am an Econ major that has been studying at a state college in MA (Salem State) for a year. I’ve just began my first semester as a sophomore, and I am almost finished with my transfer application.
What are my chances of transferring into:
UPenn
Tufts
Boston College?
HS GPA: 3.2
SAT: 1650 (yikes)
My high school stats are horrible. I took a lot of Honors and AP courses but couldn’t keep up with the work. I was hospitalized my senior year of high school because of a suicide attempt due to depression, anxiety, body dysmorphic disorder, and the fact that I was living with abusive heroin addicts.
College GPA: 3.7
First semester: 3.94
Intro to Business (A)
English Freshman Seminar (A)
Intro to Macroeconomics (A)
Psychology (A)
Elementary Spanish (A-)
Second semester: 3.46
Statistics (B+)
Precalculus (B+)
Honors Public Speaking (A)
Intro to Microeconomics (B)
Music Industry (A-)
Current semester:
Calculus
Honors World History
Intermediate Spanish
Piano
Popular Music
ECs:
Research Assistant: I researched for the chairman of the Economics department. It was published, unsure if I am credited.
Treasurer of the Gay Straight Alliance
Peer Leader Intern at a non profit LGBT youth group.
Vice President of my resident hall’s Community Council
I work as a cashier at a grocery store, as well as a customer service representative at my school’s admission operations
I interned at a local chamber of commerce and helped pull together their biggest fundraiser of the year.
I have recommendations from:
Stats & Precalc professor
Economics chairman, who I also researched for and took Microeconomics with
Director of the non profit LGBTQ youth group that I volunteer for.
“Hooks” or extra info:
First generation college student
Raised by a single mother, we live below the poverty line & receive assistance
I’m gay
For essays, I plan on writing about queer activism, which I am very passionate about.
Honestly, I think they are going to throw your application away immediately after seeing your high school stats. And no offense, a 3.7 at an unknown state college does not even remotely qualify you to get in to any of those elite schools you mentioned. There are plenty of other good schools you could go to for Econ. Aim lower though.
To show that attitude like that won’t get you any help. The first poster gave his opinion on the matter and you come back with a snark remark with “Then list some”. Yeah, like any guy would want to continue to help a person that gives a response like that.
You came here for help/input/advice,etc you are asking other people to spend their time to help you and with that attitude you aren’t going to get anything. That was my point.
Although the schools OP is applying to are incredibly difficult to get into, I wouldn’t necessarily say these schools are “out of reach” completely. If he is applying as a junior, his SATs and high school grades mean next to nothing. I also don’t think a 3.7 is bad at Salem State (although I may be biased, I’m from MA and have friends there).
OP, if you’re interested in econ/business I’m assuming you’re applying to CSOM at BC and Wharton at Penn? If so, you do need to realize that even though you should definitely try to get into them, these are incredibly competitive programs so I would definitely look at other schools that have good econ/business programs that may be easier to get into like UMass, BU? etc.
Also, maybe I’m reading this wrong but do you have a hole in your education? You said you’re just beginning your first semester of Sophomore year but it’s January. Not trying to pry but this may raise a red flag for admissions depending on why this is.
@caffeinated7 Just curious, how does being from MA influence your opinion. I’m also from MA (have lived here my whole life). As someone who is familiar with MA schools, a 3.7 at Salem State is not good enough for any of those schools imo.
I would agree that you should add a safety school or two, but just wanted to say kudos to you for your life. It sounds like a lot of things have really sucked for you so far & you haven’t quit. You have the potential to have an amazing life story & help a lot of people in similar situations. Fist bump or something
@thecoolboy1234@jarrett211 Sorry, I probably should have elaborated more. My friends at Salem State choose it over schools like BU, BC, Bentley, etc. because of money. These were kids who were part of NHS in high school! I guess what I was trying to say was that if I was an adcom, I wouldn’t necessarily frown upon an applicant from Salem State but obviously I’m not an adcom (haha). I do agree that admission to these schools is extremely competitive and that a 3.7 (from any school) certainly does not guarantee an acceptance, and that OP should look at some less selective schools.
@caffeinated7 Well, if it is true that your friends attended Salem State over those other schools for the money, and not because they didn’t get in, then I will rescind that comment. NHS is not very hard to do, and colleges don’t think much of it either, so I wouldn’t think that would be a reason for anything.
Caffeinated7, I appreciate the advice. I am thinking of switching to a math major, so I will be applying to Morrissey CAS at BC and CAS at UPenn. They’re less competitive than their business/management schools, but I don’t think this will affect my chances too much.
I took a gap semester to prepare for college. It was mainly to get my disorders in check and to save up money to afford books and other fees that were not covered by my financial aid.
If I’m not accepted into these schools, do you think it would help to pull my GPA up to a 3.85 and reapply next year as a junior? I’d also retake the SATs, but I don’t think they would matter at that point.
