Transfer Chances ? - please

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Notre Dame
1

<p>There is not much I can do now since I've already submitted my application, but would somehow care to assess my chances to transfer to Notre Dame this fall.</p>

<p>Current school: University of Iowa</p>

<p>Entering as: sophomore</p>

<p>College courses: Western Civ. I, Elementary Latin I, Elem. Latin II, Gen. Chemistry I, Stars Galaxies and the Universe, Finite Math, Intro. to American Politics, Intro. to American Foreign Policy, and three English composition courses in high school </p>

<p>(I realize I'm one math course short, but I can take a math course this summer. I also have two W's, including one from Calculus I. And an advisor at ND has already assured me that they will transfer.)</p>

<p>This would be 42 credits overall.</p>

<p>College GPA: 4.0 for first semester, but this semester has been more difficult, with 18 credit hours, so I've calculated that it should be around 3.83-3.95 after this year ends.</p>

<p>High School GPA and ranking: 3.9 and 8/51 (This was at a tiny public school in rural Iowa ).</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: a few random jobs, slight volunteering, volunteer for Congressman, no clubs, no sports</p>

<p>SAT: 1160/1600, 1910/2400</p>

<p>ACT: 25</p>

<p>AP's: 5 in United States History (the only one my high school offered)</p>

<p>Essay: I thought I wrote and organized it well and made the point why I want to transfer clearly. I wrote about how Notre Dame can make me a better person and give me more opportunities in college and in the rest of my life. But I am concerned that it might appear that the essay was bashing where I came from and has and will hold me back unless I transfer.</p>

<p>Special hooks: I am as white as you can imagine, but I come from a humble background, and some colleges might like the story of someone coming from nothing and being faced with several obstacles and setbacks to his dreams and working hard to over some them. </p>

<p>First generation college student.</p>

<p>I sent zero recommendation letters this year.</p>

<p>I applied last year for freshman admission, but my high school teachers and counselor wrote horrible recommendations in pen and bad handwriting, and the application was sloppily put together.</p>

<p>Also, does anyone know if the advisors for potential transfer students that we email serve on the committees that look at our applications and make decisions on them? I've been in frequent communication with one particular advisor through email since last June.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

2

<p>Well, here’s a look at the stats of last year’s transfer class:</p>

<pre><code>* AVERAGE COLLEGE GPA: 3.69

  • AVERAGE SAT COMPOSITE: 1284
  • AVERAGE ACT COMPOSITE: 28
  • AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL RANK: 15%
    </code></pre>

<p>So aside from your bad standardized test scores, you’re in the ball park. Your college GPA is especially good, and may help you out the most here. I had a 4.0 when I transferred to ND as a junior, and it really seemed like it was the only thing the admissions people cared about (my SAT was a 1290, which was still well below the average freshman score). </p>

<p>W’s always look bad (and not just for transferring). Avoid those.</p>

<p>I didn’t have any sports, barely any volunteering (besides painting a sign at the Red Cross), etc. I was in band for four years, I did academic quizbowl programs, but that was really it. In college at my first university I was a bit more active. I was an RA, sat on the Student Senate, worked for the yearbook, and I was active with my professional organization (AIChE). I don’t know if much of that helped, besides being an RA (which looks pretty good on applications in general). You didn’t do anything else besides study at your current university?</p>

<p>Transferring to ND is decentralized, so unlike freshman admissions it’s largely up to the discretion of the department and the college you applied to. What school did you apply to? </p>

<p>My experience was that I randomly sent my app in (seriously, it was a pure whim, more-or-less to see if I could get in). I wrote my essay in like a half hour in between watching TV and playing video games. I forgot about it, then remembered and called up the college and said “hey, what gives?” And they were like, “Yo, come on over.” So I did, and I met with a vice dean in the CoE. We chatted a bit, he offered me an admissions letter right there (in fact, he tried to dissuade me because he thought I was already doing pretty well at my other school). But first I had to negotiate my credits with the chair of chemical engineering. After about a half hour of haggling, we determined that I could finish in 2 more years (which I barely did), and I was in. </p>

<p>So later after figuring out the finances, I figured I ought to attend. It was a good decision, and I really dug being a student (and now alum) at ND. I guess the moral of the story is to not worry about it and just let things flow. There are people on this forum who OBSESS over this stuff (‘OMG WHAT IF THE ENVELOPE IS SMALL?! WHAT IF I GOT AN EMAIL FROM AN ADVISOR THERE, IS THAT A GOOD SIGN?!?!?!?!?’). It’s just a college. You’ve done what you can, now relax.</p>