<p>I'm sophomore at georgia tech wanting to transfer because, well, it's all about work here, and there are hardly any girls. </p>
<p>I have a really low gpa (2.7) though and was wondering if anyone could tell me if it is even worth applying. I know they say they'll look at anyone's application but want to know if I would be a special case if I were accepted.</p>
<p>I think the general rule of thumb for a transfer “trade up” (i.e. trying to gain admission to a college you wouldn’t have gotten into as a H.S. senior) is that you need at least a whole year (preferably 2) of solid academics at the current school, and even then, it can be tough. Really tough. </p>
<p>If you could’ve (or did) get into UNC as a HS senior, then it might be a different story. If you were a fantastic candidate who happened to have an anomalous time at GA tech (for whatever reason), they may take that into consideration. Ditto for extenuating circumstances. </p>
<p>But, something doesn’t add up. If you’re doing poorly at Tech, why would you want to transfer to a more difficult school?</p>
<p>im a sophomore at a small competitive liberal arts school, and applied to transfer to UNC last year with a college GPAof 3.17. I knowthis is definitely low, and I was rejected mainly for that reason. This fall I got a 3.67 bringing my average to 3.33…i’m not instate but have been told numerous times this doesn’t matter for transfers. any way to evaluate my chances? I had a 4.5 weighted gpa in HS, 2030 combined SATs for all 3 sections, involved in 3 sports and a ton of clubs.</p>
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<p>I don’t know if I would have gotten into UNC as a senior (I doubt it)- I had a 3.4 gpa (5 APs) and 1260 SAT (28 ACT). I think if I had applied it would definitely be a reach.</p>
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<p>To be honest, I was asking myself the same thing. I try to rationalize it and say- my Dad has a job there so I could apply for domicile and get in-state tuition, it has a great rank for their computer science school, and best of all there’s a 60-40 ratio. But deep in my heart I know I’m not an overachiever and excelling at academics is not natural for me, I also don’t enjoy it most of the time. </p>
<p>But I feel like college, above all, is a culture, kind of like being grown in a family household and I’m trying to find the best household fit for me. I feel like the culture I am in right now (Georgia Tech) is definitely not for me. Is Chapel Hill right for me? I have no idea. I want to go there (and a couple other, lesser caliber, colleges this summer) to see what they’re like.</p>
<p>I don’t even plan on getting accepted to Chapel Hill, but I like to set my sights high. I’m applying to maybe two other schools, and I’ve done most of the application to UNC besides the essays. I just want to know to what degree am I throwing my money away, or is there a way I can “sell myself” on the essays.</p>
<p>Okay, schaden, that clears up a lot of my questions. </p>
<p>May I ask if you currently drink/party? I think there’s a critical difference in someone who doesn’t enjoy academics and someone who doesn’t enjoy academics and thus spends his or her time engaged in other recreational activities (thus leading to a downward spiral). </p>
<p>As an OOS high schooler, Chapel Hill would’ve been almost impossible, and even as an instater, it still would be very difficult, unless your high school was extremely rigorous. I don’t know enough about transfer admissions to give you a good idea of whether or not you’re “wasting your money,” but I don’t think that’s the real issue. </p>
<p>Have you considered transferring to a LAC? Clearly, something isn’t working at your current school, and I just don’t think Chapel Hill is really the solution. A LAC could offer you more personalized academics, a more intimate social setting (if you’re having trouble finding friends//making lasting connections with people), and more support to help you through your transition. Guilford, located in Greensboro, NC might be a good choice to investigate. I don’t think it would be difficult for you to gain admissions and transfer there, although you might need to figure something out with FA. (It’s also about an hour away from UNC)</p>
<p>Otherwise, if you’re still unsure of the culture, I’d hedge your bets by adding a few of the UNCs that are less selective or adding NC State to the list. If anything, I’d think that Chapel Hill would actually make the situation worse because you’d be walking from one presser cooker into another. I’d think that UNC would be much more difficult, academically, than GA tech any day.</p>
<p>OK, thanks artemis, that is something I don’t think I am looking for either (another pressure cooker). That’s in a way funny, how I am leaving this school for that very reason and wanting to get into a school that may even be worse in that respect.</p>
<p>I might apply anyway though, since it’s supposedly a progressive school, and has a lot of girls (I might be able to handle the pressure if my spirits were lifted), and has a better graduating salary, just to see if I can get in.</p>
<p>ArtemisDea is correct in that UNC is not easy and is definitely academically challenging. However, my best friend is about to head to GA Tech next year and from what he’s told me, it’s clear that GA Tech and UNC are challenging in totally different ways. I’ve heard from a couple people that you can add 1 point to your GPA from GA Tech (so, your 2.7, according to them, is equivalent to a 3.7 somewhere else, hah). If I were you, I would look into Chapel Hill more and not rule it out because it’s another ‘pressure cooker.’ I feel like the pressure at UNC and the pressure at GA Tech are completely different. Definitely visit and get a feel for the school.</p>
<p>Thanks Laurebeth, </p>
<p>My gpa seems like it would be an obstacle to me getting in though. I hope they’d take my school’s difficulty into account (I’ve worked pretty hard here I’d say…). </p>
<p>I might visit sometime soon to get a perspective on things.</p>
<p>Right, I completely believe that since UNC is such a big school, you can definitely avoid the pressure if need be (surround yourself with laid back people, etc). Just speaking though from personal experience, some people tend to gravitate to more high-stress situations in schools, regardless of the school. My best friend is a bit… “committed” to academics, and I’m convinced that she’d have a panic attack if she attended community college (she’s actually headed to MIT). She claims that she just “requires more stress to function normally than most people.” Just know your type of personality.</p>
<p>But yeah, try to visit and just apply. Worst they can do is reject you, right?</p>
<p>Right, I just don’t want to throw away 70$ plus 10$ for SAT if my chances to get in are around 2%. Seems like everything revolves around numbers these days and my GPA is a little off.</p>