<p>Hey, I am new to this forum. I am going to be a sophomore at the University of Memphis this year, and I plan on transferring to a couple of schools(I will list below). I am majoring in Computer Science. I took 25 hours last year, and a Calculus class at Boston University which makes it 29 hours. My current GPA with the Calc class included is a 3.70. I am going to apply to the colleges as a junior transfer. I am going to take 34 hours by the end of this year. The classes I will be taking will ALL be going towards my major. I will be taking classes like Calculus II and III, Physics I and II, Chemistry I, Java, Linear Algebra, and others that are Math/Science based. I am confident that I will make all A's this year, and my GPA will be around a 3.86 when I submit my applications for transfer. I had a couple of questions though. I slacked off in high school, and have terrible GPA/Test scores. My high school GPA was a 2.3 and I only took the ACT once and it was a 24. I was wondering if I don't submit the ACT score, will it adversely effect my application to some of the Ivy League schools? I was going to take the SAT, but I have don't have enough time to study hard enough to get a solid score. I am working 24 hours a week, and have been since last year. I have also actively volunteered at my church 4 hours a week since 2001. I am also on a flag football team for our church, and we play on a national level, and have won many tournaments. I was Vice President of our student council for our religion education classes. I was a teacher assistant for 9th grade religious class last year, and have been a wizard(teacher) for various programs that are aimed at helping the participants build critical thinking skills...many many more. I am applying to these schools:</p>
<p>UT Austin
University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign
Cornell
Brown
Northwestern
Rice
Georgia Tech
Wisconsin Madison
Columbia</p>
<p>I was wondering if you could tell me what my chances are for getting in to any of these Universities. Will my two years of college(61 credits) be enough for the admissions office to overlook my high school GPA/bad test scores? Thanks so much for all your time, I know this is a lot of information to read.</p>
<p>High school won’t matter if you transfer as a junior. However, some of the schools you’re applying to require SATs, so you’ll need to retake them. With that being said, I think you’ve got pretty good chances at half the schools you’re applying to provided you write a great essay and that your GPA really will be 3.86</p>
<p>A couple of those schools have an option for NOT submit the test scores and opt out if my current University didn’t require it(Brown and Cornell(maybe)) but will it negatively impact my application? If my Essays and Recommendation letters are stellar, then do I have a pretty solid chance? Are my extra curriculars fine? Do you know which schools will still possibly accept be if I do not retake my standardized tests? I honestly will not be able to make time to take them and get a high score.</p>
This will not work in your favor, even as a junior transfer. </p>
<p>CS admission at Cornell is cutthroat and the College of Engineering admits few transfers. From my experience, the CoE is more numbers-oriented than other schools, as high stats are a reliable predictor of success in the college. Most CS majors will have perfect/near-perfect math subscores (800 SAT math / 35-36 ACT math) and similar science SAT IIs. </p>
<p>Chances for Cornell Engineering: Slim to none.</p>
<p>I’d say the same for most of the others (UIUC, GTech, UT Austin, and Northwestern are all top engineering schools and they likely resemble Cornell in CoE admissions)</p>
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I mean no offense by this but if you think you can take all those courses and pull A’s, you either are delusional or the classes are being taught at a remedial level.</p>
<p>My advice would be to destroy your list and re-start. Focus on solid public matches like U of Iowa, Indiana U, Penn State, Ohio State, Maryland, etc. There’s nothing wrong with aiming super high but you are setting yourself up for misery (i.e. 10/10 rejections) if you don’t refocus on schools that are less selective.</p>
<p>^ i second this, but with the addition that there’s no harm in having 2-3 reach schools if you love them, so maybe you can keep 2 or 3 on your list there. cornell also offers CS in arts and sciences, though that’s not much easier to get into. i think you should add purdue to your list as well</p>
<p>Or, you know, just competent and hard working? And unless I’m mistaken, those classes are the one’s he’s taking this year, not in a single semester.</p>
<p>I second Tappmann, I know a friend who applied to a list of even tougher schools than you and got into Stanford. Don’t let people influence you. You should however consider applying to safeties for the worst case scenario, after all, that’s what mathematicians and engineers do ^^</p>
Thanks for piecing that together Sherlock, cause I really thought he was taking 30 science credits in one semester. </p>
<p>Once again, I say this as objectively and unoffensively as I can regarding the OP. If a student with a 24 ACT thinks he/she can take Calculus II, Calculus III, Physics I, Physics II, General Chemistry I, Linear Algebra, Java, PLUS OTHER quantitative courses in one year, PLUS get A’s, then something is ridiculously fishy. </p>
<p>I can tell you guys aren’t science majors (or quantitatively inclined for that matter) because if you were, this would send up red flags immediately. And guess what, this will send up red flags at any engineering college adcom. Particularly top 10 engineering adcoms per the OP’s list. The quality of those courses will be called into question. No doubt about that. Want my honest opinion? They either seem remedial level or the OP cannot gauge himself and is biting off wayyyyy more than he can chew.</p>
<p>My original advice and ironicallyunsure’s additions still stand.</p>
<p>Though I agree that his high school scores don’t particularly support that he’ll be able to get straight As, it is definitely possible to ace those classes within a year.</p>
<p>I in fact took all those classes (within a year) and aced them with the exception of linear algebra and physics II which I’m going to take next fall; not to mention that my summer term was a fairly light one. I know by experience that it can be pulled off.</p>
<p>Caillebotte - One thing you are not understanding is that I didn’t study at ALL for the ACT. I went to take it without a pencil/calculator. It may be hard for you to grasp this, but my work ethic has changed completely. High school was the exact same way. My priorities were completely wrong at the time, and I didn’t realize I was digging my own grave until it was too late. Those classes at my college are not ANY easier than other places, but I am going to stop working if necessary, and I WILL make all A’s in them. If I can make time in my schedule, then I will also take the SAT. My last question was that if I do NOT get to take the SAT, will I still have a fighting chance at the other universities I listed?</p>
<p>Edit - So your saying if I do make all A’s, the only way for these colleges to take it seriously is if I can supplement my application with a near perfect SAT score?</p>