Transfer Help!

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi everyone - so, I was a freshman at NYU this year, and ended the fall semester with a 3.43 . I'm taking a personal leave of absence this semester, and applying to transfer for the fall.
I don't want to play the pity card, but my father passed away unexpectedly in October, which is why (I believe) my grades were lower than I wanted (2 B+'s, and 1 A-, I dropped a class after my father passed). </p>

<p>I wasn't super happy with NYU to begin with, and might have transferred anyway.
Right now my top choice is Vassar, where I didn't get in when I applied as a freshman.
My high school records are okay - mostly As and Bs, I think one C in physics senior year. I was involved in the GSA and Newspaper heavily, but also the literary magazine, I was a mentor, volunteered at the middle school, and have held nannying jobs.
I want to be a religious studies or creative writing major.</p>

<p>I went to a small public high school in Maine. </p>

<p>My SATs were:
580 math
680 reading
700 writing</p>

<p>I got a composite score of 29 on my ACT
35 in English
25 in Math
33 in Reading
24 in Science
combined english/writing - 34.</p>

<p>I got a 5 on the AP English Language/Comp test.</p>

<p>I think my recommendations are solid, one from an NYU writing professor, and I have my high school recs from a math teacher and an English teach.</p>

<p>Obviously I went through a lot of emotional stuff at NYU this semester, but I also wasn't happy with the lack of community and the lack of seriousness the students demonstrated - I want some freedom and choice, but just a little more to bind everyone together, and definitely want a campus. I want a school where the students care about learning and are serious about it, but aren't completely straight-laced.
I would love a school with less of a party scene (I don't drink or smoke), but don't really mind it as long as it's accepted that I choose not to take part.
Right now I'm applying to Vassar, Oberlin, Goucher, Bard, and Dickinson.
I have a connection to the dean of admissions at Vassar through one of my NYU professors.</p>

<p>Thoughts?
Chances?
Any other schools I should apply to?
Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I don’t know about the other schools, but in regard to Vassar: I applied last year for transfer there and was accepted. They said that about 300 people applied and only about 10 people were accepted. They expected about 3 people to matriculate. So, it’s really, really, competitive. But, if you like small liberal arts schools you might also want to look at Wesleyan. It’s got a similar vibe to Vassar, but is much more transfer friendly.</p>

3

<p>May I ask you why you didn’t like NYU? I’m just curious.</p>

4

<p>Your GPA is too low. You should stay at NYU another year and try to get better grades.</p>

5

<p>afresh - I’m leaving NYU for a lot of reasons, many of them just having to do with where I am mentally right now. If you’re looking at NYU or whatever, it definitely represents itself accurately - I wouldn’t say anything surprised me, but what I thought I wanted was not what I actually wanted. I’ve heard a bunch of people saying this too, that NYU feels a little bit too much like “real life”. I never felt like a college student. My dorm was spillover for freshmen, so there were only 2 and 1/2 floors of us, and it was on 14th st (as opposed to most of the freshmen dorms, which are way closer to WSP). Most people I met were concerned only with partying and not actually learning or experiencing New York for the culture - they were only there for the clubs. There really isn’t a huge sense of community which is great if you’re independent and don’t want that, but for me, especially after my father passed away, I wanted to feel connected to something.</p>

6

<p>@margaretgrace</p>

<p>I’m a sophomore at NYU and I feel exactly the same way you do about my experience here, which is why I’m applying to transfer as well. I just wish I had realized that transferring was a good decision as early as you have. A “lack of seriousness” is a perfect way to describe the lifestyle here, and that’s okay for some people, but it’s nice to know that it’s kind of frustrating to people other than me.</p>

<p>Also, I’m sorry about your father’s passing. For having gone through something that traumatic, I think you still have a pretty good GPA to show for your first semester. I’m not familiar with Goucher or Vassar, but I know people at Bard, Dickinson, and Oberlin who are all very happy. I’d say go for it and apply - don’t spend any more time being unsatisfied than you have to.</p>

7

<p>@rusalka thank you so much! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who feels this way!! And thank you for your support - I’m hoping that with my situation, my lower GPA will be considered with that in mind.</p>

8

<p>I transferred to NYU, but after being at a campus school for 2 years, so I was ready for “real life” and the NYU experience. It’s not for everybody and I can completely understand if you want a more traditional college experience. You might also want to take a look at SUNY New Paltz right near Vassar. It has a really close knit feeling and is artsy and more offbeat. Good luck to you.</p>