Hi!
I am a rising sophomore at Rice university. I had an absolutely horrible year for personal reasons and I don’t know if I want to go back. I think a fresh start at a new school could serve me well. My first semester grades are not good (all C’s), but my second semester grades are great (all A- and A+). My overall GPA is a 3.0 but my major GPA (English) is a 3.7, and I can explain in my essay why my first semester grades did not reflect what I am truly capable of. My high school grades are good and I have an ACT score of 33. I was on the dance team, yearbook, a PAIR mentor, women in business society, and I had a job on campus. I know several professors that I have a great relationship with who would be willing to write me good recommendations.
I really want to transfer to NYU. Do I have a chance, or should I pick a less competitive school because of my relatively low overall GPA, compared to the rest of the applicant pool?
Apply to NYU, but also apply to some backups. Not only for just in case NYU doesn’t admit you. But also because NYU gives crap financial aid, and they’re very expensive. If you end up getting in and having to take out $120k in loans for two years there, you may need to pick another school for financial reasons (unless you’re quite wealthy, in which case, you’re good.)
NYU admits about 30% of transfer applicants, so having backups is a good idea. The rate is lower for some really competitive programs like Stern, so FYI on that.
Your overall GPA right now is low for NYU transfer, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get in. If you’re applying for the spring, their deadline is November 1 - that’s not in your favor, as they won’t see your fall term 2017 grades. If you’re applying for the fall, that may be better for you, as the deadline is April 1, so they will see next term’s grades.
But again, apply regardless. You may or may not get in. All you have to lose is time and the app fee.
I agree^
Pick NYU, but also if you’re really unhappy at Rice you need to pick a few schools with higher transfer acceptance rates to match your overall GPA of 3.0 (probably schools with a 50-75% acceptance rate)