Transfer student with relatively interesting profile...

Transfer Students
1

<p>Profile includes:</p>

<p>High school - parochial school with intensive double curriculum
Excellent, community oriented extracurriculars + internships with local politicians<br>
Spent a year at university abroad in a non-english speaking country...
Notably bright, informed and articulate </p>

<p>Weaker points.
HS GPA - 3.0
1st year college abroad GPA - 3.0
SAT - 1150/1600</p>

<p>CURRENTLY: at community college in honors program...dare I say doing rather well (envisioning 4.0 GPA)</p>

<p>I suppose it's fair to say that academics has been a weaker point...</p>

<p>I am planning on continuing as an international relations major. The school I have been attending abroad has what I see as a terrific, but relatively unknown program. In addition, being modeled on the European educational system, there aren't general requirements other than those for the social sciences (statistics, economics, etc.), something which to me is quite distasteful.</p>

<p>I am now attending a California community college. My decision at this point is whether I should stick it out. Assuming I can muster a 4.0 and get a few more ECs on my side then I should be able to get into Cal. My real hope and true intention is that I should be able to transfer to one of the more prestigious schools back east (i.e. Georgetown, Columbia, Cornell, etc). </p>

<p>The difficulty lies in my not knowing whether having particularly strong sentimental or otherwise "untestable" credentials (ie personality, intellect, etc) is really a strong asset as my GPA should evince an upward trajectory (3.0 to 4.0 with some honors classes) and I am, after all, attempting a transfer from a community college. </p>

<p>The best label I can strike for myself is as a "reformed student." If that carries me to Berkeley - great. I should think it unwise to assume that it would, though, and throwing my eggs into the Cal basket is dangerous. Community college is a total drag, though, as I am at home living with parents and know I'm not really going to find my groove here. The flipside is returning to my college abroad where I am quite comfortable and relatively happy but without assurance as to the program's relative rigor and, more importantly, how it is looked upon by graduate programs.</p>

<p>If anyone could provide insight or otherwise concrete advice on the matter it would be much appreciated.</p>

<p>THANKS!</p>

2

<p>Frankly, your chances at an Ivy/similarly prestigious school are grim at best given your current record. How can you expect to attend such a school when, by your own admission, academics are a weak point for you? I assume you’ll be transferring as a junior, so your dismal high school record will matter less, but even still, you’re competing against applicants with solid high school records and vastly superior college grades. </p>

<p>Speaking in terms of concrete information, look at the data for entering transfers for each prospective school to get an idea of where you stand.</p>

3

<p>Perhaps I should clarify - I’m not in a delusion regarding my transfer profile. It is, quite obviously, sore in the most crucial of places. Granted, though, that transferring from a cc to any university save for one with which there is an agreement is an uphill battle. </p>

<p>Having extensively reviewed the admissions statistics I’m still at a loss knowing that they do not provide much “in between the lines” sort of information. For instance, where did their transfer applicants attend before being accepted/rejected, etc. </p>

<p>I’m not looking to be “chanced” per say…I know it’s fun and can often be rather reassuring but I understand that the odds aren’t in my favor, though I should be prepared to transfer as a junior with a 4.0 GPA. Rather, I’m trying to realize a degree of feasibility; say, perhaps 5%> chance of admissions. Essentially, understanding that I would be applying with a real chance of vying for a position rather than donating 50 bucks. </p>

<p>If anyone has genuine insight and/or real experience with the admissions process some “inside” information would be much appreciated</p>

4

<p>“without assurance as to the program’s relative rigor and, more importantly, how it is looked upon by graduate programs.”</p>

<p>Ask the professors in the department that you would be majoring in there about which graduate schools their students have been admitted at.</p>

5

<p>I have Happymom, as well as speaking to various faculty members. The tagline is “well we’ve had students go on to Harvard, LSE, and the Sorbonne.” The difficulty with that ambiguity is that there will always be exceptional students in unexceptional environments and I should think that still many if not most of them would be held back by an “inferior” undergraduate label.</p>