Transfering from top tier school... Where to start???

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi, I am a sophomore and go to Brandeis University. I have have been contemplating transferring for the past year and am now seriously considering it. My main reasons for transferring are 1) the quality of the economics program 2) lacking social scene. 3) Looking for a more metropolitan school or at least a school w/ an active college-town. First let me give you a background of myself.</p>

<p>Academics: I am doing very well here academically - I am averaging a 3.6 (3.4 first semester and a 3.8 second freshman year). I have been taking rigorous classes and the maximum allowable credits each semester. I feel that I have learned how to work hard and developed intellectually since my high school -- 3.5 GPA w/ 1290 SAT.</p>

<p>ExtraCurriculars: I am somewhat involved on campus. I am the president of investment club and actively involved in culinary club and tennis club. In addition, I interned in an investment bank this past summer.</p>

<p>Schools looking to transfer to: Northwestern, Tufts, Georgetown, Columbia (reach), UCBerkley, UCLA, UCSB, Cornell, Claremont Mckenna.</p>

<p>So, do you think I am in the running for these schools (I am also a california resident if that helps)? In addition, what other schools should I look into? Will my sub par high school records hurt me even though I am now excelling in college? What actions should I be taking this semester to bolster my application? I really appreciate everyone's help and best to luck of all you in my situation.</p>

2

<p>Looks like a good list. Focus on getting the GPA as high as possible and developing relationships with your professors who will later write your recs.</p>

3

<p>VISIT colleges before you apply -just a word of advice</p>

4

<p>TRUE DAT ecape</p>

5

<p>wait, do they give you a higher chance when you visit?
b/c visiting is very time consuming and mostly!!! money consuming!</p>

6

<p>they might, especially if you write it into your essay. problem is that transfer students are harder to plz than regular students -half of all transfers transfer twice. I know I was mostly focused on getting out of my first institution to a more academically rigorous one, and in hindsight wish i'd visited schools to know for sure where i should transfer to</p>

7

<p>Columbia will be very unlikely. We have many students that we are accomodating from Tulane, since they have been displaced by the hurricane. From what I've heard, all undergraduate schools are currently capped so I don't even know if they will consider a transfer student.</p>

8

<p>yeah, but those students should be gone by net fall</p>

9

<p>They are expecting them to return to Tulane by next fall, but it is only an expectation and it could be longer. It just isn't a good situation for prospective transfer applicants.</p>