Transfering w/o a safety?

Transfer Students
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<p>Hi; I'm a little nervous about actually posting, but here I go. I didn't do so well at the college game and got waitlisted at a lot of my top choice schools and ended up at my state school albeit in the honors program which is supposed to be pretty competitive. I went to a pretty tough private school and had around a 3.7 gpa but I find my college too easy. I have to struggle to find work to do and the classes are honestly a waste of my time - I could teach myself the matieral better and only 2 out of my 5 classes were taught by actually professors. I got a 3.978 gpa for my first semester and can't see myself doing much worse next semester even though I have more honors/200-level classes.</p>

<p>Anyway, I figured that I was about 80% happy at my school, so I would only apply to schools where I thought I would be happier than 80% because I don't want to transfer for the sake of transfering because I am pretty happy at my school. So, my transfering list is: Brown, Yale, Stanford, Wesleyan. Basically, I REALLY want to go to Wesleyan and I figure I'll be thrilled if I get in anywhere else. However, I can't get rid of the nagging voice which is telling me that now that I decided I want to transfer, if I get rejected from those four schools (which I realise is a pretty high possiblity) I will start to view my school as a second choice, instead of as a school I chose to go to.</p>

<p>So, I was just looking for some advice on this. I know I need to really work on my essays because I think that was my weak point last time because frankly, they sucked, but do you think I should apply to a safety school in case I decide I do want to transfer no matter what? If that is the case, I would also like advice on a good safety. </p>

<p>I really want a private school with generally smart kids - you know, people who read for fun and like to learn because I don't really get that vibe here. I'd also want a school that has a change-the-world vibe, although that isn't necessary, just preferred. Someplace where kids believe in activism and are pretty liberal. But overall, I just want a school where I feel surrounding by intellectual peers, something I didn't think about when choosing to go to my school.</p>

<p>Well, thank you for reading this far and please feel free to give me advice! :)</p>

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<p>Haha...you sound strangely similar to me. I too am applying to Brown and Wesleyan and wll be thrilled if I'm accepted to Wesleyan to the point where I wouldn't care if I got rejected by Brown.</p>

<p>FYI, the transfer rate at Wes is 40%. If you can really convey that you love the school, with a 3.978 and a good high school record, you should be ok. If anything, you'll be stuck at your honors program for one more year if rejected, during which time you can build your record up stronger and try again. </p>

<p>Hope to see you there!</p>

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<p>
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FYI, the transfer rate at Wes is 40%.

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<p>I was looking for that statistic on their website, but couldn't find it. Where did you come across that information?</p>

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<p>USNews 2007 Premium Edition. It uses 2005 data, so I am not sure what the statistics were last year, but I imagine they remain pretty similar every year. Wesleyan, as one of the larger LACs, seems to have a tendency to accept nearly 150 transfers each year out of 300+ applicants.</p>

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<p>Hey Hollyhop! You're situation sound so reminiscent of my own! I am currently at a state school in the selective honors program. It was one of my last choices but like you, I got waitlisted from my top choice the first time around. </p>

<p>I decided to apply for transfer, and while I had the same nagging feeling as you, I decided NOT to apply to a safety. My reasoning was "Heck, I'm already AT a safety. If I don't get into the transfer schools that I really want, why transfer to another safety? At least here I know people and I can be okay with it."</p>

<p>So, if your relatively happy at your school, 80% at least, and want to transfer to a more prestigious and academically minded school, don't settle for less again. If you don't get in, at least you're still 80% happy and know that you tried your best. If you don't get in and then transfer to another safety, I think it will still feel second rate.</p>

<p>I realize, looking back, that this was a big risk. But, it forced me to put EVERYTHING I had into my apps. Knowing that it was either the big guys or staying at my state school, I worked my butt off on those things. I retook the ACT, I spent hours on my essays, I contacted the Dean of my honors program on a whim and convinced her to write me a recommendation, which she did. Luckily it paid off and I was accepted to all 3 schools I applied to: UVa (Spring transfer, OOS), Vanderbilt and Oberlin. </p>

<p>I say if you're 80% happy with where you are, consider taking the risk. I realize that you're shooting higher than I did, but if you write great essays that show your personal growth, and have good recommendations, I think you can do it. And if worse comes to worse, you'll still have the friends you've made and the happiness that you've found at your state school.
Mal :)</p>

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<p>I think your original reasons for not having a safety are sound.</p>

<p>However, given your current worry, I think a safety would make sense. You don't <em>need</em> it, since 80% happy at your current place is pretty d**n good. But why not have one, just to feel you have options? I especially think so given your list of Stanford, Yale, Brown - which are pretty low % chance for anyone.</p>

<p>I wonder if Tulane might not make sense - using the Honors program. That would get you the right set of peers, and the school now has a major emphasis on community service/"change the world" post-Katrina. Also, any of the traditionally Catholic schools tend to have that type of social justice/community service ethos - any of them really, but Villanova and Santa Clara University come to mind as somewhat less selective places which track well with your top choices.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>