Transferring Fall 2011. How are my chances?

Transfer Students
1

<p>I am in my second year at the University of South Florida. I am preparing to apply to several top-tier schools as a transfer student and enter in the Fall 2011 semester. Depending on where I am accepted, I am interested in studying Engineering or Math/Physics/Computer Science. Ultimately, I would like to go on to world-class grad program. On the list are:
[ul]
[<em>]MIT
[</em>]UC Berkeley
[<em>]Harvey Mudd
[</em>]Pomona
[<em>]Caltech
[</em>]Columbia
[<em>]UCLA
[</em>]Boston College
[li]Boston University[/li][/ul]</p>

<p>Here's some info about me:



GPA: 4.0 (through 28 semester hours)</p>

<p>Fall 2009
A+ - Intro to Chem
A - Composition I
A - Humanities (Renaissance to 20th Century)
A+ - Precalculus (Algebra/Trig)</p>

<p>Spring 2010
A+ - General Chemistry I + Lab
A+ - Engineering Calculus I
A+ - Composition II
A+ - Principles of Macroeconomics</p>

<p>Fall 2010 (in progress)
General Chemistry II + Lab
General Physics I + Lab
Calculus II
Principles of Microeconomics</p>

<p>Spring 2011 (planned)
Calculus III
Physics II
Biology I
Other (What other classes usually transfer?

</p>

<p>[ul]
[<em>]Currently participating in an undergraduate research project studying wavelet transformations and their application in GPS satellite imagery.
[</em>]Held a management position in my father’s company (radio network) before deciding to go back to school and make it on my own. The volunteer and community service experience I lack, I make up for in leadership and management experience.
[<em>]Dropped out of high school in 2005 (Boston Latin School, Boston, MA). Got my GED in 2008. Scored in the 99.9th percentile on this exam.
[</em>]Took the SAT I, but no subject tests, in 2007. I scored 640/600 on Eng/Math without any preparing and having dropping out of high school two years before. I am retaking the SAT I, as well as SAT II Math Level 2 and Chemistry, in a few weeks (October 9th). I expect to score much higher this time around.
[<em>]I stand out in all of my college classes. Recommendations won’t be hard to come by.
[</em>]My girlfriend is a sophomore at Pomona and I have many friends at the Claremont Colleges. (Pomona will ask if I know any students at the college.)
[li]Earned a distinction for my writing in my first-year composition courses and was published in a University anthology.[/li][/ul]</p>

<ol>
<li>What are my chances of getting into any one of the schools on my list? Should I have any safety schools in mind?</li>
<li>I am trying to take classes that have the highest chance of transferring to my new school. What fourth class should I take in Spring 2011?</li>
<li>Will retaking the SAT help my applications?</li>
<li>Born March 13, 1988, I will enter as a 23 year old junior. Will this hurt my chances of acceptance at any of these schools? Am I too old to play ball?</li>
<li>Will stating my intent to apply for need-based aid significantly affect my chances of acceptance?</li>
<li>Should I ever bother trying to transfer into Harvard?</li>
<li>Am I way out of my league?</li>
<li>What can I do to strengthen my application between now and when the chips are all-in? I am considering applying to write for the school newspaper and volunteering with a group that promotes literacy by visiting underprivileged groups and reading with them once or twice a week.</li>
<li>Do any of you who have been in my position have any advice to help me through this arduous process?</li>
</ol>

2

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</p>

<p>I’m not sure if all of the schools are need-blind for transfers, it’s best to check the primary source (college websites) for that information. But if you are OOS, the UCs will be very difficult to transfer into and don’t expect them to give you any FA. They are becoming more ‘friendly’ towards OOS students, but only full pay ones. You might want to post on the UC Transfers subforum for input on Cal and UCLA.</p>

3

<p>you willing to pay that $50k at UC? If so, go for it</p>

4

<p>UCLA is not worth applying too bc you will be paying out of state tuition. cornell engineering is amazing…you can try there and your stats are impressive. the accpetance rate is like 6 percent buy thats the same for any top school.</p>

<p>harvard is a waste of money unless you have an outrageous hook.</p>

5

<p>I am hesitant about applying to Ivies because of my high school history and current SAT scores. </p>

<p>Do I have need to worry?</p>