Transferring from Colby-Suggest schools for me?

Transfer Students
1

I am considering transferring from Colby College after my freshman year. This year at Colby I had a 3.73 and made the Dean’s List. I have no sense of how much high school grades and extracurriculars matter if at all, but In high school I had around a 3.5 unweighted GPA with a 4.18 weighted GPA. My SAT scores were 690 math, 760 reading, 780 writing, and I got two 4s and one 5 on AP exams.

I was a lot more involved in extracurriculars in high school than I was at Colby (in high school I did Model UN, a cappella, honors wind ensemble, lacrosse, cross-country skiing, and fall plays- at Colby I was in a cappella, Enviro Co [environmental club], weekly mentoring with a local elementary schooler [Colby Cares About Kids Club], and I was a member of the Freshman Class Council). I am taking this upcoming year off and doing an internship at the Center for Food Safety in Washington, D.C. I am hoping to major in English and potentially minor in Environmental Science.

I am looking to transfer to a bigger school (medium sized, anywhere from around 3,000 to 10,000) with more opportunities to get involved in the arts, more clubs, etc.
I am thinking about William and Mary, Tufts University, and Brown as a big reach if I have a shot (not really sure if I do).
Does anyone have suggestions of other schools I could look at that fit the description of what I’m looking for that I could potentially get into based on my GPA and scores?

Also would love to hear people’s thoughts on how hard it is to get into the schools I am considering as a transfer and if I might have a chance. Thank you in advance!

2

To assess your own transfer chances Google the Common Data Set for each and look at section D.

3

I will, thank you so much that’s super helpful!

4

Also, the schools you are talking about are going to want a good ‘why’ for your transfer: what does their school offer that your current one does not. It’s as important as the ‘why us’ question when applying in the first place. Not enough EC options probably isn’t compelling enough; ‘turns out I don’t like small’ can be done but requires care to show some maturity of thought.

5

More options:

Georgetown
Boston College
U Rochester
Lehigh

6

I kind of like URochester as a suggestion for what you are looking for. The school is academically equivalent to the also excellent Colby, but is the size you are looking for. UR is strong in English and music and offers environmental science. Beyond that, they wouldn’t ask you to jump through hoops to gain admittance – your record as it stands would get you in.

7

??? So you are taking a gap year now?

8

“I am taking this upcoming year off”

(Mixed with other information, easy to miss.)