Transferring from Cornell to Vassar

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi!</p>

<p>So I'm a freshman at Cornell right now, with a good GPA (I can't tell you specifics as final grades haven't been released, but it'll probably be between 3.6-3.8) and I'm looking to apply to smaller, liberal-arts based, more left-of-center schools. I'm a Film major with strong interests in American Studies, Visual Art, and Theatre, and my coursework reflects those interests. I ended up choosing between Cornell and Vassar last spring and my heart is still firmly with Vassar, so at this point it's definitely my top choice, though if you can think of other schools you'd recommend, by all means go ahead!</p>

<p>SO, any thoughts on my chances? Am I kidding myself here or do I have a legitimate shot? Tips, advice, whatever... I'll do whatever it takes to help my chances!</p>

2

<p>Well clearly if you were a successful candidate there before, and you are doing well now at a very tough school, you would have to be a strong transfer candidate as well.</p>

<p>The only challenge would be that the number of slots they have for transfers seems to vary. Their website says they've accepted 15-20% of transfer applicants over the last 2 years, but here on CC people posted that they only took 10-11 transfers in one recent Fall.</p>

<p>The other obvious choice that comes immediately to mind would be Wesleyan.</p>

<p>If you don't mind my asking, what is it about Cornell that's motivating your decision? You mentioned L-of-Center, that can't be it right, I mean Cornell has all sorts of people of every kind of center there is, but certainly L is still quite well represented, is it not? Or probably that's not the issue..</p>

3

<p>oberlin may be a very good fit, the political enviornment is pretty intense though</p>

<p>vassar is very tough to transfer into, but it seems like you will be a very very competitive applicant...just make sure that all the other components of your applications are on point and you'll be in a good position</p>

4

<p>Thing is, I haven't heard that film was a real big deal at Oberlin, like maybe it is at Wesleyan. Am I wrong about that?</p>

5

<p>No, I'm definitely not leaving Cornell for any political motivations... it's more about size (Cornell is just TOO big for me, I like the idea of a more insular community, where you actually run into people you know) and academic focus -- you can find people of any type at Cornell, but I'd really prefer a community more solidly arts-based. I still think about Vassar every day when I'm here; my gut is just telling me that it's the right place for me. Honestly, my motivations aren't very concrete, I just know that Cornell, with its heavy Greek scene, enormous campus that I still get lost in, and complete isolation isn't giving me the kind of college experience I wanted.</p>

<p>But thanks for the encouragement y'all, I think I just needed someone to tell me I really wasn't jumping into a massive disappointment here!</p>

6

<p>Oh, and I'm planning on applying to Wesleyan (got in there as a freshman as well, so I feel like I have similar chances of getting in as I do with Vassar) and as a MAJOR longshot Brown, just because it's the one school I somewhat regret not applying to last year. Still fiddling with other places... thanks for the suggestions!</p>

7

<p>lol, you're like the opposite of me - I prefer large diverse schools with enormous, beautiful campus's and not too many artsy types, instead of small artsy LAC's where everyone majors in the humanities. Sounds like maybe Brown was the right Ivy for you, not Cornell. Shame you didn't apply there! Cornell also doesn't have a film major, right?</p>

<p>If you're interested in Vassar, maybe Bowdoin or Amherst as well? Small LAC's, close-knit communities (from what I've heard), fairly liberal. Not sure if they have film majors or not, but I'd be surprised if they didn't. I don't think Brown will be a long shot...if you got into Cornell, you did well in HS, and you're doing well there now. It just comes down to how well you can write about your reasons for transfer and academic interests in essays.</p>

8

<p>Brown felt kind of big to me too, not Cornell big, but the campus tour groups were so big they were using megaphones. But whatever..</p>

<p>If you wind up staying, perhaps there are steps you can take to cut down your immediate group to a more appealing size of like-minded individuals. For example, in my day there were some dorms, like Risley or a coop or two, that were geared to more artsy types. Class selections and activity choices can also be steered that way, perhaps.</p>

<p>But being huge and highly diverse has its downsides, no question.</p>

<p>As does being small and homogeneous.</p>

<p>One thing to consider is that you're probably experiencing the worst of it now, it will probably get better. Because now is when you're experiencing the huge survey courses, and you have to live with all these random people who may or may not share your values.</p>

<p>Down the road you can choose who you live with, and as you get into your major there will be smaller classes, populated with a higher proportion of like-minded people. And you will have mastered the campus to the point that you won' t even think about that. Whereas people at the small schools might be totally bored with theirs by that point; that's one reason why so many take years abroad.</p>

<p>And at that point you may be in a position to reap the benefits that the large school offers: large upper-level course selection, once you get into your major. Whereas at the small school offerings may be less comprehensive. In some cases, higher level class sizes at a given LAC/ department may even feel too stiflingly small for comfort, believe it or not.</p>

<p>I've felt the ideal transfer path is in the opposite direction, actually: LAC starting out, to get more personal attention in the intro level courses, then big U the last two years, as you get into your major. Whereas the way you're planning to do it, you'll be experiencing the weaker part of each environment.</p>

<p>So if you wind up sticking it out, that might not be such a tragedy for you.</p>