<p>Hello all, I am a freshman at cornell looking to transfer to either Yale of Stanford next year. Well not next year but more like in three years since I have to serve in my country's mandatory military service for two years. So, I plan to write my transfer application to join the class of 2014 for Yale and Stanford. My GPA for the first semester was 4.07 and my second semester GPA will be in the same range. My SAT is 2310. I don't really know professors so I can't expect a personal recommendation. Even though I am doing well academically, I am not adjusting well socially. I don't drink so that rules out most of cornell's social activities which takes place mostly in frats. Plus, the weather is just too damn cold, it feels like my ears are getting cut constantly by the wind lol. I long for warmer weather, which is why I would love to go to Stanford, but Yale would also be great(i know its cold there also, but definitely better than ithaca). I would appreciate any advice you experts can give me. Should I be doing anything else besides keeping up with my grades? Like above, I don't really have a dominant reason for wanting to transfer, but a combination of little reasons. If you guys can suggest a suitable or a convincing reason, I would be very grateful. This is my first post on this website. Please, help me. Thank you very much.</p>
<p>If you don't like the social life at Cornell, you probably won't like Stanford's any better. It is definitely a drinking, partying school to an even larger extent than Cornell.</p>
<p>Hopefully you have at least one academice rec. This is one of the things that makes transferring tough after just one year.</p>
<p>Your stats clearly put you in range. Now you need to harness the other important things: leadership (hopefully in military), ECs and great recs.</p>
<p>You will absolutely need those recommendations, so get to know your professors. A 4.0 + at Cornell is great, but what makes you better than somebody with a 3.8 from a state school? You need a good reason to transfer, or at least be able to lie about it convincingly enough. With Yale especially, you need to really stress how you will make use of every opportunity presented to you. ECs on campus - clubs, etc, are important.</p>
<p>That's it in a nutshell. Great job on the academics - you can make a fantastic applicant if you quickly polish up your application.</p>
<p>BTW, see the Transfer 101 Thread.</p>
<p>Your stats are excellent, but do you have any interesting ec's? When applying to schools of such caliber, its paramount that you distinguish yourself from the other applicants. What's this about you serving in the military for two years? It sounds like a hook that could make you unique. Also, it's important to keep realistic expectations. While your stats are great, those schols are extremely competetive (1-3% acceptance rate). That being said, I think you have a good shot. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thank you all very much for your responses. You guys are all stressing the importance of EC, but I am right now laying off the ec stuff. I was really involved back in my HS and even did a few internships but right now I am not doing much besides keeping up with my grades and chilling in my spare time. Frankly, I don't have that much time to do ec stuff since the work load is quite a lot.</p>
<p>These schools cherry pick the very few transfers they take. All that are accepted have much more to offer the school than high stats.</p>
<p>Yes, ECs are very important. Don't forget, you're applying to Yale and Stanford. Plenty of applicants are going to have 4.0s and 2300+, so ECs are often the difference between being rejected and being accepted. Tell me more about that military thing though, that might be all you need to set yourself apart.</p>
<p>Are you Korean?</p>
<p>yeah im korean. ronpaul2012, but all korean male citizens have to do this some point on before they reach 30 so im not sure if this makes me special in terms of korean international students. I guess if you wanna get technical, most students serve after they graduate college or after their sophomore year so I am serving unusually early. Plus, I am serving with american troops stationed in Korea(special program, drafted by lottery) so that is another unusual thing I guess. It may be too late for me to make much difference in terms of EC since there are only 3 months left of the school year....</p>
<p>"If you guys can suggest a suitable or a convincing reason,.."</p>
<p>for starters:
"I don't really know professors.."
"I long for warmer weather.."</p>
<p>Would be good reasons, if you apply to schools that are materially different in these particulars. </p>
<p>Who knows these days if you get in, but you certainly seem to be a competitive transfer candidate for anyplace, just use your time away to research the social experiences at the various target colleges, determine where the environment seems most likely to be materially better for your needs, and apply.</p>
<p>You'll be kind of a "non-traditional student" at that point, sort of a candidate for Columbia's College of General Studies. Though I don't think the environment at that school will necessarily be a big improvement for you. But if there are other programs for a bit older undergrads, that might be relevant at that time, maybe.</p>
<p>Although it is mandatory, it still provides experience in leadership; exactly what colleges look for in ECs.</p>
<p>As for what might be different/ better environment for your needs:
Swarthmore? Rice? Johns Hopkins? Emory?
I'm looking down the list of top 20 univs & LACs, and I'm going "weather not really not that materially better"; "probably similar social scene/ drinking culture, no", " not much difference in Professor interaction", etc. Not really left with that much. But you can do this exercise yourself.</p>
<p>Ronpaul - Mandatory military service in Korea is not like ROTC. You don't graduate as an officer, so you don't necessarily build leadership from serving in and of itself. Of course the opportunity is there, but I just thought you should know.</p>
<p>Why do you want to go so early? As you mentioned, most go after their sophomore year or after graduation.</p>
<p>i wouldnt have chosen to go so early if I hadn't gotten into the special program that will let me serve with the u.s. troops in Korea. the program is called KATUSA and it drafts by lottery so I was extremely lucky in being chosen. 2e4L are you korean also?</p>