Here is the situation: I had a low gpa (3.4) in high school due to family issues in high school so I made sure that I self-studied plenty of AP’s, SAT 2’s, and got a 2350 on the SAT in my junior year. Since Oxford/LSE doesn’t ask for an American’s transcript, I was luckily accepted into the universities for next year.
- I am perfectly fine staying a Oxford to get my degree in PPE or at LSE studying International Relations and asking the U.K investment banks to transfer me back to the U.S. But I would much rather transfer back to an American school after my second year to access U.S investment banking/politics jobs and simply return home.
- From what I have seen, the equivalents of Oxford in America that can be transferred into (Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Wharton) have 1-3% transfer acceptance rates. And the equivalents of LSE is Dartmouth, Columbia, and Penn with far better chances of getting in.
- From what I have read there are four main ways of gaining acceptance to these four universities. The first is to be a recruited athlete, the second is to come from an equally prestigious university and excel there, and the third is having an excellent 'rags to riches' story. The fourth and biggest one is when you have run out of options at your current institution and have a compelling reason besides prestige to attend.
- Academically: Since most rankings put Oxford at the same level as (H/Y/S), and LSE at a little lower. I think that factor is taken care of if I receive a first class honors prediction (Qualification Exams are at the end of the first year and Real Exams are at the end of the third year for Oxford).
- Athletics: I highly doubt I can become a world class rower, but I was competitive in my state for two varsity sports and I will work my hardest to be at the top of a chosen varsity sport. Although I can't guarantee being good enough to be recruited, I will be trying hard.
- Don't have a rags to riches story just a reason why my GPA is low, I don't believe that HS gpa matters as much when applying for junior year.
- This is where it gets weird.... At Oxford I would not have any compelling reason to NEED to go to Harvard/Stanford (Or I haven't thought of it yet) due to being able to study both Poli and Econ. However at LSE, I would have an excellent argument because UK schools are rigid and since I was accepted only to study IR courses. Talking about wanting to study econ at other schools would be a great reason to transfer. However, Oxford is more safe if I don't get into these schools because it is still prestigious internationally (LSE is limited to academia, political organizations, and banks).
So I my question is that should I attend LSE/Oxford? And do I have a decent chance chance to get into Harvard/Stanford/Yale (I know that this hypothetical) if I get a first class honors from these one of these great institutions, become a competitive varsity sport player, and possess compelling argument to return to the U.S and talk about bringing international experience to the table.
At the end of day, I am going to live my life and enjoy my college experience but I would be irresponsible to not explore my options! THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS!!!
Each application only costs $70. But be prepared for any outcome. S1 transferred and there were emotional complications during and after the move.
Thank you for your advice, but is it possible for you to tell me if my plan will give me a reasonable chance to get into these schools?
You have been accepted to Oxford and you want to transfer? And LSE? Why? That seems crazy. A degree from Oxford will guarantee you any job you want. You are close to London. Oxford is filled with history and pubs. London is horribly expensive so I would stick with Oxford.
Oxford PPE is a best-in-class department, fwiw. I’ve known several PPE students over the years, and that degree will put you in a very enviable position.
I am fine with staying in Oxford for three years, but I absolutely want to return to America and a part of me wants to have an American college experience with connections I could actually use at H/S/Y.
Do study abroad, in the US. Surely with Oxford, you could do that at a comparable institution? Obviously you must be a great candidate, but your grades in HS might make it difficult to transfer to,one of,those colleges.
Do my HS grades still have factor if I am applying for my junior year of college?
To me, your reasoning feels solid. And I understand the desire to return home. A friend’s kid is at St Andrews but she misses the States. My feeling is “try it.” The odds are low (for anybody) but you feel like a credible candidate for the 1%
Wouldn’t an Oxford/LSE degree be done in 3-years versus an additional year at HYP (3 vs 4 years)? From a cost perspective, how do both options stack up? The fact that you spent 3 years outside the US (+ your Oxford/LSE degree), give you a leg up on your competition when applying for Investment Banking jobs in the US?
Yes an Oxford/LSE degree would be done in three years + even though tuition is double for Americans and in pounds it still comes out to $35,000 (with tuition, boarding, food, basically everything). I am in that weird spot where my family doesn’t qualify for financial aid but a 60k tuition would put a dent in my family’s savings. The main problem is that U.S banks recruit on campus for U.S universities, and it would be somewhat difficult asking Morgan Stanley/Goldman Sachs to transfer me when so few people are accepted to work there in the first place. By no means is transferring a must, but I would like to return to the Northeast.
@marvin100 I think every one of those schools considers the HS info. http://oir.harvard.edu/files/huoir/files/harvard_cds_2013-14.pdf?m=1420474747 You don’t think that would at least be considered a differentiator?
@“Erin’s Dad” Yeah, it will be a factor, but less so for a student coming from an Oxbridge school, where rigor can be expected and is well established. It’s not at all unusual for a student to underperform in high school, and while there’s usually no evidence to support that student’s ability to excel at a higher level, high achievement at an Oxbridge school would provide ample substantiation.
Hoping it is a much smaller factor after two years in Oxford.
(To qualify my comments: I believe it will play a very small role if you excel at Oxford, and that’s far from a foregone conclusion, esp. for a student who–on paper, at least–appears to have been a slacker in high school.)
If academic success plays a small role, what are the deciding factors to successfully transfer into these institutions?
I’d say go for transfers for schools only at the same caliber as Oxford, don’t throw away your shot at arguably the most famous and prestigious university in the world. An Oxford degree can do all kinds of things for you, but the same could be said about HYS/Wharton, like you said. After you graduate you could also just look for jobs/business school/whatever else you plan on doing after graduation in the US as opposed to the UK.
I go to a private school so I don’t know much about Oxford’s prestige amongst the populace. Is Oxford well known amongst average educated Americans (not that is too important as employers will know it)?