transferring to a liberal arts college

College Search & Selection
1

<p>(Excuse me...writing this on low sleep/too much caffeine...)</p>

<p>I have the next year to think about this, but I am intending to transfer to a private liberal arts college. I deferred college after high school because I had to work several part-time jobs upon graduating and ended up attending a community college starting this last fall. I maintain a 4.0 GPA (so far), 1900 SAT.</p>

<p>Things that set me apart? I started my own performance story-telling program, I am a volunteer dj and field journalist for a program at the community radio station, and I tutor english and reading with at risk youth as a part of a local indie publishing press and writer's collective. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, and they weren't able to support me after I turned 18. I admittedly didn't have the best record as a high school student. My GPA was 3.3, and I wasn't encouraged to push myself any further. My extracurricular activities were equally unremarkable: I quit as the editor of my high school newspaper after a semester, and I was a horrible trombone player in the band. UNR didn't at all appeal to me, so I moved to another state (larger city) to expand my world view.</p>

<p>I plan to apply to transfer as a junior in fall 2012 when I am 24 and will be able to receive the maximum amount of financial aid.</p>

<p>My first choice college is Vassar, but I know that it's unrealistic. I feel like if I poured everything into my essay and invented or planned a well recognized enough community project I might be able to sneak in. Even with a 4.0 at CC, I worry about my 3.3 (sadly this was weighted) and my shaky past.</p>

<p>I also admire Ithaca college. I did some digging and I'm pretty impressed with their journalism program. However, I haven't been able to figure out what their transfer admissions rate is.</p>

<p>I've toured and read about NYU, Reed, and Evergreen. I love all three, and I feel like I have a fair chance at getting into all of them but I'm a little worried that Evergreen might not be as academically challenging as I want it to be... ok. And I'm not sure how fond I am of Olympia. So maybe not--but I could be pushed either way. </p>

<p>Um... and I don't really know where to go from here. If you have any more recommendations of rigorously academic liberal arts schools with good journalism or multimedia programs that you think I would like to know about: please tell me!</p>

<p>And if you have any advice regarding transferring to any of these institutions: by all means!</p>

2

<p>You might want to consider LACs in urban locations-as a 24 year old, you are going to be much older (and hopefully more mature) than your class-mates, and there are no grad students at LACs to hang with. In an urban environment, (or a larger school with grad programs) you are more likely to find other adults. I also doubt that a ‘well organized community project’ is going to have very much to do with the decision to admit you or not: You are not applying as a 17 year old freshman, after all. Lastly, most LACs aren’t going to offer journalism or multi-media majors, so you may want to research this further, and perhaps think about a bigger school. </p>

<p>Another thought: Before you spend a lot of time and money on a community service project and then applying to schools, why not visit a few LACs that you are interested in and set up meetings with the admissions staff? As a transfer, and a non-traditional, student, you can talk with them about your goals and whether the school is a) a good fit and b) likely to consider your application. Making a good impression in the interview will certainly not hurt your chances either.</p>

3

<p>Ithaca’s transfer acceptance is around 75%. <a href=“http://www.ithaca.edu/ir/facts/Ithaca_College_CDS_2009-10_D.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ithaca.edu/ir/facts/Ithaca_College_CDS_2009-10_D.pdf&lt;/a&gt; Reed will be very tough to get into. NYU will probably gap you terribly. For Evergreen you have to love the idea and location or don’t go. Where do you live now? Are there any more affordable LAC like places in-state?</p>

4

<p>Greetings:</p>

<p>If you are female, you might want to consider one of the Seven Sisters schools - they have programs that are especially welcoming to “older” students who have taken non-traditional paths. Mount Holyoke’s is called the Frances Perkins Scholar program, and I believe the other sister colleges have something similar.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

5

<p>Seven Sisters if you can get into one.</p>