Hello, I am an international student at Vanderbilt University. (just started the school this year)
For many years, it’s been my dream to go to an ivy league institution.
After getting rejected by all of them, however, I had to come to Vanderbilt for my education.
Not that Vanderbilt is a bad place. I like the school. The campus is beautiful, and the people are so friendly.
But Vanderbilt is not an university that is recognized internationally. If I go back to Asia later (where I plan to settle in my adult life), no one would actually know my school. And to be honest, school reputation does matter.
So my plan right now is transfer. My SAT score superscored is a little less than 2300. However, in my second semester of senior year, I screwed up badly. (All B’s. I know. I’m regretting it so much now). I was wondering if there’s still a chance for me. How competitive would it be for me to go to school such as Columbia, Cornell, Brown, Upenn. (im not looking up to HYPS. already know im not at that level). Right now, I put my mind to get that 4.0 in Vanderbilt. I’m planning to work day and night without much college life.
Would it be hard to transfer after first year? Is it worth trying? If you guys know anything about the process, please help me.
Ivies will want to know why you want to transfer. What do they offer that Vandy does not offer. It sounds like you are just seeking prestige and it won’t work.
Since you were already rejected by all, your chances of transferring are close to non-existent.
Also Vandy is considered to ne more prestigious than Cornell by many Americans.
Don’t sacrifice enjoying college to pursue the slim chance of transferring.
@TomSrOfBoston
i can always find a reason for transfer.
but concerning applying to ivies, I got rejected by only cornell and brown. I would guess that means i have chance at other ivies? also, do they reject you no matter what if you got rejected as a freshman?
The Ivy adcoms can smell a prestige hound a mile away.
Many transfers to top tier schools have very compelling stories in addition to great college grades. Adcoms will know that you’re simply seeking prestige which isn’t, in their eyes, a valid reason to transfer from a perfectly good institution. There is practically nothing degree-specific an Ivy offers that Vanderbilt doesn’t and therefore almost no valid reason to transfer.
If Cornell and Brown rejected you then it’s pretty likely they’ll reject you again and, if nothing major has changed, it is also likely the rest of the Ivies will. I believe they will all still review your application (not automatically reject you simply because you were rejected before) but odds are slim on admittance.
Hey, don’t listen to all this bleakness. If you aren’t absolutely thrilled where you are, you have the right to try again. To my knowledge, it is actually often more difficult to be accepted to Ivy’s as a transfer because they have a very low amount of students leaving and therefore a very small amount of seats open up every year. I seriously doubt Brown and Cornell would have you flagged because of a past rejection. Just do your thing! It’s a lot of work to transfer but if this is what you feel you need you should try. I’m in the same boat. I got into a great school this year, but in my heart it isn’t the place I want to be. Good luck!