<p>Unfortunately, I was rejected from SEAS(deferred ED). I really wanted to go to SEAS, and I was wondering how easy it is to transfer into it next year. I know exactly why I was rejected: a 3.1UW GPA, and my 1410/2070 SAT(740M/670CR/660W). I had (what I consider to be) great focused ECs, a great essay, and decent teacher recs(excellent supplemental recs from my ECs though), and even legacy. But, as is evident, my academic credentials are not great compared to some of the fellow applicants on here. My questions are as follows:</p>
<li><p>What kind of college GPA is needed to transfer to SEAS? If I do very well in college, will this excuse my (let’s face it, lackluster) HS performance?</p></li>
<li><p>Should I bother retaking the SAT with these scores, or is it best to focus primarily on college?</p></li>
<li><p>What is the acceptance rate for transfers to SEAS?</p></li>
<li><p>Will it help or hurt me that I’ve applied as a high school student?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>1) At a comparable school I'd say 3.7, at an easier school 3.8, 3.9 - no basis for this.
2) Don't bother with the sat just do well gpa wise
3) I have no clue, it should be high-ish, because many find seas tough and transfer out or transfer to CC, several transfer to CC because they realize they'd prefer majoring in something other than engineering.
4) Not at all, it might help to show them that you're serious, but it'll likely not be known.</p>
<p>My two cents: I know you must be highly disappointed, especially given how much you've been contributing to this forum, I too was rejected from a dream school and came to columbia, and in retrospect Columbia has been very different but just as good as I imagined the dream school to be. Likewise don't think about transferrring before you give college a shot, you might end up loving it and being very grateful you aren't at columbia, for whatever reason.</p>
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3) I have no clue, it should be high-ish, because many find seas tough and transfer out or transfer to CC, several transfer to CC because they realize they'd prefer majoring in something other than engineering.
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<p>I think you're using "many" loosely. SEAS only has 300 people per class. In terms of raw numbers, there aren't going to be that many spots. I'd be surprised if the number of people dropping out of SEAS is more than 5%.</p>
<p>confidentialcoll: Thanks for the advice. I am very interested in CS. So far my acceptances are:
Bucknell(Now that I look at their CS dept., with 18 majors per year, and almost no advanced courses, it looks pathetic. Their CS dept. doesn't even have a homepage.)</p>
<p>UMass Amherst(Decent CS dept., but the rest of the school looks iffy to me)
UConn(Storrs, CT is the most rural, boring place ever. 'Nuff said.)</p>
<p>Rensselaer(Good academics, but in a horrendous location; I hear people do nothing except drink there because it's so boring)</p>
<p>UTexas Austin(This is where I'm leaning now. Great CS dept and what looks like a great student life with all the live music, etc.) Downside is that classes are huge.</p>
<p>Not heard from yet:</p>
<p>Stevens Institute of Technology - though I'm almost sure to get in. One of my thoughts was that I could go here for 1 year, then try to transfer to Columbia. The school is sort of crappy now(has the feeling that it used to be an ITT-Tech kind of university), but it seems they're really pushing to improve it. Plus is that it's a subway ride away from NYC, but minus is that it costs a lot and doesn't offer a lot academically.</p>
<p>University of Waterloo. Not sure if I will get in or not. Had the adcoms contact me a couple times asking for grades, AP scores. I have a feeling I'll get in for geographic diversity's sake, and they have a great CS dept. Downside is that (I think) it's relatively isolated, and it's cold!</p>
<p>I don't know what you're into, but UT or Umass might work. given all the choices I would wait for waterloo and probably go there if got in. It's supposed to be the best engineering school in canada.</p>
<p>Denzera: Yeah, UT is my top remaining choice. It seems like a great school(amazing CS dept., great research opportunities, etc.), save for its size. I consider 300 people in an introductory freshman class to be insane. There's absolutely no way to have interaction with a prof in a class of this size. Austin seems like a great city(especially with all the live music), and UT seems great in terms of faculty, but I hate the idea of attending huge classes.</p>
<p>Denzera: While I do consider hot women to be a significant component of the college experience, academic factors override this, for me. </p>
<p>Assuming I go to UT, what kind of GPA would I (realistically) need to transfer with my current SAT scores? I'm really dead-set on going to Columbia, so I want to know everything I need to do to (hopefully) gain admission.</p>
<p>Don't go anywhere with the mindset that you will transfer....thats a great formula for ending up miserable for 4 years....chose a place you like and feel free to apply for transfer but don't have your heart set on the transfer since honestly you were in the pool with the highest admit rate (ED legacy) and the admit rate for transfers is certainly much smaller.</p>
<p>Yeah I tend to generally agree with most people here. The reason many people do not transfer out of SEAS is that to some extent it is quite difficult but a lot of people are in the same boat and it doesnt really get that hot until junior year. My first two years werent as bad. Good luck though with you college choice. Choose wisely, make the best out of whatever school you end up attending</p>