Transferring: Variety of Courses

Transfer Students
1

I’m currently applying to transfer to Yale and Columbia (ambitious; I know). Anyway, I applied last year and was rejected, which brings me to my question.

I am an econ and business double-major, and last semester, at my current school, I was required to take 11 credits in business (which isn’t a major at those two schools). I also took two econ courses. I am currently taking one business course, one seminar course (two credits) in an interdisciplinary major, and three econ courses. I’m worried that the fact that I only took econ and business classes my second year (minus that interdisciplinary course) will make me look bad.

But last year, I took courses in English, biology, chemistry, education, economics, psychology, kinesiology, and Chinese. Should that make up for things? Or should I just take one business, two econ, the interdisciplinary, and, say, a Chinese course to make up for this year’s lack of diversity? (I kind of want to take three econ, since they’re all upper-level, and I think I can do well, but I don’t want my application to look bad as a result.)

2

Bump?

3

My mistake.

4

Neither of those schools have businesses so are you applying with the hopes of getting an economics degree?

5

@philbegas Correct.

6

Have you looked at the curriculums at the two schools to see what they take over the first two years in their economics program? Transfer students will rarely have the exact classes nailed down.

7

@philbegas Yes, I have. Having taken the introductory classes, my only options are the courses that haven’t already been claimed by upperclassmen.

8

My question is, will taking only econ/business courses (aside from that interdisciplinary class) make my second year look bad, because I took classes in bio, chem, English, education, psych, and kinesiology last year. Or should I swap out an econ course with a Chinese one to include variety?

9

How many total units do you have? I’d recommend calling transfer admissions because this is a really specific question, but I think it’s unlikely to have any bearing on your admission.