<p>Hey guys! Here's my story -
I'm currently a high school senior - I got into Berkeley and Cornell and am all set to go to Berkeley next year but I'm extremely upset that I didn't apply to Pomona. My school counselor told me that it would be great fit, and I was all set to apply- but my parents kept berating me for wanting to do this amazing school and wouldn't give it a chance just because they'd never heard of it. I'm so angry that I wasn't confident enough to stand my ground against my parents. I know transfer admissions are extremely difficult, but I know that - this time- I am going to apply no matter what. I was just wondering if it was even possible to do and what steps I'd have to take once I was at Berkeley in order to have the best possible chance to transfer? Any kind of help would be appreciated :) </p>
<p>Stats:
SAT: 2240 (Math: 700 CR: 740 W: 800) - first and only time taking the SATs
GPA: 3.9 UW/4.3 W
6 APs so far - all 5s
Research internship and independent research project
4 year varsity tennis player (not good enough to play in college)/ Summer tennis assistant
Big Brothers Big Sisters and library volunteer
writer for a science publication </p>
<p>You seem like a strong candidate. First of all, do yourself a favor don’t go into Berkeley with the mindset of transferring out after 1 or 2 years - it will cheapen your experience there. You can and will receive a great education and college experience at Berkeley. I have a friend who is ending his freshman year there, and although he was initially denied admission to his first choice, Harvey Mudd, he could not be happier at Berkeley.</p>
<p>Only apply to transfer if you decide 1000% that Pomona is far better for you than Berkeley.</p>
<p>If you do decide to transfer, take challenging classes and do well in them, and have a couple extracurriculars you like to do, and you will have a fair shot at being accepted.</p>
<p>That’s true - I’m going to try to go to Berkeley with the intent not to transfer, and then (if I really don’t like it) I will transfer out. Congrats btw, zrathustra, on going to Pomona - I know when I toured the campus and everything - I fell in love so you will definitely have an amazing time there Does anyone else have any advice or was anyone a successful transfer to Pomona?</p>
<p>I would say that essay’s are extremely important in the transfer process, with the admissions officers looking to see that you’re not just academically strong enough for Pomona, but that you would fit into Pomona extremely well. Demonstrate specifically what a Pomona education would do for YOU, and what YOU would add to the Pomona community. With transfer, it seems that Pomona is looking to add students that fit in and will contribute, and not so much as to fill an entire freshman class profile. They don’t really need to worry about looking good on paper in that sense, I feel. Anyway, the longer you are out of high school, the more of the focus will be on what you’ve done in college. You’re definitely going to be a strong applicant with your high school stats, especially if you continue doing well at Berkley. Like zrathustra said, take challenging courses but also explore. Professor recs can be extremely helpful, but Pomona will also understand if you only had large classes and your professors did not get to know you that well. Interviewing could be helpful also, but is definitely not necessary, unless you’re from SoCal.
Also, do you have a particular major in mind yet or no?
I guess I should mention at this point that I successfully transferred to Pomona. If you have any other questions, feel free to pm me. Also, I have to disagree with Zrathustra on being 1000% sure that Pomona is far better than Berkley before applying. While you shouldn’t go into Berkley adamant that you’re going to transfer, I think it’s worth applying to have the option available to you, if you’re strongly considering it. If anything changes in the time when you apply and if you get in, you can always say no if you really have realized Berkley is for you…At the end of the day, you don’t want to regret not applying transfer as well.</p>
<p>Good luck, UH! On a realistic note, keep in mind that the chances of getting into Pomona as a transfer are much slimmer than getting accepted as a freshman. Still, you’ll never know unless you try.</p>
<p>Also, give Cal a chance. It’s a great school, so go there with an open mind. Who knows? You may find that Cal is everything you could want, despite thinking that the grass might be greener elsewhere. And coulda-woulda-shoulda can color your perspective. On the other hand, applicants with your credentials were declined admission to Pomona.</p>
<p>That said, enjoy your year at Cal and take advantage of all the great opportunities offered to you!</p>
<p>“On a realistic note, keep in mind that the chances of getting into Pomona as a transfer are much slimmer than getting accepted as a freshman. Still, you’ll never know unless you try.”</p>
<p>Actually, with the rate at which the freshman admission’s rate has been decreasing, transfer admission’s is no longer that much harder to get in. The class of 2016’s admission’s rate is 12.8%, while for transfer Pomona normally accepts around 8-10% of applicants (around 20 out of 200)</p>
<p>My wife and I both went to Cal; yet we are ecstatic that our son got accepted and is starting at Pomona in the fall. That said, our time at Berkeley was golden and remains the best of our lives on many levels. Academically, I’ve never met such a high concentration of smart people since my years there, including med school, and have never been so intellectually “challenged” by peers and professors. If you have any doubt, look here: [UC</a> Berkeley Nobel Prize Winners](<a href=“http://berkeley.edu/news/features/nobel/]UC”>History & discoveries - University of California, Berkeley). Kidding, kidding, but I hope you get the idea.</p>
<p>The point? Only you could decide whether the transfer is appropriate (true, Cal, big U, is vastly different from Pomona, small LAC), but as someone has mentioned, give Cal a chance, and more importantly, it is such a place that you should not and cannot go in angry/half-hearted. Not going all out with effort and you will get “killed” in class, at least as far as grades are concerned. That is a guarantee. </p>
<p>So work on the transfer if you must, but count those Nobel prize winners (my degree was in Chemistry, yes count them) and feel proud about Cal. Don’t get fooled about the higher acceptance rates vs. other schools; for the first time in your life you are going to run into people who are just as smart <strong>AND</strong> study harder than you. That’s a guarantee too. Good luck with your decision and good luck with Pomona.</p>
<p>Regarding the Nobel prize winners: I took class with YT Lee in quantum mechanics, and worked in the lab of Glenn T. Seaborg. So you do see the Gods. :-)</p>
<p>Oh and please find a way to forgive your parents. Us parents care so much that we get in the way sometimes, but we <em>care</em> and occasionally might even get lucky and be proven “right” in the long run. Throughout my career, the mere mention of the word “Berkeley” always (always) brings acknowledgement of a “serious” education at an institution of academic giants.</p>
<p>Thanks cannga for that-you’re definitely right I know Berkeley is an amazing school and I should definitely go into Berkeley whole-heartedly and be proud of it. It’s just that right now - it’s hard to because I’m so angry at myself for not applying to Pomona. But I’m sure after have the whole summer to get over it - I’ll be fine.</p>
<p>You’re welcome. All your anger will melt away with the first Top Dog (famous sausage/hot dog stand at Berkeley, an institution in and of itself), mark my words. Kidding aside, Berkeley is an amazing school and amazing place, with a name that will carry you far. Wear it with pride. At this level of Pomona vs. Berkeley, both of course top-notch colleges, IMHO your future success will more or less depend on <em>you</em>, not necessarily which school you go to.</p>
<p>Remember Berkeley is, like Pomona, extremely, extremely competitive academically so be prepared and don’t take any time “off” at the start of the year; you want to go all out from the first day of school. A number of my friends failed in the first semester because they were not prepared for the serious competition. For the first time in their lives they were surrounded by “other” valedictorians.</p>
<p>Meanwhile just print the following list and post it on your desk. It’s going to make you feel better, even before your first Hot Link in September! :-)</p>
<br>
<br>
<pre><code>2011 - Saul Perlmutter (Physics)
2009 - Oliver E. Williamson (Economics)
2006 - George F. Smoot (Physics)
2001 - George A. Akerlof (Economics)
2000 - Daniel L. McFadden (Economics)
1997 - Steven Chu (Physics)
1986 - Yuan T. Lee (Chemistry)
1964 - Charles H. Townes (Physics)
1960 - Donald A. Glaser (Physics)
</code></pre>
<p>Deceased Faculty Nobel Laureates</p>
<pre><code>1994 - John C. Harsanyi (Economics)
1983 - Gerard Debreu (Economics)
1980 - Czeslaw Milosz (Literature)
1968 - Luis Alvarez (Physics)
1961 - Melvin Calvin (Chemistry)
1959 - Owen Chamberlain (Physics)
1959 - Emilio G. Segre (Physics)
1951 - Edwin M. McMillan (Chemistry)
1951 - Glenn T. Seaborg (Chemistry)
1949 - William F. Giauque (Chemistry)
1946 - John H. Northrop (Chemistry)
1946 - Wendell M. Stanley (Chemistry)
1939 - Ernest O. Lawrence (Physics)
</code></pre>
<p>Oh I like that list! I will just underline again what a prestigious school Berkeley is and what a great location and environment. That name is known all over the world! Do well there and you can get anywhere. Might not be as cushy a trip as Pomona, but being in the Bay Area alone is a great equalizing factor. Study really hard, and fall in love with CAL.</p>
<p>^^^Glad you like it. I also like the names of some elements of the Periodic Table: Berkelium, Californium. :-)</p>
<p>Where IMHO Berkeley can’t match Pomona, and part of the reason why my son picks Pomona over Cal, is the student-professor interaction at the undergrad level. My Berkeley freshman chemistry class had 600 students IIRC, and I saw the professor through the monitors. Also, resources are there, but they are not “fingertip” ready; you have to find a shovel and dig for them. :-)</p>
<p>So challenging a time and such a competitive academic environment, yet so many of Berkeley grads look back at the experience with such fond memories and misty eyes LOL. A special place indeed. </p>
Does anyone else have any advice or was anyone a successful transfer to Pomona?</p>
Throughout my career, the mere mention of the word “Berkeley” always (always) brings acknowledgement of a “serious” education at an institution of academic giants.</p>
Kidding aside, Berkeley is an amazing school and amazing place, with a name that will carry you far. Wear it with pride. At this level of Pomona vs. Berkeley, both of course top-notch colleges, IMHO your future success will more or less depend on <em>you</em>, not necessarily which school you go to.</p>