So I have pretty strong high school stats and got into a very good business program at a large state school (public ivy) but halfway through the semester realized I wanted a smaller, lib arts school. I was waitlisted sr year at Georgetown, got into Wake Forest, BC, UF…but now applying as a transfer I’m not sure anymore. Here is why: I found out I have a health issue which explains why I was tired and sick all the time, but that means my grades suffered. Due to the health issue, I have to take spring semester off. So now I only have my first semester grades (probably a 2.8 which is so unlike me and embarrassing) and no spring grades due to the issue. Obviously I want to get into a good school as a transfer student but do I even have a shot? like is there any hope left I guess? I never thought I would be in this predicament
Your best bet might be to stick it out at your state school for one more semester to try to pull up your GPA. Most schools want to see at least two to three semesters of grades before considering transfer applications.
If you’re able to return and can manage to lift your GPA to a 3.2 - 3.4 your might consider looking into smaller undergrad focused schools such as Elon in North Carolina. While Elon has an atmosphere similar to schools such as WF and BC, it’s for sure an easer admit.
Agree that you will have a tough time with your GPA. If you can pull up your GPA next fall, then you can prove out that the one semester was an anomaly due to health issues.
Do you want to stick with a business major? A lot of LACs don’t offer that major.
How bad are your grades? How sick were/are you? Is a medical withdrawal and a full set of Ws still possible at this time? That might be a better option than the GPA drop. It also might preserve freshman applicant status. Transferring with only one semester of college grades means that your HS record will still be extremely important. While you are on your medical leave, contact the places that you are interested in, and find out what their policies are.
Depending on your health, you may find that you need more than just one semester off and/or that you need to study much closer to home and your medical team than you had initially expected. If that is the case, your whole list will probably need revision. Do consider cranking out two years of credits with top grades at your local CC or another commuting-distance institution and then transferring as a junior when you have the grades for a “better” place and your health is completely restored.
@happymomof1 My grades aren’t THAT bad which is why my counselor said I shouldn’t drop all of them (with medical withdraw). Honestly i have an A, 3 Bs and a C in supply chain management (which i hated and didnt even want to take but thats irrelevant). Regarding my health, basically they found out that I have an autoimmune disease which theyre taking very seriously because it has affected family members so much in a negative way bc it went untreated. With that other health issues were also found all at once so my main priority is my health and since my doctor recommended taking spring semester off then I figured I should follow that recommendation. My main concern is that all of my hard work in hs and my IB diploma goes to waste bc of my first semester here at Penn St and I wont get in anywhere reputable come Fall 2017.
If you still like the places you were accepted last year, contact them and ask about reactivating your application. Sometimes that is possible. It would simplify the process.
But truly, until you are clear that your health is under control, college can wait. Don’t feel that you must be in school anywhere next fall! Spring or fall of 2018 may make more sense.
You won’t be able to transfer to a top school in your current situation. Sorry – but that is the case.
The good news is that prestige is NOT everything. You can probably still transfer to a school that will make you a lot happier. You say where you go now, but it isn’t clear where home base is. Maybe someplace like Dickinson or Mount Holyoke (if you are female). We can help with a list with more info on your geographic range.
You are going to want to include info on your illness in your application, and you want a school that will consider your HS record, scores, etc.
Timing is a challenge. Since you don’t know for sure how long it will take to stabilize your condition, should you fill out transfer apps now for the fall? If I am a college reading about your situation, I’d be wondering if it will be stable by fall. But smaller schools don’t have a midyear application cycle. They MIGHT in a one off situation let a transfer student with 1 semester of credits come in after winter break, but the my guess is you would need to apply for fall, then defer a semester if needed.
Just for clarification, Penn State isn’t a “public Ivy”. If you were at UVA or Michigan or Berkeley, that 2.8 might stretch a bit further in the transfer process. So that makes some difference.
So consider the following plan:
Take a leave from PSU next semester. Try to leave your options open to go back if possible. Ask them how to do that.
Consider whether you can handle a light load at a CC (1-2 classes) next semester. Ask PSU if that is okay, given your medical situation. It gives you a couple more classes toward your degree and a chance to prove you can get high grades in a college setting.
If you really think you will be ready for school by fall, fill out some transfer apps. See where you get in.
@intparent Thank you that helps me, although it is unfortunate that I wont get into BC. I’ve wanted to go there for awhile now and I have some connections there. However, if I did take like 2 classes at a local CC and let’s assume I got A’s in them, do you think that could be the boost I need for BC? I am willing to take the time, there isn’t a rush right now. I live in FL but have family in NY, CA and TX. The goal is to go to a college in DC, Boston, or NYC. I really want that city atmosphere, although maybe a warmer climate would be better for my health. Some schools that interest me besides BC are Santa Clara, Tulane, GWU, and Fordham.
No, it won’t. Whether you apply now or two years from now your grades will be what they are and your test scores will be what they are. What might be better with more time off are your letters of recommendation (depending on what you do in the time off) your essays (ditto), and the application list itself (because you will have had more time to formulate it carefully),
If you are in an unusual situation, consider an unusual approach. How about taking a class or two at the college you want to get into? If you can swing it financially, that would prove yourself. But I agree, if your health is still not good, changing schools should not be on your mind.
You need at least one more semester of grades, and probably two.
So
1° Ask PSU whether you can, during your medical withdrawal semester, take 1-2 classes at the closest college. (Check to see if CC or PASSHE or branch campus or whatever college it is, is ok for them; note that “PSU branch” credits will transfer without a hitch). Do so FAST as universities are beginning to close for the semester. Also, ask how you can switch your major to “undecided” (if you’re not already “DUS”) in order to keep your options open.
2° Plan to return to PSU for the Fall.
3° If they authorize it, plan to take 1-2 classes in the Spring AND in the Summer in order to accumulate grades. If you see you’re not doign A-work, drop them before the drop/add deadline so that they don’t appear anywhere.
4° With 2-4 classes from Spring+ summer, plus Fall semester grades, apply to transfer wherever your new GPA allows you to.