<p>I can’t express how much I want to get into Barnard. But the closer I come to the transfer application due date, the more things have slowly come undone.</p>
<p>I took my SATs for the first time and I did awful. My English Prof this semester destroyed my 3.8 GPA and now all I have is (what I believe to be) an interesting life story that will go into my admissions essay. I represent the Mexican-American woman’s struggle of over coming adversity, I created a pretty unique small company, I’ve done well in college and I really want to dedicate my life to education and the advancement of women.</p>
<p>I’m going to redo the SATs again. But, does anyone have advice as to what else I should do? Or, perhaps knows anyone at Barnard who may have been in the same boat and made it…</p>
<p>I don't know where you're transferring from, but I would widen my net to include Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Wellesley, and Bryn Mawr. If Barnard doesn't have room for you in its transfer class, maybe one of the other schools will.</p>
<p>I don't know where you live and how far you'd travel, but there's Scripps and Agnes Scott and Sweet Briar too, that may be a tad less selective. Well, not Scripps.</p>
<p>It doesn't mean you won't get into Barnard, but it's always good to give yourself options.</p>
<p>That said, Barnard is very holistic in its application process and numbers aren't the be-all-and-end-all of its process.</p>
<p>Keep your head up. Trust in your own process.</p>
<p>You are a good person with sound potential and a bright future. </p>
<p>One course does not make or break an academic record but you may need to spend more time in community college to build GPA. </p>
<p>Take deep breaths, think happy thoughts, and work like hell on
SAT performance (manuals, courses, practice tests etc.). This is the quickest way to improve your chances.</p>
<p>You need to consider applying to other schools. NYU comes to mind. If you want a woman's college and can relocate, then the prior poster's suggestions are good.</p>
<p>Well, being the first generation in your family to attend college ("first gen") is considered a 'hook'. I don't know if it counts much for transfer students though - I would guess that it does.</p>
<p>I wouldn't freak out too much about your GPA and SATs. I was in a similar boat to you (compared to the people on this board, my SATs are paltry) and my GPA is 3.8 at a completely non-competitive high school. But I really believed in my heart that Barnard was the right fit for me, and when I applied Early Decision, I was accepted, probably not because I had a steller GPA or amazing SAT scores, but because they thought that I fit too. I'm also a first generation college student, if that helps. </p>
<p>All you can do is have faith in yourself that you've done the best you possibly can throughout high school/college. There's nothing you can really do to change that now so you just have to accept it and hope and pray that you will get into your number one school and realize that it will be okay even if you don't.</p>
<p>If it helps, I was a transfer student to Barnard in 2006. I took my SAT's in high school, and my score was something like 1130, if I remember correctly - not exactly up to Barnard standards. I got a 27 on the ACT, which isn't really amazing either. I got in, so they must've seen something else that they thought would make me a good fit for the school. </p>
<p>Barnard admissions is great because they really do look at you as more than a set of numbers. I know you hear it from a lot of admissions offices, but it really is true. Also, if it's just one class that's bringing your GPA down, chances are that they will realize that and adjust their perception accordingly.</p>
<p>I really wouldn't worry so much about those two things. As a transfer student, I think the most important thing is that you present to them a coherent application - one that will really give them a sense of who you are and why you shouldn't be anywhere else but Barnard.</p>
<p>I know this is a late reply to the OP, but the one thing that stood out to me in your initial post was :</p>
<p>
[quote]
My English Prof this semester destroyed my 3.8 GPA
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Okay, this is probably going to be annoying and nagging-sounding, but this does come from an "adult" perspective and, after all, the ad coms will also be coming from that same perspective. You need to definitely not come across in your application as sounding like you "blame" a poor grade upon the professor. If there is some sort of glitch in your academic resume, you should analyze the problems and determine your own responsibility and address that, if necessary, in your application. What happened? How can YOU prevent this from happening again? How will being at Barnard help the situation, etc....</p>