what can i do

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hello there, new to these forums.</p>

<p>Right now I'm a standing junior at FSU (the noles). My major is biology and I've accumulated about 61 credits, excluded the credits I will gain from this fall and next spring. If I transfer, I'd transfer into the junior year, making me a 5th senior, which is completely fine since I'm a year ahead.</p>

<p>My overall GPA is 3.6, science GPA is 3.8
EC's include:
FSU Lacrosse Team Player
Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre Med Honors Society
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
FSU Hip Hop Club
Shadowed Molecular Biologist
Conducting biological research at the dept. of Biology here at State
I will get good rec's from my coach, and my research supervisor.</p>

<p>In highschool I played more so than I studied.
H.S. GPA is 3.4
SAT 1210
Decent amount of EC's and sports</p>

<p>Reasons for transferring:
-I'm from Maryland, so I want to be closer to my family. Florida is a long haul from the old line state.
-The school I'm currently at has no Neuroscience major.</p>

<p>The schools I'm looking to transfer into would be Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Yale Georgetown</p>

<p>I feel the ivies may be a reach for me however. </p>

<p>What can I do to improve my chances at these schools? Anyone?
I really appreciate your time to read this post.</p>

<p>Chris</p>

2

<p>Your best shot is at JHU and Georgetown. At Cornell and Yale, you're looking at stiff competition.</p>

<p>Try to raise your gpa, and if you feel you will do better on the tests, retake.</p>

3

<p>well its been about 3 years since I've taken the SAT's. 2 year since highschool. So I'd assume my college work would be valued more so than highschool right? </p>

<p>Also, my college grades have shown an increase over the past couple years. Freshmen year I got mediocre and leveled at a 3.4 gpa. But as I move into the more rigorous biology curriculum my gpa is increasing. But as I will apply next spring, this semester is my last chance to bump up my gpa, and I will only be able to bump it up to a 3.65.</p>

4

<p>You need to choose more realistic schools. A 3.6 at FSU will not make you competitive. All 4 are huge reaches. They may not look at HS GPA, but they will look at SATs.</p>

5

<p>really? my EC's and research experience won't play any factor to contrast a 3.6 GPA?</p>

6

<p>You're competing against people who have the grades, the SATs and the ECs.</p>

7

<p>I see alot of science majors getting research internships (that's the only real EC that directly relates to their major anyways). Cornell and Yale, as Isleboy said, will be extremely tough! Cornell has very strong science programs which makes it even tougher.</p>

8

<p>I understand that. I do have legacy at cornell, but I don't regard Cornell even as a first choice for me. I probably still wouldnt get in Cornell.</p>

<p>So the only thing to increase my stats is to bump up the GPA?</p>

9

<p>Yes, as high as humanly possible</p>

<p>I think your 3.8 gpa in sciences is a large plus though.</p>

10

<p>Your other major issue is transfering so late in the game.</p>

11

<p>I know, but then again it's given me a chance to excel in upper division bio courses. I may decide to retake the SAT.</p>

12

<p>cmartin since you said you are from maryland maybe you should try and apply to University of Maryland also. It is a really good school and you have a very good chance of getting in.</p>

13

<p>you really should retake the SAT and hope for a better score if you want to be seriously competitive at the schools you listed</p>

14

<p>I am looking at college park. I was also under the impression that 2 or more years of college work and admissions disregards the SAT's. I guess I'll have to rely on recs and essays and individual talents.</p>

15

<p>Cornell will disregard your SAT's. I don't know about the other colleges though.</p>

16

<p>I'd suggest graduating from Florida State and then go to grad school for whatever specialty you want. Forget the SAT. Start thinking GRE or MCAT (if that's what you want).</p>

<p>Your grades are excellent so far at a major research university. You'll pretty much be able to write your own ticket if you see it through. You're halfway there.</p>

<p>Chemistry, biology and calculus at FSU are as good or better as the same at any other major university at the ug level. At grad level, this is where you pick certain departments based on what you want.</p>

17

<p>Cornell will ask for test scores. So, you might want to look at taking the ACT. It seems that more people score higher on it than the SAT, since it tests some current knowledge...instead of only CR + M. </p>

<p>And, Cornell will still look at HS grades, though they are weighed less because you have a college record. At UMaryland, they do not consider the HS transcript at all.</p>

18

<p>parent2noles has a worthwhile suggestion. I also would suggest you consider UMd-CP if it has your desired major. Great school.</p>

<p>The one fact I can offer you, which should be reassuring, is that JHU is SAT-optional for transfers. My S transferred there and did not submit official SAT scores, as his SAT IIs were mediocre at best. He did list his SATI scores on the app, because his math score was good and he was applying for Engineering. But that is totally optional as well. They mean it when they say optional.</p>

<p>Your best bet, if you decide to try for transfer, is to have strong recs and essays. I'm assuming that your lax is not at the level that you could play for JHU/UMd-CP? But if it is, well..... :).</p>

<p>parent2noles - <em>now</em> I get your screen name; a little slow ... ;)</p>

19

<p>thanks all for the input. god im dreading those MCATs...</p>

20

<p>Cornell: "SAT/ACT. Relax. If you've already taken the SAT or ACT, we just need to see the results....If you didn't take either test previously, there's no need to take one now." </p>

<p>From that statement, it doesn't seem that Cornell requires any more testing from transfer students...</p>