What does it take to transfer into Stanford?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

<p>So, I'm beginning at a CC in the Bay Area this upcoming academic year in hopes of doing well enough over the next two years to be accepted as a transfer to UC-Berkeley.</p>

<p>Now, Stanford has never been one of my options however I'm simply posting this question to see what response I get back from current students, past students, recently accepted, recently rejected, or any of those that fall between or outside these categories.</p>

<p>The question I ask is what does it take to transfer into Stanford?</p>

<p>In my personal situation, I would be an in-state resident applying from an California community college in the Bay Area. Let me know what it would take for me to be a competitive applicant in the transfer application pool down the road.</p>

<p>I graduated from high school in '04, so by the time that I apply to school from my CC, I will be 22 years old.</p>

<p>Is it really the get a 4.0+ G.P.A., stack on the extracirriculars until they are coming out of your nose, and get more awards than you know what to do with and then, and ONLY then, you may stand a chance at being accepted as a transfer applicant to Stanford?</p>

<p>Or, is it feasible for a regular old community college student to apply with a 3.7-3.8 G.P.A., has remained involved in say 2-3 solid activities but dedicated ample time over the years to all 3 equally instead of some time to 10+ different activites, and solid recommendations from professors/teachers from their current college?</p>

<p>I'm asking this because I know that for every 1 young guy and girl out there who is a shoe-in for Stanford, there are about 100 guys and girls just like me. I know that I'm not going to have anything handed to me, I wouldn't have it that way if I had the choice to begin with, however I want to see what it's going to take for me over the next 2+ years to really, I mean genuinely, stand a chance at successfully transfering to a university as prestigous and selective as Stanford.</p>

2

<p>It's even harder to get into stanford as a transfer applicant than it is as a freshman. Stanford accepts about ~4,5% of its transfer applicants. That's like 50 out of 1200.</p>

<p>It's hard to predict chances for stanford in general, but predicting chances for a transfer applicant is almost impossible. However, what I've learned from various admitted students is that you don't necessarily need a perfect academic record to get in. Hell, the only thing you'll certainly need is a large slice of luck.</p>

<p>If you try your best, the result will be the same, regardless of what you "need". That's what you should always do. Being like "Collegeboard people said I only need a 3.63 GPA, 4.65 ECs and 131.4145 hours of community service, so I will stop working now" probably won't do you good in the admissions process.</p>

3

<p>Good advice. May luck be on my side.</p>

<p>Say, purely for hypothetical purposes, I earn somewhere between a 3.7-4.0 during my 2 years at a CC, do you think I will have an edge with an essay about how after graduating from high school, instead of going to a number of the colleges that I was recruited by for lacrosse I went to work a full-time to help support my mother after my father left our family. The reason I'm going back to school is because she finally has the financial resources to allow me to leave. Think this is the type of stuff Stanford admissions look for besides great academic transcripts and what not?</p>

4

<p>it can def be done</p>

<p>i was 'almost' accepted into columbia as a transfer (they took about 5 percent)</p>

<p>i cannot stress enough, but you need like almost 'flawless' grades to even be considered. Plan your schedules very strategically. If you think u are going to do badly in a class, don't take it. It's a #s game.</p>

5

<p>Classes are key, I know this.</p>

<p>However I am faced with a little bit of a problem in terms of my course selection next academic year:</p>

<p>I graduated from H.S. in 2004 and will be entering my first college courses this Spring. When selecting courses, I am keeping in mind that I will be applying to schools down the road as an English major. This in mind, I am nervous about my math course selection while at my community college. I am afraid that if I do exceptionally well in a variety of english courses, social science courses, and physical science courses however take a college algebra course as my math course, that I will not be as competitive as I could be if taking a calculus or trig course. </p>

<p>How important will my math course selection be if I am applying as an English major? I mean, I am positive that I can pull an "A" in a college algebra course or statistics course but when it comes to Calc or Trig, I don't have the previous academic background to pull those types of grades.</p>

<p>Do you think Stanford would overlook a 3.9-4.0 GPA if I didn't take a math course as high as Calc. or Trig., even as an English major???</p>

6

<p>Also, will Stanford require me to submit my SAT I scores if I apply after two years at a CC???</p>

<p>I took the SAT I in my senior year of high school in 2004 which will be close to 4 years ago by the time that I apply. If so, how much weight will this score have on my application? I only scored a 1180 (M 610/V 570) but it's been a long time since my senior year of HS and will be even longer by the time that I submit my application. </p>

<p>Is there anyway for me to avoid submitting this score to Stanford since it's been so long???</p>

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<p>i do think stanford would look twice at your GPA if you are taking Algebra. Most colleges do not consider math courses "rigorous" until you have reached the Calculus level. Below that, especially when considering Stanford, would be viewed as high school material. If you must take it due to prerequisite/placement circumstances, get an A and do honors if possible to show you are determined to do the best with the opportunities you have.</p>

8

<p>If that fails, apply to Columbia University's School of General Studies. You take the same classes as the Columbia College students and get the same BA/BS degree. Plus you get the same opportunities as everyone else. Check it out if Stanford doesn't work out.</p>

<p>Also,
I applied to Stanford, as well as Brown, Cornell, and Yale. I was turned down by all of them. So I am applying to Columbia GS program, which caters to non-traditional students on a rolling admissions basis. If I get accepted, I'll swallow my pride and make the best of what the school has to offer. At this stage of the game, I am cautiously hopeful that I'll get in.</p>

9

<p>Yes, you are required to take the new SAT, even as a transfer. You're probably best off with just retaking it before transferring.</p>

<p>Stanford also recommends to take two SAT II's. It is also highly recommended to take Math2 as one of the subject tests, so you really won't get around math anyway.</p>

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<p>do you get a degree in general studies or can you get a regular degree in something like english or history, etc.??</p>

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<p>At Columbia GS, you get the same degree as the Columbia College student does in the same exact major with the same professors. In other words, once admitted, you're have the same opportunities as everyone else.</p>

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<p>^^ if its all same then why is it easier than regular and why doesnt everyone just do Columbia GS</p>

13

<p>Because it's a program aimed at non-traditional students. The average age of the students is 25 years old. Most students around that age are in graduate school or has finish their graduate degrees. The difference between GS and Collumbia College is the fact that CC is traditional in a sense that the students has not taken time off between HS and College. </p>

<p>GS is focus their attention on working adults who never had the opportunity to go to college right away, or for someone who is seeking a second BA/BS degree. You can't do that at CC. Most of the students who have gotten into Columbia through GS would not have gotten into the University if they have applied to CC. But don't take my word for it. Check out their website and see for yourself.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.gs.columbia.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.gs.columbia.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The reason why most students look down at GS is the assumption that GS is inferior to Columbia College. This is not true by any stretch of the imagination. Too bad that Stanford doesn't have such a program. But that may change in the near future.</p>

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<p>"i do think stanford would look twice at your GPA if you are taking Algebra. Most colleges do not consider math courses "rigorous" until you have reached the Calculus level. Below that, especially when considering Stanford, would be viewed as high school material. If you must take it due to prerequisite/placement circumstances, get an A and do honors if possible to show you are determined to do the best with the opportunities you have."</p>

<p>The community college that I am enrolling at this spring does indeed have an
"honors program" within the undergraduate cirriculum. They offered several courses that are noted on the transcript as "honors", which of course entails honors-level coursework. A wise choice in my quest for Stanford transfer admissions?</p>

<p>I thought so.</p>

<p>However, I still fear that I will only be able to achieve precalculus status before applying for transfer admission to Stanford. How badly could this affect my app. if I have an entire trascript, mathematics excluded, of honors courses (hopefully within the 3.9-4.0 spectrum) and ,n top of this, applying as an English major?</p>

<p>I mean, it would look alot better to Stanford if I piled on a full courseload of honors courses for 2 years at a CC however didn't reach Calculus level while earning a 4.0 instead of jumping into a CALC. level course and getting a B-C grade, right?</p>

<p>On another note: Can anybody tell me if Stanford transfer applicants are required to submit SAT I and/or SAT II scores when applying? I know that at many of the schools I am looking into (UC-Berkeley, etc.) do not require SAT I or SAT II scores from their transfer applicants. Thank You.</p>