<p>I'll be happily going to UC: Irvine this fall, yet I still want to apply for transfer for UC: Berkeley and Stanford since the opportunity is present (doesn't hurt right?). My major will be mathematics that'll be hopefully paired with computer science. So I was wondering what I should generally do (not detailed) in my first two years so that I will have a great portfolio?</p>
<p>Obviously doing well in college is one, retaking the SAT again (Stanford), and being active in the fields of math and computers (Even if I didn't want to transfer, I'd still be doing them). </p>
<p>From what I've read, it seems transfer admissions focuses more toward academics than being holistic which made me ask that question.</p>
<p>Also, if I apply for transfer to Stanford for sophomore and get denied, will that diminish my chances of applying for transfer for junior year?</p>
<p>I don't know much about transferring within the UCs.</p>
<p>For transferring in general (and certainly applies to Stanford):</p>
<ol>
<li> As you have said, do well. ;)</li>
<li> Check the typical curriculum of freshmen/sophomores at the school you want to transfer to in the major you plan. Come as close as possible to taking that set of courses.</li>
<li> Get to know two profs well enough to get great recommendations.<br></li>
<li> Depending on your SAT scores and the policies of the transfer school, consider re-taking.</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't believe being denied as a sophomore will hurt your chances as a junior. But it's not a totally predictable process.</p>
<p>Cal and Stanford were never my goals so community college has never been a "Plan B" option for me. As I said before, I look forward to attending UCI. As to Seiken, although it is highly unlikely Stanford will accept my application, they still do indeed accept transfers so I might as well try it, and reading from that Transfer regrets thread, it seems I am better off by trying :)</p>
<p>"Impossible is nothing." - Aleksey Vayner
see youtube if you don't know what I'm talking about</p>
<p>Transfer admissions like cc students because they really have nowhere else to go, as opposed to schools like UCI. You're going to have to do a spectacular job explaining why you can't stay at UCI, or they simply won't take you. As a transfer student, I can tell you that raw GPA and coursework means a lot. Don't bother joining meaningless clubs just so you can write something down in your EC's. In my application to Northwestern, I only listed 3 activities in the "Statement on activities" section, and they accepted me. Don't think that you have to have an endless list of activities (some people do) and just pick a few that you can really focus on and prove that you are genuinely enthusiastic about what you do.</p>
<p>I'll stop now because I feel like I'm giving very generic advice. Basically, UCI->Cal/Stanford is very unlikely, because you're not coming from a cc, and you're not coming from a top institution either. Like you said, you might as well give it a shot, so take the hardest classes, get to know some professors who have connections, and do some activities that make you stand out.</p>
<p>You guys have to take the fact that going to Cal/Stanford is not my absolute goal, UCI is. Trying to transfer there is sort of an academic opportunity for me - the opportunity is there, so why not? I won't be joining meaningless clubs just for my application, like I said, I'll be joining few or some activities that suits my interest in which I would've joined even if I didn't transfer :)</p>
<p>im also thinking about transferring...except i'll be entering cal in the fall, and i want to transfer to stanford or possibly an ivy league (just in case i end up not liking the west coast...i live on the east coast right now and wanted to go far away, thus my decision to go to cal)</p>
<p>do transfer admissions take into consideration grades/activities from high school or only college?
why is it better to apply as a junior transfer rather than applying as a sophomore transfer?</p>
<p>My friend from UCSCruz just got into Berk's English Major with a 3.5 cumulative. Transferring to Berk issss possible! :) I'm not sure about CS though because I think I remember it being an impacted program.</p>
<p>I too am planning on transfering next fall and I have a quick question that might help us less knowledgable people. when should I get my teacher recs exactly. for example, I am in a summer calc class and I think I would get a good letter of recommendation. should I have him write it at the end of the summer and hold on to it until january application time? he only teaches at the community college in the summer and teaches at Carnegie Mellon during the regular school year. should I ask him now?</p>
<p>I would ask this prof now, or at the end of the class. Typically, the recs are not given to you but sent directly by the prof. He can write it now and hold it until Jan-March, or he can write it at a later date, whatever is convenient for him.</p>
<p>If you already have your transfer schools picked out, you can give him stamped addressed envelopes now. Write the application deadline lightly in pencil on each envelope. If you haven't finalized your list, ask the prof what would be easiest for him. Would he like the envelopes all at once, or as you identify them, or x weeks before each deadline?</p>
<p>ok thanks. I'm a bit wierded out for lack of better words as to how I should approach the topic. I want to stand out a bit more in class (in a good way) before I formally ask for the letters but being 4 weeks in to a 10 week class is making it hard. any more quick advice for getting letters?</p>