What should I start doing now?

Transfer Students
1

<p>(I know I made another thread earlier, but I sucked at starting it).</p>

<p>I did pretty average in HS in terms of academics, 3.6UW (3.97W) and 1940 SAT. I didn't do any extracurriculars till Junior year, but I was very involved and had great demands (founded a student union). I didn't get into any colleges I want to go to (UCLA, USC, Standford) and the only 3 I did get accepted to were just joke applications (NYU, UCSB, LMU). The first and last gave me dismal aid (we are very low income too). I am now settling on UCSB, even though it was the last place I wanted to end up and has absolutely no pluses in my intended major(s), political science and philosophy. </p>

<p>However, I know I can transfer, and will do anything I can to do so. I'm not sure how challenging it is at SB to get a high GPA, but I am determined to score as high as possible and actually study for the first time in my life for finals and do my homework. I'm pretty confident my GPA will be above 3.75. I also plan to join a couple of clubs I found out about their student's day. I will join: College Democrats, Fencing Intramural, Debate, Student Government.</p>

<p>These are the schools I want to transfer to:</p>

<p>Ivy: Yale, Harvard, Columbia (I may apply for all, but I could care less about the others)
UCLA, USC, Stanford</p>

<p>From what I've seen here, these schools have pretty low transfer rates (besides the CC -> UCLA/USC). What can I do to maximize my chances at these schools? I've researched a lot on my own and know the general picture, but I would like so direct opinions, if you may. It may sound slightly pretentious, but I want to be somebody in my life, I'm not really content with a good paying job with a house. As unfortunate as it is, the Ivy League is where many leaders come from and network from (past 4 presidents are Ivy alums). I never did well or planned ahead for this kind of goal in high school because I didn't have the resources, I didn't have support from anybody, and I had to deal with real life (live in a bad area of LA) more than school life.</p>

<p>Thank you for the help</p>

<p>Edit: I may also consider law school, but its not a sure thing. I know UG doesn't matter for law, but I may choose a different path, too early to tell.</p>

2

<p>I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. Go to UCSB and wait at least a semester before really making your list of transfer schools. Once you have a semester’s GPA, then reconsider where you’re applying to. The Ivies aren’t the only place you can network and be extremely successful from. Plus, based on what you’ve said, you’re probably going to go to grad school or law school. Know that where you get your masters or law degree holds more weight than where you went for undergrad. Since you’ve said your family is low income, it might be better to save some money by staying at a state school, get excellent grades, and then attend a prestigeous university after.</p>

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<p>I said I might, not really sure.</p>

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<p>For USC, use the Transfer Planning Guide <a href=“https://camel2.usc.edu/TPG/SelctPgAgrmnt.aspx[/url]”>USC:Transfer Planning Guide; . Choose UC Santa Barbara from the “other universities” drop down menu on the right and your potential major from the drop down below that.</p>

<p>Also pick up a copy of “Paying for College Without Going Broke” from the Princeton Review series. It is very useful for figuring out how much aid you may quailify for, for choosing which colleges are likely to offer you aid, and for maximizing your aid.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>Seems good, thanks</p>

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<p>There is even less FA available to transfers than there is to incoming freshmen, and ivies/Stanford have extremely low transfer admission rates. I’d say UCLA is your best choice.
Your GPA will be the most important admissions factor.</p>

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<p>Ok but I want to shoot for the ivies, what do i need to do?</p>

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<p>^ As a backup to the Ivys… USC provides the same financial aid to transfers as to freshmen. They use the CSS/Profile to determine need and guarantee to meet 100% of USC-determined need. </p>

<p>Use the calculators available to the College Board website (using the institutional method) to get an estimate of how much you will be expected to contribute at a CSS/Profile school. (*Your expected contribution at a CSS/Profile school may differ from your FAFSA EFC because assets, such as home equity and assets excluded by the “simplified needs test,” will be included in the calculations.)</p>

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<p>USC is definetly a backup, since I live real close and can save on housing</p>

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<p>Hey man. I understand where you are coming from. During high school with the competition for college acceptance flooding throughout the halls, anyone can become very ivy focused and even embarrassed for anything lower. But you got to go into your freshman year at UCSB with a better attitude. If you walk around campus looking down on everyone and feeling like you belong somewhere better, you are not going to make many friends and will have an awful time. I’m not saying you should not transfer (im transferring myself) but I do know that you got to give it a chance. Also, look at other schools besides the ivies. You might find a program you like somewhere else. If you transfer to an ivy, no one at that ivy will be impressed because they all go there too. </p>

<p>Anyway, i hope you give UCSB a chance and that you find the school thats best for you.</p>

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<p>

This part is a year or two in the future, but when you fill out the financial aid applications for USC (FAFSA and CSS/Profile) I suggest you put that you won’t be living with a parent - for USC that would be “off campus, not living with parents.” That will allow you to see what financial aid they come up with and if it is financially feasible to live in an apartment within walking distance to USC. (You will have been living away from home for two years at that point, and may prefer to continue to do so.)</p>

<p>The cost of attendance they use to figure aid will be higher for students not living with parents, which means there is a possibility you would receive more aid. If it turns out not to be financially feasible, you can always change the housing plans after you get your package. The aid will be reduced somewhat, but as you say, the cost savings of living with your parent should offset the reduction.</p>

<p>I agree that you should go into UCSB with an open mind, but knowing you have thoroughly planned out some great alternatives might actually make enjoying SB easier. Having options available keeps you from feeling trapped. If after two years you did decide to stay at UCSB, that would be something you chose for yourself, rather than the most sensible path that people (like me!) kept telling you to take.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

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<p>Thanks for the help alamemom.</p>

<p>tshirt - I don’t want an ivy because I’m trying to impress anyone or because I feel bad about not getting in (I only sent in a half-assed application to yale finished 3 hours before deadline). I want it because my goals and “dreams” coincide with what the ivy league offers and that’s a network, the education is almost the same everywhere. Plus, most of my school is going to community college or cal state, so its not like I feel dumb getting into UCSB. I was one of 3 or 4 people who got into Davis and NYU.</p>

<p>Anyway, I know I should try to enjoy it, but I never in a million years thought this would be the school for me. I’ve visited (multiple) and I’ve extensively read about the programs and both just aren’t a match. On the other hand, when I visited my friend at Columbia over spring break, I loved the attitude of the majority of the people, as in they were focused on their future and the future of the community (US) instead of SB’s main 2 arguments to go there by students, its on the beach and the parties rock.</p>

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<p>bump 10char</p>