What would be some good options for me? [transfer as junior, 3.05 college GPA, public health]

Transfer Students
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I just finished my sophomore year at a historically women’s college on the East Coast, with no intention of returning. I will most likely take a semester or even a year off from college and apply to transfer for Spring 2024 or Fall 2024.

Here are my stats:

Demographics: Chinese-American female from California

Major: Public Health (or Environmental Health/Public Policy)
Minor: Dance (possibly LGBTQ studies)

College GPA (out of 4.0): 3.05
I failed a Music Theory class my second semester in my first year but I won’t major/minor in anything music-related.

High school GPA: 2.9UW/3.0W

I have no SAT/ACT

APs: World History, Music Theory, English Literature, Environmental Science, and Psychology
(school doesn’t offer IB or let students take more than 3 APs a year, don’t let freshmen take APs)

Extracurriculars (HS and College):

High school:

  • attended a very selective songwriting summer program held by the Grammys (12, summer before college)
  • Volunteer at Eating Disorder Resource Center (12)
  • Advocate for Eating Disorder Organization Project HEAL (12)
  • counselor-in-training at summer camp (11,12)
  • wrangler-in-training at summer camp (11)
  • rode horses recreationally (9,10,11,12)
  • volunteered at a horse ranch I went to (9,10,12)
  • played piano recreationally (9,10,11,12)
  • took singing lessons recreationally (12)
  • co-founder/coordinator of a club at my school (10)

College:

  • CDC intern
  • President of the Class of 2025
  • Vice President of OASIS (Organization of Asian Students in the South)
  • Social Media Chair and content creator for HerCampus college chapter
  • Member of an Acapella group and performed at concerts
  • Catalyst Leader (leadership program at my school)
  • worked at a Chick-fil-A during the summer of 2022
  • Trainee at Keens Academy (Korean music training academy hosted by SM Entertainment)
  • Awarded a $21k/year scholarship from my college

Additional Info: I was hospitalized for a week during the second semester of my first year for something pretty traumatic.

I prefer to go to a smaller to mid-size college and stay in my home state of California. I would also love to go to a college with a vibrant social life and lots of parties/revelry. However, I’m open to all suggestions. I’m also not taking on any debt and don’t want to. I’m okay with either a co-ed school or a women’s college. I’m honestly kind of worried about how many of my credits will transfer since my college has college-specific requirements.

I was possibly looking into Georgia Tech (even though it’s in Georgia) and some UCs (Irvine, Santa Cruz) but those are long shots and I definitely need some matches/safeties. I was also considering San Jose State.

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With a 3.05 college GPA, SJSU public health is highly likely if you have completed the course requirements for transfer (the basic CSU requirements for transfer are listed at Upper-Division Transfer | CSU , and the courses for the specific campus and major are listed at https://www.assist.org , although transfer equivalencies are listed only for California community colleges). For fall 2023, SJSU public health admitted transfer applicants with 2.20 college GPA, 2.00 college GPA if they have completed at least course requirement for the major: Transfer Impaction Results | Admissions .

UCI public health appears to be a reach, according to https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/transfers-major . UCSC does not appear to have a public health major; its environmental studies and community studies majors would likely be high match for you, as their 25th percentile prior college GPA is about what your college GPA is. UC basic transfer requirements are listed at Basic requirements | UC Admissions , and courses needed for a specific campus and major are listed at https://www.assist.org .

If you will be taking a year off from your current college, you could use the year to make up missing courses at a California community college if you target CSUs or UCs.

Assuming you will transfer as a junior (60+ semester hour credit units by the time you enter the new college), your high school GPA and (absence of) SAT/ACT are unlikely to matter much, or at all (the latter is the case for CSUs and UCs).

What is your price limit?

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3

Here is a list of Cal State campuses that offer Public Health degrees: Search Degrees | CSU

What is your budget since private colleges with a 3.05 College GPA and applying as a Transfer, will probably not be too budget friendly?

The suggestion of filling in your educational course gaps by attending a CC during your GAP year is definitely worth exploring.

Best of luck to you.

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