When to transfer to an Ivy League/Columbia University

Transfer Students
1

Hi guys.

So im starting my first year of college at an honors college of a public school. Truthfully, I don’t want to be here but after talking to many transfer students I decided to attend because apparently your chances are higher when you go from a public in situation to an Ivy League. I rejected offers from top schools like Johns Hopkins, UChicago, & even UPenn (genuinely didn’t like UPenn). I want to reapply to my top choice school, Columbia University, but I’m unsure when to do it.

My standardized test scores for the ACT was a 36 & my SAT was 1590. As for subject tests I got 800 for both bio m, history, & physics. So, I mean I’m not worried about my standardized test scores at all. What I am worried about are my high school grades. Unfortunately my grades started to fall junior year after a personal health issue. I feel like this may have jeopardized my chance when I initially applied to Columbia university.

When I reapply I don’t want to get rejected again. So I want to know when is it best to apply…freshman year or sophomore year? I don’t know how much improvement I should try to show for Columbia. I’m kinda lost and want to be prepared before I start my first year.

2

oh honey…get ready for a lot of comments along the 'you did what?" line. Also a lot of ‘don’t start with the idea that you will transfer- commit all the way to where you are going, because it’s likely to be where you will end up’ comments.

Question: you say that your grades ‘started to fall junior year after a personal health issue’. What happened by the end of senior year? Although your grades couldn’t have been that bad (considering the offers you turned down), if they showed definite return to your previous standard by the end of Sr year, and your first year classes (in rigorous subjects) continued the trend it could strengthen your application. But: there is always the very real possibility that it wasn’t your grade dip- that they didn’t choose you for other reasons, and that those reasons haven’t changed.

I’m sure you know that the # of places that will be available for sophomore or junior entry will = the number of students who decided that Columbia was not for them the previous year. In other words, not a big number.