<p>Well... I just got my 1st semester GPA, and it's much worse than I thought. </p>
<p>Current: Soph at univ of pittsburgh business school/ honors college.</p>
<p>1st year GPA: 3.5 overall
1st semester this year: 3.125......</p>
<p>Overall: 3.4 (rounded up from 3.395)</p>
<p>EC's: incredible</p>
<p>Recs: one incredible, none others yet.</p>
<p>Essays: Should be excellent at worst.</p>
<p>Major/interest: Finance or Economics.</p>
<p>I know my stats aren't good, but everything else is good. </p>
<p>So my question isn't can I get into "these" schools, but where the hell can I go? </p>
<p>I'm not happy here, and it shows as my GPA went down every semester. I want to transfer somewhere better, as I see no point of transferring somewhere worse. </p>
<p>All I know is that maybe a LAC may be better for me, but I have very minimal experience with them. My HS adviser and my college both never helped so yeah, I don't even know schools that I may be happier at.</p>
<p>Oh. What kind of environment are you looking for? Urban? Rural? Suburban? Do you care how far away you go from home? Is weather an issue? Is financial aid an issue?</p>
<p>Maybe you should consider Haverford College (they are next to go no-loans), they are close to philadelphia, its an LAC, and its less selective than some of the other top schools (but they are still good). Another LAC is Davidson college: no loans, suburban, and its similar to the cali weather you are used to. </p>
<p>Claremont Mckenna: cali, close to home, great finance/accounting/economics program, etc.</p>
<p>Vassar (maybe?)</p>
<p>Universities you should consider: Emory, Rice, and WashU (Emory and WashU have business schools; Emory's business school ranked #4 by businessweek)</p>
<p>Impossible to say what your "chances" are, because we can't see the incredible recs/ECs - which could have a huge effect to counter any deficiencies in stats. BTW, I don't think your stats are "deficient," but I realize you'd feel better if that GPA were 3.8 or something.</p>
<p>Here are some to think about: Bates, Bowdoin, Trinity(CT), Brandeis, Claremont, Lafayette maybe, McKenna, Colby, Conn College, Pitzer, Pomona,Villanova,Wheaton.</p>
<p>Lots of those are extremely selective, so be aware.</p>
<p>My rec will be incredible because it's being written my a teacher who's a writer. The EC include running a business (and not just a "site", but a business that has been featured in magazines and such) and being a musician signed to an indy label. </p>
<p>I'll definitely look at those schools, but again, although the ranking matters, I'd rather go to a school ranked lower if I'd enjoy my time there more.</p>
<p>Are you sure that your GPA comes out to a 3.4? I know you rounded, but it looks more like a 3.3 to me. Regardless, your GPA is very low and your HS scores aren't much better. Transferring from a school like Pitt won't help you either. Some of the schools listed (Emory, Rice, WashU) are going to be huge reaches. Davidson, Claremont McKenna, and Pomona as well. I would consider looking at some of the schools that Andale recommended.</p>
<p>3.3 or 3.4 are NOT very low. They are low-ish for <em>some</em> schools. But can be compensated for by other elements. The OP's ECs, as described, could certainly be those compensating factors.</p>
<p>I do agree that a teacher who's a writer does not = "great rec." Great rec is a function of what that teacher says about you more than how eloquently the teacher writes.</p>
<p>Yury, perhaps add Lehigh to the list as it accepts quite a reasonable % of transfer applicants. I have been assuming you are male; if female, add Wellesley.</p>
<p>I don't know, Yury, whether your essays could discuss your GPA suffering because of issues of poor fit and how that might have affected you. That could be dicey to carry off. But you might consider it. Maybe. If you are considering that and want someone to review and see how it comes across, you can PM me.</p>
<p>I still don't think we have enough to go on to recommend best fit schools for you. If you could tell us a school or two which feels right to you and why, it might help in the brainstorming.</p>
<p>My GPA is a 3.4 (as I said 3.395) because I took less classes this semester. I'm also male for the record.</p>
<p>My prof will give me a good rec because we talk regularly and he knows me as a person, and we were cool before I even asked for a rec. He said he'd support my transferring decisions and will write the rec as genuinely and best as possible.</p>
<p>As for what schools fit, I obviously can't say 100% but I will say that looking at Harvard's campus made me feel at ease. I would prefer a school with its own campus and would probably hate NYU since they're as unstructured with their campus as Pitt. </p>
<p>One very important thing to me is that I actually learn, that I enjoy learning. A smaller, more personalized school may be what I'm looking for and want to go somewhere where people actually want to learn and enjoy learning. Here at Pitt it's "get through class, go get drunk". I can't stand the frattiness...</p>
<p>As for the 3.4 being "low", I do admit it's lower than it preferably should be, but I've taken four upper-class courses, all in the 1000's level.</p>
<p>His/her SAT score is not that bad and neither is the 3.4. With a good essay and letter of rec, i think davidson, claremont mckenna, and emory are a match. There was one girl here from boston university with a 3-3.3 and she got into emory. I dont know her SAT, though.</p>
<p>donjuan78: I don't know where u get your info, but I don't really see how Yury is a match at Emory, Claremont, and Davidson (especially considering the fact that business is an impacted major at most schools).</p>
<p>I didnt suggest that Yury should try Goizueta. I meant like Emory Econ. Davidson is not that hard to get into... and if Yury is a minority, he's in.</p>