Worth retaking the SAT for transferring?

Transfer Students
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hi! I’m a current senior in hs.

i recently wasn’t accepted to any of my top colleges and I’m going to be attending UMD this year as an in-state student through the scholars program, majoring in business.

I’m going to give UMD a shot and not go in with the mindset of hating it, I’ll be taking advantage of what it has to offer, but I do think that I’ll probably wind up transferring because I’m heavily set on it right now and in the case that I do, I want to be prepared as possible.

at the end of my junior year my gpa was 3.86UW/4.0 and a 4.52 weighted. however, this year was literally so awful for me and I don’t really want to get into it but I’ll likely end with a gpa of 3.79 or at the lowest a 3.75. my current SAT is 1440 and I realize that if I want to transfer, my high school record will also be accounted for. i cant really do much about the gpa anymore but I know I can retake the sat to try and sort of prove myself in that sense because I also just want to have the best shot at this and I think my stats this year were the worst part of my app and I want to fix that.

i retook the SAT yesterday and I’m not sure how it went? the English section went super well for me and I finished early for the first time out of all the attempts but the math was meh and I don’t think I got a perfect score on the math section. in the case that I don’t get a 1500+, should I try again or just give up on the sat?

as for extracurriculars, I lot of the ones i did in HS are things I can continue outside (my tiktok account, my internships, my business, etc) and I have a finance internship lined up for this summer, plans to publish my research, releasing new business products and continuing tiktok sponsorships, and I’m going to focus on getting a 4.0 my first year at maryland and join clubs there and get involved.

also just to add, I’m applying to a lot of reaches (my intention is to major is business btw) so here’s where I want to apply: USC, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, UPenn, Cornell, Columbia, University of Michigan, NYU. Obviously these schools are super competitive and I still need to do extensive research on their requirements and transfer process before I finalize a list but those are what I’m looking at so far. I understand they’re all reaches but I’m completely fine with the outcome of getting rejected from all of them because I’ll still remain at UMD

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If you have the drive and energy to take the SAT for a third time, go ahead. I am not convinced it will make a difference, and I do not know how it will be used given you already applied to colleges.

More importantly, I would focus on the obvious question that might be asked during the transfer process: why do you want to transfer, given that you were already accepted to an outstanding business school?

These colleges may want to know.

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Rather than studying to retake the SAT, I suggest you read Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be.

The time you spend researching other schools and applying to them is time you could be spending seeking out opportunities at UMD.

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Internships or coops are very important. For most majors I would have added “research” as a third option but I do not know whether this applies to a business major (this might depend upon the type of research). There will be quite a few opportunities at UMD.

My daughters might have gotten their best internship / coop / research opportunities after completing at least two years of university, but some students may get opportunities earlier than that.

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For transfer applications, your college GPA will be weighed more heavily than your SAT score. They will also look at your high school transcript. Schools will also want to know your reason for transferring. If you’ve applied to these schools already and have been rejected, expect the same results unless you show that you’ve done some exceptional things in the meantime.

Looking at your list specifically, it will be tough, but you already know that. Cornell does have the highest transfer rate, but it is misleading because most transfers were given a transfer option in this admissions cycle.

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High school is over. You just retook the SAT in May of your senior year, which was pretty much a desperate, probably futile move. You most definitely should NOT take the SAT yet again! High school is OVER. Your high school record is what it is. If you’re going to do anything, study your behind off to finish up with the best grades you can this semester. Understand that if you do wind up wanting to transfer, what you do at U Md is going to count far, far more than your high school record. Even if by some miracle you were to get a 1600, it wouldn’t make much difference. What the schools will want to see is what you have done at U Md.

Spend your summer moving forward. You want to start early at U Md? Go ahead, take summer classes there. You want to spend your summer working on a business idea, on improving your incredible social media success? Fantastic. Any of these things will help you to move into the future, might also help if you want to transfer later on. But please, leave the SAT where it belongs, in your past. Your high school application to college process is OVER.

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Why do you want to transfer and how will you afford - for example UCB? As I recall you need aid.

The why matters because saying you want these schools for a desired specific career that requires a prestigious school will likely fall on its face.

In some ways, you are better to go to a CC. At least that’s a built in excuse to transfer.

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You might be right. Transferring from a CC would be easier. The down side is not having an acceptable school to transfer to, and possibly giving up two years at UMD.

I hope this student starts at UMD and rocks it.

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It’s fine to retake it while you are in high school…that’s when the test is supposed to be taken.

I know it’s probably late to consider…but did you consider the ACT at any point?

And, there is always test optional if a college offers that and you don’t feel your SAT score is where it should be for that college.

OR…you could wait to transfer…and transfer for your junior year of college. At that point,my our college record would be what would be considered.

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UCB is test blind and only takes Junior level transfers with 60 semester/90 quarter units. OOS transfers have the lowest priority and the admit rate for 2022 OOS is listed below:

Campus OUT OF STATE APPLIED ADMITTED
Berkeley 7% 632 44
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Of the above schools you want to apply to…again…you were already denied admission to Penn, Cornell, Columbia, University of Michigan, NYU, right?

So that leaves USC, Cal, and NU…right?

Really…as a sophomore transfer, the same high school record that got you rejected this time will be used…again.

I forget…did I link this thread in your other thread? If not, please read it. The difference is that you actually got accepted to two fine colleges. This student didn’t. BUT he did reapply to two schools after his gap year and was soundly rejected a second time…and he had very high stats, and was a NMF, etc.

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Which they won’t really see if you apply as a transfer for your sophomore year. Your transfer applications will have maybe one semester of grades. Your high school record will again be used. If you want colleges to see your college record…apply to transfer for your junior year.

Please…put the SAT behind you…put high school…behind you. You have a wonderful opportunity at UMD that others would be thrilled to have.

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This student needs to transfer as a rising junior and not as a rising sophomore.

Starting a new school as a sophomore means applying in the spring. She will have one semester of UMD under her belt, which is hardly enough to make a difference.

And the “why” question still needs to be answered.

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@iseeusee In case you wonder what this means…you will be asked the academic reason why you want to transfer to these colleges. What will that reason be?

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I think it was to paraphrase - the colleges are ranked higher and I deserve them because I worked really hard in hs.

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Hopefully that is not the reason this student plans to put on their application.

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No. That’s from the I’m a stud but didn’t get into those schools thread.

She’s right - she is a stud. She’s amazingly accomplished. Academically at UMD averages but amazing.

And it’s a great get !! She’s gonna do great. She’s very accomplished. And UMD got a great one.

And I hope she loves them like they do her !!

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If you wan to retake in June that is your prerogative. Do you think anything will be significantly different in a few weeks?

IMO there is no point to retaking the SAT after you start college. The SAT is an exam meant for HS students so I don’t expect any admissions officer will be impressed by a higher score on a test taken once you are in college next year.

In general I think it is a terrible idea to start one college with the intent of transferring out. This will stand in the way of your making meaningful friendships, developing relationships with professors, and getting involved on campus. Then if your transfer doesn’t work out as planned you will be really stuck. I’d start UMD (which has a really good b-school) with the intent of staying all four years. It is fine to throw in a couple of transfer applications but don’t count on it working out.

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Hi @iseeusee,

I totally understand wanting to take the SAT again with hopes that getting a higher SAT score will prove to yourself that you can do it. But whether or not you get a higher score, you absolutely have what it takes to be successful in business. You don’t need “proof” of your worthiness whether that “proof” comes in the form of a higher score, or in the form of a transfer acceptance to a highly-rejective school.

So if you get a higher score on the SAT you just took, then give yourself a high five and keep moving forward! And if you don’t get a higher score? Then also give yourself a high five and keep moving forward! And if you do decide to try to try to transfer, then treat it the same way. Because it’s not the school that will make you a success, it’s YOU that will make you a success.

Your confidence in yourself has been shaken, but OUR confidence in you is not shaken. (And the confidence of employers is not shaken either. Employers understand that many, MANY excellent students graduate from their state flagships. Some even prefer to hire a local-kid-done-good from a flagship.)

Hang in there! This situation won’t feel so bad forever, I promise. Hugs to you!

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I don’t believe that Northwestern or Columbia offer a business major.

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