Transferring

[Princeton Medical Student]

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Figured I'd get an opinion here. If this kind of thread unacceptable, delete.

High school stats:
SAT: 1910 (680 reading, 640 math, 590 writing)
GPA: Somewhere in 3.60's

College stats:
Computer Science Premed Freshman (transfer plan is for after sophomore year)
3.73 GPA
Unranked small liberal arts school

Dillema: I hate the location of my school, and I want to be in a larger school, preferably around Northern New Jersey/New York City, or Boston. Would it be worth it to apply to schools like WPI, Northeastern, Boston College, Boston University, NYU, or maybe even some Ivy's? I know my chance for Ivy transfer are neigh impossible given my stats, but is there anything I can do to boost these chances? I feel like I have a good amount of knowledge on the pre-med process from reading the forums, but I have no idea about how transferring works.

 

[Toutie]

You're transferring from Princeton Medical School? Where to? Notre Dame Medical School? 😛

 

[Sardinia]

@Princeton Medical Student Try Cornell. It is how I got an upgrade from single to a double. I wasn't the one who moved.

 

[JPSmyth]

@Princeton Medical Student Try Cornell.

Not sure about the actual schools however I transferred twice, and it didn't stop me from getting multiple MD acceptances. So transferring won't hold you back from med school, just wanted to chime in

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

You're transferring from Princeton Medical School? Where to? Notre Dame Medical School? 😛

SGU! Harvard of the Carribean! I already stocked up on my SPF.

@Princeton Medical Student Try Cornell. It is how I got an upgrade from single to a double. I wasn't the one who moved.

Wouldn't my high school stats keep me out of most Ivy leagues for transferring?

 

[Sardinia]

Wouldn't my high school stats keep me out of most Ivy leagues for transferring?

3.5 was the minimum requirement to meet for my roommate when they provided them with the transfer option. Suggest you do it sooner than latter if possible. You will likely get screwed over in the transfer and having an extra semester (if possible) would decrease your personal satisfaction. Better to limit discomfort and assuming you are applying to medical schools also clear up any initial misunderstanding if it ends up forcing you to go beyond 4 years of undergraduate education. By minimum, I mean the only requirement. YMMV though.

 

[deleted781806]

Notre Dame Medical School?

You could maybe count Indiana University - South Bend as the "Notre Dame Medical School" if you squint hard enough...
I have no idea about the logistics of transferring schools, however. I do not think it will be held against you though, as long as you continue to do well academically.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

3.5 was the minimum requirement to meet for my roommate when they provided them with the transfer option. Suggest you do it sooner than latter if possible. You will likely get screwed over in the transfer and having an extra semester (if possible) would decrease your personal satisfaction. Better to limit discomfort and assuming you are applying to medical schools also clear up any initial misunderstanding if it ends up forcing you to go beyond 4 years of undergraduate education. By minimum, I mean the only requirement. YMMV though.

I do not mind spending an extra year in undergrad, or an extra semester for that matter.

 

[mwsapphire]

Figured I'd get an opinion here. If this kind of thread unacceptable, delete.

High school stats:
SAT: 1910 (680 reading, 640 math, 590 writing)
GPA: Somewhere in 3.60's

College stats:
Computer Science Premed Freshman (transfer plan is for after sophomore year)
3.73 GPA
Unranked small liberal arts school

Dillema: I hate the location of my school, and I want to be in a larger school, preferably around Northern New Jersey/New York City, or Boston. Would it be worth it to apply to schools like WPI, Northeastern, Boston College, Boston University, NYU, or maybe even some Ivy's? I know my chance for Ivy transfer are neigh impossible given my stats, but is there anything I can do to boost these chances? I feel like I have a good amount of knowledge on the pre-med process from reading the forums, but I have no idea about how transferring works.

You're in good shape for BU/Northeastern. My HS classmates that got BU had similar stats to you.

 

[cactusman]

3.5 was the minimum requirement to meet for my roommate when they provided them with the transfer option. Suggest you do it sooner than latter if possible. You will likely get screwed over in the transfer and having an extra semester (if possible) would decrease your personal satisfaction. Better to limit discomfort and assuming you are applying to medical schools also clear up any initial misunderstanding if it ends up forcing you to go beyond 4 years of undergraduate education. By minimum, I mean the only requirement. YMMV though.

That sounds like your roommate was one of Cornell's guaranteed transfers, who apply for freshmen admissions and don't get in but are basically told "do ok somewhere else and we'll take you."

 

[MusicDOc124]

Well why do you not like the school you're at, and what made you go there in the first place? I went to a small school and wanted to transfer at one point as well, however I came the the realization that I was getting a great education where I was, the professors knew my name, and I knew my classmates well with a class size of 30-40 on average. If I went to a bigger school, I would not have focused on school as much most likely, but maybe you would - just make sure you take some of those things into consideration before you transfer.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Well why do you not like the school you're at, and what made you go there in the first place? I went to a small school and wanted to transfer at one point as well, however I came the the realization that I was getting a great education where I was, the professors knew my name, and I knew my classmates well with a class size of 30-40 on average. If I went to a bigger school, I would not have focused on school as much most likely, but maybe you would - just make sure you take some of those things into consideration before you transfer.

Honestly, it's the lack of opportunities here: tiny department, very little possibilities for meaningful EC, very difficult to find research in my field. I feel like I would benefit from being in a larger city. As an example, I absolutely love teaching, and I know that that is something I would genuinely enjoy as a volunteering activity, but this simply does not exist within reach where I am currently.

 

[ScreenName23]

I'm sure you can have a successful transfer. But at my liberal arts college I considered transferring and had two friends transfer and come back. Yes they left for a semester or two and came back when they realized their reasons for transferring were not deficiencies in the school but their own sort of expectations. I also highly recommend liberal arts college because the competition is sometimes less fierce because your not at a huge school that funnels out premeds and has massive weed out classes. You get better letters of rec because you know your professors and it's often pretty easy to get involved in research. At least, this was my experience. I 10/10 would have been weeded out of premed at a different school. As it is I'm set to apply with a decent app.

Just my .02 if you consider not transferring.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

I'm sure you can have a successful transfer. But at my liberal arts college I considered transferring and had two friends transfer and come back. Yes they left for a semester or two and came back when they realized their reasons for transferring were not deficiencies in the school but their own sort of expectations. I also highly recommend liberal arts college because the competition is sometimes less fierce because your not at a huge school that funnels out premeds and has massive weed out classes. You get better letters of rec because you know your professors and it's often pretty easy to get involved in research. At least, this was my experience. I 10/10 would have been weeded out of premed at a different school. As it is I'm set to apply with a decent app.

Just my .02 if you consider not transferring.

Fair enough! I'll just have to wait and see then. That seems like a pretty important downside though yeah.

 

[Welshman]

Wouldn't my high school stats keep me out of most Ivy leagues for transferring?

My understanding of it is that the farther you are from high school the less those grades matter. So if you're applying to transfer after your sophomore year I can't imagine HS grades being worth a hill of beans.

That said, if you know you want to transfer get out now. There's nothing for you there besides unhappiness. Might as well start taking advantage of big city opportunities asap. I transferred after my fall semester

 

[Turkishking]

There are disadvantages to big schools. Majority of my classes constitute of 200-500 people. If you're doing fine where you are, stay there. No need to transfer. But it's entirely up to you. But if your GPA plummets, well good luck.

 

[Sardinia]

That sounds like your roommate was one of Cornell's guaranteed transfers, who apply for freshmen admissions and don't get in but are basically told "do ok somewhere else and we'll take you."

Bingo. Great deduction. Very impressed.

 

[holycrap]

I think you have a good chance at Northeastern, I had similar stats to you and I'm going there. Keep in mind tuition is expensive around 60k~ .

 

[RunawayGrape]

Cornell takes a large number of transfers every year in addition to those students accepted via the "guaranteed transfer" option. I think Penn also takes a large number of transfers (~15% acceptance rate for transfer applicants).

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Cornell takes a large number of transfers every year in addition to those students accepted via the "guaranteed transfer" option. I think Penn also takes a large number of transfers (~15% acceptance rate for transfer applicants).

Didnt realize those schools had such good acceptance rates. Ill be sure to apply!

 

[efle]

There are def places in big northeastern cities that will take you - just make sure you are transferring for the right reasons. The transfers I spoke to at my undergrad said the transition was really rough because most people have already found their circles of friends after freshman year and you sort of have to break in as an outsider. If you were going to get completely shut out of all well-known names would you still be keen on transferring?

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

There are def places in big northeastern cities that will take you - just make sure you are transferring for the right reasons. The transfers I spoke to at my undergrad said the transition was really rough because most people have already found their circles of friends after freshman year and you sort of have to break in as an outsider. If you were going to get completely shut out of all well-known names would you still be keen on transferring?

Anki is my only friend anyway! And really my biggest complaint is the lack of cool extra curriculars. I know someone going to a school in NYC that is teaching inner city kids and I just know that I would love to have these opportunities on every corner. Having a fancy t-shirt and better research opportunities is cool, but school prestige is not really the main reason for the transfer.

 

[cactusman]

Bingo. Great deduction. Very impressed.

Lol, just thought it was worth mentioning directly that they were a guaranteed transfer because non-guaranteed transfers probably have a much tougher experience.

 

[cactusman]

Anki is my only friend anyway! And really my biggest complaint is the lack of cool extra curriculars. I know someone going to a school in NYC that is teaching inner city kids and I just know that I would love to have these opportunities on every corner. Having a fancy t-shirt and better research opportunities is cool, but school prestige is not really the main reason for the transfer.

Do you want to be in the Northeast, or are you ok with any major city? Vanderbilt is pretty transfer-friendly + good financial aid if you are looking for it.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Do you want to be in the Northeast, or are you ok with any major city? Vanderbilt is pretty transfer-friendly + good financial aid if you are looking for it.

North East would be preferrable given my current obligations but Ill definately have to look into Vandy. Thank you!

 

[efle]

Do most schools tend to take transfers that are a few hundred SAT points below their typical highschool admit? Not trying to be rude

 

[mwsapphire]

Do most schools tend to take transfers that are a few hundred SAT points below their typical highschool admit? Not trying to be rude

If his weighted GPA is above the average, combined with his first year of college academics, I think the SAT can be forgiven, especially since a 1900 isn't a *bad* score.

 

[numbersloth]

That said, if you know you want to transfer get out now. There's nothing for you there besides unhappiness. Might as well start taking advantage of big city opportunities asap. I transferred after my fall semester

This. I waited to transfer thinking it was just "adjustment" and am currently still unhappy with my school. Small LACs are just not for everyone. I'd actually much rather be in a huge lecture class.

 

[cactusman]

Do most schools tend to take transfers that are a few hundred SAT points below their typical highschool admit? Not trying to be rude

Most probably don't, I'm applying as a transfer to Vandy this year and I know it's kind of an exception (30% transfer acceptance vs. 11% for freshmen, and a number of people on last years's CollegeConfidential transfer thread got on with 29-30 ACT despite freshman 25 %ile 32).

For junior transfers, many schools place significantly less emphasis on test scores, or they're totally optional.

 

[mwsapphire]

Most probably don't, I'm applying as a transfer to Vandy this year and I know it's kind of an exception (30% transfer acceptance vs. 11% for freshmen, and a number of people on last years's CollegeConfidential transfer thread got on with 29-30 ACT despite freshman 25 %ile 32).

For junior transfers, many schools place significantly less emphasis on test scores, or they're totally optional.

The odd thing about Vandy is that they are sooo selective with test scores, but the gpa is more achievable. Or at least, that's what I remember from my classmates who got into Vandy.
Maybe retake the ACT? It seems silly but if you really want to transfer there I don't think it's unheard of.

 

[efle]

Nah they like the GPAs too, avg 3.8/4 in addition to the top percentile median ACT

 

[mwsapphire]

Nah they like the GPAs too, avg 3.8/4 in addition to the top percentile median ACT

Yeah but a 3.8/4 is more common than a 32+ ACT.
Kinda like a 3.8 gpa is more common than a 520+ MCAT.

 

[cactusman]

Yeah but a 3.8/4 is more common than a 32+ ACT.
Kinda like a 3.8 gpa is more common than a 520+ MCAT.

High GPA alone might be more common, but high GPA + high course rigor + high ACT/SAT is not.

Vandy's mid range ACT and average GPA are in line with their peer schools, I don't know why there's a perception that they emphasize test scores. Honestly, they don't seem as focused on score as some of the other Top 20s.

 

[pioneer22]

High GPA alone might be more common, but high GPA + high course rigor + high ACT/SAT is not.

Vandy's mid range ACT and average GPA are in line with their peer schools, I don't know why there's a perception that they emphasize test scores. Honestly, they don't seem as focused on score as some of the other Top 20s.

amplified by the huge fact that they are an SEC D1 school...a friend of mine committed there for baseball with a 25 ACT...said the average baseball team ACT is a 23.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Do most schools tend to take transfers that are a few hundred SAT points below their typical highschool admit? Not trying to be rude

That was what I was worried about, but apparently if applying after sophmore year, it doesn't matter as much.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Dropped my ugrad GPA to 3.4, but got into NYU Courant! It ain't an Ivy, but still very very exciting! Still gotta see how credits transfer over, and how fin aid works out. Thanks for all the advice!