<p>Hi guys! I’m currently a freshman at Virginia Tech, and I’m looking for an opportunity to transfer. My options for this years are Harvard and Duke, and Harvard is my first choice. First of all, I do not have a “top 10/ivy league fetish”. The reason I so want to go to Harvard is that there is a professor in Harvard, who is the only specialist of my native language, spoken only by less than 30,000 people and slowly declining for the recent decades, and I’m anxious about learning from and working with him to find a way to save my culture. Duke doesn’t have such program, but Duke has a competitive Turkish department which I see the possibility to catch their interests, because Turkish culture is related to ours, and also, I believe they are looking for a good living source like me to tell about my culture other than the version written in books or papers. Other than the motivation I described above, I believe I have other qualifications below:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I am a competitive Athlete. Although I didn’t make into VT’s football team this season (D-1 ACC, of course it’s super competitive), based on VT’s bad offensive team this season, with the fact that some good offensive linemen (my position) are graduating next year, and I’ve been training 5-7 days a week currently, logically-though the opportunity is still very rare-I stand a chance on making into the team during the upcoming spring try out this January. With or without making into the team, I’m going to contact the recruiter in Harvard, and address a strong motivation on playing in the collegiate football team at Harvard, if I’m admitted, in my essays.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m practically able to communicate in four languages, and this doesn’t count the two others, Hebrew and Arabic, that I’m still in the progress of learning in my current institution. Also I’m likely to receive good grades in these classes this semester. I’m not a U.S. born, I moved to this country about two and a half years ago, but even back in China, my home country, I had a tri-cultural background.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m doing a undergraduate research already. It is a research about Arabic music, which I believe it is an unique topic</p></li>
</ol>
<p>4… I have two majors in completely different fields, International Studies and Physics. My schedule is very well rounded. As a matter of fact, I have been contacting with a Harvard physics professor, who had a lecture in VT and fascinated me, which became the reason I chose to also study for physics at college level, just for fulfilling my curiosity and passion (whether double majoring or switching to minor will depend on my future schedule, mainly because I want to become an collegiate level athlete). For the IS major, it is because my multi-culture background and my willing to study about my culture and help other people who have a similar situation with us in the future. The passion on science and current events do not collide, I believe. It’s just like once Albert Einstein did before, although I’m not saying I will reach his achievement. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>I have multiple ECs at college and high school level both. During high school, I was in multiple drama productions sponsored by my high school (in U.S.), community, and church, and had speech roles in these productions-perhaps the first non native speaker/international transfer in my school’s and community’s history. I was in SGA, and I was confirmed that I was the first ESOL student who’s even been elected in school’s history.I was in multiple honor societies in high school, and did countless community service. During college, I’m already in a pre-law Greek society. I’m going to a study abroad program this winter, and planning on rejoin into choir next semester (I quit choir at the beginning of this semester due to some reasons).</p></li>
<li><p>I have a guaranteed amazing recommendation letter from my high school teacher. I will also find two of my college professors who will likely right decent letters for me.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Moreover, I have many other qualifications. I won’t list them all, due to the reason that my discussion is already too long.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I believe I have some disadvantages that might be deal brakers:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>My gpa. I cannot remember exactly what I have in high school over all. Approximately 3.5, I think, due to the reasons of different grading systems between China and Maryland’s public education system, some of my As (a grade of 85 or above under the curve used in China) turned into Bs, and plus my relatively bad performance during senior year. I believe my college freshman’s gpa will be 3.7ish or 3.8ish, not bad nor impressive enough.</p></li>
<li><p>My test score. I’m a crappy test taker. Last year my SAT score was bad enough to make top school’s admission counselors laugh out loud of my boldness, figuratively, and thus I have believe is one of the reason I got so many rejections from some top schools, including the two above. I’m planning on taking ACT during the upcoming December and February. It can let me to avoid my major disadvantage, vocabulary, and I’m trying to make sure I will be well prepare this time. </p></li>
<li><p>I had an educational interruption, which can be a double-blade sword. I will do my best to write a decent explanation.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I understand transferring to these two schools is kind of challenge the impossible. But I’m willing to try, because, not a “top 10/ivy league fetish,” but a motivation on the career I’m willing the proceed in the future. I want to ask for some advise from the friends here, either what I should be preparing, or some other keys I suppose to be aware of. </p>
<p>P.S. Please pardon my grammar/vocabulary using mistakes I might made.</p>