<p>I have a young male relative, 25 years old, who would like to transfer to a 4-year college next year. He is bright, but was an indifferent student in HS, entered his state U with an automatic admission, dropped out during the first year. A few years later, maturity hits. The family has moved to a southern state. This young man has been attending a technical community college for the past 1.5 years, living at home, and doing spectacularly well. GPA over 4.0, professors will write glowing recommendations, good extracurriculars. There is an established path to a nearby 4-year college from this CC, but this young man’s advisor is telling him that his record is so good that he should look into other schools. </p>
<p>This young man is on fire intellectually. Not only does he do extremely well in his courses, but he spends much of his free time reading scientific material and watching online lectures from various universities. I have gone with him to the Metropolitan Museum twice, and this place is a revelation to him. He is fascinated with everything. </p>
<p>Can anyone give me some advice on how to proceed? He is more interested in biology than engineering, is considering genetics, possibly computational genetics, as a career field, is also very interested in physics and math. He is definitely headed to grad school. He is not sure what his SAT scores were - he took them long ago when he didn’t particularly care how he did. Does it make sense to re-take them now, or is it too late? He would love to be on the east coast.</p>
<p>Is financial aid a possibility for a transfer student? This person is old enough (25) that his parents’ resources will not be a factor. His parents are very supportive and would help him out as much as they can, but there is another child in the family who has just started college. He could work during the summers, but probably not much during the school year. He is very intense about his schoolwork, and throws himself into it. </p>
<p>I can’t really answer about the schools to which he should apply, but financial aid is definitely a possibility. I myself didn’t get stellar financial aid because I had a good paying job before transferring to a 4-year uni, but I know several other over-25 students who are getting almost everything paid for by grants, scholarships, and some subsidized loans. When someone is independent, they look at the student’s personal earnings, savings, and assets and determine need from that. In my opinion, with his excellent grades, he shouldn’t limit himself on his choice of schools based on his (in)ability to pay.</p>
<p>Thank you, thatgirltoo. I’m happy to hear that he will have a chance for FA. For some reason, I was under the impression that FA was often not available to transfer students.</p>
<p>My own path thru all paid college education was to find a professional job after graduating from Community College that paid my tuitions all the way thru MBA. Actually I kep on changing jobs, so there were several different employers that paid my tuition / books. I was much older and had family of my own to take care of. I held professional demanding job working full time. Was abel to graduate Maga Cum Laude with BS. I know a lot of people who have done it, some of them went to very selective Grad. Schools (U of Mishigan).
Is he considering something like working full time and going to school part time?</p>
<p>We have a Transfer Forum here on cc. Lots of valuable information there on a sticky thread, called Transfer 101 or something similar.</p>
<p>The common wisdom is that finaid is more difficult to obtain for transfers than for freshman admits. That is quite true, but does not mean it is impossible. Merit aid is very thin for transfers, but some few schools do offer it.</p>
<p>Could you give us any more direction beyond wanting to be on the East Coast? Size of school? Urban/rural? Atmosphere as to Greek/big sports/blah blah? Could you mention which state U has cc his a direct path to?</p>
<p>For many schools, SAT scores will be irrelevant for this applicant. But you will need to look school-by-school as to whether they are required, or would even be considered if they are optional, for someone who would transfer in as a junior (which I’m presuming he would?)</p>
<p>Thank you so much, jmmom, for pointing me to that thread. I am heading right over. </p>
<p>I would think that merit aid would not be needed, because as an independent adult without resources he should qualify for FA on the basis of need. Even if his parents’ resources were taken into account, he should still qualify for quite a bit of aid. </p>
<p>What I think would be best for him, and he agrees, is a large university with strong research programs in biomedical fields. He is not sure exactly what he wants to do - he is interested in many directions at this point - but it is clearly going to be in biology/physiology with a quantitative orientation. Schools that sprang to mind are JHU, Wash U in St. Louis (geographically less desirable), Columbia. I have no idea whether he could get into these schools. He is looking for a very academic atmosphere - he’s pleasant and sociable, but not a partier and very serious about his education. He would be transferring in as a junior. The school that he has an automatic path to is Clemson.</p>
<p>Good for you, MiamiDAP! This young man’s father did the same thing you did, including the MBA from U Michigan! He did not go to CC, though. He was not serious about school until his 20’s, by then he was married and the kids came quickly. But he had a job he was serious about and they supported him to the hilt. He moved up to the highest position in the company that was not held by the owner’s family.</p>
<p>I think he should definitely take the SAT again, because his scores will most likely go up quite a bit - due to the maturity and learning, as well as his motivation.</p>
<p>I think he should try MIT, although it is a reach for everyone. Financial aid is excellent if he gets in. Their web site says that transfer spots are very limited, but transfer students are valued for their “fresh perspective, maturity, and focus.” Sounds like him, doesn’t it? (Edited to say that MIT is best known for engineering, but it is also very strong in the biological sciences. One of my relatives did his PhD there in molecular biology.)</p>
<p>He will also want other more schools on his list that are not so hard to get into. What about RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)? RPI has a program in Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology. It is easier to get into than MIT and also has many more slots for transfer students. </p>
<p>I’m sure there are many other possibilities, but those are two places where I know some very happy students and graduates.</p>
<p>Thank you, Calreader. I had not thought that he’d have a chance at MIT, but I’m sure he would love it there if he got in. I’ll suggest that he give it a try, just in case. RPI is a great suggestion. I didn’t know that it was possible to take the SAT at an advanced age - I’ll let him know that he should do this. </p>
<p>I’m finding some great information on the Transfer board. One concern is that he is coming from a CC - but I did see a thread from one person who managed, despite many posters telling him he had no chance, to be admitted to several very selective colleges, including CalTech.</p>
<p>He might want to consider Tulane. Has always been way up there in ranking for BioMed Engineering and related fields. I would not worry about any party-school worries he might hear re this school, as the Engineering and Honors type students are education-focused and while they might also like to have a good time… are not immersed in any kind of frat/alcohol atmosphere.</p>
<p>This school could offer good need-based and/or merit aid.</p>
<p>I’ve had first-hand exposure to those profs and they are great. Also know some students/grads who have been very happy with the program.</p>
<p>Also, I know Vassar started a program to recruit more students from community colleges; if he wants a more tech-y environment, though, it’s probably not a good fit.</p>
<p>I think he’s likely to do better on the SAT now than back in high school - especially if he’s doing a lot of reading, which it sounds like he is. Rice is another school that comes to mind. RPI is a great idea - still a very strong student body, but less popular and so easier to get into. (Not quite as hidden a gem as it used to be - a couple of years back Newsweek called it a “new Ivy”.)</p>
<p>Thank you for the school suggestions - I will pass them on. And the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship is definitely something he will look into! I checked the list, and his current school has a faculty representative already.</p>