Apply for a Transfer, or take a Gap Year and Reapply? Advice Please

hugo0777
Mon, 06 Apr 2015 10:50:33 +0000

I posted a thread a few days ago about how I was rejected from all 8 Ivy Leagues, Duke, Stanford, and Northwestern. I go to school in England, 4 A’s at AS, 9 As and 2As at GCSE, final A level results are predicted AA*A, SAT highest score was 2210, maths II 730, physics 710. I have many impressive EC’s but they aren’t amazing when compared to those of everyone else who applies to these schools.

I was disappointed to be rejected from everywhere as I much prefer the curricular flexibility in the US. I’ve got a place to study economics with a year abroad at University College London (UCL) which is a very good university (QS ranks it 5th in the world), and the course is only 8% acceptance rate, and only 20 places on the year abroad. For this reason, I don’t want to lower my standards if i apply again to the U.S, as UCL is better than some of those schools anyway. I would like advice on whether to try and defer my place at UCL, taking a gap year and applying again to some of these US colleges (my applications this year were time-pressured, although i was still happy with them), or whether to go to UCL and apply for a transfer.

If i were to take a gap year, I would try and get a job/internship that makes me stand out, and do some community service which I didn’t this year. I could also apply early to one or two of the colleges (i didn’t have time this year) which I think would increase my chances of getting in. If I were rejected again, which I know isn’t unlikely for schools this competitive, I would go to UCL.

If i applied for a transfer, I would be coming from UCL which would look good, wouldn’t it? However transfer acceptance rates are even lower… and some of the schools are not ‘need blind’ for financial aid for transfer applicants (I am a US resident so although I applied for aid this year, this shouldn’t have been the reason I didn’t get in).

Whichever option i take, I will try and get my SAT scores, esp the subject tests up a bit. But I really don’t know which option would give me a better chance of getting in. Please don’t comment saying i should be happy with UCL and give up, or that i should lower my standards, as this won’t happen. But I would appreciate any advice, thanks