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

Sa9777
Mon, 20 Apr 2015 20:59:55 +0000

http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/applying-to-college-after-a-gap-year/

^ that link explains it a lot better than I can.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/yale-university/729852-gap-year-transfer.html
^ and this thread will give you a variety of input to make your decision.

At the end of the day, if you have multiple reasons to take a gap year, if you’ve secured a really good internship and you know you will be able to stack up your resume more than the freshman applicant pool, do it. The problem with many colleges is if they’ve said no once, and nothing has significantly changed, it’s easy for them to say no again…especially ivy leagues. Seems like your alternative school is very prestigious, the perfect school that ivy leagues want transfers from. They want candidates they know can succeed and what better way to show that than TO succeed. Work hard, try to get to the top of the class, and you should have no foreseeable problem transferring.

The lower admissions rate in transfers can’t really be compared w/ freshman, as the situations are so different. What type of candidates are applying each time? HS students, first time applicants all have potential, but no resume yet. The candidates picked by colleges are ones they hope/believe will succeed. But transfer students have a track record, real experiences to add to their application. It’ll be easy to transfer if you just prove yourself at an accredited university, rather than to apply again after a year in hopes of meeting the hazy expectations set by the admissions boards. Many transfer applicants to the ivies are also from CCs, which historically they have not been accepting toward. You on the other hand will have a better chance if you’re coming in from UCL. It wouldn’t hurt to mention that you like the education system better in the US…and they’ll believe you because you actually will have a non-US higher education.

Another thing is gambling with your time. I, personally, would be terrified of the outcome where I would be rejected after a gap year and be forced to face the reality of having “wasted” a year when I could have been taking courses and making progress on my degree. Accepting your current offer is the safest, IMO, because you have a backup…A REALLY REALLY REALLY good backup!

Good luck with your decision!