<p>I’d like to apply to some competitive college programs in my major. Currently, I’m pursuing a two-year associates degree after completely my general education. I’m pursuing another degree because I’d like to have a technical degree. I also have a low GPA at the moment, and pursuing the technical degree would give me the time to raise my average prior to admissions. However, a lot of the schools that I’m looking into ask for transfers to send in their applications this upcoming November, and I won’t be graduated from my technical program until next spring. By November this year, I would have had only have this upcoming short summer semester and a full fall semester in my technical degree to show for my academic improvement after completing my generals.</p>
<p>I’d like to know if I should still send in my application early, even if it means I may only show two semesters (one part-time and one full-time) of academic improvement after completing my generals. I have only attended college full-time since this spring, and have shown steady - albeit overall mediocre - performance so far while completing my general education requirements. </p>
<p>I plan to work hard, and perform well until I graduate at my community college in a technical degree that I would do excellent in. I could certainly report my GPA to any colleges that ask. But I worry that there will be no chance for me to get into my top school choices after only completing a summer and fall semester of improved academic performance. I’d imagine that the schools I’m looking into would like to see at least three full semesters of solid and excellent academic performance.</p>
<p>I’m confident that my resume and personal statements will shine, so I’m not worried about those components of my college applications. But it has taken me time to adjust to academic life, and I’m worried that submitting an early application to my preferred programs with consideration to my low GPA at the moment would lessen my chances of acceptance. I’m debating whether to apply early decision or regular decision because of my concerns, and need to know whether I should still apply early decision anyway. </p>
<p>What do you know about this subject? Any thoughts and feedback would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>What schools are you talking about? As a rule the top 20 ranked colleges don’t have EA/ED for transfers, only for fr applicants.</p>
<p>Also, some colleges will not accept a student who has more than 2 years of post-HS transferrable college credit. </p>
<p>What technical degree are you pursuing? Highly selective colleges generally will not be impressed by your gpa being raised by coursework for a technical degree.</p>
<p>You’ll have the enlighten me, but what is the logic behind why some college not accepting a student who has more than 2 years of post-HS transferrable college credit? I’m more interested in becoming a well-rounded individual, and saving money to enhance my education when I am ready to pursue my BA. Wouldn’t getting an AS show how I’m practical, as well as demonstrate my intellectual vitality?</p>
<p>Also, I’m a bit ignorant on the abbreviations - what are EA/EDs? How is it a rule that Top 20 schools have similar policies to where they don’t grant these for transfer students?</p>
<p>I don’t mean to come across as aggressive or defensive in my questions. I’m just ignorant of these terms you’ve brought up. I also wonder how it’s “as a rule” that Top 20 colleges function in similar ways, and am curious as to how this applies to their policies, and how that would answer my question about early decision applying. </p>
<p>Lastly, I stand corrected - when I mention that I’m pursuing a technical degree, what I really mean is that I’m pursuing an associate degree. I’m considering an A.S. in Accounting, Computer Science, or a Visual Arts degree which I’ll decide this summer once I finish my general education requirements at my CC. I’ll be taking classes in teach topic this summer to help me decide. </p>
<p>My intention is to use my associates to better prepare me for the job market by building employable skill sets that I could likely leverage for internships and job opportunities while I’m in school. I also just enjoy learning, and I know it will take me a little bit longer to acclimate into the academic environment as an untraditional college student who worked for years before entering school full time. For me, pursuing an AS is a good choice. But I’m most concerned about whether or not I should apply for transfer early, all things considered about my GPA.</p>
<p>Most colleges list their transfer policies and procedures on their web sites. If you have questions not answered on the web site as to when to apply given your current situation, simply call or email the admissions office.</p>
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<p>From the Princeton Student newspaper:“It was decided that requirements of a Princeton education are sufficiently unique that it would be hard for someone to come in and make the adjustment,” Eisgruber explained in an interview with The Daily Princetonian on Tuesday, following the Monday meeting.</p>
<p>He said that the administration was particularly concerned about preparing students for the University’s independent work requirements, which include two junior research papers and a senior thesis.</p>
Transfers have their own and separate application process. That’s just the way it works. Here is an article about transfering in to top tier schools: </p>
<p>Deans say the constant at the transfer level is academic success. “To be even in the game, you’ve got to have a 3.5,” says Tom Parker, dean of admissions at Amherst. “And the essay on why you want to transfer is absolutely critical. It’s not your freshman essay.”</p>
<p>Alissa Wassong, now a Yale junior, made a case in her essay for why New Haven was the right place for her: course offerings in art and political science fitted her career goals. She had an associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology and had danced with the American Ballet Theater in high school. “I was home-schooled, I had worked since I was 16, I was a nontraditional student,” says Ms. Wassong, 26. “I just tried to state that as honestly as possible.”</p>
<p>This isn’t the best example, as P doesn’t accept ANY transfers.</p>
<p>The colleges that don’t permit over 2 yrs of post-HS college credits have this policy because you are receiving a diploma with their name on it, so they want you to have at least spent half of your education there.</p>
<p>I said ‘as a rule’ meaning generally or usually, not that there is an actual rule that says this. The reason I said it this way is because I’m familiar with many, but not all, of the transfer policies of highly selective colleges (your interest in top 20 schools), and the ones I know about don’t have early admission programs for transfer applicants. Here’s an example, B has ED for fr admissions:</p>
<p>The reason I made my comment about technical degrees is because the highly selective colleges are primarily academic institutions and they will want to see evidence of your performance in academic classes. Completing your gen ed coursework and an AS degree are fine.</p>