@benreed I think you’re a strong candidate in light of the explicit commitment that many of these schools have made to accepting community college students as transfers.
@parentologist I may be wrong, but it seems like you’re not familiar with Amherst and Williams’ commitment to take community college grads and veterans as transfers. Here’s what I posted in another transfer thread: My Freshman wants to transfer from a top tier school - #246 by gotham_mom
Amherst has been prioritizing community college transfer students for over 15 years. From their site:
“Amherst is committed to providing transfer opportunities for high-achieving community college students with limited financial resources. Since partnering with the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation in 2006, Amherst has become a national leader among highly selective colleges in offering exceptional academic and scholarship options to community college students. Our need-blind admission and need-based, no-loan financial aid policies make Amherst a particularly attractive and affordable school.” Transferring from a Community College | Transfer Applicants | Amherst College
If you look at the Williams Admissions Office IG posts during “transfer week,” you’ll see that their small cohort of transfers is almost entirely veterans and cc grads. Frankly, I think the OP stands a better chance at being admitted as a transfer to one of these schools than a current sophomore with a higher GPA at a highly rejective “peer” college.
Swarthmore has a similar statement on their site, and I know that Haverford also likes taking community college transfers (and has since I was a student in the '80s).
Of course, transferring to any of these schools is highly competitive, but I think it’s important to understand the institutional priorities of the OP’s prospective schools.