Hi everyone. I was wondering if you could chance me for these schools. I am a current freshman from a top 15 public university. I wish to transfer (it is in the south/rural and a HUGE flagship school for the state. I am really interested in a city school/ need to be more academically challenged.)
I can tell you my biggest problems are my test scores. I am retaking them.
High school GPA: weighted 4.01
APs: took 13 APs (all 3s and 4s. Nothing that will really help me)
Lots of extracurriculars in high school. I’d be happy to specify those if you are interested
College:
GPA: 3.94
Major: history
Grades:
Intro to Astronomy (for non-majors): A-
Anthropology 2000: A+
Reli 4600 (this is a senior/graduate class. My counselor pulled some strings): A+
Ecology: A+
Ecology Lab: A+
Theatre 2000 (intro for non-majors): A+
Recommendations: I really enjoyed my professors and was able to form real personal bonds with them. Hopefully, they write good ones
Extracurriculars (college):
Fencing club
Crafts for Community (Volunteer)
5 publications (including being a writer on the town newspaper)
Science Olympiad (volunteer)
improv
Student-Run Radio Station (work behind the scenes and won best staff member of the year)
Ethics and Morality Debate
Weather Forecasting Club (didnt know what it was at first but they gave me a tshirt and pizza so I went to the meetings religiously)
Board Game Club
Democracy matters
Red Cross
I tutor for kids at the local elementary school every tuesday in math
I tutor Syrian refugees and Chinese students in English (about 8 hours each week)
I was also the notetaker for the disability center for two of my classes
That’s it. Any notes you have would really help. Thanks 
Forgot to add my test scores. Whoops
SAT: 1400
Subject tests
lit: 690
History: 730
(wont be able to retake subject test but retaking SAT)
Other “experiences/honors”
Dean’s List
I proposed a compost bin be added to my Dorm Quad (4 dorm buildings) it was accepted
I have been published multiple times
I would like to add that hopefully, my extracurriculars show I really wanted to give my school a shot. I really did (it would be so much easier not to transfer). I just can’t do it anymore and need to do what’s right for me.
Also applying to transfer to Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and Cornell. I didn’t add these in the title because I know the chances I get in these schools are a lot less. (Cornell I know isn’t really a city school. I have a lot of family in Ithaca)
I think you have a pretty good shot. Retaking the exams might be a waste of time, in transfer admission, they don’t matter nearly as much. I would just focus on your grades for the midterm report and your essays. Essays are crucial. Good luck!
You should be offered admission to BU as a transfer.
Is cost a significant concern ?
I’m not smart enough to do chances, but just a comment on your rationale: an urban location is ok if you can explain it better, but ‘academic challenge’ won’t cut it for a transfer. (Reeks of just desiring greater prestige.) For example, how can you claim that your current #15 public is not academically challenging while UWisconsin, also #15, would be?. Much better to find an academic program that your school does not have and Transfer school does.
Ditto to publisher’s q: can you afford to be full pay at a school like BU, a school not known for being generous with finaid? Are you instate for Madison? (P’ton is not exactly an urban school, either.)
Yeah Yeah I know. Great points. Greater academic challenge is not something I mention at all in any of my essays that’s just personal. Cost is of concern but for BU, Princeton, and Yale there are specific programs that are not offered at my school that really interest me. For Vanderbilt my mom really wants me to apply there because she loves it and I have never looked at it before so I am doing more research on that now. I am not instate for Wisconsin. Wisconsin I got into last year applying as a Freshman and they didnt offer me any money (only reason I didn’t go) and they basically told me if I apply later they would be more likely to offer money becuase their money is tied to specific departments. So if they were able to offer me more money than my current school I would definitely go there. Moreover, that’s why I am applying to Cornell because of its fantastic financial aid program. I have more things specific for each school just academic challenge/ urban is kind of a blanket statement that I put on this site just to give general idea. Great points thanks for your help! @bluebayou @Publisher
I should add that there are different reasons for each school I apply to why I am applying. Like some are costs, others are programs, and etc etc. My essays really aren’t “copy and paste will work for all schools” ones. Each school I am applying has something that draws me to it. Harvard has a program that is not offered at my school that more encompasses my academic interests and has access to a major city. Brown has Open Curriculum and again a program not offered at my school. Again these are really bastardized general ideas for what my essays are about but hopefully that clarifies things. Also my essays really really couldnt have been written by anyone else. Very distinct voice and reasons.
Also, my school’s program is not as good as the one that is at Wisconsin so just because there are both in the same range doesn’t mean it’s the same experience. So I am not academically challenged at my school but at a renowned program such as Wisconsin I probably would be.
Programs are more important than the school I think. For example, if you were an engineer I think it would be craziness to choose Harvard over GA Tech but it really depends on the circumstances.