Cornell First-Year Looking to Transfer

angelsonthemoon
Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:42:37 +0000

So, I actually disagree somewhat with what sometransfer said. I transferred into Yale but got denied at Brown after having applied as a freshman… and Yale is significantly more competitive. Moreover, I did NOT take my major classes first at all. Granted I am pre-med, so I took intro bio, chem, mobio, organic chem, etc., but my first year looked very similar to yours. I took a language and a writing seminar. And courses that had absolutely nothing to do with my major but fulfilled my core requirements (gender studies, international relations, etc. when I was a neuroscience major). This actually has HELPED me because I came in with all but 2 of Yale’s core requirements completed. So, taking a diverse liberal arts curriculum allowed me to take my more challenging major classes at Yale, rather than the reverse–where I would have taken the courses I’m most interested in at the school at disliked, and the courses I’m least interested in at Yale. I can’t say how admissions look at the curriculum, but I don’t think taking a liberal arts variety would hurt in your application to a liberal arts school (like Yale College, Harvard College, Brown, etc.).

Additionally, I think your reasons also sound justified. Ithaca is NOTHING like New Haven, Boston, Providence, or any of the other places you specified. Most notably because these are all urban campuses, with a lot more to do and see. Moreover, I hated greek life at my old school, and that was a big reason I wanted to leave. Yale’s greek life is present only in that it exists. No-one talks about it, no-one cares. Very, very different from my old school, and I’m sure from Cornell. Although the a capella groups are fairly insular, I do have to say that.

Otherwise, though, I will agree that your grades need to come up. Transfer admissions officers look primarily at how you have done in college, what you have gotten involved in to stand out, and how those activities contribute to your overall picture as a scholar. And I can honestly say most of my transfer class had 4.0s or close to it. My advice would be to perhaps wait another year and pull your grades up, then apply as a junior. I know that’s hard to hear, but it’s either that or consider some safety schools, because your chances aren’t great.

The one thing that could really save you is if you have gotten involved in some HUGELY significant leadership experience right off the bat at Cornell. If not, get going–even if you hate it there, throw yourself into your extracurriculars. Make the adcoms see what YOU could bring to THEM, not the other way around. It doesn’t matter anymore what you did in high school–the spotlight is going to be on what you’re doing now. The officers know that most of the applicants are unhappy with their current schools, but they want to see students who are thriving anyway.

Lastly, develop SPECIFIC reasons for why you are applying to each school. It is not enough to list general reasons like a good international relations department. Look up unique aspects of the programs each school offers that NO OTHER school offers–and make these (and why these aspects are crucial to your academic development) the focal point of your essays.

Best of luck, and please remember that applying after freshman year is tough–you only have one semester to make yourself shine. Try and consider applying after sophomore year. I know it sounds bad, but if you can take that extra year to really blossom at Cornell, you stand an even better chance of admission to a top school.