<p>Thanks, Waverly. I’m from India and attend college there, but I lived in Saudi Arabia between the ages of seven and eighteen. I went to a small U.S. high school there that really didn’t have much to offer in terms of academics and extracurricular activities, limited by its conservative location and meager funds. I have decent numbers and extracurricular achievements, but nothing stellar. </p>
<p>SAT: 2300 (CR:780 M:720 W:800)
HS GPA: I honestly don’t remember. I was valedictorian, with straight A’s except for two A-'s in art and history, and one wretched very unfair B+ in technology.
College GPA: 71.5%, but it’s tentative because the university screwed up our results. According to what I’ve heard, anything above 70% translates to a 4.00, but I’m not sure exactly how colleges in the U.S. will take it. I attend the most competitive liberal arts college in India; the highest score in class is 77%. I’m still trying to adjust to the Indian system and went through a lot of emotional stress last term; I hope to do better on my second semester exams.</p>
<p>Recommendations are going to be difficult because my teachers barely know me; neither does any college official. The relationship between teacher and pupil is quite weak in India. An assistant professor knows I’m responsible and hardworking and that I write well. Another knows I’m involved on campus and in class; she also knows that I really like her. But that’s it. And I have a feeling anyone I approach with the news that I want to transfer is going to be appalled because my college is very prestigious; no one would be able to fathom why I’d ever want to leave.</p>
<p>My principal extracurricular activities are writing and community service, especially environmental and animal activism. I spent many hours volunteering in high school as secretary of student government and as an English tutor. I also performed lead roles in a couple school productions. I served as captain for six volleyball and badminton teams throughout high school. At college, I’m the founding editor of a campus newspaper and class representative. I haven’t won significant recognition for anything except high school academics and athletics.</p>
<p>The thing is, I entered my current college choosing to study English, but one semester later, I’ve figured out it’s not what I want to major in. I’m desperate to study an environmental program like environmental science/biology/studies, earth systems, or natural resources. I would also love to complete a minor in creative/journalistic writing or communication. Unfortunately, at my current school, I have none of these options. I can’t change my course of study; even if I could, it wouldn’t make much of a difference because my college doesn’t offer any of the programs I want. To complicate things further, students can’t choose courses from varied academic spheres in the system here; we’re given a focused one-track curriculum made up almost entirely and exclusively of required courses. I can only take seven courses this year, out of which six are part of the English discipline. Because of this, I’m worried that I won’t be qualified enough to transfer to a science-centered environmental program. UPenn and Harvard have both told me that the courses I’ve had to take may not be adequate.</p>
<p>Phew! That is way too much writing, but I didn’t know how else to get all that across. With all of my background considered, do you think I should apply?</p>