Help Please - Which Schools for Fall 09 Transfer Apps?

kwolfenden
Mon, 26 Jan 2009 02:58:25 +0000

Hello! I’m currently a freshman at Northeastern University, and I’m pretty sure I want to transfer for Fall 09. Could you look over my stats and give me some suggestions, please? Thanks!

Stats:
*White, female, 17 (skipped 8th grade and graduated early, but then I took a year off) from NC
*Currently at Northeastern as a Political Science major (I was going to enroll in the Poli Sci/Intl Affairs dual, which you can only do sophomore year, so I’m currently in Intl Affairs classes)
*I have a 4.0 GPA out of 4.0 (4 As and 2 passes in pass/fail courses)
*I’m in the honors program
*I’m a recipient of a Dean’s scholarship
*I work as a research assistant for a Poli Sci professor
*I’m a staff writer for the campus paper
*I just recently started volunteering in local schools through an on-campus group in which I’m taking on a leadership role
*I’m a member of Political Science Student Association and College Democrats
*In my competitive public high school, I had a 3.8 GPA unweighted
*I was a National Merit Scholar, an AP Scholar, a member of the Spanish Honors Society, the Gay-Straight Alliance Co-President, and the Spanish Club President
*I had lots of random ECs (volunteering for summer camps, as a teen court attorney, getting a volunteering award, acting class, etc.)
*In my year off in between trips to Nicaragua and Portugal I worked as a teacher’s assistant with English Language Learners (I speak Spanish) and for Obama for America as a Deputy Field Organizer for 2 and 3 months, respectively

What I want in a school:
*A pretty campus in an urban location (like Northeastern, except in a city that stays open late and caters to college students – good transportation, nightlife options for under-21s other than frats, etc.).
*A socially, economically and geographically diverse student body. (I’m looking for a school with people that are open-minded, interesting and smart.)
–> I’m not looking for a nerdy school at all, but I’m also not into clique-y, preppy schools. I’d like a school with some artsy people, some hardcore studiers and some partiers . . . a nice, happy, eclectic mix.)
–> Along with that, there needs to be an “activeness,” either in volunteerism, student organizations, work or something (it doesn’t have to be on-campus).
*Hard(er) classes and a strong(er) IR/Political Science department (I want my degree to be more valuable and to benefit me in the future. Also, I wouldn’t mind more of a challenge).
*Decent financial aid . . . my EFC is ridiculously low, around $5k, but it seems like most schools still can’t cover it all. Here I’m paying around $20/year (with a lot of merit aid to make up for what need-based can’t cover) and that’s all I can do.

Any ideas? I’m trying to balance schools that have strong academic reputations with ones that have better student bodies/campus life. I know U Chicago is one of the best for Poli Sci but the nerdy-workaholic reputation weirds me out . . . I’m also looking at NYU, Georgetown, GWU and Northwestern, but they’ve all got some negatives.

My top choice is one-hundred percent Columbia, but I’m afraid to say it. I recognize that it’s incredibly difficult to transfer there . . but I feel like its exciting, fast-paced Manhattan setting and the diverse, liberal student body is exactly what I’m looking for. I can only hope!

Does anyone have thoughts about the schools I mentioned or about others that might fit me? What would my chances be? What should I do next to start the process/improve my chances?

Thanks so much!

Katherine

Read full thread