<p>I’m currently a freshmen at the University of Miami FL and believe I may need to transfer. I love this school to the moon and back but the amount of debt I’m incurring here is unacceptable. My Dad has said he would help me pay everything back, but after living in the real world for a year I can’t fathom this being a good idea. And with tuition rising, it’s only gonna get worse. But enough about my mistake.</p>
<p>I’m looking for a college that gives out nice, big aid to transfers. My family contribution is <10k so preferably somewhere need-blind. I’d also prefer it be kinda close to home as my younger sister is having some medical issues and I’d like to be able to visit her more than 3 months a year. I’m a neuroscience major currently, but I’m also looking at being a psychology major with a second major if I transfer. Psychology seems to cover more of my interests, especially at schools with more liberal course selection/concentrations where I can study pysch with a concentration in cognition/etc.</p>
<p>My stats (not necessary to read per se):
Got 3.87 GPA first semester, will end up year with around 3.77-3.8 for the two semesters I think, have straight A’s atm with a B+ in Bio II :(. My EC currently are training to be a competing bodybuilder (but im not sure if I can put that on my resume since I won’t be competing for another approx 60 weeks), I am currently working on establishing a development-aimed business in Ghana and am an AF. AF is basically like an academic RA, next semester I will act as a live-in advisor, launch programs like how-to dress for an interview, mentor students, tutor or help find tutor, etc. I plan on next semester joining the The Undergraduate Neuroscience Society and a club or two. I didnt wanna put too much on my plate adjusting to college. I know I can get at least one outstanding rec letter, I am good friends with a professor here. As in, I go to his house sometimes. I already got him to write one once. I can get probably another 1-2 pretty good ones as well. I will be able to get good letters of rec from hs if needed. In hs I was founding father and captain of Academic Games Team, was speaker for Model UN, played JV Baseball 3 years, founding father of Spanish Club, Nation Honor Society, and some other trivial stuff I cant remember. Volunteer experience: I have put in 1000+ hours for my dads youth hockey league over the years, delivered turkeys on thanksgiving to needy families with my cities Police department, and one summer spent a week working at big donated goods sale for Childrens Hospital. I am volunteering this summer at a local Hospital. I am also currently exploring starting my own small-scale charity with my friends back home. I also have worked 3 jobs, always 2 at once. I also had to learn to walk again my sophomore year, true story. Will likely use in an essay I suppose. Didnt use it in original college essays, but now I realize you have to overcome humility to impress interviewers. Oh and 30 ACT which is pretty low, but that was in beg of jr year so maybe retake it?</p>
<p>My future aspirations are to go to graduate school, currently have my eyes set on medical school but it could easily change.</p>
<p>Sooooo where would be a good fit for me? I’ve been currently looking at Cornell because I seem to like it and they would almost inevitably give me a hell of a lot of aid. It’s only 4 hours from my moms house and sister who live in western central pa, and I also like how much more liberal they are in requirements for majors. But it’ll be difficult to get in with my stats. I’m also gonna apply to my major state school Pitt. I am interested in applying for spring transfer, but if it’s a better idea to wait to transfer for fall I can do that hopefully.</p>
<p>Where else should I be looking? And will the fact I had a less than ideal end of my senior year hurt me a lot even though I will have finished two semesters and be in progress of a third? (went from straight A student junior year to ending up with two C+ AP calc and AP Chem, two B+'s, three A’s I believe my lowest grades ever from senioritis compiled with a bit of depression/having a hard time with life due to family issues)?</p>
<p>sorry for mouthful, im lost. sparknotes: Large need, somewhat close to western pa preferrably, 3.87 GPA likely to fall to 3.7-3.8 at top 50 school in neuroscience</p>