Tell me about life as a transfer

calizoso
Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:02:39 +0000

Skip to the bottom if you don’t want to read some drama.

This year’s application and testing has helped me to come to terms with my “failure” in high school. While I’ve much better than my peers, I’m depressed that I will most likely be rejected.

Basically, I slacked off my first two years of high school, and I’ve been trying to figure out my identity and all that stuff that every teenager goes through- meaning that I’ve tried a ton of ECs but haven’t stuck with one. The last two years I’ve worked pretty hard to make up for my B’s and C’s from my freshman and sophomore years, but I know that I’m not up to par in the eyes of the most selective university.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done way better than the average kid, and I’ve already secured a spot at a respectable state university (UTexas) which has some great programs. However, I just feel that I’ve sold myself short, and I don’t think such a massive institution will suit me. Even though I know I still have a chance at getting in, I know it’s slim.

I want to maximize the possibility of getting in as a transfer. How can I do this? I plan on taking a challenging course load the first year and going in at office hours to get to know my professors. Hopefully I’ll find some research that I can get invovled in. Also, do transfers fit into life well at Dartmouth? I’m worried that it will be difficult to make friends since I’m assuming everyone bonds together in their freshman year as they tackle their first year away from home. I’m very sociable and I don’t like cliques. Ideally, I’d like to be in an environment where people work hard and play hard, which I understand Dartmouth is like.