<p>Strengths:
- Work/Volunteer (have worked/am working for a private, award-winning Web Development company, amongst many other of the places I’ve worked for)
- International Experience (lived in all three areas of the economic spectrum, from the US - superpower, Korea - a developing nation, and Bolivia - a third world nation)
- Father works for State Department (worked a year in the American Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq)
- 5 Ap’s (1 Sophomore, 1 Junior, 3 Senior)</p>
<p>Weaknesses:
- SAT 1930 (690 Math, 670 Writing, 570 Verbal)
- High School GPA (2.9 Freshman, 2.2 Sophomore, 3.6 Junior, 2.9 Senior)</p>
<p>Colleges I will go to in order of preference (1 being most preferrable):
- University of Washington (haven’t heard from them yet)
- Northeastern University (can’t afford it but want to go here badly)
- University of Arizona (most probable I will end up here)
- Kettering University
- George Mason University</p>
<h2>Major: Computer Science (with possible minor in Business)</h2>
<p>So on to my questions. With my unbalanced academic records, I was wondering what I could do (if it’s possible) to transfer to a top school. I am expecting to spend at least a year in college but no more than two. The schools I had in mind are (and I know I’m being overambitious):</p>
<li>Columbia FU - Engineering (Grandfather was a professor there, Uncle went to Columbia’s Business School)</li>
<li>Brown </li>
<li>University of Michigan (high transfer acceptance rate)</li>
<li>University of Southern California (father went there)</li>
<li>University of California - LA</li>
<li>University of California - Berkeley</li>
</ol>
<p>Assuming the best, that I do in fact get a 3.5 + college GPA, would I still pose no chance because of my poor high school record? Or would the sudden transition from poor academic performance to a high academic performance make admissions officers look twice? Do I need to retake the SAT’s and take the SAT Subject Tests my freshman year in college? Do I need to go to school for at least two years instead of just one? Does California have a preference to neighboring states (Arizona)? Also, I looked at Michigan’s transferrable courses database and I couldn’t find U Arizona listed as one of the schools. What does this mean? Anyways, any advice/comments on the transfer procedures would be great because I am honestly ignorant of it, and probably of my own situation too (high school really sucked for me).</p>
<p>BTW, does anyone know how U Arizona compares to Northeastern? Ranking suggests Arizona is a better school, and my dad says Northeastern sucks but Arizona’s admissions standards are close to that of a low second-tier school while Northeastern is close to that of NYU. It doesn’t really matter because my dad won’t pay for me to go to Northeastern but I was just wondering…</p>
<p>since your high school gpa is no good, i think you would have to slave it off for 2 years at whatever institution you decide to attend.</p>
<p>even after 1-2 semesters of a 4.0 (which, i personally believe is really difficult to get compared to high school) your high school record and sats would still put a good amount of doubt into your application.</p>
<p>and columbia is very, very competitive for transfers. they accept very few, like duke.</p>
<p>oh yes, and "+ International Experience (lived in all three areas of the economic spectrum, from the US - superpower, Korea - a developing nation, and Bolivia - a third world nation)
- Father works for State Department (worked a year in the American Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq)" will not help you at ALL. (i don’t see how it is your strength)…</p>
<p>You need to work at your extracurriculars. pursue some of your passions.</p>
<p>michigan (ann arbor) considers all applicants, from whatever institution. I’m pretty sure you don’t have to worry about ur sat 2s. and if you do not reside in california, your chances as a transfer to ucla, uc berkeley are not good. it seems like you have mild family connections to some of the schools. be realistic–what do you think ivy league and competitive admissions committees look for in their applicants? this is a question that you should seriously consider, based on my own judgement of your motives.</p>
<p>just work hard.</p>
<p>I have no expectations of getting in to either Brown, Columbia or Berkeley and am concentrated on transferring to USC, UCLA (which admits quite a few), and Michigan (which also admits quite a few). I was also thinking about transferring to UVA because I am a Virginia resident instead of Berkeley.</p>
<p>Anyways, I was thinking my international experience, etc could be useful for some of the essays and what not. Should I retake the SAT’s my freshman year?</p>
<p>Forget about your HS grades. Focus on your college GPA. The new grades will show them that you’ve changed and become more serious.</p>
<p>So what strategies should I take specifically, and should I retake the SAT’s/SAT II’s? How long should I wait until I apply for transferring, and where should I be looking at? Does my list look unreasonable and over ambitious?</p>
<p>forget about the SATs (skrew collegeboard for that matter–their blunder has shown what crap standardized testing really is).</p>
<p>there is no school you cannot get into. just try your hardest and work hard for the next two years. get involved and make your name known.</p>
<p>obviously it’s easily said than done.</p>
<p>Anymore advice/answers to posted questions?</p>
<p>Double-check with the schools to see whether or not they require high school grades/SATs for transfers. At GW, if you have completed 30+ credits, you don’t need to submit any high school information.</p>