@haerinn
What AP and Honors courses had you taken in HS? What was your unweighted GPA?
What do you want to do with a biology major?
What makes PSU a less than ideal choice for you? How did you choose it among your other acceptances and what were those?
A way for you to have a more “exclusive” experience would be to switch your major to Anthropological Science and request to join Paterno Scholars Aspirants. You’d be among top students in small groups (with a better shot at personalized advising and letters of recommendation) and if later on you’d still want to transfer it’d indicate higher than average rigor.
Anthropological science with the biology option is very open- basically you can complete a biology major depending on the choices you make for the “open” course. choices.
You can also do research in applied biological sciences (facilitated by Paterno Scholars), take courses in biostatistics, etc.
As for transferring, yes you’d need to send the application Spring 2027 to have a shot - NYU is unlikely to disregard their previous decision after just one semester of grades at Penn State. Same with BU.
At the Paterno Fellow Aspirant website, they explain how you can join.