Transfer Match Me - please help me [NC resident, 3.5 college GPA in 5 semesters of college, bioinformatics]

Transfer Students
62

I would suggest that you apply to these schools since these are the only ones that are acceptable to you.

When they contact you, they will let you know if they will accept you, what they expect you to pay, and any other information they expect.
We really don’t know what your chances will be because you’re on a website with parents and staff who have some expertise, based on results from their own personal experiences. They are not on admissions committees but some may have been in those positions in the past.

We can only make guesses based on what other students and parents have provided us here, in regards to acceptances for admission.

What I’ve learned from my personal experience is:

Transfers don’t get the best aid.

Transfers need to be aware that universities appear to want, at least, two years of coursework under their guidance and supervision.

The universities can choose to not accept whatever coursework has been done previously. They can choose to have you retake coursework.

How do I know this?

Personal experience. My husband and I both experienced this with completely different university systems. My former students have experienced this and have had to retake coursework as a requirement for transfer and graduation.

All you can do is apply and see what the results are.

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63

Have you used the ECT tool in the Baylor links I provided? Because of the core unified in particular (and the general core to a lesser extent) are different from what many colleges require, you need to know how many credits will transfer and how exactly you’re going to “catch up”. It doesn’t sound like they’d “waive” the unified core reqs, but do they have sections just for transfers or do you just take one with freshmen and one with sophomores (no one would know the difference)?

Have you taken another math class where you got higher than a C? Discrete Math perhaps? (The Cs may be the an obstacle despite the strong GPA because bioinformatics assumes strengths in math&CS but another Math class with a B or higher would offset that).

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64

I got a B- in discrete math! And I got a C+ in Calc I

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65

also bioinformatics is in the college of engineering and computer science

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66

Congratulations on the B- in Discrete Math.
You’d still need to complete elements of the core, such as Christian Scriptures, Christian Heritage, Intellectual History of the Ancient World, and foreign language - all Baylor graduates, including those in Engineering, have taken those. Basically, run your courses through the transfer tool or Transferology to see how it’d go.
Same thing for NYU (CAS or Tandon) and any other university you’re applying to.

67

thanks for the response! i have already completed the foreign language requirement when i studied abroad in paris a couple summers ago.

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68

Sounds awesome :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:
Is it what ECT or Transferology says though?
You have to check college by college because they’re likely to have different expectations (some may only grant credit if you provide a syllabus, some will just use the number and catalog description, some never provide credit for X class no matter what, etc, etc.)
Good luck, let us know how it goes :crossed_fingers:

69

Thanks so much for the help! What do you think my chances are for getting into at least one of NC State, Virginia Tech, Baylor, and Pittsburgh?

70

It’s very clear you meet the requirements for NC State - as shown above.

What we don’t know is - will they assess the core within the major (math) and if so, will they hold that against you. No one can answer.

But based on what they publish it seems your odds are good with a 3.5 since they state they require a 3.0 and really nothing else.

Apply and see.

Va Tech says Although there is no minimum GPA required for admission, most competitive applicants will present a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher. In majors where applications exceed available space, the competitive GPA may be even higher.

Admissions Transfer Roadmaps | Virginia Tech

Each school will have an adviser that can work with you. As others noted, you should work with them.

71

Yes, working with the advisors is critical. You don’t want to show up thinking you have three more semesters, only to learn it’s five because many of your credits won’t transfer. Why you need strangers on the internet to “chance you” when help is a phone call away…. pick up the phone!

72

many admissions counselors have told me that my application is “competitive”. Does that mean I am likely to get in?

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73

It means you have a reasonable shot– my point though is have they gone through your transcript to tell you how many semesters you will need to spend before you can earn a degree? This is the information you need. If you have to double down and retake a course you’ve already taken, you may want to consider a different college, right?

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74

For sure. That is very important. With my grades, what are the chances I get into one of Baylor, NC State, Virginia Tech, or Pittsburgh?

75

What if you are accepted but not for your major?

76

Everyone has told you - they can’t tell you that for sure but based on what’s published on line, it seems reasonable that you’d get accepted to NC State (and I’m guessing Va Tech). Haven’t looked at the others. We are not the adcoms - we are simply gathering info on line, just as you can.

As @blossom said, reach out to the school.

Anyway, you have formulated a list that you are unwilling to change, so apply to these schools and see.

77

Why are you so intimidated to ask a direct question? One of the things that you will learn, as an independent college student, is that you’re on your own. To get answers, you need to be proactive and go to the source. Push your fear away to get what you need.

No one here can tell you exactly what you want, which is a “guarantee” that you’ll be admitted. That’s what you are asking us to give to you, and we can’t do that because we just don’t know the answer.

When you call, you can be very open with them and say, “This is the first time I’ve called. I am unsure what to do, and it’s kind of intimidating for me. Can you help me to figure out how to _____?”

In my experience, at a number of universities, they’ve been really good to me, my kids and former students, about taking calls.

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78

I’ve tried calling multiple admissions officers, but they won’t tell me that. All they will tell me is that I am “competitive”

79

Have you asked for an appointment with the transfer counselor or dean to review your transcript to see which courses will get you full credit, which courses will get you distribution credit but won’t count towards your major, and which courses will not get you any credit? That’s what you need to hear. Not “Maybe you’ll get in and maybe you won’t”. And then to learn “We require four full semesters at our institution to award a degree. So even if you transfer in with 5 semesters of credits, you’ll still need two years here.”

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80

Because you’ve not submitted an app.

They can’t tell you anything officially until everything is reviewed.

So like anyone - you build a list for your best odds (including affordability).

You had UNCC on your last list.

I suspect you’ll be fine admission wise - but you’ll only know after you submit and hear back, no different than when you applied to a four year school to begin with.

81

If I were you, I would call the “transfer admissions” guidance counselors. You can email them a copy of your transcript. They sometimes offer virtual appointments.

They will tell you, at their specific university, which of your courses will transfer.

Not all of your courses will transfer. If you have too many unit courses, they might not accept you. That’s what you have to call to ask. If you’re working with their transfer guidance counselor, their notes will be included to the admissions office.

Each university is different in how they run their admissions department. I’m basing my information on a three friends who were in admissions:

One friend was at a private university on the admissions committee. (We became friends because our sons were in the same preschool group).

Friend 2, is in undergrad admissions at the local UC and is a neighbor. We’ve exchanged a lot of professional expertise in our fields of study.

Friend 3 was on Medical school admissions at the same UC. (Her daughter was in my Scout troop.)
None of them could give me direct specifics about my own children’s opportunities or chances, but they generalized the information, so I could interpret for myself how my children’s coursework and activism would perk an admissions’ committee’s curiosity.
My interpretation, of what came across from three very different admissions counselors, was the following:

It was all about grades, first and foremost, specifically performance in the classroom as reported by LOR. And rigor: I forgot to include that.
Then, it was “realistic” opportunities available and taking advantage of those. Not racking up units or ECs to fit a university. Finally, confidence coming through the “paperwork”, but not arrogance.

We can’t tell you what those committees look for, because sometimes they don’t initially know; they’re just creating a class. When they see the applications coming through they develop a theme.

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