Transferring is it Worth it? Columbia GS to Stanford or Yale

Transfer Students
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TLDR: attend Columbia GS (school for non traditional students) looking to transfer to another top uni for financial reasons. Is it worth trying?

I’m a non traditional student who attended two colleges before Columbia GS. In high school I didn’t do too well academically due to life circumstances like working two jobs. After high school went to a small LAC as it was the best option I had. I didn’t do too well there, 3.58 gpa, 2 ws, 2 P/F (Spring 2020, covid). Poor performance was due to lack of interest in the school, and was facing a foreclosure and ultimately homelessness. Covid also later helped me as it gave me a reason to leave the school.

After, I moved to a major U.S. CA city and worked for a while as an assistant for a few companies. I established residency in CA and then started taking classes at a local community college studying history and film with the goal of transferring. I needed to raise my gpa and try to balance out my poor performance at my old school. Got a 4.0 there while working full time and for about 3 semesters with summer and winter classes too, and over loading on classes during the regular academic semesters.

I applied to transfer to Berkeley, UCLA, USC, rejected from all, as well as ivies like Brown, Dartmouth and Yale. I got into NYU, BU, and Columbia GS. I then transferred to Columbia GS, but took as semester off to save a bit and because I was going to go to BU before, but changed mind day before classes at BU.

Been at Columbia GS for two semesters and am starting third in spring. Major is film, but interested in screenwriting as I want to be a screenwriter. However, Columbia film limits the number of creative film/screenwriting classes you can take. At Columbia I’ve maintained a 3.8 gpa for both semesters. 3.84 first semester and 3.77 this semester roughly. Four classes or 13 credits each, mix of core GE classes and major classes. I have one more full year, left at CU after this spring, so three semesters.

I’ve enjoyed Columbia but it’s more expensive than I thought and it’s an emotional toll on a loved one. I pay about 3/4.5 k each semester, taken out about 5.5k in loans each year, and pay 1k each month in housing. It’s not the most sustainable as a full time student and am not able to maintain a decent stable job and income. At the end of my time at CU I’ll have about 22k in loans (8k from other small LAC, 5.5k x 3 from CU), and have no savings. I’ve already appealed for more aid but didn’t help unless I wanted to take out more loans, which I don’t feel comfortable with.

So therefore, I’m looking to transfer again… this time to a school that gives full aid. I’ve had decent success with job and internship recruiting but realize I don’t want to work a conventional post grad job like in finance and consulting if I can help it, but the financial aspect is massive and would make me feel more needing to work one of those jobs if I can get one. Otherwise I’d jump to entertainment.

Columbia GS is notorious for giving very little aid for students compared to Columbia College (CC) or SEAS. Can’t really transfer to CC unless I have an academic reason, but academically, GS and CC are practically identical.

I was looking at Stanford or Yale, as they give much more aid and have film programs, also, Stanford has a screenwriting concentration. Furthermore, I don’t want to go to a “lesser ranked” school as I’ve already gone this far. I’d want to also try Harvard, but they don’t accept students who took more than two academic years of college at another school. :frowning:

Reasons for transferring: (don’t get me wrong, I do love Columbia, buts it’s unsustainable for me financially)

  1. Finances, debt, income instability, skipping meals
  2. Major (limited screenwriting opportunities at CU, might face similar issues at other top LAC like Yale, even if I got in.
  3. Culture, nyc really pulls people away and since I can’t afford to go out, I can’t build or maintain as many connections with my peers as I’d like.
  4. Classes (also financial), at CU I can only take so many classes 12 credits (4 classes) each semester before I can’t afford it as each additional credit is $2k. So I’m not able to take as many classes as I’d like or be able to explore different classes.

Stats: GPA:
HS 3.4ish
Small LAC 3.58 with 2 ws and 2 P/F P
Community College: 4.0
Columbia GS: 3.8

Extracurriculars: good entertainment internship last year, leadership in like two clubs, Orientation leader, tour guide, work as a tutor and instructor for inner city youth. Other things from Community college but less relevant as they were so long ago, 2 years ago now.

So, is it worth trying to apply to transfer?

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I got into NYU Tisch for dramatic writing (their screenwriting program), but NYU doesn’t give any financial aid to transfer students so it would have been like 90k each year. So that was a no.

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When I think of film, I don’t think Stanford.

Have you checked transfer options and aid at Northwestern, Wesleyan, Syracuse.

Surprised if your need is that high, BU gave nothing. NU and Wes meet need. Do the NPCs.

Are you in State to CA ? Check out CS Northridge if so.

Stanford accepts 2% of transfers so you can try but it’s not realistic. Yale even less - just over 1%

Try but where do you go in the reality that neither accepts you.

Where’s assured and affordable ? It’s not Wes or NU either.

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Stanford doesn’t have a Screenwriting program. They offer occasional classes in screenwriting, but that’s not nearly the same thing. They have a Film Studies program, but that’s much more about media study than production. It graduates ~10 students/year.

I’m not sure how you “rank” Columbia GS, but if you’re thinking of it as similar to CC, then I don’t know that you’ll find a screenwriting program at a school that isn’t “lesser ranked.” I would note that folks I know in screenwriting will care much more about the quality of your work than the prestige of your undergraduate institution.

Both schools are need-blind for transfer students, which is potentially a good opportunity for you, but (as noted) the % likelihood is incredibly small, and the reason you have would need to be extremely compelling - in particular, focused on the area of study and why that school would be more ideal for you than where you are now.

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I don’t really understand your career goals. Are they in filmmaking? Screenwriting? Neither?

Are you an independent student for FAFSA? Did you verify that meet full need schools would be affordable for you by running the NPCs?

Stanford and Yale require two full years of attendance to get a degree so that’s what you’d be looking at…graduating in May/June 2027. This will be true at many four year schools. .

If you stay at CGS, Is it possible for you to attend part time and get a part time job to help with expenses? Can you take off this semester and work full time until August? I don’t think you will find housing for much less than $1K per month at Stanford or Yale or any large city.

I get that, but the schools you are thinking about take very few transfers and the likely outcome is you won’t be accepted. Put in apps, but high reaches for both.

Financial reasons aren’t a great reason to transfer, you will need to come up with something related to major and opportunity at a new school.

What is your plan B if you aren’t accepted anywhere for Fall 2025? You may also run up against the direct student loan max (unless you are an independent student.)

Was BU affordable?

Pending some of the answers to my questions, it may be best to figure out how to finish at CGS. Maybe consider U Miami if you do want film/screenwriting, but again will need two full years there. They are also need aware, so that would be a reach for admission too, assuming you have high demonstrated need.

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I’m not sure your math works out… as everyone has pointed out, it will be hard to find the type of college you are looking for which won’t require four semesters to complete your degree.

In terms of finances- is there anywhere in the country you could live inexpensively? A family member with a spare bedroom- you’d contribute household chores and the occasional evening of babysitting in exchange for free (or very reduced) rent? I’d be focused on that type of arrangement right now… if that’s even an option.

Good luck- sounds like it’s been rough for you, but I’m not sure either Stanford or Yale is a viable option. Neither will give you a degree if you only complete your senior year there… and you really need to get out and get moving, right?

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Problem solved. Thanks. Please ignore this post. Want to delete thread but the college confidential terms and conditions won’t let me. :sob:

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Closing thread. Best wishes and glad you found a solution.

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