Hello
I am an incoming freshman student at Cornell. In a series of unfortunate events I lost my full ROTC scholarship to Cornell due to a severe peanut allergy. My family has enough money to pay for one year of Cornell. At this point my options are to attend Junior College or go to Cornell for a year and attempt to transfer out. I understand Cornell is academically challenging, but highly ranked. If I can get through freshman year with at least a 3.0, would transferring to cheaper schools be possible? I know transferring with a lower GPA would be difficult, but would the Cornell name help at all? I’m thinking along the lines of UCLA, Cal poly SLO, UC Davis; any decent school I could afford. Would just going to my local community college be better than wasting a year at Cornell?
Thanks!
A year at Cornell with no scholarship is going to be VERY expensive. The cost of this does not seem worthwhile to me if you know that you won’t be able to continue.
I have heard here on CC that financial aid for transfer students tends to be very limited. As such, while it seems lousy to be stuck in this situation due to a peanut allergy, nonetheless I wonder if you should take a gap year and reapply to more affordable schools for next year.
You haven’t started school? You might be able to preserve your freshman status and take a gap year given such a good reason. Do you have any other fall scholarship options or was it all ROTC?
Too late for this year but would you qualify for need based aid next year?
UCLA and Cal Poly SLO only accept Junior level transfers (60 semester/90 quarter units) and UC Davis rarely accepts Sophomore level transfers (mainly in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science) if spots are available.
If you plan to transfer next year, then start at a California CC instead or as suggested, take a Gap year and reapply since the best FA is given as a Freshman applicant.
I did not qualify for any financial aid. I do agree that going for a year would be a waste of money. I think I will probably take a gap year and work to help pay tuition. Trying to stay as positive as possible but truly heartbroken.
Thanks for the responses!
I was accepted to all 3 of those schools this year, however, declined admissions offer for Cornell. Would that increase my chances of admissions next year?
I think taking a gap year would be a good option. I don’t think it would necessarily increase your chances, but chances are they will accept you again especially since they mostly consider grades (unless there are significantly more competitive applicants that apply)
And your parents will not contribute anything after freshman year? Again, no transfer to those CA schools as a sophomore, only as a junior.
Best of luck with this. I expect that you will do very well, even if delayed by a year.
Ask Cornell if you can defer (provide the reason) - they’re very likely to say yes.
RE apply as a freshman at a variety of universities that offer merit, not just the UC’s that admitted you.
It’s very important you take no class any any college (including CC) during your gap year.
Why don’t you call those schools you declined to see if they would still take you for this year? It is only Jun.