Yale, Columbia and UPenn - need help

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey</p>

<p>I did terrible in High school, dropped out and got a GED…</p>

<p>I became an EMT and went on to the middle east where I became a medic responding to Terror attacks…and the like…</p>

<p>This past year I have been enrolled in County College in NJ where I have maintained a 3.95 GPA </p>

<p>Both my parents and grandfather went to Yale</p>

<p>My father has worked as a scientist at Columbia and now at Upenn for 20 years</p>

<p>My college counselor thinks I am a “shoe-in” but I am not so sure…</p>

<p>[I am considering applying to Upenn, Columbia and Yale]</p>

<p>I have documented ADHD and…</p>

<p>Because of my atrocious high school record, I never submitted my transcripts to my current college. I recently spoke to a college counselor who told me that i need to send in those high school transcripts after all, in order to be eligible to take certain courses. He said it doesn’t matter what I had done, but what I am currently doing…I fear that since i am applying to Ivy league schools…my academic progress could be attributed to a lack of academic standard at this county college rather than my own success. </p>

<p>Heres my first dillema - do I submit those grades to take those courses or is it a smarter idea to take remedial courses to be in order to be eligible?</p>

<p>Furthermore I have a number of remedial math courses that i completed all with an “A” s </p>

<p>The second…I want to know if I am being mislead…if i really have a chance to be admitted to an ivy league school …thanks a lot…</p>

2

<p>I’ll let others answer your math course question since they are probably in a better position to answer it.</p>

<p>Concerning Yale: consider that they accept ~30 students for transfer every year from about ~850 applications. You seem to be doing well and your connections may help, but no one is a “shoe-in” with a 3.5% admit rate.</p>

3

<p>Columbia’s program for students who have had a >1 year break in education has a reasonable acceptance rate. That will probably be your best bet. I would agree with Jeydomz, I do not think anyone is a “shoe-in” when a school only takes a small handful of applicants.</p>

4

<p>I thought Upenn would be my best bet because my dad has worked there for 20+ years… i certainly agree the “shoe-in” comment was a bit much …but at this point i have sincere doubts about my chances…I really just want to know; do i have a legitimate shot at any of these 3 schools? or am i wasting my time?</p>

5

<p>of course you have a shot but it’s really all up in the air right now since competition is so stiff.</p>

6

<p>You certainly have a shot. Don’t sell yourself short. Make sure you ace the essays. It is by far the most important part of the application.</p>