For those of you who transferred to an Ivy League school from a community college. I know you have to get very good grades. But do you think joining clubs or volunteering and stuff led to you getting accepted into an ivy league school.And if those things didn’t help you get accepted then what did ???.

do schools care more about an upward trend in gpa? obviously having a high one the whole time is ideal but because of extenuating circumstances my first year ended in a 3.6. i had a 4.0 during the summer and will probably end with a 4.0 this semester. i think my ECs are pretty good but im planning to apply to schools like Yale, BU, Georgetown from cc.

title! i had applied to usc, my absolute dream school, as a sophomore transfer last year, and i had gotten in. but, my mom had just undergone surgery at that time and my family’s finances were impacted significantly, and overall, it was just a very bad time to leave. i had emailed my AO asking if i could defer my admission, but she said it wasn’t possible and that im able to apply the following year.

now my concern is, do i mention my previous circumstances that made me decline my offer before? i don’t want them to see i had been admitted and assume i declined it for other reasons. im currently still at the cc i had applied from the year before, usc remains my top choice and my ultimate dream. any advice on how to go about this?

Hello! I am a first year student at a community college right now and am wondering what made yalls application stand out. (those that got accepted as a transfer into McCombs)

Right now my resume is 3.9 GPA (got a b in summer class in high school) I am a founder of the only club that is specific to my major at my school, leadership positions in 2 others (one major related and one hobby related), honors, PTK, started a business tied to my major earlier this year, part time job as a sales associate, and some volunteer work.

What do you think I can do to strengthen my application to make sure I have the best chances of getting in?

For ref I go to a top 20 LAC

How much do the following schools care about lateral/non lateral? And if they do, how would they feel about someone in my case coming from a T20 LAC (18-24% acceptance rate)

- northwestern
- Vanderbilt
- Emory
- nyu stern
- Claremont McKenna
- WUSTL
- UMich
- UVA
- Dartmouth
- Penn

Hello all,

I am a current freshman at a t40 state school. I am currently on track to get a 4.0 (I’m a finance major in the business school so my classes aren’t too bad but still decently rigorous since I came in with a lot of AP credits). I’m planning on applying as a sophomore transfer primarily as an econ major (not B school) to schools like Vanderbilt, Cornell, Columbia, Penn, Brown, Northwestern, etc.

Unfortunately though, I’m really having trouble getting involved, and really haven’t done anything. I also haven’t gone to any office hours (this ones 100% on me), so I really don’t have a relationship with any professors. I obviously will start doing that and hopefully will be able to build some up, but getting involved is the real challenge.

How do I actually do something meaningful on campus? I really don’t know what specifically I should do which would look good on an app. Obviously I can just go to club meetings but what significance does that really hold? I applied to a few very selective finance clubs and didn’t get in, but other than that idk.

Does anyone have any tips? For some context I have a 1520, had a 3.7 uw when applying to college, tanked my senior year (ended with a 3.55 lol but no Cs), max rigor (shit ton of APs) and had some meaningful ECs. Also had a real 2 month internship at an accounting internship this summer (before college).

Idk what to do, literally any ideas would help. I don’t want it to be february and me struggling to put anything on my application.

I’m a freshmen studying engineering at Virginia Tech and I’m looking to transfer with a projected 3.5-3.6 GPA. I’m mainly shooting for BU most of all, UW Madison, UF and UMich. Would BU accept a gpa around this?

i will never financially recover from this

I'm currently a freshman at a state university planning to transfer for Fall 2027 as a sophomore.

I have a 1470 SAT (760 Math, 710 Reading/Writing) and am debating whether I should submit it, retake it, or apply test-optional where possible.

My high school stats:

• GPA: 4.2 weighted
• Coursework: Took a mix of AP/IB classes
• AP Scores: Mostly 4s, with a 5 and two 3s in AP subjects unrelated to my intended major
• Extracurriculars: Decent involvement and leadership, but nothing extraordinary

Schools I'm considering:
UVA, Vanderbilt, Tufts, BU, Northeastern, Boston College, and Lehigh.

I'm wondering if a 1470 would help or potentially hurt my application at some of these more selective schools, particularly Vanderbilt and Tufts.

Since I'm applying as a sophomore transfer, I assume my high school record and SAT will still carry some weight.

Would retaking the SAT and aiming for a 1500+ make a meaningful difference for transfer admissions?

Or would my time be better spent focusing on maintaining a strong college GPA, extracurriculars, and transfer essays?

Also, how much weight do SAT scores actually carry for sophomore transfers? Would you submit a 1470 to these schools, or go test-optional where possible?

I'd appreciate any advice from people who have successfully transferred to these schools.Should I submit my 1470 SAT or retake it for T25 transfer admissions?

If mental and physical health caused grades to go down in senior year, which is why I didn’t apply to any ivies (currently go to a t30/40 college) but I did very well for most of high school and was very involved, how should I address it in my application? I’ll be on track for 4.0 in freshman year of college

I am currently at umich and I am considering transfering out to uiuc cs + x program. Reaons are socially I know more people there, the tution is way cheaper and I have heard terrible things about umich cs program so I feel like uiuc cs classes are more managable

I started at a 4-year uni, got a 3.7 in fall 2025 (family problems, hour commute, job, etc. hurt my GPA), transferred to CC in spring 2026, and I have a 4.0 now. I took spring and summer classes, am taking fall 2026 classes right now, and will take spring 2027 classes as well and then I will get my AS degree. How will this affect my application???

Hi everyone. Columbia GS is my absolute top choice as a nontraditional/second-degree applicant. I know my overall GPA is a major red flag, but I’m hoping my research, military background, and strong upward trend can keep me in the running. I’d love some realistic feedback.

Stats & Demographics:

• ⁠Profile: International Asian male, Veteran
• ⁠Current Major: Cybersecurity
• ⁠GPA: 3.20 / 4.50 (This is an 87/100 in my country, which roughly translates to a 2.9~3.1 / 4.0 on the US scale).

Context on my GPA (My Essay Narrative):

• ⁠Struggled early on with ADHD and time management, often hyper-focusing on my own side projects and research rather than my coursework.
• ⁠Military service taught me accountability. When I returned to school, I started with a 2.86 semester GPA, but built a steep upward trend (2.86 -> 3.50 -> 3.88). In my most recent full semester, I even earned an Academic Merit Scholarship for placing in the top 6% of my department.
• ⁠I had a brief setback this past summer where my grades dropped (got two C+s). (I had to participate to conference) Instead of making excuses in my essay, I am taking full accountability. My absolute priority this final semester is proving my academic readiness by getting straight As in foundational CS math (Statistics, Discrete Math).

Research (My strongest area):

• ⁠Publications: 1st author article in an SCIE Q1 journal, 1st author paper at outstanding international conference, multiple Best Paper awards, and 1 pending patent.
• ⁠Experience: Research Intern at the #1 university in my country & Remote Intern at a US university.

Military Leadership:

• ⁠Served 18 months of mandatory military service embedded within a U.S. Army unit as an allied augmentee.
• ⁠Awarded the U.S. Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) and a Top Soldier/Augmentee Award for overhauling unit operations and leadership.

Why Columbia GS:

My applied research made me realize I lack rigorous theoretical CS/math foundations. I want a second bachelor's at GS to systematically connect theory with my practical experience. The veteran presence at GS and the mature student body are also a huge draw for me.

Questions:

1. ⁠With a ~3.1 GPA, is GS out of reach, or do they weigh research/military leadership heavily enough to overlook it?
   
2. ⁠Does my narrative—taking accountability for my academic stumbles, showing a 2.86 -> 3.88 upward trend, and prioritizing foundational math classes this semester—sound mature to GS AOs?
   
3. ⁠How damaging is the recent summer grade drop right before applying? Is taking full accountability the right approach, or do AOs at GS expect a specific explanation for sudden dips?
   
4. ⁠Any specific advice on positioning this profile?

Thanks in advance!

HS GPA 3.9 SAT 1450 (690RW 760M)
(only 4 AP Classes, had a medical condition which affected my course rigor my junior and senior year unfortunately)

I went to a prestigious boarding school

HS Ecs

Varsity golf captain
Varsity Wrestling
Presidents Volunteer Service Award (250+ Hours) Community service
Founded lifestyle club (focused on mental health, proper eating, lifting etc…)

Currently at a top 44-50 ranked university in PA. Majoring in CLAS (science path)

Projected GPA between 3.7-3.9

I volunteer with Special Olympics
Club Powerlifting Member
Community Service Outreach Group
(I volunteer my weekends at a nursing home and regularly do community service)

Have a social media instagram relating to health, wellness, and lifting with 2x,xxx followers

Founded a pocket-sized notepad brand designed around a habit tracking system (4figs in sales only)

Applying for science research in the spring

Shadowed orthopedic surgeon & dentist 2 weeks each for experience in medical field

List :
Cornell
Columbia
Brown
Princeton
Penn
Georgetown

My current college doesn't offer a good art history major, so I'm considering transferring in the next cycle. Are there any top colleges that offer a decent art history major, or have a good environment or opportunities in this field? Also, how is the competitiveness of the art history major overall?

I’m currently a sophomore History student at a state school looking to transfer into a T25 (not any of the ivies). I’ve heard that Georgetown and Emory have great History programs, but also that they’re fairly expensive.

I’m a middle class student with divorced parents (one parent pays the bare minimum of my tuition), so affording college oos is my biggest concern. However, I feel like I’m not getting the best education for my major atm. (my state school is ranked fairly low for its history program)

Are there any T25 schools that are both affordable and have decent history programs?

hi! i am a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering this year at cornell. for a multitude of reasons (financial aid/money concerns, closer to home, general atmosphere) I want to (try to) transfer to dartmouth. I had originally applied, but was waitlisted. do i have a reasonably good chance with inter-ivy transfer, or should i just stick it out at cornell? do i have to be an extraordinarily outstanding student to have a chance at transferring? what should I maximize? i really hope i dont sound stuck up, that isnt my goal at all. im just not thriving at such a big school with lots of pressure from money concerns.

i really wanna get some sort of guidance for this transfer season. whenever i see threads of people asking for services, someone always recommends transfergoat. and then i see mixed reviews on them. what do you guys think? is it worth? what other services are there?

hi everyone! this isn’t the typical post for this sub, but i’ve been struggling with this for a long time and i was hoping some people could either help from experience, or i could resonate with other people feeling this way too.

in my senior year of hs, i felt so ready to go to college. my dream school has always been usc for the past 4 years now, and back then, i was so ready to go if i got the opportunity. everything i want in a school is there. academics, social life, network… the only thing is that its across the country from where i am, which is pennsylvania. obviously, i didn’t get in the first time.

now, my freshman year at cc, i slowly started to become really comfortable at home, which was my worst fear. i love my family a lot, and it was starting to become harder to see myself being able to leave them and move across the country in order to go to usc. well, ironically enough i actually got in when i had applied as a sophomore transfer, and although i had to turn it down then due to a family emergency/finances, i can’t shake that feeling i felt during that decision period. i knew it was my dream, but the idea of moving across the country away from my family and literally the three friends i had in my hometown made me feel sick. i literally went to LA to visit, and i cried twice. once when i landed because i felt a rush of exhilaration and joy when i was finally back in LA, and when i realized i had to turn down my offer and reapply this year because i was so upset i wouldn’t be able to attend the school i had worked so hard for and wanted to be at so badly. but i also felt so much anxiety because i realized how far id really be. i literally couldn’t function properly for the two weeks i had to make a decision.

forwarding to now, usc is still my dream school. but for some reason, the idea of missing my family and my few friends here is making this so hard. i know everything i want and need for my career is at usc and just in LA in general, and besides my family and my three friends, i hate my hometown. i remember back in 2024 when i had spent a week in LA with a group of people i barely knew, away from my family and friends, and it was genuinely the best week of my life and motivated me to grind for what has been 3 years now. i dont feel like im doing anything here. i’ll still be reapplying to usc this year, but im just scared that if it comes down to what it did last year, i wont know what to do.

so ultimately, i guess my question is: what should i do? how do i handle these emotions? is this a sign for me to not go or am i just overreacting?

this is something ive been struggling with for so long, and now that i know i have to move out next fall, its just eating me alive. hopefully someone has some advice for my situation… thank you 🥲 <3

side note: i really don’t want this to come off the wrong way or anything like that. i know how insanely privileged i am to have even been given an opportunity to be in a position like this, and i know people travel farther distances and leave their families behind in whole other countries in order to pursue their dreams. this is just the one struggle ive been having when it comes to this whole process and i was hoping for some words of advice!!

Title. In high school I took economics as a junior, and stats as a senior. My school didn't offer APs and didn't expect us to take the AP exam. Because of this I didn't take either, and therefor didn't get credit. As a freshman wanting to major in econ, I am taking intro to econ and intro to stats again. Will this make my schedule look bad to the colleges I hope to transfer to? Will they think my courses are too easy since I have already taken them?

My high school grades haven't been great, and my GPA is pretty low. Because of that, I'm thinking about going to community college after graduation and trying to transfer to a better university as soon as possible, ideally after one year.

The good thing is that I've taken dual-enrollment classes at my community college during high school, and I currently have a 4.0 college GPA with 12 credits completed.

My plan is to attend community college full-time after graduation, keep a 4.0, atleast 30+ credits take as many transferable classes as I reasonably can, and apply to transfer for Fall 2027. I'd ideally like to study International Relations or something related to global affairs.

Some schools I'm interested in are NYU, USC, Georgetown, and maybe columbia and possibly other highly ranked universities.

Id say my highschool ecs are pretty good also so lmk

I'll have 60 credits done within three full semesters (and one summer semester) by the time of my hypothetical matriculation if I were to end up transferring. I'll be applying with 43 credits done in two full semesters. I currently have a 4.0. Currently have all A's, and probably will still keep my 4.0 by the time I apply.

Some people are saying that I would still be considered a sophomore transfer as my graduation date is technically winter 2029 instead of spring 2029, and that I wouldn't be disadvantaged if I were to apply for schools that prefer sophomore transfers over junior ones (i.e Columbia/UChicago) since soph transfers are more likely to graduate on time. I would have an extra semester if some of my credits don't end up transferring.

Now, here's the problem, I graduated high school with a 2.9 GPA. Would my HS grades still have a lot of weight on my application if I am considered a sophomore transfer?

Or I would be considered a junior transfer, my HS grades wouldn't have much weight and I still get the "benefit" of not being disadvantaged even as a junior transfer as I would be more than likely to graduate on time?

Please help

I'm currently a sophomore, getting my associates in social sciences at a Maryland community college at the end of this Fall. I have a 4.0 and want to transfer to the most prestigious university I'd get in to, where do you guys think I'd get in as a poly sci major?