Wednesday, December 20, 2017
High school seniors are counting the days until the end of March when the majority of college admissions offices send out their coveted letter of admission or the polite letter of rejection. It is small comfort for them to know that only the April 15 deadline for their income tax filing will ever cause them so much anxiety about a date again.
I advise my clients not to expect to be admitted to every school to which they have applied. I urge them to have a back-up plan in the application process and encourage them to include a school or two that they are relatively sure they will get into — even though these schools may not be among their top five choices. Should you not get your first college choice, do not think that all is lost. You can always re-apply as a transfer student after completing a year or two at another school. Statistics show that transfer applicants, in many cases, have a better chance of getting admitted to top colleges than a student applying under regular admissions. At a number of schools, the odds increased significantly. As you might expect, the total number of students applying to transfer is small. Statistics show that 15 percent of those students who elect to transfer were rejected from the college of their choice when they applied from high school. It is interesting to note that the number of transfer students today is three times higher as compared to a decade ago.
The number of openings at Harvard for transfer students has expanded in recent years. This is due in part to an increasing number of students choosing to study abroad during their college years, which means that more dorm rooms need to be filled. Revenue is increasingly important to colleges and universities no matter how rich their endowments. The key is to make good use of your freshman and sophomore college years if you are considering a transfer. I suggest joining an activity that smacks of academic rigor. Think about publishing an article in a journal. Ask a favorite professor or grad assistant to assist you, especially if they are experts in the field you are writing about. Or, choose a student partner who has skills you might not possess to co-author your article. Together, you stand a greater chance of being published. Do not hesitate to correspond with experts in the subject area you are writing about because you may be able to develop relationships that will pay dividends in your academic development and career aspirations.
Next, find an expert in a field that interests you at the transfer school you wish to attend. Let them know that you are eager to change universities in order to study under him or her. Explain how your goals can best be met at that school and ask for their advice in the re-application process. Try to address any perceived weaknesses in your prior application and when re-applying to your dream college say what has made you a better candidate. Schools will appreciate your determination and commitment to their academic program. Even though you were rejected the first time you applied, it is possible that with a transfer plan the odds will be stacked in your favor.
Tags: Colleges SAT Preparation
Gerald Bradshaw is an international college admissions consultant with Bradshaw College Consulting.
https://www.bradshawcollegeconsulting.com
http://www.IvyLeagueGuru.com
Email: gerald_bradshaw@post.harvard.edu
219-781-2372
SKYPE: geraldbradshaw
Colleges, College Consulting, International Students
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