How can I ensure that I get into Columbia University as a transfer student?Answered
I'm a high school junior and my current grades aren't that good to get me in to Columbia University or any Ivy League school, even though my SAT and ACT scores are pretty high (1560 and 34) my GPA isn't that great (3.2 currently, expected to have 3.4 by the end of senior year). So I was planning on going to some safety or reach college for 2 years before I can transfer to bigger and much more "prestigious" schools and the school I really want to go is Columbia University, but the question is what type of grades and clubs and other stuff should I pursue to ensure that I get into Columbia and since the acceptance rate is so low for transfer applicants what can I do to stand out and have the highest chances of getting in. And since I will be applying as a transfer student will they ask for my high school academic information and anything similar to that?
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2 answers
Hi @scholar-_-,
Transferring in after completing one year at another college is a great idea. For the Class of 2025, the revised admission rate for CU/SEAS was 3.89% but the transfer rate was 14.74% which makes CU/SEAS more accessible than Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and UPenn which is between 0.80% and 2%. Brown is 4% for Transfers. So that's a really good idea.
Going forward, I think the transfer rate will be about the same rate because many Columbia undergrads take a year off during 2nd/3rd year to study abroad. Having great transfer rates keeps enrollment numbers steady at CU/SEAS.
One thing I recommend doing is fully understanding the core curriculum. https://bulletin.columbia.edu/columbia-college/core-curriculum/
The "core" is required of every single student regardless of their major. Even chemical engineering or CS majors have to take the core.
It accounts for 32 credits of your 124 credit standard degree requirements. Therefore if you can take similar types of classes wherever you attend college, you may get many of your credits transferred. Definitely research this well and pick a college to attend that has strong liberal arts coursework.
If I were you, I would try to get into a college that likes high stats like SAT/ACT scores. Some that come to mind are Vassar, Boston College, Colgate University, Hamilton, Skidmore College, Marist, Union College, Hobart/William Smith, St.Lawrence University, and Trinity College.
For transfers, I don't think your ECs Clubs matter.
One thing I think is undervalued is to do a PG (Post Graduate 13th year of HS) program at a top boarding school. Although I already was accepted ED to CU Dec.2020, I applied to 6 boarding schools and did a PG year at Deerfield Academy. It was a great experience and definitely helped me assimilate into dorm life, eating in dining halls, and working in small groups/classes.
Top Boarding schools are hard to get into but they all have great financial aid. The ones that I think would be great feeder schools into Columbia would be
-Choate Rosemary Hall, Loomis Chaffee, Deerfield, Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, Taft, Lawrenceville, Hotchkiss, Westminister, Northfield Mt.Hermon. (Milton, Groton, St. Pauls do not have a PG year).
Application deadlines are 1/1/2023 and 1/15/2023 for most of these and you have to apply through a portal called the
https://www.gatewaytoprepschools.com/
And if you are applying for financial aid you also have to fill out the
https://www.solutionsbysss.com
These are very similar to the common app and CSS profile.
Good luck.
Depending on what you want to study, you may also consider a 3/2 program. For example, Sarah Lawrence is a much easier school to get into, and if you are looking at engineering you can transfer into Columbia that way. You spend 5 years, but get 2 degrees - one from each.
There may be other 3/2 programs as well, I am aware of that one as my daughter is applying both to Columbia directly, but one of her safety schools is Sarah Lawrence, as she would have a direct path to transfer into Columbia.
She is also looking at a couple other safety schools as a ‘back-door’ into CalTech (Bryn Mawr, etc.).
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Thank you, this helped a lot and more importantly gave me hope.