Transfer consideration specifically for engineering

[workingmom]

DS only applies to the top 2 engineering schools and his state school. Didn’t get into the top engineering so he’s happily starting at th state school. He is only 16 however we can already tell from orientation that the state school will have far less engineering resources in terms of labs/projects. He does realize he’s “the big fish in the small pond now “and knows he can excel and take advantage of  the opportunities he has. He’s interested in trying one more time to apply for transfer into those top engineering schools (will be older, have additional college experience (although he did have 40 college credits going in).

One of the feedbacks we got from this board was that ivies really want intentional planning in their choices (ie experiences ) reflecting initiative and leadership. 

Any recs from those who’ve transfeeed up to more competitive schools. We’re keeping a list of things to look out/into next year (ie professor interactions, research/shadowing opportunities, etc) he’s already done 2 years of an internship and the state program has built in coops but I guess those came across as they landed in his lap rather than he made intentional moves to go after them.

 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

This may be an obvious statement, but if he is applying as a transfer student to highly selective schools, he will want to be sure that he has very strong grades in his freshman courses, particularly courses that would be required for the engineering degree.  

You can see on the schools Common Data Set how many students they accept each year as transfer students.  It may be worth his talking with the admissions offices of the target schools about the profile for transfers in general and engineering transfers in particular.

 

Also there may be a lot of high quality schools between the state school his is attending this fall and a top engineering school.  Transferring into something between his current school and the most highly sought after colleges might be more attainable.   

[workingmom]

Yes, we’re aware of grades requirement. For us there isn’t a point for the middle tier schools ( it was either #1 or close to home) 

im looking more of a checklist like people put together for junior/senior year for regular college admissions. But if there was anything specific for transfers

[alewife]

You are probably aware of this, but just in case you are not, please make sure your son's current engineering program ABET certified.   If it is not, I would encourage your son to have your state flagship on his list of schools he will be applying to as a transfer.  Good luck

[JanetC]

Most highly selective schools are even more selective for transfers than for freshmen applicants. These lists may be helpful in determining whether this is even a realistic plan.

http://www.collegetransitions.com/transfer-admission-rates

http://www.collegetransitions.com/selective-and-transfer-friendly

And for those who are curious, a link to all of the College Transitions counselor lists:

https://www.collegetransitions.com/dataverse/

[JanetC]

Also, you have no idea whether he was rejected because his plans were not "intentional enough."

Don't go into this thinking "If he just fixes this one thing, it will work out next time." If he really wants to transfer, he will have a list of reach, match, and safety transfer schools and not just reapply to the places that rejected him. In fact, his application may be less likely to be accepted at the places that rejected him. They keep records, and trying to relitigate previous admissions cycles is generally frowned upon.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

7 hours ago, workingmom said:

Yes, we’re aware of grades requirement. For us there isn’t a point for the middle tier schools ( it was either #1 or close to home) 

im looking more of a checklist like people put together for junior/senior year for regular college admissions. But if there was anything specific for transfers

 

One thing specific to transfer apps will be that the schools will want to see official transcripts from the current college and may expect updated recommendations (either from senior year instructors that reflect courses taken after initial application or from college instructors for courses he takes freshman year).

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I'm not sure I'm following what he is trying to do (Which often happens with online communication).

Is this a situation where he is accepted to a state school that has a solid engineering program, but he'd like to try again at getting into a higher ranked program?

Or

He applied to 2 top ranked programs and your state school and was accepted at the state school, which doesn't have a solid engineering program.

I'm asking partly because the mention of ivies threw me off (I don't think the top two engineering programs are at ivies), partly because I think there are too programs at more than 2 schools (ie very strong engineering at places like Purdue which isn't 1 or 2 but also isn't what I'd call mid tier), and partly because in my own state there would be a lot if room for improvement from the state university system.

[workingmom]

This is the case

this a situation where he is accepted to a state school that has a solid engineering program, but he'd like to try again at getting into a higher ranked program?

 

 

[GoodGrief]

Have you asked this over on the College Confidential parent forums? I suspect there would be some good insight there.

That said, I'm a little confused by the question, as you mention both top 2 engineering and Ivies. Ivies don't show up on the top engineering rankings until after the top 5.

I'd probably target my research to the specific transfer programs that interest him. Different schools will look for different things in their transfer students, have varying cultures, and they will definitely want a student who is looking for specific aspects of the school's programs.

 

[workingmom]

Have you asked this over on the College Confidential parent forums?

 

 

great I hadn’t known about this. 

 

[sgo95]

I think engineering programs/schools may have very specific courses that they want their students to take.  Would there be an issue in terms of specific courses transferring?  For example, in my state, the flagship university's highly-ranked engineering program requires first yr students to take Engineering 101.  There is no equivalent course at the lower ranked state school that can substitute for this course.

Also, I agree with previous posters that it's too hard to guess why a student was not accepted.

[MarkT]

On 6/18/2018 at 7:15 AM, workingmom said:

DS only applies to the top 2 engineering schools and his state school. Didn’t get into the top engineering so he’s happily starting at th state school. He is only 16 however we can already tell from orientation that the state school will have far less engineering resources in terms of labs/projects. He does realize he’s “the big fish in the small pond now “and knows he can excel and take advantage of  the opportunities he has. He’s interested in trying one more time to apply for transfer into those top engineering schools (will be older, have additional college experience (although he did have 40 college credits going in).

 

If he is proactive and gets to know the professors there are probably more opportunities that are available.  At least do a semester before you give up.  The top Engineering schools may not take any credits from DE classes taken in HS. Is the state school the best Engineering programs in that system?

Getting in to top schools is a crap-shoot.  I would probably try applying to different competitive schools than the "rejected" schools if possible. My gut feel finish at state school and then go to a good grad school since you are starting so young.

[Katy]

If he wants in a top school he needs to look beyond Stanford and MIT, which will require him to fit very specific demographics that are almost impossible to meet as a transfer student. Apply to the top 20 schools in whatever engineering field he's interested in.  Some of the smaller programs have better job statistics and can have better scholarships than local schools, though he will have to work hard to keep his GPA up to keep the scholarships.

[G5052]

My oldest went from a community college to a nationally top-20 business school within the same state.

Thankfully he was able to qualify under guaranteed admission. We knew all along that we had to think through every course and that he had to have very high grades. He actually had to take three classes elsewhere in order to do it. We had some issues with getting that all lined up, but we got it. They misplaced the external transcript at one point, but we took it in personally and they admitted him on the spot.

We have friends who have swung into engineering as well at the state flagship engineering school which is also nationally-ranked, but they don't have guaranteed admission. You still have to have their list of courses and a 4.0 or nearly so. and then you have to attend a 4-week summer transition course. But it can be done

Just make sure they actually allow that and that you know exactly what you are in for. We saved thousands of dollars by starting him at the community college, and he transitioned very well in terms of adjusting to larger classes, more papers, etc.

[EKS]

Coming in late here, but since he's young, I would not send him to the state school.  I would keep him in high school for at least another year or perhaps two.  During this time he should bolster his resume.  Then I would have him apply to more selective schools (but not the ones he applied to this last time) as a freshman.

[8filltheheart]

I can't follow exactly what the scenario is.  If it is truly

On 6/19/2018 at 2:31 PM, workingmom said:

This is the case

this a situation where he is accepted to a state school that has a solid engineering program, but he'd like to try again at getting into a higher ranked program?

I would not enter into the university with the automatic plan of having to transfer. If it is a state flagship engineering school or the state's tech university, it probably has far resources than he could identify at orientation. As a field, engineering is far less prestige focused and far more skill set focused. Since he is entering into college with 40 cr hrs and is 16, he has 4 yrs to become intensely involved with professors' on-campus research projects as well as co-op. 

Transfer students are in an unenviable position when it comes to getting involved in a dept. students who have been there for 2 yrs already know the professors and many have already been been working with them on their projects. A transfer student into a dept is really starting off on completely new footing and has to start making connections that other students have a 2 yr head start on doing.

Fwiw, if you truly believe he is going to be a big fish in a small pond in a solid engineering program, he has the opportunity to establish a name for himself within the dept and create a strong resume with on-campus UG accomplishments. Those skills demonstrated outside of the classroom can go a long way, beyond the school name on the diploma, when it comes to being hired.