So sorry I missed the chat today! I do have a question on the essays I would love some help on!
Under "Essays, Undergraduate Admissions" there is advice for writing the "Common App General Essay". I will abbreviate them. Evaluate a significant experience, discuss some issue of personal concern, indicate someone who has significant influence, describe character in fiction, add to educational mix. But on the "Writing" section of the common app under "Personal essay" it states, "provide statement (250 words minimum) that address your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve." This sounds nothing like what is offered in the tips section.
Furthermore, under the Supplement Material for U.Va." "Transfer Applicants Only", "Required Essay for Transfers". "How does your possible career or professional plans relate to your planned course of study?" Additionally, "for Commerce, tell why you chose this field and what experiences have prepared you for it."
These two questions, U.Va. supplement & Personal Essay seem quite similar. This leaves no room for the selected essay tips for the "General Essay" non-applicative.
There is no term "general essay" on the common app. for transfers only short answer, personal essay, and required essay for transfers #1 & #2.
Please advise and very soon! I'm having a hard time choosing which essay to submit.
I am so sorry I missed the chat today but I had a question about SAT scores. I am currently a sophomore with over 60 credits, does that mean the only thing I need to send from high school are my SAT scores? Also, there is a section of the common app about current year classes, but it seems more designed for high school students, do transfer students fill that section out as well?
Hi, I had a question about the course descriptions. Would you like us to send it in the format you used. The 1,2,3,4 format, or can we do it in a different way with all of the information?
I'm applying to transfer to UVA as a 2nd year this fall. I read on the UVA website that language courses taken at another school do not count towards fulfilling the foreign language at UVA. I'm a little confused as to how it works after you said that "A competitive applicant has started his/her foreign language requirement, but doesn't necessarily have to have all of it completed." However, I will have had all course requirements for CAS met by the end of this spring. Please let me know! Thank you.
Valerie, Unfortunately, there is not a "general" essay for transfers. Please answer the questions as best you can. They are similar, but there are ways to answer them separately.
NOVAlove,
You need to send us the high school transcript. If your SAT scores are included on it, you will not have to send them from the College Board.
Yes, please use the course listing description provided.
Teapot, You can send it in any format you like(perhaps spreadsheet or column style), but it needs to include that information.
Emmanuel, They are the same.
Anon, Where did you read this? I'm checking into it, but it may mean that you might not get credit, but you'll be exempted for taking the class. Stay tuned.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I thought I was missing something.
One more question. I met with Jeannine, Assistant to Admissions Committee, who indicated that I do not need to take the SAT's for admission. I am 29 yrs old. graduated in 1998 from High School, earned my AA with flying colors, and attending a university who has no idea what the 21st Century holds for them, hence my transfer. Everywhere I look it says I need these scores so now I'm getting a bit nervous. Will this effect my opportunity for admission Fall 2009? Will I be a competitive applicant without the exam?
If so, should I indicate that I will take the SAT next month if need be?
I am trying to get a feel for what is to be expected of the essay. It just seems like the concise answer to the essays would be a little dry, meaning they are pretty clear cut. Maybe it doesn't leave much to be creatively descriptive about, especially with the request for a statement of reasons and objectives.
I am tempted to elaborate on why I choose to transfer and the implications of it as well as the goals. I have quite a story to tell on the why's just not to sure of my current format now.
I am wondering, do the rules still apply for the transfer application because it doesn't appear to.
One should show by being descriptive and using details when explaining the "what's and why's" versus simply stating the end result.
Examples
Explain why one did something Why it meant so much What it did Whether or why you changed
I am sure you catch my drift. All the admission books out there advising people on how to write a good essay. Well this requests a statement and nothing like what the books discuss. I think I might have framed my writing incorrectly for your transfer application.
I checked out the McIntire website and they listed some of the criteria used to evaluate transfer applicants, one of which was the course load and difficulty of courses.
What is meant by difficulty of courses? Does this mean honors courses? Or the difficulty of the degree you're working towards?
Over the past year I've been working full-time at a great internship that has been a great learning experience. As a result I've used AP credits to fulfill several requirements and I've been taking the bare minimum of courses to get my Business Administration degree and fulfill UVA's undergrad requirements by taking classes at night and on weekends.
Will my light course load and lack of honors courses hurt my chances? Should I try to take more classes this semester/over the summer to make up for this?
i have question about the financial guarantee from for fall 2009. i have green card but i am not a citizen yet. i don't know what F-1 or J-1, and the froms look like for nonimmigrant student. but i am a immigrant. so do i need to fill out the forms?
Hi Transfermer! I submitted my application last night. I heard that it takes up to five days to get the ID, but how will that affect applying for financial aid? I checked their website, and I could only find an online application, but for that, you have to have a student ID. Do you know the answer, or should I just call financial aid tomorrow and ask them? (Sorry for the repost...I noticed a typo.)
Miriam, I am in the same situation. I have a green card too. I contacted the Office of Undergraduate Admission and they said you only need to fax a copy of your green card and your parents' green card. You do not need to send the financial guarantee form or copies of the F-1 and J-1 visa forms. TeapotMonarch, you are not the only one worrying about this situation. I have submitted my application and did not receive the UVa Computing ID yet, so I am worried about how the financial aid application will turn out if we file it after March 1st. I think you should send all of your parents' 2008 tax forms (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ; and W-2 Forms) and your 2008 tax forms (assuming that you have a job) as soon as possible.
Let's keep the comments short please. I'm glad we can share info and ideas on here, but it would help to clean up the blog. If you have detailed, personal questions, I encourage you to email them to us.
Valerie,
I think I've stated this in another place on the blog, but as you can see in our instructions, the SAT IS required. However, it less important than your high school record and certainly less important than your college record. "Jaybird, I can't give you percentage. Hope this makes sense." For someone who has been out of high school for a considerable amount of time (5+ years), we tend to look at them less. You will not denied purely on the fact that you don't have SATs, but bear in mind that you are competing against a pool where the majority of students will have testing.
Wow, not sure how to answer your essay question. Transfers are obviously more dynamic than first-year applicants and that requires extra writing. Again, we do not count words, and we want you to be creative.
Jaybird, The difficulty of courses refers to the required coursework. For instance, Calculus and not just Pre-Calculus. As long as you have all of the required courses, and tell us about your internship, the "lightness" quotient shouldn't matter.
Miriam and Chuck, If you have green cards, you are permanent residents and do not need to fill out the Financial Guarantee forms. Chuck is right, please fax or mail a copy of your and your parents' green cards.
20 comments:
Thanks again for the great chat session! It was incredibly helpful!
I too just wanted to express my thanks. It was very informative, and relieved some stress.
Thank you very much for this chat session! It cleared up a lot of my confusion.
So sorry I missed the chat today! I do have a question on the essays I would love some help on!
Under "Essays, Undergraduate Admissions" there is advice for writing the "Common App General Essay". I will abbreviate them. Evaluate a significant experience, discuss some issue of personal concern, indicate someone who has significant influence, describe character in fiction, add to educational mix. But on the "Writing" section of the common app under "Personal essay" it states, "provide statement (250 words minimum) that address your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve." This sounds nothing like what is offered in the tips section.
Furthermore, under the Supplement Material for U.Va." "Transfer Applicants Only", "Required Essay for Transfers". "How does your possible career or professional plans relate to your planned course of study?" Additionally, "for Commerce, tell why you chose this field and what experiences have prepared you for it."
These two questions, U.Va. supplement & Personal Essay seem quite similar. This leaves no room for the selected essay tips for the "General Essay" non-applicative.
There is no term "general essay" on the common app. for transfers only short answer, personal essay, and required essay for transfers #1 & #2.
Please advise and very soon! I'm having a hard time choosing which essay to submit.
I am so sorry I missed the chat today but I had a question about SAT scores. I am currently a sophomore with over 60 credits, does that mean the only thing I need to send from high school are my SAT scores? Also, there is a section of the common app about current year classes, but it seems more designed for high school students, do transfer students fill that section out as well?
Hi, I had a question about the course descriptions. Would you like us to send it in the format you used. The 1,2,3,4 format, or can we do it in a different way with all of the information?
What are the requirements if you're transferring from your UVA at Wise campus. Are they the same as for a regular transfer student?
Transfermer:
I'm applying to transfer to UVA as a 2nd year this fall. I read on the UVA website that language courses taken at another school do not count towards fulfilling the foreign language at UVA. I'm a little confused as to how it works after you said that "A competitive applicant has started his/her foreign language requirement, but doesn't necessarily have to have all of it completed." However, I will have had all course requirements for CAS met by the end of this spring. Please let me know! Thank you.
Valerie,
Unfortunately, there is not a "general" essay for transfers.
Please answer the questions as best you can. They are similar, but there are ways to answer them separately.
NOVAlove,
You need to send us the high school transcript. If your SAT scores are included on it, you will not have to send them from the College Board.
Yes, please use the course listing description provided.
Teapot,
You can send it in any format you like(perhaps spreadsheet or column style), but it needs to include that information.
Emmanuel,
They are the same.
Anon,
Where did you read this? I'm checking into it, but it may mean that you might not get credit, but you'll be exempted for taking the class. Stay tuned.
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I thought I was missing something.
One more question. I met with Jeannine, Assistant to Admissions Committee, who indicated that I do not need to take the SAT's for admission. I am 29 yrs old. graduated in 1998 from High School, earned my AA with flying colors, and attending a university who has no idea what the 21st Century holds for them, hence my transfer. Everywhere I look it says I need these scores so now I'm getting a bit nervous. Will this effect my opportunity for admission Fall 2009? Will I be a competitive applicant without the exam?
If so, should I indicate that I will take the SAT next month if need be?
Sorry one more thing!
I am trying to get a feel for what is to be expected of the essay. It just seems like the concise answer to the essays would be a little dry, meaning they are pretty clear cut. Maybe it doesn't leave much to be creatively descriptive about, especially with the request for a statement of reasons and objectives.
I am tempted to elaborate on why I choose to transfer and the implications of it as well as the goals. I have quite a story to tell on the why's just not to sure of my current format now.
I am wondering, do the rules still apply for the transfer application because it doesn't appear to.
One should show by being descriptive and using details when explaining the "what's and why's" versus simply stating the end result.
Examples
Explain why one did something
Why it meant so much
What it did
Whether or why you changed
I am sure you catch my drift. All the admission books out there advising people on how to write a good essay. Well this requests a statement and nothing like what the books discuss. I think I might have framed my writing incorrectly for your transfer application.
Thanks so much for a quite response!
Signed,
Incredibly Stressed :)
Just a random question.. what does C3, as in the stores at the dining halls, stand for?
Hey Transfermer,
I checked out the McIntire website and they listed some of the criteria used to evaluate transfer applicants, one of which was the course load and difficulty of courses.
What is meant by difficulty of courses? Does this mean honors courses? Or the difficulty of the degree you're working towards?
Over the past year I've been working full-time at a great internship that has been a great learning experience. As a result I've used AP credits to fulfill several requirements and I've been taking the bare minimum of courses to get my Business Administration degree and fulfill UVA's undergrad requirements by taking classes at night and on weekends.
Will my light course load and lack of honors courses hurt my chances? Should I try to take more classes this semester/over the summer to make up for this?
Oops, one more question,
How much weight are SAT scores given?
i have question about the financial guarantee from for fall 2009. i have green card but i am not a citizen yet. i don't know what F-1 or J-1, and the froms look like for nonimmigrant student. but i am a immigrant. so do i need to fill out the forms?
Hi Transfermer! I submitted my application last night. I heard that it takes up to five days to get the ID, but how will that affect applying for financial aid? I checked their website, and I could only find an online application, but for that, you have to have a student ID. Do you know the answer, or should I just call financial aid tomorrow and ask them?
(Sorry for the repost...I noticed a typo.)
Miriam, I am in the same situation. I have a green card too. I contacted the Office of Undergraduate Admission and they said you only need to fax a copy of your green card and your parents' green card. You do not need to send the financial guarantee form or copies of the F-1 and J-1 visa forms.
TeapotMonarch, you are not the only one worrying about this situation. I have submitted my application and did not receive the UVa Computing ID yet, so I am worried about how the financial aid application will turn out if we file it after March 1st. I think you should send all of your parents' 2008 tax forms (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ; and W-2 Forms) and your 2008 tax forms (assuming that you have a job) as soon as possible.
Forgot to mention in the last post that my name was Chuck :)
Readers,
Let's keep the comments short please. I'm glad we can share info and ideas on here, but it would help to clean up the blog. If you have detailed, personal questions, I encourage you to email them to us.
Valerie,
I think I've stated this in another place on the blog, but as you can see in our instructions, the SAT IS required. However, it less important than your high school record and certainly less important than your college record. "Jaybird, I can't give you percentage. Hope this makes sense." For someone who has been out of high school for a considerable amount of time (5+ years), we tend to look at them less. You will not denied purely on the fact that you don't have SATs, but bear in mind that you are competing against a pool where the majority of students will have testing.
Wow, not sure how to answer your essay question. Transfers are obviously more dynamic than first-year applicants and that requires extra writing. Again, we do not count words, and we want you to be creative.
Jaybird,
The difficulty of courses refers to the required coursework. For instance, Calculus and not just Pre-Calculus. As long as you have all of the required courses, and tell us about your internship, the "lightness" quotient shouldn't matter.
Miriam and Chuck,
If you have green cards, you are permanent residents and do not need to fill out the Financial Guarantee forms. Chuck is right, please fax or mail a copy of your and your parents' green cards.
Chuck,
You won't have to sign your comments with Chuck if you click the "Name/URL" radio button and put "Chuck" in the box.
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