Triple Transfer
Hey guys - long-time lurker, first time poster.
I'm a junior at a well-regarded state school (we have some OCR). My school also is well known for it's social life. Unfortunately, the party atmosphere definitely led to my downfall. I originally transferred in from a complete non-target after freshman year with a 3.5. I ended up with a 2.55 my first semester at my current school. This year I told myself I could cut out the distractions but it was to no avail. Grades are coming in soon and I'm expecting between a 2.75-3.0. This brings me to my current issue.
I really can't continue like this if I want to go IBD. I've done two PE summer internships and I got 99th percentile on my ACT - I'm not retarded; I just really have trouble leaving the partying behind (in a fraternity, social to a fault).
Right now I'm debating transferring to a decent private school I have a legacy at. They have a program that has a high placement percentage on Wall Street and I would just need a 3.5+ my first semester to get in. Would it be worth transferring there to do 2-3 years if it could help me get to where I want or should I stick it out here and network my ass off (which I already do)? It's not a top private school or anything but there are a decent number of alumni on the Street and in Chicago.
Feel free to trash the fact that I can't focus on school here because it's really unacceptable. I'm really focused on my career at this point and really appreciate any advice you could give.
Assuming everything is OK financially for the private school, would you be able to pull a 3.5, given your prior history of lower grades?
I'm a lot like you in the social department, and promising yourself this is easier said than done, particularly when tough coursework is involved.
Plus, if their school's recruiting isn't too different from our own, is there really a point besides continuing the family tradition? I've known a few "triple transfers" (started at school X, went to community college to get credits to transfer/save money, and then went to school Y), but in your situation, it would be a bit odd to jump around so much without an apparent cause.
If you think private schools don't have a party atmosphere, you are quite mistaken ;) And even if you transfer, would you be able to pull your GPA up enough to significant level? Sure, you can stay and be a fifth/sixth year student, but is the subsequent student loan debt going to be worth it? Top private schools aren't cheap.
I am a triple transfer as well. Partied too hard my first year at a semi target, transferred to a complete non-target to get my gpa and life on track, then went back to a semi-target party school again. Joined a top fraternity and still was able to increase my gpa dramatically.
It was a great move for me as I got the FT I wanted, got my life back in order and still got to have my fun. Make the move if you think you need to. Otherwise, it's kind of a pain in the ass transferring so often.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you're going to do 5 (or 6) years in college, regardless of whether your transfer again or stay. That means you've got 2 semesters to get yourself together before the recruiting cycle one year from now (and 4 semesters for two years from now). It sounds like you have the "relevant experience" part down pretty well, so here's what I would do academically if I were you:
Put grades/academics/career-related stuff first; set hard limits on everything else. I'm sure part of your issue is being at a party school, but more likely, the deeper issue is just not being able to prioritize effectively - transferring again isn't going to change that. If you have to, take a leave of absence from your fraternity if you think it will cut down significantly on distractions. You can always go active again after you get your ducks in a row.
If possible, sandbag. Take easy classes to buffer your GPA as much as you can (but note that an issue may come up with you being a transfer student already; not sure how that might work out with your class schedule).
You didn't specifically mention this, but if you have trouble focusing, I would put away all distractions - that means no laptop, no phone, no MP3 players, etc. If you're doing problem sets, then just have your textbook, notes, and a pad of paper out. If you're writing an essay, block out as much as you can by hand, and then type everything up and add in the filler. You'd be surprised at how much better you might work when you cut down on distractions.
Good luck with everything.
I know I'm capable of pulling a 3.5+, it's definitely more a matter of focus I think. CHItizen, I appreciate the time management tips. I think I spread myself kind of thin (200+ hours of community service, multiple fraternity leadership positions, part-time job) but better time management would definitely help. Realistically, I could do 3.5+ at the private school, however I would probably only be able to raise my CUM GPA to around 3.4 after 1.5 years there (2 years from now). I could still have a 3.5+ on my resume though.
I also think it's worth noting that I'm doubling in Econ and Poli Sci at my current school since I did not get into the b-school. At the private school I could major in Finance right away. I think I have a decent story for why Econ and Poli Sci but I still know it puts my at a disadvantage. I've had relative success interviewing at boutiques and MMs but still do not have an offer, which means I could be looking at doing a 5th year. If I got a boutique banking internship this summer, I could probably try my hand at either BB or MM FT recruiting assuming I got up to a 3.3-3.4 but I just don't know how realistic that is. Ultimately it is up to me and how hard I am willing to push myself but I know for a fact the classes are easier at the private school and I would be less distracted. I suppose it comes down to being willing do 3 years at the private school vs. 1 or 2 more at my current school and if the increase in GPA would be worth the extra time.
I appreciate any more advice anyone has. None of my friends have any clue what IB is so I really don't have anybody to ask advice from.
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