I am a sophomore at the University of Connecticut and want to know how I can transfer to a smaller school?

Question

I am interested in getting into a smaller liberal arts oriented school in the new england/NY state region. My brother attends Emerson University and my Uncle is a professor at Bard college, both of which are good representatives of the type of place I would like to go. I would like to finish the fall 08 semester here and then switch schools either for the spring '09 or Fall '09 semester, whatever gives me more of a chance to get in. The only schools I applied to after High School were UCONN and Eastern CT University so I have no idea on my chances of getting in anywhere else. My GPA after my first year is 3.77 and I made the Dean's list both times. I got a 1990 on the SAT with a 750 on the verbal and a 710 in writing. Mu high school GPA was 3.3 and I got completed 3 AP tests, 2 in English and 1 in history, with scores of 4. I am open to any suggestions on schools and my likelihood of getting into them.

Answer 1

Based on your grades and etc., I think you can transfer into a pretty darn good school. Based on the schools you've already listed, plus your academics, I think you may want to have a look at the following schools, some of which are far harder to get into than others, but all of which are solid:

Smith (if you're female), Middlebury, Bowdoin, Vassar, Bard, Wesleyan U (CT), Colgate, Hamilton, Colby, Bates, Mount Holyoke (again, if female), Ithaca, Simmons (if female), Marist, Emerson, which you'd listed, Trinity College (CT), Union College, Connecticut College, Skidmore, Wheaton College (MA), Saint Lawrence U, Hobart and William Smith, Bennington, Stonehill, Hampshire, and Sarah Lawrence.

Maybe Syracuse, unless that feels too big to you, but it has an Emersonish vibe to it, and I think it's smaller than UConn. Maybe Clark University. Maybe Holy Cross and Providence College, but I'm not sure those are a fit for you, as they don't have the same feel as schools like Bard and Emerson do. But academically, they'd work.

I did include a few in NY, because you'd mentioned Bard.

I'd want you to begin looking into each school asap, to give yourself time for the application process in case any of them do take transfers for Spring term.

Answer 2

I would suggest College of the Holy Cross which is about an hour east of you.  Holy Cross is highly rated academically (#33 on US News), has a gorgeous campus (on top ten list of most beautiful campuses in the nation per Princeton Review) and only 2800 students but also Division 1 NCAA athletics.  Their basketball team is often in the NCAA tournament.  The college provides free shuttles to Boston and Providence on Fridays and Saturdays.  I think you have the stats to get in.