The thought of taking a quantum leap from 2-year community colleges to Ivy League universities would sound appealing to any ambitious mind. If you have been receiving consistent good grades and have been referred to your local community college by your manager, or professor, that thought could metamorphose from a dream to a reality. As you have your employer covering your tuition you then do not even have to bother about your financial woes, student loans or fee waivers.
However what do you do if the aforementioned picture does not suit your situation? What if you are an average Joe with average grades in High School and still cannot get that desire off your head to make it to Harvard or MIT? When you express your tall ambitions to your friends and so-called experts you will either be taunted or be told to wake up and smell the coffee.
But before you totally give up on your goal you must be aware there is still that flicker of hope which you can cling on to. You see, human achievement is something that has baffled even the most brilliant scientist or psychologist. There is no ceiling to what a person can achieve if they set their heart on it. It is precisely this capability that makes mathematicians out of janitors and business tycoons out of stay-at-home moms.
But coming to your specific intent of transferring from community college to Ivy League, it would be pertinent to state all you need to do is fulfill three requirements:
- GPA of 3.8 or possibly 4.0 in Community College
- Strong letters of recommendations from your college professors
- SAT scores of 2100 or more
If all above three points are checked off then your distant dream can be transformed into a glaring reality! I know what you are thinking. It is easier said than done right? But then any Ivy League institution would defy its status if an average Joe gets to be a shoo-in.
The factors we just discussed can be acquired by luck but they can also be achieved by sheer hard work. There are techniques you can use to focus on your work without distractions. You should not only attend class but actively listen to lectures. If you do you will automatically be inspired to ask probing questions to the instructors who will be impressed by your knowledge. Also make sure to answer the practice questions at the end of each chapter on your notes.
Make it appoint to visit your professors’ office after class. Engage them into lively conversations and of course show them how you are going the extra mile by doing more than what is required of your course curriculum.
If your SAT scores were poor then feel free to take them again after scouring through several practice guides. Above all the transfer application must be complete in all respects including a stand-out college essay. There is a remote possibility you will be accepted based on your college essay component alone.
We are not claiming that getting into Ivy League universities from community college is simple, but if it is not challenging then what is the fun in it? And if you're really serious, you can check out this community college guide to help you transfer successfully.
About The Author
Mark Rogerson is a graduate in forensic science who has received his education in both the US and the UK. Mark has currently taken a backseat in the world of academia and dedicated himself to his two kids. He currently works as a free lance writer from home during his free time. The author normally specializes in writing about genetics and forensic science. More articles by Mark Rogerson can be found by visiting: www.homednadirect.ie
