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I just finished a year at Lehigh University and ended up with a 3.3 cum GPA in their business school. I joined a sorority, accounting club and was chosen to be a peer mentor for incoming frosh next year.
I am looking to transfer. I want a smaller school where I can take advantage of more opportunities (I miss all I was involved in during HS) I am considering several LAC.
I attended a top public school in NJ
SAT I- Math 730 Verbal 670
SAT II- Math IIC- 740 Writing-670 Physics-630
3.9 Weighted, took honors all throughout HS, 5 AP's senior year (we could only take them senior year)
President of community service club, student council, hospital volunteer, 8 varsity letters, volunteered coaching younger kids, won a national Constitutional Debate award in Wash DC (debate team captain), schools NJSIAA scholar athelete, etc
Great recs, great ECs, average essays

I excelled in lacrosse, and was recruited by multiple schools. I refused to look at the LAC schools even though my dad strongly encouraged them. I took official visits at Colgate, HC, Bucknell and Lehigh, and chose Lehigh. I had the lax talent to play at any of the LAC (Williams Amherst Midd Trinity etc). However I applied ED to Lehigh. This is kind of a side note... but my best friend died one week before senior year started, therefore my senior year was very difficult (it involved going to counselors and being treated for depression), considering we were involved in all of the same activies, etc. I was also afraid of rejection at colleges (I had looked at UVA, W&M, Wash & Lee, Gtown, other better schools). Therefore I took the easy route out, and applied ED to Lehigh (I knew from the coach I was definitely accepted as soon as I took my official visit). I was just relieved to not have to think about college anymore.
so I played lacrosse at Lehigh all fall up until two weeks into the spring season when I decided to quit, I was pledging a sorority (I think I got too involved in the social scene) and I wasn't into all the time committment lax required. Now I am looking to transfer to a
smaller school, but I was wondering what my chances were. I feel confident I had a good shot at these schools right out of high school
(using lax to boost my application??) but was wondering with my college grades, and the fact that I quit lax at Lehigh. I have written to all the coaches at the schools I am interested and hope to discuss things further with them. I feel it would be to my advantage to sit down with an admissions officer during an interview to explain my situation because my grades and everything seem a little sketchy. Williams is my top choice followed by Midd Trinity Hamilton Amherst. Does anyone have any advice/reccomendations/anything? You can be realistic in telling me my chances. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

By Reidmc (Reidmc) on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 01:27 am: Edit

You're doing the right things now (writing the coaches, analyzing your year at Lehigh) but you'd be wise to cast a wider net.

Given your grades (hs and college) and your SATs, Hamilton and Trinity are realistic options, though I am not familiar with their transfer statistics. You will definitely need the lacrosse coach in your corner to get into a school that is more selective than those two, and coaches (at any school) will be concerned about your drop at Lehigh.

Also, without checking all the websites, I don't believe there is a business undergrad degree at any of the LACs you've listed. Gettysburg has a good team and a business undergrad degree. Dickinson might be worth a look - they do have an international business degree. Both have active Greek scenes if that is an issue. Franklin and Marshall may be another option, with a business undergrad program and a focus on preparing students for professional schools.

Finally, playing an intercollegiate sport at any school tends to cut down on the variety of activities in which at student can meaningfully partcipate, though you will have a better chance of broader campus participation at a small LAC.

Good luck.