Average high school student, great college student, now at top university as transfer student, rare case?

Not bragging or anything. In high school I had a 3.2 GPA when it came time for college admissions and a 1980 SAT score on the first try without studying. I was rejected from UGA and NYU because my GPA was so low, although I went to a magnet school with all honors classes.



I ended up going to a university in the same city which was a 4 year university with a small name. As a result of me having a 4.0 GPA there and doing things like red cross volunteer, leadership position in clubs and getting involved with various activities like school newspaper and everything.



I was turned down by Penn (odd) yet accepted into Columbia, Cornell, UGA, Georgia Tech, UConn, and Washington U in St Louis as a transfer student. I was waitlisted and then eventually accepted at Georgetown. Currently attending Columbia University, applied to all as a junior transfer.



Am I a rare case or are there other students out there like me who have done things like this before?



I heard usually students transfer to a college of equal reputation or they transfer to a state university from community college.
I wouldn