Hi
I am struggling to decide if transferring is the right choice for me. I originally got into my top choice reach school, however I didn't attend because it was so expensive and I didn't qualify for any financial aid. I actually didn't get into a bunch of schools that I really liked (but I got into my reach??) and I ended up going to my safety. It was/is about 30k cheaper per year to attend my safety that my reach and it has a beautiful campus and is really close to family. The other major appeal with this school was that absolutely nobody knew me. It was/is a state school in another state and there are zero other people from my high school there right now and nobody from my area. It was an amazing fresh start after high school having been so horrible. However, I have had a lot of second thoughts this past year about my decision. I find myself regretting not taking the risk and attending my dream school, and watching my friends have fun at their colleges while I watch, jealous.
My reasons for wanting to leave are as follows:
- classes are so easy. I struggled a lot in high school and now I barely have to do work to get an A and if not an A then a B. I've only really had to put in work for three classes over the past year and while sometimes an easy A is nice to have they shouldn't all be that way. Granted - I am not yet in my major, these are all gen-eds, so it will get harder, but I want to learn not glide by.
- The school is so underdeveloped. It is still new and growing rapidly but we don't have a lot of the other things that other schools have. I get so sad noticing how little school spirit there really is, people walk around in clothes from other schools all the time and many people transfer. Nobody attends any sports games and people left early from our homecoming game this year because we were loosing... it was really sad to see.
- I tried to rush but the sororities are new and I didn't feel like the girls who were in them carried the values that sororities should - they were more worried about looks and social status. I know a lot of people in sororities who truly believe in being good and working hard but these ones didn't seem to be that way.
- I don't feel like a lot of my friends care enough about their academics. I really want to work hard to learn and grow but people don't seem to take their schooling seriously. This is hard to explain... I hope you understand what I mean by this. They just don't focus and you look for help on a topic and nobody can help you. People are surprised when I go to tutoring... etc.
- I haven't really clicked with any group of friends... I am friendly with lots of people and have friends but I don't have any best friends and haven't found a group like so many people have.. I feel a bit lost and left out in this way.
- As a state school full of state students it doesn't seem like it will get me where I want to go. I want to move home when I am done and I worry about being able to get a job since I likely won't get recruited there. Most employers who go to my current school are from local businesses.
My fears about transferring are:
- The cost. It is so high. I know that I could manage it. It would be about 65k a year for 2.5 years (I have to transfer spring of my sophomore year I missed the fall deadline). Can you put a price on a good college education and experience? I don't really know the answer to that.
- What if I don't fit in - again. I am scared of that. I never found my place in high school nor at this first school, is that just the way it is going to be? me alone?
- the new school is so close to home. I left to start over and I don't want people who knew me before to not let me change. I can change all that I want but only if people will let me show them.
- What if I can't handle the work load? Most sophomores end their years with a group 80 page report project. That seems so incredibly daunting to me. My school is so much easier than that right now. Can I do it? Yeah of course I can, but will it kill me? That is really the question.
-What if it isn't the right choice again? What if I don't fit in and it isn't the right place.. how many times do I really want to fight that.
- I really wanted to study abroad... this whole transfer thing may kill that dream..
- transfer credits could mess up my graduation date. More money.
----
I don't want to leave my family, that is such a nice thing to have at my current school. But I am worried about this school never fulfilling my hopes for college. I want to be prepared for life after college as well as form connections that will last forever. I want to cheer at games win or lose and I just don't feel like any of those things are happening for me right now. I could really use any input about the transfer process, what it is like to transfer and what you think I should do. I am having a tough time deciding if this is even the right choice for me and any unbiased opinions would be greatly appreciated. I am not sure I want to tell my family or friends about this yet.. I do not need the judgment from my college friends (this school isn't good enough for you?) or the pressures of my family to get in and afterthoughts if I don't get in.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and aid me in my decision.
So people don't figure out who this is I am not going to say where I am in school now, but the school that I am looking back at is Boston University.
P.S. Considered UMass Amherst as well but so many people from my high school go there, I could never reinvent myself there. When I mean a lot of people I mean like 50 people every year go there from my high school. I just think it would be too much like high school.
↧