<p>Hey,</p>
<p>I'm beginning my second year of college in about a week, but I'm reconsidering my college choice. The courses aren't difficult or challenging, and I feel like it's a waste of time and money. I'm not sure where I'd want to transfer right now, so I'm actually thinking of taking a semester off after withdrawing from my current college. Would this be an okay thing to do? I'm hoping it won't hurt my chance of being accepted as a transfer student in the future. </p>
<p>Also, say I took a loan last year for college, and didn't have to start paying back until after college. If I withdraw, I'd have to start paying but if I go back to school, would I keep having to pay back the loan? I was thinking of an out of state college so getting a job to pay might be tough. </p>
<p>And finally, I know I need my college transcript so if I were to have the college send it to my house, could I just send the transcript myself to other colleges? I don't know if I'll be able to have the school send it after I withdraw. </p>
<p>Thanks a lot if anyone can help, I'm really nervous at this point since I'm so close to going back to school!</p>
<p>Where do you want to transfer (top 3 or 4 choices)? For some schools it is easier to transfer as a sophomore, others as a junior. So whether or not taking time off hurts or helps depends on your target school/s.</p>
<p>Another thing to consider is how your HS grades and SAT scores were. For a soph transfer, usually HS grades are <em>very</em> important. As a junior transfer, often HS grades/SAT scores are not even asked for, and if asked for, are not weighted very heavily. So, how competitive are your target transfer schools and how do your HS scores fit into the picture?</p>
<p>You should get a 6 month window before loan repayment begins. Thus, whether or not that kicks in depends on how long of a break. When you are back in school fulltime, the student loans will go back to the prior status (deferral). </p>
<p>Most colleges have ways for you to request official transcripts via phone or snail mail, or even sometimes online. Just ask your college (the info is probably also on their website). It shouldn’t be a problem, colleges expect their students to move on and live in all corners of the world later in life and need to access and/or send transcripts.</p>
<p>So if you want more specific advice you will need to state your HS gpa/SAT scores - your current college profile and gpa, and your target schools.</p>
<p>I’m not exactly sure on 3 or 4 schools, but I was really interested in Seton Hill University in PA. The school doesn’t have a GPA required to enter, but they do look at SAT/ACT, and college GPA for transfer students. I’m hoping to have a good chance at entering that college, my current college GPA is 3.75. Unfortunately I was a slacker in high school and had a 2.3 GPA and I hope it doesn’t kill my chances of getting in. </p>
<p>Again I was a slacker, so I don’t think my SAT scores are great =/ . I got a 440 in Reading, 500 Math, and 470 Writing. I can’t find any actual requirements at Seton Hill for GPA or ACT/SAT scores, it just says that they look at them.</p>
<p>Thanks for clearing up the loan question as well as the transcript. I’m glad that I most likely wouldn’t have to keep paying once I started college again! =)</p>
<p>I have one more question; would it be better to stay in college for say a semester, and then while I’m in school, work on getting transferred to a different college? My parents really want me to just stay in school rather than take a break and then continue, but I’m not sure if I should. I’ve talked to at least 10 people from my current college who have transferred, and just about all of them have had problems getting the credits to transfer(I don’t know why, is it because the school isn’t great?). If I go for a semester and just take a few classes, they might not even transfer the credits so I feel it would be a waste of money even though I’d be learning…</p>
<p>On Collegeboard.com, the middle 50% SAT of first-year students are:
Middle 50% of
First-Year Students Percent Who
Submitted Scores
SAT Critical Reading: 420 - 540 94%
SAT Math: 430 - 560 94%
SAT Writing: 420 - 540 94%
ACT Composite: 17 - 24 27% </p>
<p>[College</a> Search - Seton Hill University - SAT®, AP®, CLEP®](<a href=“http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/CollegeDetail.jsp?collegeId=1262&profileId=6]College”>College Search - BigFuture | College Board)</p>
<p>You seem to be in around the lower - middle of these stats. You might want to retake them but I don’t know how this info differs from transfer stats.</p>
<p>What I see is that you have a nice sharp upward trend in GPA from HS to college. Because your SAT scores are modest, it seems to show that you are truly applying yourself in college with your 3.75 gpa (congrats).</p>
<p>I think the best route with all the factors listed so far is to stay in college in this interim while you are applying for transfer.</p>
<p>One reason is if you are on the edge sometimes colleges ask for a “grade update” of your recently completed classes (which would be this fall–if you stayed in school). </p>
<p>Note also that your classes may not feel challenging because the first two years are usually lower division/intro classes. That won’t necessarily change drastically at a place like Seton Hill because you will still be taking lower division courses the first two full years as a general rule.</p>
<p>Plus your parents would like you to continue. Not a make or break, but always nice to keep in the mix, especially if they are helping at all with finances.</p>
<p>Personally, I think your transfer app is stronger by staying current in school. It shows continued drive forward, something that is good for a student with a modest HS record.</p>
<p>Eh I might see if I can retake the SAT’s but I’m not sure. Thanks!</p>
<p>I think I’m going to go ahead and stay in college currently while I decide to transfer. It probably looks better for colleges if I don’t take 6+ months off. Yeah I’ve pretty much only had basic classes. It just seems like none of the professors at my college actually care about teaching. I remember my algebra teacher actually telling my class that he’s only there for a paycheck and didn’t care if people learned anything…</p>
<p>My parents aren’t really helping lol but they just want me to do something. My mom doesn’t actually care whether I go to college to get a good career or not =/.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot for all the help already! Only a few posts have pretty much changed my mind about college completely at this point. =)</p>
<p>I’m sorry you’ve gotten apathetic instructors…when possible (if the college classes aren’t full/impacted) I advise students to drop-then-add a new section with a new advisor. My daughter had a Poly Sci professor at her community college start the first day of class with the statement “I don’t want to be here. I’d rather be home still gardening.” It was not said with humor, it was a bedraggled, burnt-out, glum teacher who was clearly not happy to be there. My daughter was able to drop the class and get into a different section.</p>
<p>Rate My Professor dot com is another good resource to weed out terrible professors before signing up. </p>
<p>One needs to go the extra mile at a lack-luster school to find the professors who care and are passionate about teaching. They are out there. In the meantime, keep up the great gpa–I see a transfer in your future!</p>