I am currently a second semester Junior Physics Major considering transfering to another school. Compared to other students in my current instituition, I am not excited about this school and I am very non-chalant about it. The social life is lacking, with it small peaks here and there. I been considering transfering since Sophomore year. I recently got accepted in a school I applied to for this spring semester and to my surprise I am having trouble deciding wether to leave or stay. Here are my reasons for leaving or staying
Leaving
- I currently have an overall GPA of 3.3. I want to have a fresh start academically (GPA reset). I will put know every effort it needs.
- I am looking to have a new experience in the new school, meet different people and do different things
- This may not be a good reason but the school is visually attractive.
- It was be less financially stressful on my parents.
Reason for Staying
- The faculty here is supportive and there is are two particular classes for my major offered in this current school that I am really interested in taking this semester.
- I have a job in Supermarket which is a. 4 minute walk from my dorm and pays well.
- If I do transfer I’ll end up staying an extra year becuase I am missing two requirements in the new school. INSTEAD OF Graduating Spring 2017 I’ll be graduating Spring 2018 if I do transfer.
- I fear it will be the same experience in the new school since either coming in as a transfer and I won’t have time to get the “college experience”. By that I do not mean parties. I mean the way a school makes you feel and how you feel about that school.
My question might be vague but any advice or a shove toward the right direction will be greatly appreciated. I’ve given it thought and I haven’t arrived anywhere with it.
P.S: I am considering transfering From Baldwin Wallace University to Binghamton University.
Some part of me wants to transfer, some part of me wants to stay and some part of me wants to graduate on time.
Edit: Also if I do consider transfering I was thinking beginning in the fall since I’ll have to spend an extra year anyway. (I was considering deferring my application)
Also if I should stay, give me advice on how I should approach things.
My apologies if my questions are too vague
Generally speaking it’s really tough to transfer out as a junior regardless of your stats, most schools want you to attend for at least two years (meaning you transfer in junior fall at the latest). So if you want to transfer, this may be your one shot, regardless of any stats.
As for “college experience”, it varies, my brother transferred schools and had a much better experience at his new college than he did at his old one, so it’s absolutely not a given that your “college experience” will be degraded by transferring.
You don’t get a full academic re-set when you transfer. You are going to need to provide both academic transcripts whenever anyone asks for your records.
Will two years at the new place be cheaper (or at least no more expensive than) one year at the current place?
I appreciate the advice @Texas2401.
@happymomof1 I’m not really fearfully of the transcript. The two years will be cheaper out pocket. However I’ll have to take out and extra 5000 federal.
loan for the last year or I can reduce it and pay the rest out of pocket.
Let me clarify a bit more.
In terms of loans,
The current school will be 1000 dollars more. That is
1000+The general 5000 for the last year in loans.
The new school will be the general loans (5000) plus an extra for the next year. However the out of pocket cost compared will be significantly lower.
What are your goals for after you graduate?
@xraymancs go to grad school for a field in physics which I haven’t got any idea for at the moment. However I know it will be physics related.
I think you are better off staying for your final year where you are, getting the best possible GPA and as much research experience as possible (the deadlines for summer 2016 REUs are coming up soon and you should apply to several) and the best possible letters of reference from your supportive professors so that you can get into the best possible graduate program that fits your interests.
Graduate schools will look at all your transcripts and so there is no academic reset possible as far as they are concerned. If you transfer to a new school you won’t get to know the faculty as well and your letters of reference will not be as strong.
Yes, you are not totally happy with your current school but you only have 3 semesters left. Prepare to take the GREs in the Fall and apply to graduate programs you can be excited about.
I guess ill.have to make the best of what I have so far @xraymancs thank you. It’s just that sometimes I find it hard to concentrate in this environment. Might sound wierd but I feel.more comfortable with noise around me. I’m going to try and find some summer REUs. I think that’ll give me a chance to a new experience.
By the way, don’t worry too much about the area of physics you get involved with research on in the summer or at your school. The key is to get research experience and most graduate programs in physics do not expect that all students have a clear idea of the specific area they will pursue in graduate school. I started expecting that I would do particle theory but I ended up being a condensed matter experimentalist. No regrets…
“Might sound wierd but I feel.more comfortable with noise around me.”
Some people are like that. You may find it helpful to study with the radio or TV on. Just please don’t use earbuds 24-7. It is too easy to crank the volume up too high, and you can permanently wreck your hearing.