<p>I am about to be a sophomore. I went to unc- chapel hill for my freshman year but I am from Indiana. I did not like last year, I struggled at unc a lot. I hated it. I felt out of place, lonely and afraid. I felt like I didn't fit in because almost everyone is from north Carolina there and are really preppy and many people were kind of snotty and stuck up about it all. I did meet some people who were not like that. I didn't know anyone going there so that made it hard since a lot of people came with a group from high school. I know chapel hill is a " public ivy" but I really did not enjoy unc last year. At all. And I really don't want to go back. I want to transfer to Indiana university in Bloomington which will be closer to home. And I also know some people from high school there. I want to major in entrepreneurship or biology. Both schools have good programs in these areas. However, if if I do biology I might want to go med school. My mom tells me that if I go to iu I will be " ruining my life". What do you think? I have to make a decision today. When I think about going back to unc and I get really upset and I don't even know how to explain why I get so upset... Will going to Indiana really hurt my chances to get into programs for grad/ med school? I believe my grades/ attitude/ involvement will be better at Indiana because I think I will be happier. Thoughts?</p>
<p>Going to Indiana as a pre-med student will not be “ruining your life.” </p>
<p>your mom is very, very, very wrong and has no evidence for such a silly statement.</p>
<p>I can’t see how going to IU–a perfectly respectable school–is going to “ruin your life.” Is there some specific reason your mom thinks it is a bad idea? Danger of falling in with an undesirable crowd from HS? Cost? Does she think you are too inclined to cling to the familiar, and need to learn to make it elsewhere?</p>
<p>She has said she thinks I need to get through this hard time to learn life lessons. But I have made a major move before, I know it’s hard to adjust. I just think UNC is not the right place for me and my mom doesn’t understand why. I don’t know how to explain it to her bedsides things mentioned before. obviously I want to be successful in college but how much happiness do I sacrifice to get there?</p>
<p>We are from California – I visited both schools recently – Indiana for D (she selected a Iowa, but IU was very impressive, just too big and not a fit), and just visited UNC with S (he really liked it - not sure if he will apply). We have heard mixed things about what it is like to be OOS at UNC - probably depends on who you connect with. </p>
<p>While I understand your Mom’s perspective on trying to fight through adversity, you do sound very unhappy and you did give it a year. In my opinion, both schools are excellent with strong reputations and you can get a great education from either school.</p>
<p>Your mother may be afraid that if you don’t tough this out a bit longer, you won’t develop the skills necessary for toughing out unpleasant situations in the future. However, one of the other life skills that you need to develop is the ability to determine which things are worth powering-through for a specific goal, and which aren’t. Powering-through at a college/university where you are truly unhappy is rarely worth it. What would make being at an institution that you don’t like as much as you wish you did, would be a) a big scholarship that made that institution free, or at least significantly less expensive than your other option(s) and/or b) a department that is significantly better than elsewhere and where you do indeed feel truly at home despite your other difficulties with the college/university in question. If neither of those apply to you, go to IU. If either of them do, you may want to give UNC a try for another semester.</p>
<p>Please do remember that if you might be pre-Med, you want to be at a place where you can get the grades that will get you into Med School, and where you will end up with the least amount of debt. Med School admissions is heavily numbers-based, and your GPA and MCAT scores will count for much, much more than the name of the college/university where you studied. Unhappy students are more likely to develop problems with their classes. Most of us learn better, and get better grades, when we are happy studying what we are studying, and when we are happy where we are studying.</p>
<p>*Unhappy students are more likely to develop problems with their classes. Most of us learn better, and get better grades, when we are happy studying what we are studying, and when we are happy where we are studying. *</p>
<p>this is VERY true. EXCELLENT point!!!</p>
<p>If you end up with a lower GPA because you’re unhappy at UNC, then that will cause more problems for med school admissions. You may get rejected from all med schools if you don’t graduate with a strong GPA.</p>
<p>You need to go where you’re happy and doing well if you want to get into med school.</p>
<p>I must say that I have heard this complaint from OOS students at UNC before. Obviously, it can be tough for some socially, despite the advantages of the school. IMHO, you should transfer to Indiana if you are <em>seriously</em> unhappy at UNC-- if the money works. </p>
<p>Are you sure there is no precipitating event, such as a breakup? If there is, it might be better to wait it out. At least try to have another conversation with your mother about it, and see if you can really hear each other out.</p>
<p>So often I hear similar stories like this, and I’ll use one of the threads as an example every time if I must to help get the message across. Selecting the right fit is the #1 most important factor in a successful college experience! It doesn’t matter if the college is ranked #1 or #2000, if it’s not the right fit, you will be unhappy for 4 years. You have the option of transferring to one that fits you better or you’ll have to deal with it the rest of the time and perhaps it may even change the course of your career goal. College is what you make of it. You can’t blame the school or the people in it. Do your research. Take control of your own education!
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1185550-getting-plowed-my-freshman-year-princeton.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/1185550-getting-plowed-my-freshman-year-princeton.html</a></p>