I am a freshman at a great school with a rigorous program in exactly what I wanted when I graduated from high school. I’m realizing now that this isn’t what I want to do and I really should transfer. I’m considering either finishing freshman year and applying to other schools as a 2nd year transfer student, but only some of my credits would transfer. I could also just not go back for second semester (I’d get 40% tuition back) and then spend spring semester as a sort of gap year, and then applying to schools as a freshman. As a freshman applicant (last year) I got some decent scholarship offers but there are very few offered to transfer students.
Can I do that - apply as a freshman after completing one semester of college? I know I’d be in for 4 more years of college but I’d probably have to do that as a transfer as well.
Depends upon the college you plan to transfer but the majority will consider you a transfer student and not a Freshman. Check each schools website for requirements.
How about changing majors at your current school?
" As a freshman applicant (last year) I got some decent scholarship offers but there are very few offered to transfer students."
You can contact each of those places and ask if it is possible to re-activate your original application. Some might offer you a similar package if you leave your current institution now and plan to enroll at the new place next fall.
Each college/university sets its own policy about transfers, so you do need to investigate them individually. If you know you don’t want to continue your current program, take a leave from your current place (so you can go back if you don’t find anything you like better), and work on your transfer applications. There’s no good reason to spend money for second semester unless you do like the place and the credits will transfer.
I think you would be a spring transfer or something like that but yeah think you be a freshmen but still be considered a transfer if that makes sense.