<p>I was admitted to both UC Berkeley and WUSTL for Fall 2013 and chose UC Berkeley, though it was a very difficult decision. I don't like UC Berkeley very much so far - large class sizes, large number of students in general, and the neighborhood just isn't safe or comfortable.</p>
<p>Is applying as a transfer student for Spring 2014 worth considering? I haven't looked into the matter very closely. Would being admitted for Fall 2013 help in any way (besides the fact that if I was admitted I did well in high school and on the SAT)?</p>
<p>You really need to give it more than a month before making such a large decision like transferring. If you have the mindset that you’re leaving, you stand no chance of finding your niche at Cal.</p>
<p>
I spent a summer at Cal, and I now live a few BART stations away (graduated last May), so I know the area fairly well. </p>
<p>If this is one of your reasons for disliking Cal, you’re not going to be any happier at WashU. I would not describe the area around WashU as unsafe, but it’s certainly not “safe” either. There are lots of areas around the campus that I would NOT walk around alone in at night. </p>
<p>Now, I certainly can’t be the one to make your decision for you- I loved WashU so much and proudly call it my alma matter. If you want to talk more about it, I’d be happy to. I just hope you don’t check out of Cal without giving it a real chance.</p>
<p>^OrangeBerry, could you give me why you chose UC Berkely over WUSTL ? What were your original factors ? Were the original factors at Berkely still met your expectation ?</p>
<p>I agree with Johnson 100%. The first few weeks at college are very hard for some students, which is understandable. So many changes at once. Away from home, new levels of personal responsibility, having to make new friends, living with strangers, completely different classroom atmosphere, etc. I am actually surprised it doesn’t happen more than it seems to, but I work with a lot of students and see this all the time.</p>
<p>Get involved with some clubs or other student organizations. Take the initiative to make new friends. Remember, most other freshmen are in the same boat as you, it just doesn’t seem like it sometimes.</p>
<p>As far as safety, most of the best colleges are old, and that often puts them in areas that have decayed over time. Some are coming back to some degree, some less so. But Columbia is basically in Harlem, Johns Hopkins is in a notoriously bad area, Yale has had a lot of problems with the poorer sections of New Haven, even though it is a small town by comparison to most. So on and so forth. You have to use common sense and caution no matter where you go to school, but as long as you do that you highly increase your chances of having a safe and fun experience.</p>