Considering Transferring for Financial Reasons

College Life
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Let me start by saying that I am relatively happy at my school, but for financial reasons I think I need to choose somewhere else. My college town has a lack of jobs and most students at my school do not work. We also cannot have cars our first year, and even as an upperclassmen parking is pricey and limited. Housing is also limited at my school and most juniors and seniors cannot live in campus housing. My parents pay for my school and I will have a small amount of debt upon graduation so that is okay. My main problem is with my own finances. Back home I had a good paying job and was about to be promoted. At school if I ever was able to find a job I would need to settle for a wage of about $8 less than my previous job. I really need to be saving money for a new car and other expenses. Another issue is I would not be able to afford rent if I didn’t get into campus housing as a junior. All of the student apartments around are outrageously expensive. I know a lot of people that have transferred out of my school for this exact reason.

Essentially, what I would like to do is go back to living at home and commute to a different (and more selective) college just down the street from my house. It was actually my second choice school but having the mentality of most high school seniors I decided I wanted to ‘get away’ and opted for a big state school 3 hours from my house. A few of my friends go to this school and love it. Best of all I would be debt free and able to go back to my job. Overall, I feel like staying at my current school is just financially irresponsible because there are few businesses in walking distance and none of them are hiring. Neither is campus employment.

As I said, I already have friends at this school and I have a good understanding of social life there. Also living at home isn’t a problem for me. My parents treat me like an adult and I can do the same things I would do if I was living in dorms. My current school is nice but I don’t see myself missing it.

Did you end up transferring schools after your first year/ do you know someone who did? Is this a good reason to transfer? I don’t want to regret my decision.

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  • I also don't personally know a single person who was able to afford more than 2 years at this school-
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Have you been admitted as a transfer student to the school you want to transfer to?

4

yes

5

Assuming that the lower cost school is academically suitable (meaning it has good offerings in your intended major and areas of academic interest, and there are no high admission barriers to your desired major), there do not appear to be any obvious reasons not to transfer if the current school is likely to be unaffordable in future years.

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Seems like you have already decided. That’s fine.