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<p>It really depends on the school. Some schools do not permit one to transfer into the regular degree-granting program if one has done a visiting program.</p>
<p>ABC- I grew up less than an hour away from Ithaca. Inasmuch as Cornell is extraordinarily presitigous, if I had ever applied and been admitted, I would have found it culturally extraordinarily suffocating. Ithaca is known to be a little ‘out there,’ and if you’re not really in with that scene (i.e. hippies, etc.), it might not be for you. For people who are not accustomed to the weather of upstate NY, especially the winter, it can be a problem. I now go to school in the south, and ironically, really miss the snow. As far as staying because its Cornell, I think you are putting more emphasis on that then is necessary. If you aren’t happy there, none of the other things will really matter, and four years is a LONG time to be miserable. I have heard that the pressure to perform there is huge, so I think somebody breaking down at a bus stop would not be that uncommon (sadly). As was said, you really need to assess why you are there, and I would strongly suggest speaking to a counselor. Even if you aren’t suffering from depression (which they could determine and help you with), they could really help you sort things out and make a clear decision. And, if you are really stuck on Cornell, you could always transfer back in I’m assuming (should you transfer out). Don’t let the prestige of Cornell, or your parent’s opinion, stand in your way. Ultimately YOU are the one who has to be there and live it, so you need to make the decision that is best for YOU. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Purdue’s Hospitality program was quite easy. Very, well respected school also. Had a friend who transferred from Purdue to Cornell’s Hotel School though. Told me it was a lot of work.</p>
<p>ABC, my son is a fresh. too. He turned down two Ivy acceptances to attend a small LAC for a variety of reasons. He thought it would be the best fit for who is is. We realized over Christmas break that this was not the place for him and he is taking a semester off for this and other reasons and filing his transfer applications. In short, he found many things about the LAC that kept him outside the social norm (big party school, too many privileged students with too much money for drugs, high pressure due to its reputation and so on…)He is also an athlete and that grind made it impossible for him to participate in cultural/environmental programs on campus…which is really where is heart is. </p>
<p>Perhaps you need a break. If you Google “Harvard Time Out Burn Out” you will find an interesting article that is actually on Harvard’s admission pages. It speaks to the importance of taking a time out… In fact, Harvard encourages a break year or a semester break within the undergrad degree! The article explains, if you read to the end, that this “time out” does not have to be cram-packed with other courses and activities. Life, and particularly the college fiasco in this country is a hamster wheel with way to many RPMs. Intelligence shines when realizing it is time to get off that wheel and courage admired when you actually step out of the stupidity that drives so many. I bet if you show this article to your parents, they may change their minds… </p>
<p>Blessings and good luck! You should be proud of yourself for listening to your instincts. That ability will carry you far in life! Promise!</p>
<p>I haven’t been on here in awhile but I have decided against transferring. My parents really don’t want me to transfer and I think I’m a little too late in the game to start the whole process. I’ve also discussed the possibility of transferring with my friends and they all got mad and told me not to, which is fine. Not to mention, I have many scholarships applied here and my parents are basically paying for everything. I have good days and bad days here. It’s freezing and we got almost two feet of snow last week but I’m used to winters. Like I’ve said before, it’s the attitudes and social atmosphere. People are so competitive and, even within my group of friends, they are so concerned with being right and get so defensive about every little joke. I don’t care that I’m not the smartest; I don’t care if I’m above or below the curve; I just feel as though I’m too laid back for this environment. I don’t plan out my days, get to class 30 minutes early, and don’t suck up to every teacher and class mate just for the sake of “networking”.
I’m not a party animal, but I go out and I have a good group of friends, but I’m not as happy as I was with my high school friends. I didn’t rush, which I regret, but i didn’t want to come back a week early and I already have a group of people who I’m rooming with next year. </p>
<p>If I were to transfer, which I guess would have to be NEXT year, I would go to school with one of my best friends. I’ve already visited him and I met a good group of people there who I got along with, not to mention I would be with my best friend. He wasn’t put off by the idea, but I decided not to transfer. Second semester is almost over and I like it a little better (and am doing better) than last semester. Still, I don’t love my college experience like I loved my high school experience.</p>
<p>i have been on a medical leave of absence from cornell and am applying to transfer elsewhere. this decision has NOTHING to do with my opinion of cornell and does not change how fondly i feel about the three years i spent there; my medical situation has altered my life in such a way as to necessitate my going to school closer to home. i know it can be hard to be there - the stress levels run high and (i know from experience) the depression that grabs ahold at times can be debilitating. but as a government major in arts and sciences, i loved my classes and professors and have never once regretted a minute i spent there. i know others have suggested looking into the possibility of transferring internally, and i know you’re still not sure whether you want to stay at cornell at all, but i would really recommend at least TRYING to give a chance to some of the other opportunities cornell has to offer. i’m biased (obviously), but how about checking out arts and sciences? govt, history, american studies, women’s studies, latin-american studies, philosophy, anthropology, africana studies…seriously, the professors in these fields are phenomenal. before i went to cornell, i never thought it was even possible to learn so much! and as far as the surroundings are concerned, ithaca is filled with fun, cool places to explore. my grandparents lived in ithaca when i was growing up, so i got to experience the other side of the town/gown divide, and let me tell you, there is a LOT to do off campus, and i always thought it was lamentable that cornell kids didn’t get off the hill once in awhile and check out the surrounding area, ya know? pm me if you want to and i can give you some ideas of what to do outside the cornell campus. sorry this got so long, and i hope i didn’t ramble too much!</p>
<p>chanel 5 wrote: “Inasmuch as Cornell is extraordinarily presitigous, if I had ever applied and been admitted, I would have found it culturally extraordinarily suffocating. Ithaca is known to be a little ‘out there,’ and if you’re not really in with that scene (i.e. hippies, etc.), it might not be for you.”</p>
<p>actually, ITHACA is fun and hippie-ish - although even it is nowhere near the stereotype. CORNELL is NOT hippie-ish at all, not from my experience. sure there are plenty of progressives and liberals (of which i am one happy one), but what college isn’t full of progressives? how sad a place a campus would be without open-minded young (and older) people! lol… anyway, nope, cornell isn’t very hippie-ish at all; in fact, i was a little disappointed by all the frat parties and the tendency for greek life to dominate cornell’s social world. and, jmho, what hippie-ness exists in ITHACA (again, ithaca is very much NOT equivalent to cornell) is fun and enjoyable and not at ALL overwhelming. cornell could stand to let a little bit more of ithaca brush off on its campus…if that makes sense.</p>
<p>ABC I wish you the best of luck <em>hugs</em></p>
<p>ABC- While ultimately the decision is yours, (and as someone who has dealt with a similar issue), my advice to you would be to not totally turn your back on the option of transferring. There is no harm in sending out applications; that way, you have some options if you think you need them and at the same time it doesn’t commit you to anything (you can still stay at Cornell). Although ultimately, it is YOUR decision, quite honestly your post above didn’t sound much better than some of your previous ones. I’m not saying that from a critical point of view; I’m saying that as someone who has been there and knows what its like, and therefore, from personal experience, is advising you to leave room for options. Whether or not you ultimately decide to stay at Cornell, I honestly think you would feel a whole lot better in your decision if you had the freedom to weigh options…I wish you all the best!</p>
<p>And Moonshine…
You’re right…my outlook was based primarily on Ithaca. I really have no knowledge of the Cornell scene, but as Cornell is in Ithaca, many people tend to link them together. I lived about 45 minutes from Ithaca, and where I come from, that is one of the biggest perceptions of Ithaca. Of course there is nothing wrong with that…I just don’t think its for everyone, including myself. To each his own, right? :]</p>
<p>^^yes, definitely - it’s not for everyone. but yeah, i think people tend to forget that quite frequently the town in which a university/college is located and the university/college itself can be completely different, often to the point that (as in the case of ithaca and cornell) there is a lot of tension between the the two. anyway, sorry, hope i haven’t gone off on too much of a tangent!</p>
<p>ABC - hey, i totally understand having regrets about not rushing. for me, it wasn’t so much that i actually wanted to be in a sorority as that i wanted to feel included, and so much of the social life there SEEMS to revolve around the greek system. still, when you dig a little deeper, you might be able to find some more opportunities for socializing. i found some. but i think i have a sense of how you’re feeling, and i want you to know you’re not as alone as you might feel.</p>