I am a college freshman who has almost completed his second semester, and I have been generally unhappy with the school, but there are some good things. The main reasons I want to transfer are because my current school is ridiculously small and a suitcase school on top of that. Almost all of the resident students are in-state, so those that like to party stay on campus and party on weekends, while those that don’t like to party go home. In addition, the school is in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and the downtown has nothing but a few restaurants and antique stores. Without a car, you are bored shitless, and there are literally family homes a few feet away from campus. The only solid friend I have at the school commutes there 2 days a week, so I rarely see her, so she doesn’t make enough of a difference in my decision. I eat dinner with a few guys most nights, but they like to drink and use drugs some of the time, and I don’t do drugs or drink, so I dont usually hang out with them outside of meals. Plus, there is a lot of drama within the group, and two of the members of the group are fairly awkward, but they are good dinner companions. And one of them is graduating next year, so he would be gone for my junior year if I stayed. I am in a few clubs, but they haven’t had any meetings because they are so unpopular, and I have a few friends in the building, but they are loners and never want to leave their rooms. Plus, we don’t click that much anyway and I hang out with them at times out of boredom. My roommate is the worst you could ask for and is a party animal, and never uses headphones when he listens to music. And he kicks me out of the room for several hours on Friday and Saturday nights so he and his friends can party and does not let me back in until he’s done. In my dorm and most others, the student lounge is completely empty and everyone’s doors are always closed, even at 7pm on a Friday night. The student center on campus is also completely desolate on the weekends and most weeknights. My entire family is wondering why I dislike where I am, and they ask me why I want a party school now when I didn’t want one before. I do not want a party school nor do I want a suitcase school, and they think that a school is either
a party school or suitcase school and there is no college that is in between the two. They think that any school I go to that is not a party school will the be the exact same way my school is, with the campus being completely dead on weekends and I will be just as bored. Additionally, my school can’t give me the degree I want, so if I stay, I would earn an economics degree and go to graduate school for my finance degree. All of the schools I have applied to for Transfer have very good business schools, but my school has only a regular college. The academics in general have been very good, though. So anyway, do you think I am making a huge mistake by transferring colleges for a better social life. And would every campus be the exact same way, with nothing to do for non partiers. I need to know.
I just want to make sure I have tried hard enough to like my current school before I transfer. From the beginning of school until around Thanksgiving, I loved it there and had a thriving social life, but after around finals, my friends started becoming recluses, and my really good friend moved off campus. She lived on campus my first semester, but then she started commuting and will not be moving back to campus at any point. The monotony of the campus also is really getting to me.
“my school can’t give me the degree I want,” This seems like a valid academic reason. The rest of your message describes what I might call valid lifestyle reasons.
“The academics in general have been very good,” seems to suggest that if you can find an acceptable living situation, then your current school could be okay.
How long does your currently school require you to live in dorms on-campus? If you are allowed to live off-campus after a year, can you find an apartment or house near campus with people that are more attuned to your life style? You should be able to find ads for roommates that mention “quiet” or “studious” or “responsible”. In many or most cases people will want to get next year’s roommates arranged before the end of this academic year. Is there a “quiet” dorm? A “quiet” dorm tends to mean less drinking and noise, but there are still people there and they are still going to want to do something on weekends.
You didn’t mention which school you are at, which other schools you are considering, cost, or grades. You should try to keep your grades up since this will impact your options going forward (including the ability to transfer). Once you get accepted to transfer elsewhere, you might want to post your options on CC and get opinions (but you will need to name the universities). You might want to visit a few also if you have the chance to do so, although I don’t see how you could visit any while they are still in session since you will need to focus on academics where you are. Note that cost is an issue for almost any college student.
In terms of other schools: Nowhere will be perfect. There will be drinking and partying pretty much anywhere, particularly on weekends. There should be some studious and responsible students pretty much anywhere. You are going to need to look for a better living situation where ever you go.
My school guarantees on campus housing for 4 years, so everyone lives on campus all 4 years. The school is in a wealthy neighborhood, so there are no affordable apartments nearby. But if I transfer to a city school, I will live on campus next year but definitely in an apartment junior year. I want an apartment eventually no matter what I do, with people I know and like. The boredom is my main problem here, but my roommate doesn’t help. If I by a small chance stay, I will be getting a single next year, but I really don’t think I want to stay. Additionally, I find myself homesick and missing my job and my friends at home and really wishing I could commute. I feel like I’d be less homesick if this school wasn’t so small, isolated, and boring.