I’m currently a first year student (but I have a lot of AP credits so I’m technically on the verge of being a junior and halfway to my degree) at one of the high ranking public universities in California. The problem is, I just don’t really like it! I thought I’d be the type of person to love college, and I do have some really amazing friends here but the student body isn’t very similar to me (I’m a really liberal girl and my school is mostly republican frat bros with no diversity) and the parties really aren’t my scene - I partied in high school and everything but the ones here are just creepy older drunk frat guys preying on younger girls in dark houses - I can’t imagine doing this every weekend for the rest of high school! I graduated high school at 16 and am on track to graduate college with my B.S. degree at 19 (I don’t seem or look younger than my peers though, I skipped a grade early on and my age has never been a problem or made me feel any different). I’m pretty independent, I lived on my own to go to art school in manhattan during the summer when I was 15 and totally thrived, so it’s not like I’m having a hard time taking care of myself. I’m stressed all the time because everyone is smarter than me - this was a reach school for me - and so I have to work extra hard to be at everybody else’s level. I think I should have gone to a smaller liberal arts school, not a big engineering university. What are my options? Has anybody had a similar experience? I’ve been thinking about maybe taking a quarter off to come home and work and earn money, but that just postpones my not liking my school, and I’ve thought about transferring but I know it’s kinda hard to transfer from a public university.
Thank you so much for your time!!! I appreciate it.
You don’t have to go to the frat parties. There are more people on your campus than you realize who are doing something else with their evenings (and not just studying).
What “high ranking public university in California” has mostly Republicans or fraternity brothers as students? Or has “no diversity”?
Perhaps, at your current school, you can explore other social scenes besides fraternity parties.
OP: definitely look into liberal arts colleges if your parents are on board with it. Big universities are overwhelming for many students.
Transferring from a well regarded UC or Cal Poly to a decent LAC is probably doable assuming you have a good college GPA. Look at the very good LACs rather than the insanely competitive tippy top ones to have the best shots. Match schools based on your academic record as well as your interests because you will need to be able to explain to these schools what it is about them in particular that appeals to you. A statement like “I want a smaller and more nurturing environment” is fine but generic…it applies to all LACs. Find a very specific program that matches up with you and talk about what you would bring to the program.
In response to UcBalumnus - I go to Cal Poly, it’s reaally not diverse - student body is 60% white but only 0.8% black and the large majority of the people are from the bay or LA, very few out of state students and I haven’t met any international students. Thank you, I’ve been trying to explore other social scenes and will continue to do so, this just seems to be the main scene at least for Freshmen and Sophomores, but I will keep looking 
Otterma, thank you so much! That is really good advice, I appreciate it. If you are from the area, do you know of what might be a good but not insanely competitive one in California?
OP, while a private LAC may be easier to transfer into after 1 year, make sure you find out what the policy is for each school. I have a friend whose freshman D is looking to transfer from one private to another for next year, and they want her to have more units under belt (like transferring with 60 units from a community college). If diversity and political leaning are important to you, make sure they are part of your criteria, or you will wind up going from the frying pan into the fire (or another equally homogeneous frying pan).
Be careful in that some LACs may have a significantly greater fraternity/sorority presence than CPSLO (about 18%), and it may be harder to get away from that if they are a large percentage at a small school. Those in isolated rural areas may have issues with “nothing to do except party and drink” social scenes (would it be correct that you feel CPSLO is that way?).
Also, while a school like CPSLO where one race/ethnicity is around 60% of the students is “less diverse” in the context of California public schools (many of which have no majority race/ethnicity), you may find that many LACs in other parts of the US are less diverse than that (i.e. where the largest race/ethnicity is 70% or more of the students). With respect to political leanings, California is mostly left-leaning, through the rural location and agriculture division may cause CPSLO to be less left-leaning than most schools in California, but you may find that schools with a less California-biased student population to be more right-leaning than you prefer.
I.e. make sure that you do not jump from the frying pan into the fire with respect to what you see as negatives of CPSLO.
I would recommend that you mindfully investigate some of the volunteer or extra curricular activities at CalPoly to suit your varied interests. I know they have a strong art department - can you take a class there and/or spend more time with those students? My experience is that art students are more diverse than what you are describing. Second, remember that these freshmen are in a different place than you, and are still enjoying being on their own for the first time. My DD is “age-diverse” from her peers, and describes some similar things. You sound like what some people call “an old soul”. You know what you want, you have a highly defined sense of acting somewhat sensibly, and your maturity separates you a bit. Be careful not to be judgmental - they are learning different lessons than you. They are experimenting for the first time with being on their own, and may do more drinking and partying this year. My DD commented that her freshmen year was “wilder” but by sophomore year, most people became much more mature and often dramatically reduced the stupid stuff they did as freshmen.
In regards to your reaction to LACs, you seem quite keen. I am a big fan, and what the others are saying is all true. The most selective ones are very diverse, relatively speaking, because they can pick and choose. You will need a good GPA, and you might also find that a lot of your AP credits will not get you much except course placement and a few credits. Your current college credits may not all beaccpeted, though this is possible at many other privates too. Before you consider this, you need to talk to a couple of registrars offices at other colleges, and your parents.
Thank you so much you guys. Your responses have been very helpful and I really appreciate the time you took to help me out
Look into Spelman - while not on the West Coast and not entirely 'diverse ’ as it is majority African American, it sounds like the environment you’re looking for.
@juillet : opinion?
Do you have a budget? LACs will be expensive and transfers typically get lousy aid. Also, some transfer deadlines have passed.
You may be interested in U Puget Sound, UPortland, Occidental on the west coast. Further away, Macalester, St Olaf, Dickinson, Clark U will be slightly more than .8% AA and with a different atmosphere than what you describe…?
@MYOS1634 puget sound is very very veryyy white. and “slightly more than .8” is still basically 1 percent…tf do you think diversity is? .8 is somehow better than .6??? have you ever been a minority? 1.5% 9%?? maybe?? is that “enough”??? those schools are all very white. honestly i feel like the majority of LAC are all pretty white, you’re much better off at cal poly than an LAC in terms of diversity.
also i know the filipino population is pretty big in cal poly, have you tried making friends with them? they do events like those traditional dancing ones (think hula?? i apologize for not knowing the correct term…oh and haka for males) and into volunteering type of clubs, and especially the dance scene (as in hip hop, break dance groups). you will definitely see a lot more diversity in those areas than in just generic white frat parties. and once you’re in those clubs like dance and stuff, you get to go to club parties/pot lucks. a lot of em are engineering majors too. i have a few friends who go there and they’re all filipino and all of their facebook pictures are w/ their filipino friends and community so i havent really seen much of the white/republican thing you’ve described. but then again a lot of times they might tend to stay w/ their own communities (perhaps for that very reason as you stated, to avoid the white republican fratties). but dont let this discourage you from joining their clubs, im sure they will be happy to welcome you!!!
just try joining some clubs that look diverse (if your school has club fairs, check out the tables that aren’t 100% white obviously. and look for things that interest you, too.) check out any diversity programs your school may have, student affairs ect. to look for programs that are targeted specifically for minorities. there are a lot of research programs and clubs available that are geared for minorities in STEM so you may want to join some of those and make friends there.
Any LAC is going to be extremely “white” compared to California public universities in general, even on the West Coast. In addition, many won’t offer much financial aid for transfers.
However, some are looking for diverse applicants and even St Olaf (2.5% AA) is better than Cal Poly. Is that good? Absolutely not. But LAC’s that give transfers FA, are accepting applications till Ap 1, and have a bit more diversity than Cal Poly are going to be limited in number, especially if you restrict to the West Coast.
I think transferring to another CA public university is probably the best bet for diversity, BTW.
2.5 AA doesn’t mean more diverse. cap poly probably has higher number of latino and asian students as well, that will probably be at single digit rates at an LAC. just because it goes up 1% in one category and drops by 30% in others doesn’t make it more diverse…it makes it less diverse… diversity isn’t just measured by AA, they’re not the only minorities…latinos and asians exist too, you know…
Some LACs will limit the number of AP credits that you can use. Will possibly pushing back your graduation date be a problem for you?