<p>I was pressured by my family to attend Ohio State over Alabama and gave in to their pressure. After spending a month here, I can say that I am incredibly regretful of my decision, and would like nothing more than to attend Alabama. though I am not struggling academically, I feel like I really do not fit i with anyone I have met here and my depression has resurfaced. Though I’m starting treatment for my depression today, I want to know my options for attending Alabama if I do decide that leaving OSU is my best option. It does not seem that UA offers transfer scholarships to OOS students, at least to the degree required for me to be able to afford the tuition. Would I be able to transfer after my 1st semester and keep the UA Scholar scholarship, would I need to completely drop out from school and reapply for next year, or do I have no chance of being able to get my scholarship and transfer to PSU or Pitt?</p>
<p>I am so sorry to hear about your situation. You would need to see if you can withdraw from your school and still be considered an incoming frosh for next fall. </p>
<p>You can’t transfer …you won’t get the scholarship.</p>
<p>@brianz87 So sorry- it seems like you are going through a tough time. Perhaps maybe things will get better with time? Many kids, even those who go to their first choice schools, often feel lonely during their first few months at school. It was not your choice to attend OSU, but it is a great school. Are you giving it chance? It could be that you are not because the situation was forced on you. </p>
<p>Contact <a href=“mailto:mary.spiegel@ua.edu”>mary.spiegel@ua.edu</a> and find out if you withdraw from OSU will you be able to apply as a frosh next year and get the scholarship. Do that today.</p>
<p>If you get a “yes” from Mrs. Spiegel, then next step is a medical withdrawal from your school. </p>
<p>You may need a note from your therapist for you to get a medical withdrawal from OSU.</p>
<p>Of course all of this depends on whether your parents will allow this. If not, then you may have to make the best of it at OSU.</p>
<p>I remember your posts last spring and thought you were coming to Bama. I didn’t realize that your parents had convinced you to go to OSU. I hope everything works out for you.</p>
<p>From the phone calls and emails I have made to the university, it does not seem like I will be able to have my scholarship reinstated. I honestly believe that at this point I might as well drop out of college entirely and just go to trade school or join the work force because I can not see myself going here or at any pennsylvania in state school that I could transfer to for another 4 years.</p>
<p>What exactly did you say to the univ. You wouldnt be asking for a re-instatement. You would be asking…If I withdraw from OSU and have NO CREDITS there, and I reapply to Bama for Fall 2015, am I eligible for the Presidential. </p>
<p>AND you need to ask Mary Spiegel. She’s the only one who can approve this.</p>
<p>My family is not supportive of me dropping out this semester because it is unlikely I will get any more than 50% of the money I spent to come here back, so they want me to at least finish the semester before I do anything, even if my therapist feels that I should withdraw from the university. The email said that I would not be able to obtain my scholarship if I transfered after this semester, though if I do go against my parent’s wishes and medically withdraw from OSU I presume I would be able to apply to Alabama as a freshman. </p>
<p>Please quit presuming and follow mom2collegekids advice. She is trying to help you. Sorry for the pressure your family is putting on you but this is your life not theirs.</p>
<p>I understand that you might not want to go against your parents, but I think that if you can show that UA will hold open your scholarship, and explain to them that you want to take the next year to get counseling and work to help pay for schooling next year they might be more understanding knowing that you have shown them a plan. If they won’t help you with other costs next year you have the option to save money and take out loans to cover room and board. A lot of students are self supportive. It’s harder but can be done if you have the willpower. Talk to them about it after you have all your ducks in a row.</p>
<p>OP, I love UA (actually have 2 sons attending) but IMHO I don’t think it is THAT much different than Ohio State or really any other good state university. Every university might have something “extra” than another, but most offer the same experience academically and socially. Unless you luck out and find your perfect friend right away or find that perfect professor who takes you in a different direction than anticipated, most students have to work at finding their place at school by attending and speaking up in classes, joining clubs and just putting themselves out there. Now UA does have one of the best (if not best) football teams in the nation, and does offer some outstanding academic programs such as CBH, University Scholars etc. so you would be fortunate to attend here, but I bet Ohio State has alot of opportunities too. Just keep in mind that if you do transfer it might not be exactly what you pictured and you might have to work hard here to feel comfortable too.</p>
<p>OP - the question is are you willing to take a medical withdrawal if Mary Speigel/UA would allow you to reapply fall 2015 and you have no college credits between now and then? UA offers the same automatic scholarships as they did for 2014. </p>
<p>I hope your family can be supportive of you in the right ways. My DD had depression in HS junior year, and it went into senior year - family history of depression, so we knew the meds and therapy she needed and received. It is difficult when it surfaces during the time you are experiencing.Was able to taper off meds during first semester of college.</p>
<p>Of course you are losing $$ spent at OSU, but if it makes a big difference to you, it is an investment in your well-being.</p>
<p>You have to act fast though, as the more time going, the more difficult to make the move you want.If you were offered scholarships to other schools, it would need to be like UA - if they would have you with scholarship and gap year (no college work during gap year).</p>
<p>Just my two cents:</p>
<p>OP: Consider what kjcphmom said. What is it you are hoping to find at Bama that is lacking at OSU? If you’re having trouble ‘fitting in’ at OSU or ‘finding your niche’, you may discover that since Bama is also a large state school that you encounter the same there.</p>
<p>To the other posters: Personally I 100% agree that if the OP drops out now, that he should be able to enroll in UA next year (or possibly even in January) as a new freshman. However with the fact that the OP has stated a problem with depression, I wonder if that’s why his parents wanted him to stay closer to home. I am sure there are mitigating circumstances in the decision that we’re not aware of, so advising OP “this is your life and not theirs” and that he can take on the added stress of trying to be self-supporting may or may NOT be the best resolution to this situation.</p>
<p>^^ Very well said…and you beat me to the punch.</p>
<p>My DD had depression, which she felt like she would do better away. She had some short away excursions - ultimately depression has to be dealt with by the person. A lot can be said for a student doing well where they want to be in school and where they will ‘feel’ happy.</p>
<p>Some parents do not understand how to be supportive, and they thought they were doing the right thing. Sorry it isn’t working out at OSU.</p>
<p>I am part of the Bama Parents Group on FB. We have seen lots of parents talking about the fact that their kids are unhappy at Bama and thinking about transferring. This is a common reaction for Freshman at any school in these early months. How do you know you will be happier at Bama? Please consider getting help with your depression and sticking it out until the end of the semester. You may find that OSU is the perfect place for you after all! Good Luck!</p>
<p>I agree with the above posters. I do think that college is often what you make of it, that it is possible to thrive in a less than perfect environment and not the one you saw yourself in. I know of a number of students who had a miserable beginning to their year in a school they really wanted to attend and hated the school for the first few months and wanted to transfer. They stuck it out and it has ended up being perfect for them. The key was to go find like minded people. You may not have met them yet, but in a school the size of Ohio State they are there.</p>
<p>On the other hand, I agree that people tend to do better where they want to be and I wonder if you will spend your life wondering “what if…” </p>
<p>I think Mom2 is right, you need to call and ask the right questions about leaving without any credits. If you are determined to move and UA is willing to reinstate your scholarship then perhaps you could persuade your parents by offering to come home and work and pay back the money they have spent this year.</p>
<p>Best of luck.</p>
<p>Good luck to the OP! Hope you will give it a little time… Regarding Post #14 above – Just wanted to mention to others who may be reading this at a later time…just FYI…I am part of a couple of Bama parents FB groups and I have heard of only one freshman who is considering transferring out of UA. Of course I’m NOT saying that only one student is thinking about a transfer 
… I’m sure there ARE some (as with every school)…I simply don’t want other readers to think that a large number of freshmen are unhappy and seriously thinking about transferring…because mostly what I hear from other parents is how much their kids are loving it! But there are lots of “adjustments” for many kids to make, going into a new, large environment like that, no doubt…</p>
<p>amy9998, I think you misinterpreted my post. I didn’t mean that lots of freshman were transferring. I meant that these first few weeks are an adjustment at any school and lots of kids feel unhappy at first but grow to love it before the semester is over. The grass always looks greener on the other side. I hope the OP will stick it out and see if this is the case for him/her instead of throwing away the whole semester in hopes that Alabama will be everything he/she wants.</p>