<p>I would advise to give Vandy more time, but to try to make changes to try to make yourself happier there. </p>
<p>I suggest investigating carefully the classes that you will enroll in next semester, to find classes that will have the characteristics you want - intellectually challenging but not busy work. Is there a course evaluations website? Do you know any upperclassmen you can ask about classes they have taken?</p>
<p>I am assuming if you have a full-tuition merit scholie than you had to have been very competitve as an in-coming freshman. If that is the case, then your current grades probably are not what you initially anticipated. </p>
<p>And the more work vs. actual content sounds like someone who did well in high school, enough to warrant a full scholie but someone who isn’t used to checking the boxes and doing the “grunt” work that freshman year is comprised of. Part of the learning experience is learning to “check the box”.</p>
<p>Was Vandy your first choice? Or was it another school?</p>
<p>If you had certain expectations going in rather than just letting the campus, classes and people unfold around you, you might have set yourself up for disappointment.</p>
<p>This isn’t about Vandy, this is about you. It is about what you make of it. If, after another semester or two you are still truly miserable and you have brought your GPA up for a school you REALLY want to attend not just a default, then apply to transfer.</p>
<p>Not only are you giving yourself another year to mature and see the gift you have been given, but granting your peers time to also mature. You will be enrolled in smaller classes and maybe have found yourself a niche.</p>
<p>Look around and truly look and see, visit the HBCU across the street and see their spirit and how they love their school. And then come back and see all that Vandy has to offer. It is like night and day. And yet the students at Fisk are ever appreciative that they attend Fisk. You are very, very privileged to be able to attend Vandy.</p>
<p>Very.</p>
<p>Take a deep breath and try again. Not only will you be able to make the decision with no regrets but the amount of money saved even for just 1 more year is incredible. </p>
<p>Kat</p>
<p>
Sannders337, could you elaborate on this a bit more? If you’ve received one of Vanderbilt’s full tuition merit scholarships, are you not eligible for their honors seminars? Is part of the problem that you entered with little AP credit and so have to slog through introductory classes? What is your major?</p>
<p>The social atmosphere is an important consideration at Vanderbilt, but it’s worth finding a comfortable accommodation in order to take advantage of all Vandy offers. It sounds as if you’ve found friends and activities you like. You may well be much happier when you return after a summer at home.</p>
<p>Sorry you’ve found your first year there so challenging. But think about it - a free education from a highly respected university with a great faculty and talented student body vs. going into debt for somewhere else where you’re also not certain to be happy. I suggest giving Vanderbilt one more semester. If nothing else, if you boost your GPA, you’ll be a stronger transfer candidate and will have another free semester under your belt. Good luck.</p>
<p>I don’t see how any of the schools you are considering will make you any happier. </p>
<p>(I also always feel it is strange when students with relatively poor GPA complain about the lack of rigor… not judging you - but maybe you should try to figure out why you are not getting better grades. Lots of required writing is not a bad thing - learning to write well may be the most important skill to learn in college…)</p>
<p>If you want to transfer, you should look at your own state schools, visit them, and make sure that the environment there is different enough for you to be happy.</p>