During my college search my senior year, everything seemed a bit rushed. I didn’t look around very hard at where I wanted to go to school. On top of that, I didn’t really know exactly what I wanted out of my college experience. I ended up applying to a handful of school around the country, of which I was accepted to U Puget Sound, Colorado College, St. Olaf College, and Cornell University. I ended up choosing between Cornell and St. Olaf, which was weird because they were vastly different schools.
I eventually decided to go to St. Olaf because I got a large amount of merit aid (even though money isn’t really an issue) and because I was afraid to go to a school where everyone was super smart. I was worried I wouldn’t be smart enough for Cornell, even though I was accepted. I knew at the time of choosing that I would regret my decision, but I thought it would be okay.
Now I am here at St. Olaf, and I’m worried it won’t be okay for a few reasons. I now am feeling like being surrounded by super smart people would be good for me personally, to drive and focus my studies. At St. Olaf there are smart people, but the classes aren’t really super challenging, and there are quite a few not-so-smart people. I had also intended to participate in music and soccer at St. Olaf but did not make the cut on either. So now I am trying to keep myself busy with clubs and random other activities because my classes don’t really require too much time or effort.
On top of that, St. Olaf is located in the middle of nowhere. The closest urban hub is the Twin Cities, which is my hometown. I didn’t realize it before, but I wanted to get farther away from home in college, and I feel like it is hard to do at my current school.
So now I am wondering: am I being unfair? Am I not giving this school enough credit? I’m not taking especially easy classes (200 level courses). St. Olaf was originally my safety school. Is transferring to somewhere farther away, with more recognition and academic intensity, something I should look into? I was looking into LACs in the Northeast, like Swarthmore and Haverford.
I should also mention that I am interested in studying Computer Science and/or Mathematics. I am also interested in video game design (the GDIAC was what originally brought my interest to Cornell).
Hi,
I am in the complete opposite situation as you. I am also from MN and am a freshman at a top 10 school. I wanted to be surrounded by intelligent people, go to a prestigious university, and receive a top-notch education. It has been great so far, but I do not feel as if I fit in and it is very expensive. I don’t know if elite universities are all that they are cracked up to be. The competition is rough and a lot of people, including myself, are not happy here. I hope to attend medical or dental school after I graduate, so I wish that I would have gone somewhere smaller and easier (to boost my GPA). I have actually been strongly considering transferring to St. Olaf. There are great benefits to attending a prestigious school though, especially if you are interested in Computer Science and Mathematics. You will mingle with many great, intelligent people and make great connections. You will have some great professors, but also some mediocre ones. There are so many organizations and events that you would probably benefit from. Keep in mid that the social scene at other universities will probably be very different from St. Olaf’s. I completely understand the wanting to be further away from home. I think that it is a valid reason to transfer. It is also a valid reason to transfer to a more prestigious/academically rigorous institution. Most people love it at these prestigious universities, so don’t let me talk you out of it. It is really up to you; you have to decide what you think is best for you personally. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message. Good luck!
Math and/or Computer Science. I don’t exactly know what I am planning on doing post grad yet, but something relating to either of those fields. If I do go to grad school, I don’t think it would be right away.
You can put in transfer applications and decide once you have acceptances. You should have a better idea by then. Just get great grades so you are well positioned.
Has computer science at St. Olaf been a disappointment so far? I’ve been trying to get a read on the strength of the department there. Also, I’m curious when you say you “didn’t make the cut” musically at St. Olaf (my son is also interested in music). Don’t feel obligated to answer my nosy questions, but are you an instrumentalist? If so, did you try and fail to get into the lower tier band or orchestra?
I haven’t actually taken any computer science classes yet, but I am taking linear algebra. I’ve heard that the math and computer science departments are pretty well regarded in their circles. However, my problem isn’t really with the departments, it’s more with the level of rigor and the student body. So far, I’ve been experiencing people who don’t really take their classes seriously and aren’t really interested in the subject material. On top of that, the amount of work in the class is a step back from high school. While I know this will probably change as I go along, it is a little disconcerting.
As far as music is concerned, nearly everyone I’ve met so far is musically gifted and talented. The people who are being challenged at this school are usually the ones who are in ensembles, alongside classes and extracurriculars. I play cello and have played cello since the 4th grade. I did not make it into the lowest tier orchestra. I was hoping to join the orchestra just for fun and to be social, but it didn’t work out. There are some VERY talented musicians here.
Thanks for the response @ivurnave, and apologies for hijacking your thread. Tough break about the orchestra. One of the main reasons my son is considering St.O is because of its excellent music, but that’s a bit intimidating to hear that even the lower tier orchestra is turning folks away.