Help For a Prospective Transfer Student

<p>I'm currently a senior in high school and basically because of the high price tag of GWU, my parents will only allow me to go later on as a transfer student (sophomore or junior) in order to cut costs. Meanwhile I will either have to attend The University of Florida or The University of Central Florida. I honestly don't want to go to either of those schools, but it looks like I will be forced to go for 1-2 years, because they are so much cheaper.</p>

<p>Is it really difficult to make friends as a transfer student? I think the worst thing about being a transfer student is you miss out on being a freshmen, when people are looking to make friends. Plus I have heard that you have to search harder to find friendly people at GWU.</p>

<p>Is it true that transfer students get stuck on Mt. Vernon, because I can't stomach paying $45,000 tuition to live there, it kind of defeats the purpose of a school like GWU. </p>

<p>Also I don't know if anyone has the answer to this question, how important is the school your transferring from matter to GWU? The University of Florida is more nationally recognized and ranks near GWU, but I sort of like The University of Central Florida better which isn't as highly ranked, but is still a ranked tier 1 school.</p>

<p>Thanks! :)</p>

<p>I’m sorry you’re in this situation, I was not interested in any state schools as well, so I feel for you. Are you sure you don’t qualify for any financial assistance at GW? Despite the red tape, the Financial Aid office at GW is helpful, and usually pretty generous (for example, I was able to appeal my financial aid package very significantly…though it was a unique situation) Unless going to GW will be a huge burden on your family, and you haven’t been granted enough aid, I would really recommend that you start out at GW. </p>

<p>I started mid-year at GW, and there was an orientation for transfer students and new freshmen. I made a few friends here, but I mostly made friends through people on my floor or other random connections. I definitely was worried about having trouble making friends, but it really was not an issue. I felt like a bit of an outsider at first, but the orientation really helped, as everyone was in the same situation and eager to make friends. This was just my personal experience though. There’s a lot to get involved in, so really I can’t imagine anyone not being able to make friends here unless you’re totally socially inept. </p>

<p>I don’t think you will be forced to live on the Vern, out of everyone I met at orientation nobody was assigned to live there. Did you read this in a GW Hatchet article per chance? If so, I read that too but the transfer students who were forced into living on the Vern were able to move out (or so I thought, correct me if I’m wrong?) You get your housing assignment at least a month or so before move-in, so if you did get put in this situation, you could definitely work with the housing office to get moved. Hope this helps, and good luck!</p>

<p>Thanks for the info! That makes me feel better. If all else fails I could always just make friends with freshmen LOL. I’m told I look like I’m 13-14 years old anyways so by then I’ll fit right in.</p>

<p>My family has an efc of $48,000, so that has basically killed me. I didn’t get any financial aid from AU either only some merit aid. So I was trying to convince my parents to let me go there, because it would be about $17,000 cheaper per year (with merit aid and cheaper tuition price), but I don’t think that’s going to happen unless AU ups my merit aid which I appealed. I love GW more though, so if I transfer my goal is to go to GW.</p>

<p>Yeah I did read the GW Hatchet article, because I read on a website to make sure that the university you transfer to provides housing for transfer students and I did a google search and found the article. But it clicked, that’s how they find students to put on Mt. Vernon!</p>

<p>I currently attend the University of Florida and it’s a great school. I cannot say the same for UCF… UCF is indeed a school that is rising, but right now they are not competitive (everyone I know got accepted and, based on the people that I have talked to that currently attend, the workload is not very rigorous). But if that’s where you want to go, then you should go. If you expect to transfer to GW though, going to UCF may be an issue. That’s just my take on it.</p>

<p>Soccerfon711, yeah that’s why I am probably going to end up at UF. I believe UCF is slowly becoming harder to get into though, I have met some people who were waitlisted or rejected. They are one of the most populated colleges so they have a lot of slots, but I know they are not on the same level as UF at all and that is my dilemma. </p>

<p>Are you considering transferring to GW?</p>