=Help! Should I transfer?!=

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi, I currently attend Cornell University and have been considering a transfer to Harvard U. I am a premed student with a near 4.0 gpa. But I need your help in deciding.</p>

<p>First, I have a lot of opportunities here going for me. I have research and will be granted an independent project next semester with the possibility I get my name on a publication. I have a leadership position in a campus organization. And the quality of life here is okay.</p>

<p>Now for the reasons I want to transfer:
1. I have volunteering opportunities, but the nearest hospital requires I take a bus or taxi, so I practically never go.
2. Harvard has a much more interesting research in the biomedical fields. Their projects look more relevant and cutting edge.
3. The social life here appears to revolve around drinking and frat parties. I think I would fit in more at Harvard where they don't have frats and have more of a close community (like the housing systems).
4. The housing system here is not as good as I want. They do not guarantee dorms after sophomore year. Also, I had a lot of trouble getting to the place I live now.
5. I tried to start a campus organization and the administration was very unsupportive. In the end they came to the conclusion that there was no need for my club and denied me the ability to create it.
6. Last but not least, Harvard is more prestigious to the common Joe on the street. I don't know why I value this but I do (I know it's a bit shallow though). I'm just tired of how people look down on Cornell and say things like "oh, it's just famous because it's in the ivy league."</p>

<p>Sorry this is so long but please help me make a decision. This is really difficulty for me because the quality here isn't bad enough to hate nor good enough to love. And since I'm doing fairly well here I do not want to transfer and realize I made a mistake.</p>

2

<p>actually i think cornell is really respectable, i read about breakthrough scientific research from cornell in many magazines all the time. plus my sister goes there!</p>

3

<p>if you go to Cornell, im sure you can afford a bus pass to the hospital.</p>

4

<p>your reasons are valid but i feel as though you should acclimate yourself to cornell before immediately jumping back into the application game. cornell is an amazing school with an amazing reputation. period. i am sure that you would do wonderfully at either of the schools but, in the long run, they are both ivy league and you will get the same education at either one. and about volunteering and what not, doesn't the school have a free bus for students that goes from campus to the hospital? (i imagine that there are others like you that would commute from campus to it) my best advice would be to just embrace public transportation. with regard to the partying, it's happening at pretty much every school. although more so with greek life on campus... but if that isnt your thing then you need to find the people that aren't into that. although i'm not an expert on all things college life (i'm a first year as well) i do know that you do need to try different things, you need to find what you like. it will take time at any school but once you find what you like, all the other problems that you're having with the school will come together. just keep taking advantage of the opportunities that you have. and about the club thing, if you really want it then you should fight for it. if you really want to start it then maybe find a professor that wouldn't mind helping you draft a letter of appeal. hope this helped!</p>

<p>and surftb15, your ignorance is showing.</p>

5

<p>thanks for the advice transferhelp!</p>