I really want to transfer out of MIT...please help :)

Colleges and Universities A-Z Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1

<p>To start off, I'm currently a freshman at MIT majoring in management. I am very unhappy with my current situation, but am unsure if I should try transferring. I am looking for honest and meaningful advice.</p>

<p>A little background: Initially, MIT was not even close to my top choice. I wanted to go to Harvard, Yale, Wharton, or Princeton. I did not get into any of these schools. I came to MIT because of Sloan Business School, because I liked CPW, and yes..the prestige. Thinking back, I was rash and foolish when making my decision. </p>

<p>I would like to say that I used to be a happy person. I am often reminded that I "have it all"- looks, brains, a wonderful family. Ever since I came here, I am often depressed and resentful, which shocks me. So here are the reasons I dislike MIT:</p>

<p>-I don't have passion for technology, math, and science, and so I struggled in all my classes 1st semester- I hated being forced to take math, chem, and physics. </p>

<p>-The humanities program is- and this is personal opinion- lackluster. I am a humanities-based person. </p>

<p>-I naively thought I would get individualized attention from faculty. But when I was struggling, I could find little help.</p>

<p>-I feel like people here are very segregated by dorms and Greek life. People are close with their floors/halls, but mine is isolated and lonely. I could switch out next year, but I feel like people have already formed their groups, and many guys go live in frats.</p>

<p>-I dislike the frat parties b/c of the influx of non-MIT girls. I love partying, but now I've stopped going.</p>

<p>-I am in a sorority, and it is nothing a "normal" sorority, which is what I want. I am thinking about de-affilliating. </p>

<p>-I feel very disconnected from the people here. It's hard to describe, but I feel like I just don't fit in. I guess I'm just not nerdy/quirky enough.</p>

<p>The problem is that I have terrible grades from 1st semester, since it was pass/NR. I have all C's, and I failed physics. Although my EC's and SAT's are very solid, I feel like the bad grades will hinder me.</p>

<p>Finally, I really would like to transfer to a school on the same "tier" as MIT- Yale, Princeton, Wharton. I know this sounds pompous, but I have my reasons, academically and financially. But I know it's almost impossible to get in.</p>

<p>Whew! I'm done. Please help me make my decision- I don't want to waste time I could be studying filling out transfer apps if it's for nothing. </p>

<p>THANK YOU!!</p>

2

<p>Was there a second choice that you did get accepted to last year that you think might be a better fit?</p>

3

<p>Cross-register at Harvard?</p>

4

<p>I got in Brown, and I think it'd be a better fit for me. But I have this nagging feeling about transferring there (IF i get in) because:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I want to work in China in the future, and prestige of my college will help me a lot.</p></li>
<li><p>My parents are not wealthy, but they're at the pt. that we get no financial aid. I feel better about them shelling out $200k for a school like MIT than a "lower tier" school.</p></li>
<li><p>It makes me sad to "give up" MIT. It was so hard to get in the first place!</p></li>
</ol>

5

<p>Brown is a reputable school - are you implying that it is a "lower tier" school? Perhaps you should talk to your parents (if they see Brown as a "step down") about how you will still be able to find success if you go there, and how you imagine you will be much happier at that school.</p>

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<p>How are your classes looking for this next semester?</p>

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<p>Moral of the story: Never choose a university for the sake of prestige; choose a university because it offers a good match or fit with your interests.</p>

<p>Advice: Apply to transfer to a range of schools. In addition to the schools you've mentioned, consider the University of Chicago or Duke University, both of which might be interested in a transfer student from MIT. </p>

<p>In the meantime, make an appointment with a counselor. It sounds as if you are depressed, and it would be good to have someone to talk with.</p>

8

<p>geologistsrock: I know Brown is an extremely reputable school! but I just think it's not quite on the same level at MIT.</p>

<p>siliconevalley: next semester, i have to finish the requirements- physics, biology, etc. :(</p>

<p>CalAlum: I completely understand that moral now. But I also loved MIT when I went to the prospective student weekend. The campus seemed so alive, energetic, and friendly at that time. It's not till now that I realized CPW is nothing like the "real" MIT.</p>

<p>Do I stand a chance at Yale, etc. with my grades? I really have no idea how transfer admissions work.</p>

9

<p>I think it could be worthwhile to see how this semester goes and play it by ear. I also struggled quite a bit first semester (straight C's in my technical classes), but I felt a lot more comfortable second semester and my grades improved.</p>

<p>You also might consider actually taking a class in management before making a final decision -- course 15 classes are (at least reportedly) pretty different from the science GIRs. You'll be around a different mix of people in those classes than you are with in your GIRs, and you may find that you're happier when you're around people who are more like yourself.</p>

<p>
[quote]
People are close with their floors/halls, but mine is isolated and lonely. I could switch out next year, but I feel like people have already formed their groups, and many guys go live in frats.

[/quote]

I think this is a pretty narrow way to look at dorm life -- many people (myself included) did not stay in the same group of friends all four years, and we happily accepted new people who moved into our entry. After three happy years in one part of my dorm, I moved senior year because I'd become closer to another group of friends. People have strong loyalties to their friends and their dorms, but these things evolve over time. Where would you rather live than where you are now? You could apply for a dorm transfer right now and maybe move very soon.</p>

<p>
[quote]
The humanities program is- and this is personal opinion- lackluster. I am a humanities-based person.

[/quote]

Here I think you're really selling MIT short. What did you take first semester? Maybe you could consider taking one of the small upper-level humanities classes in something that interests you this semester rather than a bigger HASS-D or something. The humanities offerings at MIT are pretty broad, and I loved the small upper-level classes in my concentration.</p>

<p>And just for the record, I disagree that CPW is different from the way MIT actually is. It's a more concentrated view of MIT, for sure, but it's not actually different. You have to look for the things that excite you, but they're out there.</p>

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<p>You might also consider switching dorms - honestly, my MIT experience is pretty much exactly in line with what I experienced at CPW, mostly because of the group of people that I live with. But I consider myself to be pretty quirky and generally try to stay away from 'normal' parties and other things, so this might not be the best option for you. I do know quite a few people that were miserable at MIT and switched living groups and ended up much happier, though.</p>

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<p>"-I don't have passion for technology, math, and science, and so I struggled in all my classes 1st semester- I hated being forced to take math, chem, and physics. </p>

<p>-The humanities program is- and this is personal opinion- lackluster. I am a humanities-based person."</p>

<p>Not to be mean or anything, but still MIT is called Institute of Technology for a pretty specific reason. I really wonder why you hate math/science and still enrolled.</p>

<p>Now to more useful stuff, one thing that might cause you problem is that you don't like science/math because you don't do well in them, not necessarily because you hate it. If so, you might want to join in a study group:</p>

<p>1st: to socialize (sth you declaimed as lacking at MIT)
2nd: to humanize science
3rd: to learn by teaching
4rth: to perpetuate the MIT collaboration tradition :D</p>

12

<p>From Yale's website:</p>

<p>There are no cut offs for GPAs or test scores, but it may be helpful to note that the average college GPA for admitted transfer students has been 3.8 and above. Keep in mind that admission to the transfer program is extremely competitive. Yale College receives between 700 and 800 transfer applications, and admits between 24 to 35 candidates per year, reflecting an admissions rate of only 3% to 5%.</p>

13

<p>
[quote]

Not to be mean or anything, but still MIT is called Institute of Technology for a pretty specific reason. I really wonder why you hate math/science and still enrolled.

[/quote]

Just what I was going to say. That's what you get for enrolling at a science/math school.</p>

14

<p>

You say your dorm community leaves something to be desired. That seems like good reason to turn to your sorority to remedy your feeling of loneliness, but you want to de-affiliate? I do not get why...</p>

<p>As for your issue with the GIRs, I wasn't particularly pleased either to have to take math, physics, and (the uninteresting parts of) chemistry, but now that I am exclusively taking classes from my major department (and HASS concentration classes), I have no issues whatsoever with my courseload. Unless you discover that even Course 15 classes aren't for you, it sounds like you only have the relatively minor hurdle of science class requirements to overcome. I hope your outlook on HASS will also improve with another semester of exposure to it - I know I couldn't have made an accurate assessment of it after taking just one class.</p>

<p>Those are some things you should consider if your transfer applications don't provide you with favorable alternatives. And you really should not be hesitant at the opportunity to transfer to Brown (provided transferring to HYP, etc. is not a possibility), since a) Brown is not lower tier, and b) happiness trumps prestige (you should even choose to transfer to a "true lower tier," i.e., a state public, if it means it will give you the happiness you know MIT can't).</p>

15

<p>@LostatMIT,
You state that "next semester I have to finish the requirements -- physics, biology, etc."</p>

<p>No, you don't. Where did you get this idea? If you want to spend next semester bringing up your GPA, enroll in courses you will enjoy and in which you'll thrive. During your first semester you were on pass/no record, so if you are really bent on transferring, focus on your academic performance this spring. You could enroll in all HASS courses or a mix of management and HASS courses, if you wished.</p>

16

<p>I really dont have any advice because Im only in high school, dont know about the college transferring system and all...</p>

<p>However, I gotta say, just by looking at what happened to you, its not so bad to give up on a more presitigous college to go to a state college because that state college will give you full ride and make life a lot easier for you in college...</p>

<p>I hope people understand that college is just the first part of life...Ill rather (like 100x) get a Ph.D. from lets say a state college (after getting undergrade from state college) than get only an undergrade from MIT (and waste 200,000)</p>

<p>sure you can brag to your high school classmates for a year how you got into MIT and they got into some school lie number 150 on the colleges list...but wait until the high school reunion in like 15 years...</p>

<p>(sorry if i sound like im ripping you, this doesnt apply to you, its basically a generality)</p>

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<p>And Ill rather (like 100x) get a Ph.D. from lets say MIT (after getting undergrade from MIT)</p>

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<p>^yea i know...but i was saying talking about someone like him struggling at MIT (its hypothetical, i know most people that get undergrade at MIT eventually get a Ph.D. at some other university or MIT)...thats why said ONLY</p>

<p>but i personally know one exception...and lets just say that hes just like another person that got accpeted to a state college...he can brag all he wants that he went to a presitious college...but at the end of the day, its the PERSON and not the INSTITUTION that matters.</p>

<p>Now obviously the institution can help, but you ultimately have to reach your goal.</p>

<p>with this all being said, i would definelty go to MIT over some state college (but thats because i know that ill like MIT and will work hard there)</p>

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<p>If you can gut it out through freshman year, getting the science / math part of the GIRs, or most of it, out of the way, life will get better. Dont judge the humanities and SS programs by the freshman CI-H offerings [which can be drek]. And, you can look into majors like archaeology or if you stay at Sloan look into marketing [less math]. In terms of the social anthropology of the place, I can see the planet-of-the-apes, culture shock thing, acclimating yourself to MIT. But MIT is large enough that you can find almost any element that interests you. Granted experiencing the university of alabama football and sorority thing wont be possible, but almost anything else should be.</p>

<p>I would advise against transferring if you can somehow get through the work. Transferring with poor grades can be tough. Some schools may make allowances for poor science/math grades if you say you want to go into liberal arts. If you decide to leave, I would suggest you try LACs, like Williams, Pomona etc. Among the universities you can try Northwestern, Hopkins, Georgetown. However, I would suggest that if at all possible, you try to gut it out and make the best of it.</p>

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<p>people transfer from MIT to Brown every year...it's kind of remarkable. Brown is like the anti-MIT</p>