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

Parents Forum
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<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 it during campus preview weekend, 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>

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<p>
[quote]
-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.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>These are excellent reasons to not go to MIT.</p>

<p>If you didn't get in to the other schools you mention last year, there is little chance that you will get in after a semester or year of bad grades at MIT. </p>

<p>One escape plan I can see is this: take advantage of cross-registration to take good humanities classes at Wellesley. If you do well in those classes, you may have an improved chance to transfer there.</p>

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<p>With C-average transfer to Princeton and such will be next to impossible. You've only been at MIT for 1 semester, please give it more time. Have you looked into taking a few humanities classes at Wellesley College to see if liberal arts environment is for you? One of my coworkers went to Wellesley, and she said that when she took a semester of classes at MIT, she discovered that there was a huge difference in how the classes were taught. She did not like the MIT approach (huge classes,TAs, rushing through the basics) and was happy to be back in her normal liberal arts environment when that semester ended.</p>

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<p>I have no idea if you will get into a school of a similar 'tier' but as an MIT alum (albeit of >25 years ago) I will say that I knew people in your position who transferred out and had happy lives in other schools. MIT is not for everybody. You were dishonest with yourself when you went to MIT knowing that you were going to have to take heaps of math and science to get your degree. You went for the prestige only without really thinking about why MIT is not Harvard or Yale or whatever. </p>

<p>Only you can decide what is most important to you- prestige or a good fit. You might not be able to get both.</p>

<p>If you decide to stay you have to stop looking for something you will not find before you can appreciate what makes MIT special.</p>

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<p>Thank you all for your replies! </p>

<p>I am cross-registering at Harvard next semester. I will look into Wellesley. But this does not replace going to a college I actually like. </p>

<p>Anitaw, I did come here partly for the prestige. But I also loved it during the admitted students weekend! I had a great host, and the campus had a feeling of excitement, spirit, and friendliness. But let's just say that..it's not really anything like that.</p>

<p>How much do grades matter in transfer admissions? I know I have terrible grades, but MIT is known for its challenging classes, isn't it?</p>

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<p>You may have to adjust your sites to a more reachable transfer school. Your grades will have an effect, so I encourage you to explain clearly in the essay why MIT was not a good fit. </p>

<p>Harvard and Princeton do not accept transfer students. You might want to check the transfer forum on CC for more details on Yale and Penn/Wharton to see how much competition there is for their few spots. </p>

<p>Sooner is better for your transfer--your good h.s. grades and scores will still mean something. However your college GPA may send you down a tier, but if you are truly unhappy, it will be well worth it in the long run.</p>

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<p>Is it possible still to reapply as a freshman if she/he has done only one term? I'm thinking cut your losses and withdraw if this is a possibility because I'm afraid it might be a bigger drop to the transfer options if term 2 does not go much better.</p>

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<p>Harvard takes transfers; Princeton does not. You might actually look into applying to Wellesley rather than just taking courses there; it has a reputation for producing many successful businesswomen. </p>

<p>If your first semester grades were truly pass/nr, I don't see how a college you want to transfer to will know that your grades are all Cs except for physics. And doesn't NR mean the fail doesn't get reported in the first place?</p>

<p>I also think you should talk to your advisor at MIT. I think MIT would like to see its students succeed. Perhaps he or she could help you map out a program that works better for your interests. Also, there are a lot of activities at MIT. Try out some of them. You might find other groups of people whom you feel you have more in common with.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
If your first semester grades were truly pass/nr, I don't see how a college you want to transfer to will know that your grades are all Cs except for physics. And doesn't NR mean the fail doesn't get reported in the first place?

[/quote]

Correct -- an external transcript would show only pass grades, would not record the failed class, and would not show a GPA.</p>

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<p>To Needaname-- Harvard has not taken transfers for the past two years, and has stated it will not take transfers for at least two more years.</p>

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<p>molliebatmit: When you transfer, can't the colleges request an internal transcript? in which case..they would see the actual grades, right?</p>

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<p>See if you can get out of all of your MIT classes and cross-register for H & W. To transfer to a tippy top school, you are gonna need mostly A's bcos that's what most of the transfer competition will have.</p>

<p>
[quote]
but I have my reasons, academically and financially.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>No, not 'pompous', just a prestige hound. Getting into MIT means you had the stats to earn a full merit ride elsewhere, so finance is not an issue (which a Wharton prospie should be able to figure out). At least be honest with yourself so you can make clear and better decisions.</p>

<p>btw: Wharton is a heavy quant school, so they will look at those math-science grades....</p>

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<p>hmom%- She can't apply as a freshman once she has matriculated at a degree-granting institution, or so the guidelines read at the Ivies. Her only status will be as a transfer.</p>

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<p>@ post # 7. No that is not a possibility at virtually any school. Certainly not the highly selectives.</p>

<p>OP (or interested others) should read the Transfer Admissions 101 sticky thread (on cc's Transfer Forum) for lots of direction and information on transferring, including the typical criteria for freshman vs. transfer admission.</p>

<p>Attending MIT will help, somewhat, to mitigate the poor grades imo; but not at the highly selective schools you are targeting, lost. That is only my opinion, but you would be wise - if you definitely want to leave MIT - to re-adjust your list to include schools that are less selective.</p>

<p>I think the suggestion to cross-register at Wellesley is a good one. Gives you the humanities atmosphere you now want and could open the door for you to transfer there.
Doing well in cross-reg courses at Wellesley or Harvard, or in humanities courses at MIT, could help your transfer chances. Because I think you need to do that (ie, improve your GPA) you might start to think about transfer after your sophomore year.</p>

<p>You could apply now for transfer as a sophomore - maybe to some on your current list, or more likely to some schools with higher acceptance rates. If that works, great. If not, keep your grades up and try again for junior year.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
molliebatmit: When you transfer, can't the colleges request an internal transcript? in which case..they would see the actual grades, right?

[/quote]

To my knowledge, most schools don't request actual grades (they certainly don't for graduate or professional school applications). They will request an official transcript, and your official transcript will only show passed classes.</p>

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<p>you said you are "unsure if I should try transferring". Are you in the middle of exams? It's January in Boston... the weather sucks, the days are short. Might this be a temporary midwinter depression? </p>

<p>I agree if you really want out of there, consider going down a notch, to a great school like Wellesley, or any of dozens that would gladly take an MIT transfer. I wouldn't look to HYPW...you'd be setting yourself up for further disappointment.</p>

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<p>What are you looking for in a college (excluding colleges that rejected you last year)?</p>

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

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</p>

<p>I think OP might not like Wellesley from the above statement. I can only think of the Wellesley girls as non-MIT girls.</p>

<h1>7, if OP did a total withdraw maybe she can reapply as a freshman. But I think these schools she applied last year did not admit her so the chance that she would be readmit the second time is probably not as high either.</h1>

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<p>Columbia_Student, there could be some differences between those Wellesley girls who frequent MIT parties and the rest of the student body at that college. A few drunken party goers do not represent the entire student body.</p>

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<p>I'm not passing judgement. It's what I decode from reading the post.</p>