<p>Yeah, I'm a disaster. I was accepted to Columbia's School of General Studies as a spring transfer student. I turned it down in favor of GWU's Elliott School of International Affairs, for several reasons. I am having a bit of a freakout, and not because I am not happy w/ GWU - I haven't even begun classes, but I moved onto campus, had orientation, think it will be good....but I'm really feeling like the other school is calling to me more. I kind of knew that all along but .. well don't ask. Honestly. No need to go into detail re: the considerations that brought me to this decision. </p>
<p>My question is - and I contacted admissions about this because I couldn't find info elsewhere, and probably embarrassed myself in doing so (still awaiting response.) - can someone turn down admissions and, uh, change their mind? Is the offer still.. valid? Either for deferred matriculation or immediate transfer, whichever. I just don't know how exactly this works, and how much it differs by school, etc. If there's even a standard rule for it or if it depends on openings, the admissions office's choice, etc.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>Even if this is a mess, and stupid and flaky of me, I'd appreciate no rude responses. I'm simply looking for information.</p>
<p>Really, the only people who will be able to tell you is Columbia.</p>
<p>Some schools may do it, others may not. I’ve never heard of anything like this happening before.</p>
<p>But I think you should calm down. Everyone gets nerves when starting something new – you already said you don’t dislike it yet. Get started with classes first, make some friends, explore your new city. You haven’t had any time to hate it and regret your decision yet…it’s very common to wonder what would’ve happened had you chosen another option and even to feel like you SHOULD have chosen another option, but that feeling often goes away after you get into your new milieu.</p>
<p>Thank you for the help, juillet. I agree with you that this is a common way to feel, maybe to be expected, even. I just strongly feel that in my case it’s not just a case of those initial doubts/nerves. I would, though, wouldn’t I? heh. I guess I’ll have to wait and find out. I hope I hear back soon about it.</p>
<p>No one is happy their first week as a transfer; only the deranged. In your case, I think its more of an ‘alternative’ issue than a Columbia issue. If you’re unhappy at A, you’ll regret B for a moment. Try to make the best of it. In a few weeks you may be completely in love with your current school.</p>
<p>Give yourself time, don’t think too much about the Columbia issue and immerse yourself–you haven’t been at GWU very long.</p>
<p>I don’t know if this helps, but my college choices were a tossup between CU and Williams College–both of which sounded great, but are very different schools. I chose Columbia, eventually (it didn’t take much thinking) but I was having second thoughts and ‘what ifs’ in my second week of school. All that died down pretty quickly, and I never looked back.</p>
<p>Lionheaded, you would be right in many cases, but this is GWU (granted it’s elliott school vs GS - something to consider. If it was GWU Arts & Sciences vs Columbia College, or Barnard, I would have gone w. the latter in a heartbeat) vs Columbia. I mean. I really might have made a crazy mistake. Not to disparage GWU by any means, but…I turned down Columbia. Not only is it Columbia, but it may have in fact suited me better. I chose the program that I thought would focus and direct me because I thought I needed it. I might have convinced myself it “felt right”, but I’m not even sure that was it. </p>
<p>I’m thrilled to be out of my previous school so if I look at it from that angle I’m beyond happy to be here. hah.</p>
<p>Everyone has a choice that’s better for them. I mean granted, I never even heard of this school before this thread (I’m also canadian so…) but it could very well be the better choice for you. Columbia was the better choice for me than Yale. It’s all about finding your fit at some point, not going by newsweek.</p>
<p>Don’t approach your new school (at which you’re already settled) with a “mistake” state of mind. You’ll just end up making it a bad time. Revisit the issue at the end of the spring semester.</p>
<p>I appreciate the reassurances…a lot, thank you. Who knows what they’ll tell me and what I’ll choose (or what the complications will be, ugh. sure to be plenty) if it turns out I do still have the option…If I don’t, like I said, GWU seems good and I will put my best into it. Just a little anxious at the moment. Or, more than a little. As you’ve noticed.</p>
<p>well just an update: spoke to them and can defer my admissions to fall, can’t start immediately, but… now I need to decide if I’m going to accept.</p>
<p>In the end, it seems as if you will get to experience both schools; Spring at GWU & then next Fall at Columbia. Apparently you are more clever than you realized.</p>
<p>I can’t experience both most likely because if I amass credits at GWU it would probably mess up my status with columbia. I’d need to drop classes immediately and leave GWU and spend the semester doing something else. I’m in the process of clarifying this, but I’m pretty sure this is the case.</p>
<p>I think you’re right. It was the obvious choice for a long time and I suddenly swerved and still can’t quite justify it.
The International Affairs thing is great for me, whereas I’d take a while to decide what to major in at Columbia, which is a little intimidating but I think it has so many stronger programs that it seems crazy to turn down. And I wasn’t deadset on international affairs. It just…seemed to suit me, made sense, I did it. Not sure how wise that was.</p>
<p>Well, if you can afford to & it does not jeopardize your status with Columbia, then it might be wise to stay for one semester at GWU so that you don’t experience regrets during your time at Columbia. Doesn’t Columbia expect you to complete the current school year?</p>
<p>As I understand it, no. I asked simply (not my email verbatim by the way) “I turned down Columbia in favor of GWU’s Elliott School of IA, and was wondering if it is still possible to accept Columbia’s admissions offer for either immediate or deferred matriculation.”…
I didn’t go into detail that I was registered for classes - although I did in my follow-up email once she got back to me. I would expect it changes my status. I emailed her to clarify. Both GWU and Columbia were spring transfer options for me, to be clear. This is/would be my first sem. at GWU.</p>
<p>If I understand your response in the above post, then it appears that you are required to complete another semester of academic work before matriculating at Columbia. What status will you have as a transfer at Columbia? Sophomore? Junior? Freshman?</p>