is it too late?

Transfer Students
1

<p>I'm feeling very discouraged about my college education so far, to be honest. Back out of high school, I applied to a number of universities, and chose to go to the cheapest one (full ride scholarship). Two years later, I have a 4.0 GPA, but I'm not happy with school. At all.</p>

<p>Part of my wanted to transfer, so I put in a transfer application to another big public school in my state (U of MD), and I just got a letter saying that I was accepted. Here's the problem, though: I'm not sure that I'm doing myself any good by transferring.</p>

<p>I'm bored where I am, and to be honest feel a bit of a disconnect from the campus. I've lived at home for these two years, so have had very little fun, and basically no memories of my first two years of school. I thought that by transferring, maybe I could try to live on campus somewhere. Maybe I could have some fun. Maybe I could go to a school with a more prestigious name. It feels like I'm ****ing my college years away, and I don't like it.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I never knew how difficult the transfer process was. In high school, I was under the impression that I could "...transfer anywhere if you don't like where you go." Housing issues, credit acceptance issues, lack of scholarship availability (compared to freshman), and the generally abysmal acceptance rates seem to make this difficult.</p>

<p>After 2 years of college, is it too late to make a new go of it, considering that I've basically already missed the "incoming junior" part of the cycle? It seems silly to go from one university that I feel nothing for to another about which I feel equally apathetic. Maybe with my GPA I could make a go of one of the better schools, but the costs look to be prohibitive.</p>

2

<p>I sympathize with your situation: I had just about the exact same dilemma you now face. I also recognize your feelings of ambivalence. I, too, was, and even to some extent still am, unsure as to whether or not the choices I have now made are "correct" for me.</p>

<p>The transfer process can be daunting. I also applied to and was accepted at UMD-CP, but I am not attending that university. While there were several reasons for my recent declination of their admissions offer, the lack of available housing at the institution certainly factored into my decision. However, many universities, especially larger ones, have private, off but close to campus housing. This may sound expensive, but unless you're looking for a super deluxe suite, the prices are actually quite reasonable in comparison to on campus housing.</p>

<p>If you will be of Junior status this coming fall (generally 60+ credits) and are without a college to which you are transferring, your options are considerably more limited, but all is not lost:</p>

<p>You could look for schools that accept more credits and have Spring semester admission for transfer students. This will take careful research on your part, and you would do well to contact admissions officers at these colleges to solidify your plans and ensure a smooth process. If finances are a major concern, speak in detail with financial aid officers at these colleges as well. This option may take some careful maneuvering to work, but I think it is viable.</p>

<p>You could also take a year off. I hesitate to recommend this because getting back into the school routine is often rather challenging once you're out of it for a while, but this would allow you to transfer as a Junior for the following Fall semester. If your main objective is to get into a top name college, I do think this may be your best bet. Take this year off, go abroad or do something local that is something along the lines of valuable work experience, compassionate volunteer work, and so forth, or some combination thereof. This will help you grow as an individual, and universities tend to love that kind of thing.</p>

<p>No matter what you do, I encourage you to stay in close contact with the colleges the next time around. Make the visits if you can; speak with the admissions and financial aid officers. The transfer process may be a major pain in the butt, but you can make it easier on yourself by taking the appropriate measures prior to application time.</p>

<p>I wish you all the best, and I hope you find contentment in whatever you decide.</p>