Is it worth another transfer?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi. This is my first time posting on the site, unfortunately I have a serious decision to make and I don't really know what I should do, so I really want to hear thoughts and opinions before I make a choice, unfortunately I have until Friday to do so, hopefully things will be clear by then.</p>

<p>I'm currently a junior and Poli Sci major at SUNY Cortland. My GPA is 4.0 and I've received some pretty good academic awards in my first year. I originally transferred from SUNY Rockland (Comm. College) with a 3.7 and a lot of extracurriculars. I aspire to go to a good law school or graduate school, depending on the outlook of GREs/LSATs. However recently I applied to and was accepted to SUNY Binghamton. I originally wanted to go there instead of Cortland because I felt it was better suited to my major, but I thought Cortland would be better for me as I had friends there already. </p>

<p>I visited Binghamton recently, and although there are some definite positives, it doesn't strike me as very different from my school now. But I keep hearing different things, some say to definitely do it, because BU is a university research institution with many opportunities. I also always hear of the rankings, though personally I don't care for them, do they matter when applying to law/graduate school? During my visit I also noticed how much more "intellectually free" it was from talking to people and reading their college papers and magazines. Sometimes at Cortland I feel like the environment is full of overly athletic supertools, that it just feels wrong. Often times I feel alienated here, I wonder if I'd be happier in a more academic environment. Academics and social environment both matter to me greatly.</p>

<p>But then again I'd still just be a senior trying to finish his last year, I'm already situated and have networks where I am now, why move? It might also reflect negatively on applications to law school or graduate school if I transfer again. And after that, there's no sure bet that I'd graduate after the one year, the Poli Sci BS requirements are pretty numerous there, I might need an extra semester, or worse another year. However if the benefits are so great I wouldn't mind taking extra time. </p>

<p>Weighing both decisions just hasn't been working so well with me, I feel like I'm overlooking something important, and could end up really regretting the outcome of my choice. I'd greatly appreciate any opinion/advice anyone could give relevant to my situation. Thanks for your time.</p>

2

<p>stay where you are unless it is a huge difference in programs between cortland and binghampton. graduate schools may wonder why you transferred so many times, which can be seen in a negative light when transferring more than once.</p>

3

<p>It sounds like you are a big fish in a small pond right now…doing really well in your environment. At Bing you will be a small fish in a big pond. There is a chance you may not fair as well. However, Bing does have the reputation. It is a tough decision. If you are happy where you are, then I would really consider staying, finish up your senior year and look towards law or graduate school. You have the gpa and awards at Cortland to help you get where you want to go. Who knows how you will fair at Bing?</p>

4

<p>T_86, I don’t have the answers to all your questions, but I am a freshman at Binghamton right now. PM me and I’d be glad to answer your questions about the school.</p>

5

<p>Hey, thanks for replying to my thread and thanks Vio for offering to talk to me about it. I don’t really have so many questions as I do thoughts about what should matter to me. I don’t really have a lot of time left to make a choice, but from what I’ve seen it might be best to stay where I am, though I wish I had gone to BU to start.</p>

<p>If I went I’d be doing Poli Sci, and the curriculum there has many more requirements for Poli Sci studies, I doubt many of my courses, transferrable as they may be for generic credit, would satisfy a lot of the requirements for the curriculum there, I’d probably have to take another semester or year before I finish, and I’m 22 now, so I’d probably be older than 90% of the students, I’d feel like a non-trad =( (and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, non-trads are respectable, I personally just don’t want to feel old compared to other students).</p>

<p>I visited BU, and it just seemed more intellectual as a culture. Granted all I did was tour and read a couple of school papers and magazines and speak to people, still the language used (in the publications) was excellent and made me really get into the reading (one of which was a satire issue on the gay marriage debate, I found it to be hilarious yet deep in message). Given my major and personality, I just might like it better there, and of course a good rep doesn’t hurt ;)</p>

<p>But like I said I can’t get a good weight on my options. The fish analogies are very true, however that wouldn’t matter to me, I’d be fine with being an average student, I just can’t decide whether I should give a school I don’t *really know a shot for more potential happiness and academic freedom, or if I should stay with what I know, graduate sooner, and still be the big fish that has control (albeit limited) over his prescence on the campus, at the possible expense of less intellectual satisfaction, I mean seriously, some people here are literal meatheads - heads of meat - , and as a result I just feel like I don’t have the kinds of social outlets I would if I went to BU. </p>

<p>Thanks for the replies so far =)</p>