Is this a valid reason for transferring?

Transfer Students
1

Hey guys, currently a student at a state school (details are in my other post.) I’d also like to preface it with the fact that I chose this University simply because of finance reasons (Not going to talk about that, but just for information.) Also, I didn’t really care for what university I went to before college started (Bad decision for anyone reading.) The major reason I wanted to transfer is the fact that there are very little opportunities for my specific interest. I wanted to find a college that would have some sort of open/interdisciplinary program for computer science and zoology, specifically Ornithology. My current school has one class about machine learning that I would not be able to take until first semester senior year and that’s about it. There are no labs or projects that I can get involved with computer science here. I’m looking for a university that allows me to tackle both Ecology and Evolutionary Biology/Zoology with Computer Science, and still have opportunities for it that my current university does not. As well as a university that has more in-depth classes for machine learning.

Also the obvious stuff like I would benefit more from smaller classes. So far I’ve only had Gen stuff like COSC II and Calc 2 but both were 200+ classes. For more social stuff I’ve found that the attitude is usually just “I’m trying to pass” rather than discover interests. I kind of want to find more of a professional and driven environment, not sure if that is worth writing down. People don’t really seem close to each other, it’s more of just go back to your dorm and sit there. The cyber security club I’m in only has like 5 people and 2 of them have already graduated. The computer science scene at my school is pretty weak.

2

These are meant to be more of my general stuff and why I’m leaving rather than why a certain school. I’m not sure if this is enough to write a compelling letter. Should I include anecdotes on why my school isn’t correct? How do you avoid being overly negative in the “why I’m leaving my current uni”?

3

If you’re not happy, then your reasons are valid for you. Whether or not someone else would find them valid is immaterial.

Focus your essay on “Why this new school” and not “Why not the old school.”

Good luck!

4

These are definitely valid reasons to transfer. Don’t worry about that and as mentioned by @bjkmom focus on the new school. Don’t bash your current institution, but talk a bit about how something there made you realize what you wanted to study. Look for a large variety of schools so that way you have options academically and financially since transfers don’t get as much aid. What schools were you looking at?

5

Thank guys, these were mostly my academic reasons and I wasn’t sure if they were compelling enough to put down. I’m still trying to find schools to transfer to. My top choice is Cornell for the Lab of O but looking at other schools that have a good machine learning environment and a strong CS program. About to start writing my essays if these reasons are compelling enough!

Any other tips about my mini-essay I wrote or the essays themselves? I wrote this just as the why your current school doesn’t work and why this one is better as one of the schools I’m applying to has a prompt for why you are leaving and why that school.