<p>I currently attend a large research university in California. My university ranks in the top 50 on usnews. I have only been here for roughly a month but so far I do not really like it. I am a california native and have found it relatively easy to make friends here. The people are friendly, and I am outgoing. But, I have found other aspects to be extremely negative.</p>
<p>To start with, I feel like I am not receiving an education whatsoever. Most of my classes have over 500 students, and one has over 800 students. I am paying topdollar to come here and I don't think it is worth it. The professors hardly teach, and it seems impossible to learn in this large class environment. Although I come from a large public High School, this is entirely different, and I do not like it to say the least. I feel like I am learning nothing.</p>
<p>The social scene is excellent, only if you like to get wasted every weekend. I am definitely a social guy and I like to go out and party once in a while, but the party scene is exhausting. Getting wasted every weekend is not my idea of fun. Most of the people here are white (I am an asian male) and actually seem pretty stuck up for being California natives. I don't really feel like I connect with the mainly white often trashy white student body. I am really looking for a more academic atmosphere/rewarding college experience. I want to be surrounded by more motivated and intelligent students instead of these wannabes who are completely superficial.</p>
<p>At the end of the day, I am looking to transfer. However, I don't really know what kind of school would be a good fit for me. The first time around applying to college, I was a bit uninformed about the LAC's. I am thinking that applying to some LAC's might not be a bad idea (Wesleyan, W&L) as well as some of the better tier private schools (thinking along the lines of BC, Tufts, NYU). I am still unsure about all of this, and am seeking some guidance. Any help would be appreciated.</p>
<p>It’s hard for me to imagine the same person being happy at Wesleyan and W&L, but maybe you’ll be the first. W&L will give you a wildly different academic experience than you are having now, but if you don’t want to be around a bunch of white kids who get wasted every weekend, wrong school. Maybe you meant W&M?</p>
<p>Yes, William and Mary would be an excellent choice, as would be University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins. Pepperdine is another one that has the social culture you are looking for, but don’t know enough about it to comment on academic rigor.</p>
<p>Have a little heart-to-heart with your parents about the money. Top dollar in-state tuition and fees at a UC is still significantly less money than the privates you are looking at might charge you.</p>
<p>I was talking about W&L but I don’t know much about the university so, good to find out. As far as W&M goes, I was wait listed. It was actually my top choice out of High School. I am not sure whether being wait listed would help my chances in transferring there. As far as some of the other schools mentioned…UChi/Johns Hopkins would just be way too difficult to get into. I don’t know much about Harverford and I know Swarthmore would also be nearly impossible to get into. CMU sounds like a stretch but semi do-able. I have no interest in attending Pepperdine.</p>
<p>Sounds like a smaller schools would be a better fit, but a few more details will get you a few more more answers.</p>
<p>What were your HS GPA and standardized scores like? That will give us a good idea as to schools that you’ll have a good chance to be accepted to.</p>
<p>What’s your potential major? That will assist us in narrowing down to those schools that will provide you with the academic enrichment that you’re seeking.</p>
<p>What other schools did you get accepted to, prior to selecting your UC? Many schools, even if you’ve selected another, will keep your application materials on file for a full year, just in case. Although you’ll still have to submit a transfer application, your scores, transcript and recommendations may still be on file.</p>
<p>What’s your price point pain? If a UC is top dollar, then you may need to look at smaller, potentially lower-tiered schools with larger endowments which can award enough of a combination of merit and need-based aid to make attending possible. It’s the “big fish/little pond” syndrome.</p>
<p>In-state/out-of-state preferences? Adding travel costs to the mix could be problematic. </p>
<p>Without knowing much else, other than California and using the $34K COA of a UC,
I would suggest U San Francisco, U of Pacific, Chapman, U Redlands, Santa Clara Univ.
All good, inclusive, academically-inclined schools.</p>