<p>I'm a freshman at a good - not great - school in the south, and I'm thinking about applying to transfer to a LAC in the northeast. I'm doing very well at this school; I have two jobs and am a campus leader in the newspaper and in political groups, but I can't help but want more out of college. The atmosphere is too much play and almost no work... Everyone either tans or goes out clubbing or drinking 24/7. There's no intellectual chemistry or passion among the student body, and sports and greek life dominate school life. I had a 3.6 last semester but was distracted by my job with the Obama campaign, so I'm aiming for a 4.0 this semester.</p>
<p>The problem is that my mom thinks I'm doing well, almost too well to transfer. I'd have to uproot my life and start all over again, and she thinks I should stay at the school I attend now. I'm on track to become editor in chief of the newspaper by senior year, and I know that likely wouldn't happen at this potential new school, but I feel like making the switch would be beneficial. I'm terrified.</p>
<p>How did you guys make the decision to transfer, especially if you were relatively happy - or at least comfortable - at your old school?</p>
<p>Ironically, I am in the opposite situation. I am a freshman at a pretty good LAC in the northeast, and I’m transferring for the same reasons that you are - too much play and no work at all, although sports and Greek life aren’t big here. Anyway, if you feel like like your current school is incompatible for you, you should try to transfer (you can always transfer and not go) and have another option open for yourself, because chances are that the feeling of incompatibility will only grow with time.</p>
<p>transfer for the opportunities that will arise at the new school. if you think you’re gonna do bad and not do anything special, then why transfer? i knew that i wanted to transfer last year, and worked double time to boost my GPA, and make my resume shine even more to get into a better college that will give me new opportunities to help my future career. despite having 2 internships, 2 jobs, and a very good GPA, i feel that transferring will give me something this college im currently attending can’t give. to give a comparison, i’m hoping to transfer to my dream school USC, which is 3000 miles away. if thats not uprooting my life and starting all over again i dont know what is.</p>
<p>The thing is, I just had this epiphany last Monday that I wanted to try to transfer. It was while I was on vacation in NY, and it just seems so… sudden. I can’t decide if I’m doing this on a whim or if I have a legitimate problem with my current school. It’s just freaking me out so, so much.</p>
<p>This is also a school I had been wait-listed by last year. I don’t know if I should just chalk it up to fate and “everything happens for a reason” or if I should really pursue this.</p>
<p>Try writing the “Why Transfer?” essay. If you struggle to come up with legitimate reasons to transfer, then maybe you should stay put. If you find yourself going on an outraged tirade of reasons for transferring, you probably should move forward in the transfer process. Make sure you’re not transferring for superficial reasons and that a transfer would improve your happiness.</p>