<p>I'm a junior who's had her fair share of ups and downs the past couple years. I currently go to a large state school in the midwest, originally to study journalism. But I've had so many problems both academically and socially, that I have been failing or almost-failing (several but not all) classes the past couple years and feel so uninspired. There's just nothing at this school that I truly want to study because my true passion is both fashion journalism and fashion merchandising. My grades will probably get me kicked out of our journalism school, and I'm not sure I'd want to stay in it even if I wasn't kicked out. I hate it and my lack of interest and motivation is clearly a huge part of my problem.</p>
<p>My parents have known about my grades and problems, and when last year I brought up transferring to another school to study my true passion for fashion, they advised me to try sticking it out at my state school because it's more practical and whatnot. And I tried that. But they're used to the bright, excelling, A-student from high school, but now I'm only happy writing fashion columns for online publications outside of school. I feel in my gut I should transfer, even as a junior, and attend the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. It's got both programs in fashion journalism and merchandising, and I can take classes online until I decide whether or not I want to eventually move out there and take physical classes. Plus a lot of my credits will actually transfer to fulfill their liberal arts requirements, so I won't be THAT far behind.</p>
<p>The problem is HOW I should tell my parents my thoughts in a mature, rational and persuasive way. I've talked to my parents about the Academy briefly, but they didn't listen as intently since they wanted me to give my state school another shot. Also, my dad doesn't have an even temper and I'm always afraid to voice my opinions to him, since he has never found the arts to be all that worthwhile like my mom.</p>
<p>The other problem is that if I transfer, my student loan at this school will kick in. I don't know how to rationalize where that money will come from to allow me to pursue my dreams rather than stay stuck at this school studying a whole new major because my grades don't qualify me to study what I want and my school doesn't offer more artistic/fashion/merchandising options. HELP!</p>