<p>I decided to post this in the parents forum in order to receive more mature responses and advice.
My parents forced me to go to a large in state university largely because it was close to home and I got scholarships and a grant that cover most of the costs for the next 4 years.
However, I am absolutely miserable here after 1 year. I really wanted to go to a small LAC like Wesleyan or Williams, and I felt that I had a decent shot at being accepted. I was also looking into somewhat larger universities such as Duke and Northwestern. These, admittedly, were reaches, as they are for most students, but i still felt i had a competitive application.
My parents refused to let me apply, even after my HS advisor told me that I had a decent shot of being admitted, and also after informing my parents that, given our financial situation, we would have probably received a good amount of financial aid.
Thus, I'm stuck at a university I absolutely hate for a variety of reasons: 50000+ students on my campus, the campus doesn't feel collegiate, classes are really easy, etc.
So, I'm considering sending out some applications during my sophomore year. Part of me says my rationale for transferring isn't sound. While the other part gets joyfully excited at the idea of leaving this university and never seeing it again. If I decide to transfer, I have to get a job in order to pay for the application fees, etc. My parents wont pay it. They're not very educated (they never went to college. Dad has HS diploma. Mom only studied up to 6th grade) and they dont know of any "good schools" besides Harvard. They have no idea what Duke is. No idea what Northwestern is, etc.
Should I transfer?? I don't even mind going into debt at this point.</p>
<p>You say that you might get a “decent amount of aid.” That suggests that your family might still have an expected contribution. Your aid pkgs will likely already include student loans, so you won’t be able to borrow the amount that your family is supposed to pay.</p>
<p>YOU can only borrow the following amounts:</p>
<p>Frosh 5500
Soph 6500
Jr 7500
Sr 7500</p>
<p>^^ and those amounts will likely already be in your aid pkg. </p>
<p>Your comment about being willing to “go into debt” suggests that you think you can borrow what you need. You can’t. Your parents would have to co-sign the loans that exceed the above amounts.</p>
<p>Do your parents own their own business? </p>
<p>Your classes at your current school may seem easy, but they’re likely lower division Gen Ed classes. They’ll likely get more difficult as you move into upper division classes.</p>
<p>If you do apply for a transfer, do NOT cut ties with your current school until you’re certain that you have all funding/loans in place for any new school. </p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that many schools do not give great aid to transfer students.</p>
<p>What sorts of things have you done so far to get more out of being on your campus?</p>
<p>Why not apply to a few schools that may offer good finanical aid packages and see what happens? If it doesn’t work out finanically, you can always stay where you are. If you are at a large school there will be people you can relate to , classes that are harder than those you have now, and a group that you can find that will be your own. You just haven’t found it yet. It sounds like you would apply your sophomore year to other schools. Do your research and find a selection of a few good options that are likely to offer you enough money to attend and throw out a line to see what happens. In the meantime, when school starts again in the fall at your current school, go to all of the “welcome” groups where they show you the types of organizations on campus. Find several that you can try out. Go in with an open mind and see what happens.</p>