Need Transfer Input...

Transfer Students
1

<p>My son, a fresh, attends a small liberal arts college that is not the right fit. He is also home on medical leave for a situation that is not life threatening but needs to be sorted out and can't be managed logistically from his school which is out of state.</p>

<p>Since he was very uncomfortable at his school, (it was in the middle of nowhere with little to do on weekends and everyone dranks. He will not drink.) taking the medical leave seemed like the best thing to do </p>

<p>He is now looking to transfer at least laterally and is worried that he has only one semester under his belt. He graduated at the top of his class of 500 yet his GPA after one semester is not the best 3.2. </p>

<p>He will fill his semester off with quality ventures...yet has doubts he can make himself marketable.</p>

<p>Any history, advice or thoughts are gratefully accepted!</p>

2

<p>It would really depend on what schools would qualify as a lateral move. If he has strong HS grades and scores and had a medical issue his first semester (that is not mental illness), many colleges should be open to his application, especially if he’s not seeking aid.</p>

3

<p>Also, the definition of a transfer applicant varies between schools, so you need to check the websites of schools he’s interested in. Some consider you a transfer if you’ve taken any college courses post HS, while others will still consider you a fr applicant if you’ve completed less than a year of college post HS.</p>

4

<p>Is there a certain part of the country he would like to be in? Does he still want a liberal arts school? What is his major? If you could provide more information, I think you will get better suggestions.</p>

5

<p>Thank you all so much! You have given me hope. I realize I am a mom… but my son has had simply lousy luck. The medical leave is not for mental illness, life threatening, contagious or anything like that. We had some testing done over Christmas that offered results to his previously undiagnosed condition, and the specialist wanted to continue with the testing to get this over-with. It was just impossible to manage from a plane- ride away.</p>

<p>Since this all happened last minute (like within the last week and a half) we are still somewhat shell-shocked and there are not been much time to “process” the dilemma besides feeling badly. Since few four year schools will take a student on a non-matric. basis these days, and since the semester has already begun, he has jumped to enroll in the Brigham Young Online Program (which is actually NCAA approved.) (We are not Mormons…not important just mentioning.) Since transfer credits are sometimes difficult he has chosen two courses that can be evaluated quantitively… (testing.) In addition, he will go on a couple of Outward Bound trips, do volunteer work and perhaps work a bit. </p>

<p>He is looking for a school in a city or suburb with access to all that a city offers. Size does not matter so much, since even larger universities do their best to build a sense of community. </p>

<p>His plan was to double major and minor (His school permitted this.)
Possible majors: Chemistry or Math, and Theatre/Screen Writing/Communications, (documentary film making is an interest) and French as the minor.</p>

<p>His one semester at his school turned him off pre-med… His college has perhaps the highest acceptance rate into med school in the country and the program is structured as boot camp. He graduated HS with four years of Chemistry- all on an honors level and including Organic and Bio-Chem, was tutuoring most of the kids in his fall semester section, but still only received a B- in the course. That of course, is now hindering his chances of transfer.</p>

<p>We do not qualify for need based aid (at least not last year) although he did receive one of the top merit scholarships at his college.</p>

<p>A lateral move might be: Brandeis, Pomona, Cornell, Bucknell, Whitman… This is a tough question. We live in the Northeast and are VERY familiar with some northeast schools… Let’s just say, “things are seldom what they seem…” Our views on some these schools have way too much insight at this point. He would LOVE to attend Columbia…and did not apply their first go-around because he is an athlete and did not want to compete Div I. After seeing the drinking habits of the athletes in his school, he is separating from that as well, using his sport as exercise and participating more in club sports.</p>

<p>This time, I have been more longwinded… Thank you again for any input and suggestions. I admit to feeling very worried.</p>

6

<p>Have you considered NYU? The only reasons I suggest it are that it’s in Manhattan, we have a healthy amount of club sports and we have a program that might appeal to him.</p>

<p>Has he heard of the Gallatin School of Individualized Study? Instead of double majoring and minoring, he would be able to create a individual major, concentrating in particular areas of interest. He could take French in CAS, film making in Tisch, and even chemistry, if he wanted. Gallatin is very transfer friendly, and they accept many transfer students with unconventional backgrounds. MANY Gallatin students are into documentary film making. </p>

<p>Some cons of NYU include our horrible financial aid and our reputation of being a school full of Columbia rejects. Heh. We are a very large school, but there are many opportunities to foster community.</p>

<p>I don’t know if you or him would consider NYU a step down from a private LAC, but it is just a suggestion since it seemed to fulfill a few of his preferences.</p>

7

<p>Thank you so much! He does have NYU on the list. But did not feel like he had much chance of admittance. I know it is a big world, but the time we have had to process this whole situation has only been a few weeks. At the risk of sounding like a weeny, this is overwhelming and scary! It makes the original college app process seem like a piece of cake! ;~?</p>

<p>He has a friend that is a student at Tisch. It was our understanding that the Theatre/Acting courses there were only open to students after an audition? </p>

<p>He read your post and is on the site as we speak… A million thanks. We are planning to head to NYC as soon as possible to look at NYU as well as Columbia, which I believe may be a reach at this point. </p>

<p>I know that the student body is diverse which is wonderful… In your view, is there pretty much a niche for just about every branch of the social spectrum?</p>

8

<p>I’m not QUITE as sure about the Tisch Acting, but I know that in general, students within the “home school” get 1st priority, and then Gallatin. But Gallatin has their own classes. </p>

<p>ALSO, there are “Open Arts” classes in Tisch, and the ONLY students allowed in those classes are students who are not in Tisch. I believe there’s a class in Open Arts that is specifically for documentary film making, such as “The Documentary Tradition” and “Writing and Researching the Documentary”. Since he wouldn’t be competing with Tisch students for spots, he wouldn’t have to worry about being locked out. </p>

<p>[Film</a> and TV: Tisch School of the Arts at NYU](<a href=“Special Programs”>Special Programs)</p>

<p>I’m in a screenwriting Open Arts right now, and it’s terrific. It’s the same professors they use in Tisch.</p>

<p>Gallatin is also great if he craves the LAC/small classroom experience. Gallatin students get to know their professors very, very well. Class sizes are small and based around discussion and seminar. You won’t find lecture hall classes in Gallatin. Gallatin students are known for being quirky and offbeat, and they often have very unique ‘concentrations’. Some of the ones I’ve heard of include; sustainable and ethical tourism studies, pre-med and dance, children’s book writing and publishing, culture and consumption, math and philosophy and much more. </p>

<p>And yes, there’s a niche for everyone. There’s club sports, a small amount of Greek Life, lots of clubs and many student organizations. If he’s interested in it, there’s probably a club about it. We don’t have a lot of “on-campus” life because unlike Columbia, we don’t have a gated campus. So if that’s a concern, keep that in mind.</p>

9

<p>Thanks again! We will definitely look into the NYU environment. While not a small liberal arts college, we have learned the hard way that if the student mix at the chosen small school is not quite right, the environment will not work. In that light, we are changing our tack. Now if we can just figure out how to discern reality from PR on those college tours. My sons college spoke of so many wonderful things that simply did not exist…</p>

10

<p>“If he has strong HS grades and scores and had a medical issue his first semester (that is not mental illness)”</p>

<p>Whats wrong with a mental illness?</p>

11

<p>His 3.2 gpa might make a lateral move a bit difficult, if he is thinking along the lines of Cornell and NYU. I was going to suggest SUNY New Paltz due to the fact that it is a liberal arts type school and has a warm and welcoming student body who are creative and offbeat. My son transferred here from UMiami, so might be considered a transfer down by some, but the atmosphere of acceptance and support at NP makes up for it. If his interests are along the lines of theater, communications, writing, it would be a great environment for him.</p>

12

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<p>The reality is that for college admissions, mental illness can be a more delicate situation than a physical illness, so the OP was giving members some additional, pertinent information about her son’s reason for taking a medical leave.</p>

13

<p>Thanks LilyMoon. We will look into that as well. NYU was a top choice, but we have recently learned that NYU won’t look at a transfer app without 30 credits. I spoke with an admiss. couns. directly.</p>

<p>I did mention mental illness, because it was mentioned to me when I called an admissions office…I don’t recall which school, since I called several to gather information. </p>

<p>Our timing is a problem right now since this had all gone down within the last two weeks and we have to plan quickly to make deadlines.</p>