Please help a lackluster student transfer!

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm a sophomore at Penn State University Park and I hate it here. I'm really trying to transfer next year, but I can't seem to find anything I like.</p>

<p>For some reason I am just not comfortable at PSU. While it's a good school, I just don't feel like I fit in here.</p>

<p>As far as what I'm looking for: I'd like to be in an urban area or at least in a medium-sized town. Not really picky about location beyond that. I would prefer to go to a small school, but my major is journalism (I want to ultimately be a magazine editor) and it's very hard to come by at LACs, therefore bigger schools seem to be my only real option. It is very frustrating not being able to find anything. I want a school with a solid academic reputation, and friendly and accepting students. Good financial aid is of course a plus, especially because I am not well off at all (my FAFSA EFC has literally been 0 both years I've filed it).</p>

<p>If anyone can suggest schools for me to look at, especially smaller ones, that still have a good academic reputation, it would be greatly appreciated! Please keep in mind I can't get into Newhouse at Syracuse, or Medill at Northwestern, for example.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

<p>Stats:</p>

<p>-First generation, white male, diploma from a Florida high school. Current resident of Massachusetts.</p>

<p>College:
-2.81/4.0 (poor freshman year... I'm really focused this year and poised to finish the semester with a 3.7 which will be Dean's List).
-Ed2010.
-Currently employed as event staff at the Center for Performing Arts at PSU.</p>

<p>High School:
-3.8/4.0 (non-ranking school), having taken honors English 1 & 2, and AP Lang and AP Lit (without passing the exams), AP US History (passed), honors US government and honors economics. The AP program was still flourishing at my school when I finished, and I took the only AP courses available at the time.
-Theatre and choir (with numerous accolades in both, including membership in the International Thespian Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society).
-NHS.
-Founding member of a short-lived writing club (our sponsor got fired, ending the club).
-Rotary Club Senior of the Month June 08.
-SAT - R 580 M 530 W 670</p>

2

<p>With a need for FA you are really hampered. How are you paying for Penn St now? If you’re a resident of Mass then you need to look at UMass Amherst.</p>

3

<p>UMass is on my radar as a sort of financial safety, but I wonder if it’s too similar to PSU. I’m currently paying with good federal aid (over 5,000 from the Pell Grant, etc.), and mad private loans. Why is a financial need taking away from my options?</p>

4

<p>No one else can help?</p>

5

<p>ZooMass is PSU without football.</p>

6

<p>If it weren’t for the need for FA you could just “pick” a reasonable school. It makes absolutely NO sense to take out “mad school loans” so FA need rules out OOS public schools. So now we’re left with Mass publics and privates. You will still be eligible for Pell and Stafford but that won’t go very far at the privates. You are best off going in-state.</p>

7

<p>For Mass privates, I was thinking of applying to Northeastern, BU, and Emerson. Possibly Hampshire. I’ll live with huge loans, I don’t care. I want out of here while still remaining at a good school that I’ll like.</p>

<p>Can anyone chance me?</p>

8

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<p>You will never recover from the loans you’d have to take out to attend BU and it wouldn’t be remotely worth it. Trust me.</p>

9

<p>Could anyone else help? I’d like to have some options…</p>