Please help a lackluster student transfer!

Transfer Students
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>I’m not that familiar with east coast schools, so not much help there. I think it would be useful if you could list 4 - 6 schools you would like to go to (even if they are reaches) so we have a better idea of what you believe might be ideal.</p>

<p>Your GPA, even at the end of this year will be a bit lackluster, like you said. That likely rules out really competitive/elite schools. You probably need to aim for large schools that are well rounded and that specifically have a good department for your major. For example, U of Oregon isn’t the fanciest state university, but it is solid, and its English department is very good. Not to mention its graduate English MFA is top 10 by some lists–so one can expect some trickle down from the graduate dept into the undergrad experience. In other words, it will take some research on your part to find that right school.</p>

<p>Check out top English MFA programs and see if their corresponding undergrad English (if that is your major) is also well off. Many of them are housed at mid-level schools in terms of difficulty of transfer.</p>

<p>Also know that by the time you are a junior transfer (end of soph year) the colleges won’t pay much attention to your HS activities or grades – so you need to boost your current GPA and possibly get really active in some college ECs asap.</p>