PLEASE recommend some colleges to transfer to based on my credentials!

<p>Hey everyone, it's been so long since I've posted on here, just viewing the site layout brings back so many memories from my Senior year of HS hahaha. Anyhow...</p>

<p>I'm a Freshman Finance major at UIUC looking to go to a school in a more urban environment (preferable east coast/west coast). I thought I could manage myself in the Midwest for a little longer (lived in the Chicago suburbs for about 8 years) but I just can't. The weather, environment, and culture seriously kill my morale (don't worry that's not the only reason guys). </p>

<p>You know how they say you should pick a college on how best you fit in? Well I screwed up on that part. I signed at UIUC 100% for the in-state tuition. Thankfully, since signing, my Dad is no longer unemployed and we can afford to go ways and means above what we are paying here.</p>

<p>I came to the university with high hopes (especially being enrolled in the Business school) but I was wildly unaware of the culture. I am a very independent person and was shocked at how huge Greek Life was on this campus. Since just about everyone I knew from HS pledged a fraternity, I decided to pledge a top house. This KILLED my first semester GPA. The hazing became too much (forced homosexual acts) so I dropped out during Hell Week.</p>

<p>Fast forward to 2nd semester, living life as a GDI for about 2 weeks were unbelievably dull. Especially being 18 years old in a place where the huge bar scene is 19+ (I don't turn 19 until September). So I pledged a different fraternity (stupidly). I dropped it today after I realized it was taking too much time out of my life, and I realized I didn't fit in with the guys.</p>

<p>I've decided that too many incredibly important factors to me at this university are lacking and I want to move. Besides my father is relocating to CA and I would really like to be nearby him if possible.</p>

<p>Stats from College:
1st Semester GPA: 2.7
2nd Semester GPA Expected: somewhere between 3.1-3.5 hopefully
-Pledge Class President at this fraternity I dropped
-Pledge Class Social chair at previous fraternity
Member at various clubs, but no leadership positions in them (since pledgeship killed all my time)</p>

<p>Stats from HS:</p>

<p>3.7/4.0 UW, 4.2/4.0 W
29 ACT
5 AP classes
Tons of leadership + volunteer experience (varsity sports + congressional volunteer)</p>

<p>Don't know what else would be useful info. </p>

<p>I'm a fantastic essay writer and an even better interviewee.</p>

<p>Applied to 9 schools for Freshman year and got accepted to 7 (only didn't get into UCLA or Berkeley).</p>

<p>I'd really like to transfer to USC, UCLA, Berkeley, Georgetown, NYU, maybe Northwestern.</p>

<p>Anyone have any better recommendations for what I should do if I want to transfer/where to transfer?</p>

<p>I'd really like to enroll at a campus with little to no Greek presence, an urban environment (aka no cornfields), pleasant weather the majority of the time (not having to worry about snow storms every single day), and of course a great reputation.</p>

<p>I understand my first semester GPA really kills me, terribly, but I will work my butt off to get out of that slump.</p>

<p>Cliffs:
-Want to transfer out of UIUC (Finance Major)
-Go somewhere w/ less Greek life, mature people/culture (Greek life has been so much like high school), maybe a smaller school (aka not >40k kids), good weather, preferably west coast
-Stats are located above</p>

<p>Thank you and sorry this post is so long!</p>

<p>Get that GPA up and you’ll have more options.</p>

<p>as was previously stated, get that college GPA up. Especially for those schools</p>

<p>How about Rutgers? Also American U. Penn State. Hmm… I can’t think of more. Definitely give NYU a try.</p>

<p>Hypothetically let’s say I bust my *** and pull a GPA between 3.5-3.7 by the end of my Sophomore year, how about then?</p>