Hi,
I’m currently a college freshman, who is planning to apply for sophmore transfer admissions. One of my schools I want to transfer to is Cornell’S school of Human Ecology as a PAM major. However, as I’m only a college freshman, I’m not 100% set on PAM major, or any major.
My question is: If I apply/transfer to Cornell HUMEC as a PAM major, could I switch later on to different major in the same Cornell school (HUM EC)?
Thanks!
It’s clear that you are ‘not sure’ what you actually want to study in college, given the number of trial balloons you have floated ever since you didn’t get into a college that you felt happy with (‘transferring b/c looking for econ + math’ / ‘looking for econ + env sci’ / ‘interested in industrial relations at Cornell’, etc).
Have you signed up for next term for whatever of the required coursework that PAM transfer applicants must have that you didn’t take this term? (2 terms of lab science, 2 terms of english comp or similar, calc and psych- guessing you already had micro econ).
Anyway, to your actual question: the whole point of HUM EC is that it is is interdisciplinary, so if you were admitted and through your course work as a sophomore you realized by the end of the year that you would actually be happier in Nutritional Sciences, Human Biology, Health & Society, Human Development or Fiber Science (the only other majors in HUM EC that don’t require a design component), you would almost certainly be able to work with your advisor to move over. The main challenge would be getting the required coursework done in the following 2 years.
I trust you have already worked out that transferring into HUM EC is not a back door into A&S.
@collegemom3717
Thanks for the info. Right now I want to transfer but don’t have a definite major that i’m set on (tho I narrowed it down to like 2-3). Internal transferring has never really been my intention so I’m not exactly using Hum Ec as a “backdoor” to A&S. Right now, I’m genuinely interested in the bio and PAM majors, which is why I asked if you could switch majors within HUM EC. As for requirements, I have only satisfied the PAM requirements, and thus, I can only apply to PAM (or ILR I guess).
PAM is (imo) a great course in a great program, so if you are actually genuinely interested in it (as opposed to, say, seeing it as the easiest option into a better name university), really work on your essay. I only know a few people in the HUM EC program, and only one in PAM, but they are really interesting and genuinely committed people.
I’ve noticed your previous postings in that you weren’t happy with your current institution and made plans, before you attended, to transfer.
@TomSrOfBoston suggested that you take a gap year and then reapply.
You are now backpedaling, by trying to transfer into an ivy, which will give you very limited financial aid.
Why didn’t you just take a gap year? You would have the opportunity to receive financial aid as an entering freshman.
At the ivies, as a transfer, you have to HOPE that someone transfers out to make room for you. You also have to hope that the adcoms won’t sniff through your prestige-hunt and note that you probably applied earlier and were rejected. If you apply to the same schools that rejected you last year, your chances are going to be very limited for admission, if nothing has really changed.
If you transfer, be prepared to pay close to full fees; monies have typically already been reserved and projected for 4 years for current students.
@auntbea
I wasn’t able to take a gap year because my parents didn’t allow it. Me and my parents have juxtaposing perspectives on transferring (I want to transfer while my parents just want me to finish my undergrad w/o all the hassles).
As for financial aid, I know that the ivies I’m applying to claim to “meet 100% demonstrated need” for transfer students, so I’m not sure as to why you would say the ivies don’t give any $ (i know it’s less than freshman tho).
Remember, meeting 100% need does not omit you from having to take out significant loans for tuition.
@TransferStalker Yes, I understand that. I know that transfer students get less $ than freshman but I hope that the FA will at least be sufficient enough so that I don’t have to take out a substantial amount of loans.
Demonstrated need is what THEY think you need, not what you actually need.
So you won’t get a full ride, if that is what you were expecting.
You need to look at the NPC and get an estimate.
Most transfer students have to take out substantial loans.
When it comes to transfer, “meets 100% demonstrated need” means it is hard to get into such a college as a transfer from another 4-year college (someone looking for aid). Those are usually given to transfers from community colleges…to people who couldn’t afford a 4-year college in the first place and this is their chance to obtain a 4-year degree…having worked hard at community college.
@fivesages Well the school that I go to currently is literally the same price as a community college and people from my (public) school and the local community college have similar economic backgrounds (according to online sources), so I don’t exactly understand why CC transfers would get the “100% demonstrated need” and 4-year college transfers wouldn’t. I think your statement applies more to transfers from a 4-year private university.