Regret Transferring to an Ivy?

Transfer Students
1

<p>First off, I'm greatly appreciative of the opportunity to be accepted to an ivy (UPenn!) and I apologize as I don't mean to sound ungrateful for this opportunity when some people would dream about attending one.</p>

<p>I transferred from UCLA. I applied to Penn only because it was my dream school in high school and I thought maybe I should give it another shot. However, by the end of freshman year, I grew to love UCLA and I changed so much as a person (was originally antisocial nerd who eventually grew to realize the importance of enjoying life outside of studying). At UCLA, I was a top student, had an established group of friends, and fell in love with Los Angeles. However, near the end of the school year I found out I was admitted to Penn, and transferred out only because of the pressure of turning down an ivy (as my friend put it, I would always be plagued by the "what if's" for turning down the opportunity)</p>

<p>I feel like I transferred out for all the wrong reasons: mainly prestige. I knew a part of me would regret transferring but I had no idea how much I'd regret it. I've had a miserable first semester at Penn where I tried so hard being involved with clubs and getting integrated into the school. However, I find that people here are just generally not as happy and I just don't like the east coast or elitist environment. (Among many other reasons including academic environment and how I don't like Philly as much as LA)</p>

<p>Now I'm faced with the idea of transferring back (something I didn't really want to even think about starting Penn). Talking to UCLA counsellors, I know I don't have to apply for admissions like a transfer would but rather apply for re-admissions, which is pretty much an automatic entry back in my case. Additional thing to note: I am pre-med, where the route is pretty much the same across all schools and the undergraduate school doesn't matter. </p>

<p>Right now I don't know if I'm just being short sighted (bite the bullet and get a "prestigious" degree, alumni network, smaller classes, and the other benefits of a private school). At the same time, I'm conflicted since I do believe that my undergraduate years should be the best years of my life, and I was so happy at my original school. Also my parents are paying twice as much for me to attend my new school whereas I received scholarships from UCLA. </p>

<p>Anyone have any insight or know other people who regretted their decision to transfer? (Please no reprimands, I already feel horrible having to make my parents go through all this transfer indecisiveness! D: )</p>

<p>I would be greatly appreciative to hear any advice/experiences!</p>

2

<p>UCLA doesn’t have major prestige? That’s news to me.</p>

<p>You are in a bind. If you can get your old scholarships back, that would help. If your parents can afford you going to college an extra year, which might be necessary because you are pre-med and don’t want any transcript blips, that would help.</p>

<p>And it is you who are not happy, not people at Penn who aren’t happy. UCLA is definitely a different vibe, and now you’ve found out Penn is not right for you. But you describe not wanting to go in the first place! Be advised that people in the Northeast are happy even we don’t have sunshine all the time.</p>

<p>This is a lesson for anyone who wants to go to a college or transfer for the wrong reasons. </p>

<p>As far as I can tell:

  • Penn is more expensive for your parents and you
  • You were happy at UCLA and applied to Penn under pressure and accepted under pressure
  • You don’t like Philly, and apparently didn’t look into that factor sufficiently
  • You liked doing well in your UCLA classes, and aren’t doing as well in your Penn classes.</p>

<p>Fix your mistake, go back to UCLA. If you were my kid, I’d even say consider taking the spring semester off from Penn and working, doing something that would build your pre-med resume (volunteering at a hospital or similar).</p>

<p>However - remember that you will likely have to send undergrad transcripts to medical schools, and it will look very weird to go back and forth. If you are technically going to be a readmit, is it possible to make it look like you chose to take a few classes at Penn as kind of a “year away” (or semester away if you can get out of the spring semester)? Or would you rather retake classes that you took at Penn at UCLA (you imply that you didn’t do well at Penn, at least not as well as at UCLA)?</p>

<p>If I were on the adcom at a medical school, I’d wonder how long it would take you to be dissatisfied with our school too. So think about how you want to do what you want to do.</p>

<p>I was very very happy at Penn. But I grew up in the Northeast, knew about the weather, didn’t think that I could get totally socially involved in one semester (it usually takes two semesters), and felt the people were driven the way I was. Penn doesn’t want people there who are unhappy. And you are unhappy. Good luck at UCLA, it sounds like that is where you belong.</p>

3

<p>If you transfer and finish at UCLA, I think you can explain your time at UPenn as you did here. I don’t think it will be a problem and I don’t think anyone will wonder “how long it would take you to be dissatisfied with our school too.” Many people are unhappy freshman year. You were lucky enough to be accepted at UPenn but recognized it wasn’t for you after a semester and went back to UCLA. </p>

<p>It won’t be a problem unless you want to go to UPenn Med School and it doesn’t sound like you will.</p>

4

<p>@rhandco I never implied that I wasn’t doing as academically as well at Penn. I find the science classes here similar in difficulty at UCLA, and I’m handling my classes here just as well. So it’s not that I’m miserable because of GPA. However, I see what you’re saying. I think it essentially boils down to the “fit” and I’m just more comfortable with a different college environment.</p>

<p>Anyways, thank both of you guys for your input. I’m appreciative of being to hear of others’ advice. I’ve definitely been thinking a lot too about how it would look to medical adcoms of seeing me transfer in and transfer out (since even a strong academic record wouldn’t be able to negate that). To be completely honest, a lot of my stress comes from financial reasons (I’d probably have to pull out financial loans eventually at Penn versus UCLA I was an in-state student), and the stress of college debt before medical school is constantly on my mind. If for whatever reason I decide to stay or transfer out again, I think it’d be because of finances.</p>

<p>Regardless, thanks again and I hope you guys have a great holiday season! (: </p>

5

<p>Congratulations to you, taffyz! You took a risk and found out some very important information about yourself. Go back to UCLA knowing that it’s the right place for you. No need to make excuses or apologize to anyone.</p>

6

And you can explain on your med apps that you returned to ucla for financial reasons. It makes good sense. Good luck. I’ve visited both ucla & penn with my kids. Two different but equally gorgeous campuses.