Rising junior in a four-year private university(Occidental College), is it worth it to transfer?

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Hi, I am going through a HUGE dilemma, and I would love any kind of word of advice.

I am a rising junior at Occidental College as a mathematics major, comp sci and music minor, currently committed in studying abroad at University of Bristol in UK for this coming fall semester. This summer, I have been taking bunch of online classes to improve my computer science knowledge (especially in mobile app development), and I have never been so passionate about anything in my life to the point where I would only see myself working in computer science field in the future. Unfortunately, Oxy does not have computer science major. Additionally, the last two years at Oxy was MISERABLE for me and the whole small community vibe and all have been severely affecting my mental health. So I am seriously considering transfer to another school for the major and for my mental health. If I were to transfer, I would be taking a gap semester for Spring 2017, and enroll the following fall semester since I won’t be coming back from UK until the very end of January. I am a California resident, so I was looking at schools like UCLA and UCBerkely, but it seems that they don’t give admission priority to students from another private schools. Is is worth it to even apply at this point? Also, because I am very ahead with my credits at Oxy, if I were to stay at Oxy, I would be able to graduate in 3 1/2 years, but I hate the school so much that I don’t even see myself graduating there…

To summarize the pros and cons:

If I were to stay at Oxy:

  • be able to graduate in 3 1/2 years
  • be able to take comp sci classes at Caltech through sister school program
  • risk of worsening my mental health
  • not being able to major in comp sci
  • more expensive

If I were to transfer:

  • be able to major in comp sci
  • hope in improving my mental health at a bigger school
  • probably won’t be able to graduate on time
  • just a lot of hassle in general
  • a LOT cheaper than Oxy

I was also just thinking about taking a gap semester either way, for the Spring 2017 when I come back from UK, and even if I don’t get into the schools, I would still be on track on graduating Oxy in 4 years… Do you think gap semester is a good idea?

Also I forgot to add that my GPA at Oxy is 3.78, so I feel like the chance of admission is pretty good for me.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

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you can certainly apply to a UC as a transfer - with a 3.78, you have a solid shot at most. CS is very competitive though so, apply to several.

Coming from a private, it may be hard to map classes and you could loose some of your units in the process.

I’d suggest you make an appointment with a transfer advisor at UCLA, bring your transcript and map out your eligibility and transfer path.

Your post implies you may be an international student. If so, double check your residency status while you are on campus.

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You should talk to an admissions person at a UC. The transfer programs are set up to work with community colleges, and admission from private schools is quirky and can be difficult. UCLA publishes where its transfer admits come from, and you will notice that private universities (even very good ones) do not do too well. Check out stats here (the latest year for which they have the college breakdown appears to be 2014):
https://www.admission.ucla.edu/prospect/Adm_tr/Tr_Prof.htm

But it might be different at other UCs.

As far as the liberal arts college experience, it can be oppressive. Or maybe it’s just Oxy. Some people love it, and others do not. And sometimes people both love it and hate it. If I am understanding your schedule correctly, you would only be at Oxy for one more year after returning from study abroad, in which case it might make sense (if you can afford it) to just finish your BA and then plan for studies in CS after that. Again, talking to an admissions counselor at universities where CS programs are offered would not hurt because you are far along, and that might make transferring complicated.

Enjoy Bristol. Sometimes being abroad for a semester can help you come back with a new perspective.