<p>Here's the deal...basically I am a completely different person than I was when I applied to colleges in the fall. I was initially looking at colleges like BC, Vanderbilt, Wake, Tulane, etc., and now I'm really kicking myself because I wish I had applied to small liberal arts colleges instead.</p>
<p>It kind of sucks knowing I might transfer before I even decide what college I will go to and before I even start attending. </p>
<p>What is there to do about this and what will I need to do as a transfer? If I do decide I want to transfer, would I transfer for the spring semester? </p>
<p>Sorry, I'm not really sure how this goes, but thanks for the help.</p>
<p>And for some advice for current juniors: LOOK AT ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLEGES EARLY ON. You might think you like a certain type, but you can't know that there aren't more suitable ones out there until you've seen a variety.</p>
<p>My cousin lives in Virginia but wants to go to college in California. (Which is crazy because his family is poor and he has 2 other siblings also) He applied to every UC school and some other schools in Cali. His parents made him apply to 2 east coast schools just incase he didn’t make it into any schools on the west coast. He picked 2 at random that some friends were applying to. Ends up he didn’t make it into any CA schools so far (his family thinks he won’t make it into any of them. He didn’t do very good in HS) but he made it in to both east coast schools. He told me he doesn’t like either of the east coast schools and doesn’t know what to do now. </p>
<p>Make sure you apply to some safety schools you LIKE!</p>
<p>Agreed. I actually wish I didn’t apply to many of the schools that I did apply to - it was a waste of money and time. Make sure you actually like them. And LIKE YOUR SAFETY.
Like the OP (but actually my case is the opposite), I started out with my heart set on a small LAC like Hamilton. Now after lots of visiting, I’ve realized I want something totally different - and my top picks are BIG schools.</p>
<p>NC State: never liked the school to begin with but applied since I was under the pressure to apply to 7 schools, DO NOT apply to schools you don’t want to apply too even if you don’t think you aren’t applying to enough schools.</p>
<p>Purdue/Northeastern: good schools that I like but overall I like Clemson over these schools but now since Purdue and Northeastern have a better engineering “reputation” than Clemson, I am under pressure from my parents to go to Purdue/Northeastern over Clemson.</p>
<p>I think I only really want to go to 4 or so, tops, of the 10 schools I applied to. but I’d probably be fine at any of them. </p>
<p>I think I probably should’ve looked at more schools with merit aid.</p>
<p>also, I liked my safety, and got in.
advice: if you’re not 100% what school you want to go to (ie you aren’t applying ED anywhere), find a safety that you like that has EA. it makes it a lot less stressful when you have to submit your RD schools if you already know you’ve gotten in somewhere.</p>
<p>my tip to juniors: do a LOT of research! find the school you absolutely love most and try applying early decision there if there’s no other place you’d rather be.</p>
<p>How can a junior learn from this? You said that you’re now a different person, meaning that in the fall, the listed schools were perfect choices.</p>
<p>Transferring isn’t difficult into many schools, but give it at least a year. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, if there’s a particular school that you are interested in, call the Admissions Office now. They are starting to turn to the next year’s class now, and they will have more time to talk with you. You may want to keep their freshman required classes in mind when you pick classes, to make sure all credits will transfer. </p>
<p>You also NEVER KNOW. Some schools may actually still put you on a waitlist or may even have some open spots in their classes. You won’t know if it’s too late until you try.</p>
<p>My guess though is that you’ll find you like the school you attend. Once you meet people, get involved in school activities, and become comfortable with the university setting, you may decide that it’s exactly where you want to be.</p>
<p>If you aren’t happy about the college you will be attending in the fall, take a year off (gap year), work and reapply to schools that are a better fit. There is no reason to attend a school you hate just to go somewhere with the intent of transferring.</p>
<p>That said, many people who trudge off sadly to their ‘safety’ end up liking it. People are very adaptable.</p>
<p>In the fall i was going to apply to 12 schools or so, then i COMPLETELY changed that list to keep only 2 of those schools- mostly due to the economic downturn- i had a lot of private schools- i used to hate/didn’t like UNC but now LOVE IT.</p>
<p>No one becomes a <em>completely</em> different person in six months.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, what a junior can learn from this is to apply to a variety of schools that appeal to you for a variety of reasons, rather than becoming obsessed with the idea that there is one type of school that is a “perfect fit” for you. If you apply to a variety, you may have choices come spring.</p>
<p>i wish i applied to schools further away, as all of my schools are in new england. also i wish i applied to more reaches because i have gotten in 7 out of 8 schools so far</p>
<p>This question is very common, as is the “experience” of cold feet, and it really gets messy around late summer. The adjustment from high school to college is more severe than most people realize. Its very important that you take as close a look at yourself as you do the schools and try to pick a school that will challenge you academically and maybe even socially. Many schools are more similar than their admissions team is willing to admit. Embrace your safety is always a good rule of thumb. The month of April is when the rubber meets the road and you must select from the schools that have made an offer of admission to you. Do your best, but dont stress over it. And once you have made that decision, close the book on the others, bid them adieu and look forward. Insecurity is part of the process of growing up and you will get through this.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice everyone! And to gadad, Wake is one of the schools on my list that I still like. I’m unsure about the frat scene, but I think its size, location, and academics are perfect for me.</p>
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<p>I only looked at a certain type of school, and by the time I visited a small LAC it was too late to change my list around too much. At the time they were perfect because I didn’t know what else was out there. My thread wasn’t that long, read it next time before making a snotty comment.</p>
