Should I forgo my full ride?

Transfer Students
1

Hi all,

I currently am a freshman at the University of Miami with a full ride. Throughout all of high school, I dreamed of leaving Miami for college to somewhere with snow, a beautiful castle-like campus, and the like. I worked hard in high school to get where I wanted: I was a National Merit Finalist, National AP Scholar with 10 AP classes, and the President of Science National Honor Society.

I got into Cornell University, my dream school, but I decided against it because of UM’s enticing offer. My parents are upper-middle class, and I’m an only child, so we don’t qualify for need-based aid. Even though they insisted they could support an Ivy League education, I was uncomfortable with making them pay 70k a year. I was convinced I could eschew rankings (who decides on those, anyway), and have an education of a similar caliber at UM.

However, I’m thoroughly disappointed with my experience so far here. Though I’m in an advanced bio/chem/calc sequence with an original research lab, I don’t find myself pushed outside of my lab work. My AP Biology and AP Chemistry teachers were better than the ones I have here. I have a 300/300 in my biology course, and I didn’t even have time to study for two of my exams since I was at an equestrian competition all weekend.

Out of the 4 clubs I tried to join this semester, only one was truly active. I feel like student involvements in the clubs I’m interested are very superficial; then again, I might have just had very bad luck. I also don’t feel very comfortable within the equestrian team, and will most likely quit.

In the same vein, I haven’t made very many friends. I have one friend here from high school, and I end up spending the majority of time with her even though I want to branch out. I’m the only Latina on my floor, which came as a great shock to me (we are in Miami, after all; my high school in the county above Miami-Dade was more diverse than UM). The culture on my floor is too party-focused for me, and though I like going out to party, I’ve found the frat clubs unappealing – I like drinking in moderation, but I dislike the feeling of “if I don’t drink, I won’t have fun.” I’d much rather hang out in a dorm with good friends, with or without alcohol. The few times I have gone out to frat parties, the girls on my floor have been somewhat cold to me. I have one friend on my floor, who also dislikes this culture (it’s worse for her, since she’s an international student), and has also thought of leaving UM.

I also don’t like football that much. I thought I would like it more once I started attending a D1 school, but I’ve consistently left the football games at halftime every time I decide to go. Homecoming was a big disappointment. It made me miss my high school’s crappy dances – I’d prefer anything to watching football. I’m very glad football season is over, since I’m tired of football talk.

I’m thinking of transferring for fall 2018 admission to a more rigorous institution, but I’m very hesitant because of my scholarship. Very few people receive the honor, and I am very grateful for it, but I also don’t want to spend my college years in an institution where I feel like I can’t reach my fullest academic and social potentials. I thought the “party school” reputation UM has was just a negative stereotype, but I unfortunately find myself agreeing with it more and more every week. I’d like my peers to push me intellectually instead of simply hope to pass a class.

I haven’t felt at home here since my orientation week, which I find disappointing because the CITY of Miami IS my home; University of Miami just feels like a resort for northern kids that were fed up with the cold. Not a week goes by without hearing someone complain about how Uber drivers only speak Spanish. I started out wanting to do a year of exchange during my sophomore year, since my scholarship would cover it, but I know that it’s only because I want out. I’d rather be in a University where I can’t bring myself to study abroad because I’d be worried about all of the things I would miss out on. Every time I try to sit down and do work, I just end up researching transfer requirements. I don’t have motivation to do anything for this school anymore.

I’m currently thinking of Rice University, Brown University, Cornell University, Barnard, and University of Southern California (the only institution that offers some merit scholarships to transfer students, as far as I know). I know that I’d be spending full tuition at all of these institutions (Save USC, hopefully). Thankfully, my parents say that they support me with whatever choice I make. Since I’m thinking of applying to vet school/some graduate program, though, I’m still worried that I might exhaust my college funds within my undergrad career.

Either way, what do you all think?

TLDR I feel academically and socially undermatched at UM and wish to transfer to a better institution, but am hesitant to do so because of my full ride.

2

You can apply now, and decide later after you find out where you have been admitted and if there is any aid.

Some of what you are experiencing right now is pretty standard for freshman year adjustment. Students tend to sober up as the years progress, and classes also tend to get more difficult. Since you are interested in Vet School, you need to be concentrating on your grades and getting the pre-vet job shadowing and animal work/volunteer experience that are required for vet school admission. Spending time on those things will put you in contact with other students who are headed in the same direction as you.

3

Thank you for your advice. I’ve been volunteering/shadowing vets at a local animal clinic since this summer, and have raked up a couple hundred hours now. I got the position through personal contacts, though, not the university. Part of the issue is that the pre-vet club is totally inactive, since two of the EBoard members are studying abroad this semester. I really hope it picks up next semester.

4

You should apply to a variety of schools - include Wellesley in addition to Barnard, as well as Scripps. Look into Carleton and William&Mary, too.
Think of it this way: you saved your parents 70k that they now have for your vet school costs.
Time to cut your losses: at worst, once you know where you got in, you’ll have a choice.

5

I think you should apply to transfer. Once the decisions come in you can decide whether to stay or leave… but at least you will have the option to leave if things don’t improve.

6

You could do your study abroad year, then transfer for two years.

7

Just apply and see what happens. Note that the financial aid packages for transfer students are often worse than for incoming freshman. You will probably get into some of these schools as a transfer, but without aid. Have a serious talk with your parents about how much they can afford.

8

Getting into Vet School is hard. You might talk to some of the vet schools now. Would they prefer you to come from Miami with all As? It might be more competitive at those ivys and you might not stand out as much.

9

However, a straight A student from Miami should not suddenly become a B student at an Ivy. Cornell in particular is very well-known for the vet school program, which is very successful.

10

Which division of Cornell? If you are truly pre-vet, you should probably apply to Ag & Life Science.

Would you prefer a college/university with a strong equestrian program? That could give you more places to look at.

11

Happymom- I was admitted to CALS last year, so I’d apply there again this year. The equestrian team is just a plus, nothing make or break. If I’d transfer to a university with a 70k COA, I’d probably not join an equestrian team at all as they tend to be pretty expensive.
MYOS- I’m not sure if I’d thrive at a small LAC as opposed to a University, since I do enjoy all the research opportunities UM offers. Then again, I’m not entirely sure if LAC = less resources.
Thank you all for your encouragement. It’ll be kind of awkward with my advisors (they give students with my scholarship a ton of advisors), but I guess I’ll have to break the ice somehow and tell them about my intentions of transferring…

12

I agree you should discuss your concerns with your advisors. If they are any good, they will give you ideas on how to enrich your experience at UM, research, coops, internships. I can tell you that having 2 kids in really tough competitive schools, the opportunities for those things are super competitive. You will get those opportunities at UM, maybe not at Cornell (one of my kids is there now). Grades are definitely harder to get a high GPA at Cornell, and since grad school is in your plans, easy As with time to volunteer/intern/research in your field is a huge advantage. Money to pay for grad school is a huge advantage.

Socially, join clubs with your interests. Most college students spend a large portion of their time with a smaller group of friends. You just have to find the ones with common interests.

You to stay motivated, get As and think longer term. If you can’t be focused on your studies, then looking at other options is necessary. But are you sure you’ll be more focused elsewere ? Cornell is full of frats and drinking. You will not get all As.

As someone who transferred, while I was happy with my transfer, I realize in hindsight it was not necessary. But I didn’t have a full free ride like you so was not as painful to do it. In my case, I think either staying would have worked out fine if I had given it more of a chance, but then again, being a transfer student has it’s challenges. I had to (and did) overcome those challenges. You can do either as well.

13

Strong LACs produce a lot of research and since they focus on undergraduates, they have many opportunities to do research. Look up PHD producers in the sciences… lots of, if not a majority of… LACs.

14

“Some of what you are experiencing right now is pretty standard for freshman year adjustment. Students tend to sober up as the years progress, and classes also tend to get more difficult.”

This was pretty much what I was thinking. Most the heavy partiers will either sober up by sometime next year, or be gone. Pre-vet courses can be very tough (I know someone who has gone through them). Veterinary school is very expensive, and you want to save up as much money as possible if you want to keep it open as an option.

I was wondering about taking a sophomore year abroad and then coming back for junior year, by which time the party-heavy folks will be either sober or gone and the courses will be a lot more demanding. If you do a sophomore year abroad in Canada then you will indeed see snow (and there are folks on CC who can comment on possible schools).

15

@paradise44 , I think your choice to save your parents some money is admirable. Your decision was very well thought out. But you’re unhappy, and you have earned the right to a better college experience. I think you should apply to transfer.

I second the recommendation to try a few women’s colleges if you don’t mind a single sex school. You’ll find a more studious and diverse student body and may get some aid.

16

Blevine, I don’t think my lack of focus stems from a disappointment that there’s parties (I’d be disappointed if there weren’t any), but a disappointment with how menial my work seems to me currently. I feel like I had to work harder in high school. As far as internships go, the pre-health office has said that we should look to pre-health clubs for internship opportunities. There’s about 8 pre-med clubs total, but only one pre-vet club, which is inactive currently as I mentioned beforehand.
MYOS- I’ll definitely do more research into LACs!
DadTwoGirls- my advisors are somewhat hesitant to let me study abroad next year, as I would have to take science classes to fulfill my major requirements like physics and organic chemistry.

17

Could you arrange a domestic semester/year exchange that would keep you on track in the sciences?

18

@happymomof1 I’m in the process of meeting with a study abroad advisor. I’m sure I could take some basic sciences abroad, but maybe not my major requirements. This is just speculation, though.

19

Transferring is difficult as far as the social aspects…you will have missed that freshman window of new friendships at a new school. Getting all As at Miami will set you up for getting into vet school (of which there are only 30 in the US!) I know two current vet students who had to go out of the country to get their veterinary degrees - one in New Zealand and one in London. Your scholarship in undergrad will assist in the total overall cost for undergrad + grad. Vets do not make as much money as doctors, so it’s much more difficult to pay back student loans.

Bloom where you are planted! Make the most of the opportunities that your scholarship and special consideration at Miami affords you…(I know this isn’t what you want to hear right now).

20

I agree with @dfin2013 - I know many veterinarians that will try to actively deter new students from applying to vet school because they are still paying back their student loans 15+ years out of school. I didn’t have any debt from undergrad, and I will still graduate from vet school next year with close to $250,000 in debt. It may not seem like money is important right now, but I will tell you that your stress level and overall quality of life will be affected when you are faced with a mountain of student loans.