I’ve been a student at Georgetown in the SFS for something like 2.5 years by now, and the more time I have spent there both online and in person, the more I realize I dislike it. I don’t generally like the kind people there, I don’t like how isolated the campus is from the rest of DC, I don’t like the lack in variety of disciplines, and I don’t like being away from my home city (NYC). Furthermore, I’ve recently realized that I actually don’t want to go into IR or federal govt, and instead would love to go into urban planning and city-level politics in NYC.
So to that end I applied to be a spring transfer to NYU for their urban design major, and got in. I don’t get financial aid from either school, but going to NYU would technically be cheaper since I could just commute from home. I know doing a junior transfer at this point is a bit of a thing, but the way I have it figured, I can transfer a decent number of credits and would only have to do maybe one or two summer semesters to graduate on time in Spring '24.
It’s a little more complicated too because just when I think I’m at a dead end at Georgetown academically, there is a new opportunity to work with an urban-studies-related program or to intern at a DC planning org, and so on. But it still doesn’t plass the vibe check for me otherwise, and I’m sure there are plenty of urban-planning related opportunies in NYC offered through NYU. So should I transfer? Like I said, I already have an offer waiting for me at NYU. Thanks in advance!
Congrats on getting in to NYU! You say you dislike Georgetown and miss NYC, and you’ve given the Hilltop a try - over 2.5 years! Move on! Or is something else besides this new program tugging at you to stay behind?
You wanted to go to NY enough to apply & get in, so what is your doubt?
From here it sounds as if there is more to the story… and possibly some rationalization (you could save money by living at home- but is that really your plan? you don’t like the lack of variety in disciplines, but it’s easy to transfer from SFS to the College) and perhaps some wishful thinking (you ‘have it figured’ you could do 2 terms of summer school & graduate on time- but have you gotten your credit transfer info from NYU to confirm that their estimates and yours align?), but really what matters is just for you:
Be honest with yourself: if you are clear about your reasons for going (nevermind what you tell anybody else); realistic about the trade-offs this move will entail (what things will change for the better and the worse) and you are ready to accept that there are always unknowns, then you have done all the due-diligence any of us can do when making a choice.
My only counter to everyone is - and if you’re miserable - I get it - but if you’re close enough to finishing at Gtown - the SFS will last you a lifetime - and you can do grad school at NYU.
I mean, once you hit 50%, you pass the halfway mark - so it’s heading toward the finish line.
Obviously, you have to do what’s best for you but I think if you can somehow tough it out, you’re close enough.
Plus, living at home and commuting - that’s not what college is about. In that case, why not just go to a CUNY. You’re spending money for more than a class.
Congratulations on your acceptance to NYU. If you are sure you don’t want to complete your studies at the SFS at GT, by all means, transfer. It might take you a little longer to complete your degree as a transfer to NYU. But if this is what you really want, and you honestly feel you will have no regrets, go for it.
But do check the opportunities possibly available at GT before you cut your ties with this great school.
And remember, for many many, their actual degree doesn’t necessarily align with their future jobs or careers.
Perhaps you aren’t looking hard enough. Maybe your advisor can help. While I"m not familiar with the day to day of the school, I can’t imagine there are not enough programs for someone who truly wants at SFS. But it’s DC and there’s lots of college students so there will be competition…no different than NYC.
Opportunities don’t just happen though - despite all the fancy marketing colleges do. You have to seek them out.
This is a really good point. If it’s going to be an extra semester or two to graduate from NYU after the transfer, that extra semester or two can be toward a master’s degree if it’s done after graduation.
Also, if you really want to get away from Georgetown, I wonder if you can do a semester at another college - perhaps NYU? Most colleges allow you to transfer in some credits from another school as students studying abroad do. Taking courses in 2 the summer semesters might also enable you to graduate early and move on.
I feel sooo validated by @THETHEGUBGUB ! I have also spent around 2.5 years at Georgetown and I am supposed to graduate in Spring 2024. However, my experience at Georgetown wasn’t that great. From the break of the norovirus, to lack of proper professors, I decided and realized Georgetown was not the best for me and my field of study, STEM. There are even nurses who are professors in the medical school. This professor once taught a course for undergrad, this course was poorly organized. I didn’t do that well in this course. There was a pre-req course even harder than this course and I received an A. The professor was shocked that I received this A, for some reason. On this note also, as a person of color, Georgetown is not liberal and I strongly advise other students of color to be very cautious in picking this school.
Furthermore, As students we even discuss how not qualified that professor and many others professors are to teach, especially in an accelerated 7 year MD program. Several times I would take courses at another well known school in NYC and receive As. Even in December, our averages for physics for the class was 68-72. Several people asked for a curve on a class platform, and the professor refused to curve. The professor erased all those written demands, as if the students never asked. Along with the exclusivity of the student body, the administration and faculty are very aloof and very difficult to communicate with.
Overall, I also realized I gave Georgetown a lot of chances and in the process my face was slapped a lot, figuratively. I then decided to apply to transfer and eventually leave.
I’m not sure if you decided to leave, but it was nice to read something that I relate to so much as a student. I wish you all the best!