<p>I'm currently a sophomore at a very strong school on the East Coast (a notch below Ivy league), but I'm quite unhappy. I first realized that I didn't really like my school during my freshman year, but I decided to go for another year and see if things got better, which they didn't.</p>
<p>I've come to the conclusion that what I miss most is California (my homestate) and so I applied for transfer to several schools there; mostly UC's. </p>
<p>I'm really on the brink for making a decision to transfer for several reasons: </p>
<p>1) If I finish out this next semester at my current school and then study abroad for a year, I'd only have one year left to graduate</p>
<p>2) For various reasons, I would have to pay out-of-state tuition to go to a UC school, which adds up to about what I'm paying now at a "more prestigious" and smaller private school. And I understand the UC situation is rocky right now. </p>
<p>3) I'd essentially have to start over with making friends and getting situated in a new environment. </p>
<p>but, when it comes down to it, I'm just unhappy and I'd like to spend a minimal amount of time at my current school, so I'm willing to deal with those facts. Currently I don't care about graduating with the "title" my school carries, because I just don't think that matters in the end. However, most older folks I've asked (whose opinions I respect) have told me to just tough it out. I worked hard to get into the school I'm at, but I don't want to live what could potentially be another year and a half of my life "just waiting to get it over with." I really feel like I need to get out... but I'm worried that I'll regret it by ruining what I've already invested.</p>
<p>I know that nobody can predict my future and I'm not asking that, but if anybody has had a similar past experience or faced a similar decision, I'd appreciate any advice or words of wisdom. Thanks</p>
<p>I like the idea that you’ll spend a year abroad and then only have a year left at your present school.</p>
<p>Transferring can have its problems, too. Your new school may have requirements for your major that don’t work well with the classes from your present school. This and the fact that you could have problems getting the classes you want at a UC, you could end up having to go to school for an extra year. That would be very expensive. </p>
<p>Since Calif is your homestate, why would you have to pay OOS costs (BTW…the COA for OOS students at UCs is about $42k - 50k.) Are you a full-pay at your present school?</p>
<p>I transferred to another college after sophomore year and really regretted it. Go for the study abroad option and finish where you started. The grass always looks greener-but it isnt. Some people dont have the high school or college experience you see on tv or in movies-- but you will find that these experiences help you learn more about yourself-likes and dislikes-that will come in handy later. I think the worst part is 20 plus years later I am praying that my kids will have that perfect experience.</p>
<p>I say tough it out. If you transfer to a school as a junior, it’s tough to make friends because most of the other upperclassmen in your classes will already have their circles of friends. I transferred as a sophomore, and all of my friends were freshmen (they were the ones in my dorm who didn’t already have a bunch of friends). </p>
<p>Also, if you transfer, you might find that the things making you unhappy might also exist at the new school, too.</p>
<p>You haven’t given any indication about why you’re unhappy in your current school, so it’s kind of hard to advise one way or another. Is it the kids themselves, or the weather, or the professors? There must be some good things about the place, or you wouldn’t have applied.
If you plan to study abroad and then only have one year left, it seems kind of silly to transfer, imo. A year goes by really fast.<br>
More info on why you want to leave would be helpful, if you can do it without revealing too much information.
Knowing the situation in CA schools right now (I’m a Californian), my feeling is that you’re probably getting a better education where you are. Jobs are tight, and coming from a well respected private college (you say it has some "prestige) may be more useful than you think when looking for jobs or graduate positions.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids, I would have to pay OOS costs because I did not attend a Californian high school for my last couple years, and also my parents are no longer residents. </p>
<p>moonchild, I think the biggest reason is the kids themselves. And I can’t really put my finger on why. It’s not that I dislike everyone (that would clearly be my own problem and not theirs) it’s more like… the entire attitude and environment is strange. I feel like a lot of people are self-important, but I don’t want to generalize. I don’t think I can call a single person a close friend, and it’s been almost two years. It just doesn’t feel right, and I know transferring wouldn’t necessarily fix that, but I’d almost rather take the risk. </p>
<p>Thank you all for your input so far. Sounds like I should really think about staying. Maybe studying abroad and then just finishing up senior year would be the best option.</p>
<p>I don’t think the social stuff is going to fix with a change of scenery. I say go abroad, maybe even for a year and a half if your school will allow it, and tough it out. I found the people I liked most, socially, in my junior and senior year as I spent more time with people in my extracurricular activities and concentration and my few good friends from my first year found people they really liked in the same way.</p>
<p>What about graduating early? Study abroad plus one summer of classes home with your parents may cover you if you take an extra class this semester. </p>
<p>There are lots of ways to attempt this depending on your school that will probably be easier on you than transferring this late because you don’t like the folks at your school.</p>
<p>A final idea-- hang out with townies. Get off campus and get down into the city/town and meet local folks, folks in other colleges, etc etc. I love the people I’ve met outside of college as much if not more than my classmates. There’s a world beyond the walls of your institution that’s worth exploring.</p>
<p>*A final idea-- hang out with townies. Get off campus and get down into the city/town and meet local folks, folks in other colleges, etc etc. I love the people I’ve met outside of college as much if not more than my classmates. There’s a world beyond the walls of your institution that’s worth exploring. *</p>
<p>Very good idea…perhaps get a part-time job and meet people thru that. :)</p>
<p>What is your major? </p>
<p>What do you miss about Calif (I’m a Calif native now living in the South)</p>
<p>What do want in a school? bigger? rah rah sports? bigger college city? more rec choices?</p>
<p>Have your heard of “Sophomore Slump?” I think that second year students often become a bit antsy/restless/discouraged unhappy for a variety of reasons, and your discontent may be a temporary thing that you will grow through. You have one more semester until you study abroad. Do you know where you’re going yet? Can you focus on your trip a bit, learn about the country you’ll be visiting and psych yourself up for it? That year abroad could change your life. It will certainly change your outlook. You may return thinking that you want to be done with college, and no school would be attractive. Or you may return welcoming some of what is turning you off right now.
These four years are a growing experience. You’re learning a lot about who you are by being not-so-happy and a bit uncomfortable. That’s not always a bad thing.
Prepare for your trip,apply yourself to your studies, and find a prof or two whom you can form a mentor-type relationship with, and focus on the positive things you can achieve in the three on-campus semesters you have left. It will go by more quickly than you think.</p>
<p>And I certainly understand missing California. It’s really hard to leave—but you can always come back after graduation, permanently if you like. :)</p>
<p>Most colleges do not accept more than 60 credits (or not more than 4 semesters), so if you are serious about transferring, do it before fall. Do it before the fall anyway, as you might as well get going. Do the study abroad w/ your new school, in the spring of your junior year. But, you actually may not be able to fit it in, as transferring credits is not always so easy. Some schools won’t accept certain "freshman classes, schools have different requirements, etc.</p>
<p>You have study abroad than one year left at the school… I wouldn’t tranfer. There absolutely has to be something on campus you haven’t done ( like joining a club to make yourself feel more at home and connected with the community). It seems like you lack to connect with your school community, simply find a way you can connect or re-connect that can at least keep you there for these last few semesters.
First step would be being a devoted student to learn at the school.</p>
<p>I’ve inquired about graduating early and unfortunately my school has strict policies about attending a full 8 semesters unless you have plenty of AP creds (and I didn’t have enough). I haven’t checked to see if I can study abroad for more than a year though - I’ll do that.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids- I’m a Biology major, and I have a particular interest in the ocean and marine biology. It would be nice to be studying this in California, but then again I don’t know about getting into majors/classes at the UCs now.
What I miss most about California is the coast, sunshine, and people - also all of my family & extended family live there.
I’m not really looking for any of those things you mentioned in a school, actually. All I’d really like in a school are the things I listed above, that I miss about CA :)</p>
<p>But if I did transfer… could I maybe make friends with other transfers? Don’t UCs accept a sizeable junior crowd (some from comm college)? I have to check that though, I’m not sure.</p>
<p>hmom - I’m not sure yet. I’m premed but I don’t know if I want to follow through with it. Bio major/Biomed eng minor at my current school - I’m keeping my options open</p>
<p>moonchild- you’re right, I think part of my wanting to be in CA now is simply impatience</p>
<p>One nice thought is that I don’t have to make any decision until April, so I have most of this next semester to see whether or not I can stand my current school. If it’s bearable (or if things get better! positive, yay!) I’ll stay.</p>
<p>Thanks - if I do decide to stay, I’ll try and get involved in new things - I’m already doing a lot (working off campus and a sport) but maybe the key is switching it up.</p>
Have you looked into Stanford? Stanford has been less impacted by the California economy than the UCs, and its oceanography offerings are stronger than those of most of the UCs. </p>
<p>It admits very few transfer students (only 15 males and 10 females last year), but you have a better shot than most coming from a good school with presumably a good academic record.</p>
<p>Personally speaking, if you’re planning to study abroad for a year next year I don’t see the point in transferring. I was tired of my LAC by the time junior year rolled around. I wanted to live in a bigger city or at least go to a larger university, and I seriously considered transferring. But I was so settled and didn’t want to worry about credits transferring and paying for a new place and all that.</p>
<p>But I studied abroad for a semester (wish it HAD been a year) and that really took the edge off. Senior year you’re so focused on enjoying it and getting the rest of your requirements out of the way that it’s not really a big deal. I just spent a lot of time with my off-campus friends and pushed through. Like modestmelody said, most of my friends were people who didn’t go to my school but were “townies”. This was easier for me because I went to school close to my hometown, but these people (with the exception of one) weren’t high school friends, they were friends at other universities and colleges nearby who I felt were kindred spirits.</p>
<p>If you really miss California, you can always look for jobs there and move back after you’re finished with your degree. That’s another thing I did - soon as I finished college I hightailed it back to my original hometown, New York, and I couldn’t be happier.</p>
<p>Another marine lab is the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography on the Georgia coast.</p>