<p>I just came back for sophomore year at my school. I was considering transferring last year but not very seriously. Now I'm starting to think about it more. I really like the academics here, and plus the field I want to major in is very well-known here. I've loved all the professors I've had so far in the field. However, I know that I want to go to law school after college and not work in this field directly, so I guess what I'm saying is...I don't think my major matters as much. I probably wouldn't mind majoring in a similar field, even if it weren't exactly like the same program here, at another college. </p>
<p>The thing that I'm not happy with here is the social atmosphere. It's a big school and there's not a very big sense of a community. I guess what made it worse is that I didn't live on a very social floor last year, and I definitely do not live in a very social building this year. At the first dorm meeting, even the RA said that in the years she's been here, almost no one in the building knew each other even at the end of the year. Also, I just don't feel like I've made the connections with people like I had at home...I have friends here but I don't have that one group of best friends that I hang out with all the time. I know that being independent is definitely a requirement for going to this school, but I just really want closer, more stable friendships. I am involved in clubs (I am an officer in one) and I joined a Greek organization. I have made a lot of friends this way but again..not the close friendships that I wanted.</p>
<p>So I was thinking about transferring. I'm wondering if this would be a good idea for me though. If I did transfer, I probably would want to transfer for the spring semester so that I wouldn't end up taking more classes here that possibly wouldn't transfer and also because I just don't want to be unhappy for another semester. But I'm not sure how that would work regarding deadlines to cancel my housing plus tuition payments at my current school and when I would find out about acceptances to other schools, etc. Also, I don't know if transferring halfway through the year would be a good idea. I don't want to go to a school where everyone's already made friends their first semester and where I'd be put in the same situation as I am in here. </p>
<p>Another thing I was concerned about is how to tell my parents. I've wanted to go to this school for a while, and I don't know how my parents would feel if I told them that I now wanted to leave, especially in the middle of the year. And yet another concern..financial aid. I would definitely need substantial aid at another school, but I'm not sure if transfers get that much aid, especially in the middle of the year?</p>
<p>Advice, anyone?</p>