This is so frustrating, where do you think I should go?

<p>Hey everyone, I have 84 credits done with a 3.4 gpa at SUNY New Paltz, I'm gonna probably take a semester off in the fall since it's too late to apply anywhere with housing, so I'm going to transfer in the spring. I need to transfer, so staying isn't an option. </p>

<p>But I can't decide where I want to go, I mean, SUNY Geneseo and SUNY Binghamton look good to me (assuming I can get in to both) but recently I've been balancing the potential of going even further away to a school with a great reputation that would offer a great education in a part of the country that i wouldn't normally get to experience. I've been looking at The University of Alabama, Appalachain State University, University of Arkansas, Salisbury University, University of Oklahoma, Northern Iowa, North Carolina and James Madison to name a few. </p>

<p>Basically I'm looking at great schools (that I can get into with a 3.4), with a good out of state price tag, that aren't too large. I would still consider Geneseo and Binghamton, since they're both still about 5 hours away from me, but the idea of going somewhere 'exotic' is getting more and more exciting. So what does everyone think? How are the schools I listed? Are there any others you can suggest? What are my chances of getting in, etc? </p>

<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Could I ask why you are so eager to transfer? My son just transferred to New Paltz last semester from a Southern private school, so I am interested. With 84 credits already done, what would you be transferring as - a second semester junior? You might lose a lot of credits as my son did and have to stay in college quite a bit longer depending on the school and the program. Check to see how many credits the schools you are looking into accept for transfers. Some schools have limits on that.</p>

<p>It’s mainly because of personal reasons, but there’s no question in my mind or my parent’s that it would be best to transfer. Each school I listed accepts up to 90 transfer credits from 4 year schools, and I only anticipate a few credits not moving over, so I should enter with 80 credits or so, leaving me right where I left off at New Paltz. At most, I might have to stay one or two semesters extra (not bad, considering I anticipated an extra semester at NP anyway). Now the hard part, where do I go???</p>

<p>apply and then decide where you want to go after you get your decisions
no point in deciding now when you don’t know if they want you</p>

<p>Have you visited any of these schools? They are very different environments than New Paltz.</p>

<p>Even though applying and then deciding is a good idea, I still want to narrow down where I’d apply to anyway, since I’m not interested in applying to a dozen schools, so I’m trying to narrow down this list or even maybe add a few options onto it. </p>

<p>And no I have not visited any of these schools, when you say different from New Paltz, how so?</p>

<p>Schools in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho and Oklahoma are going to feel very different than a school with a mostly New York population, especially state schools with most of the kids coming from that state. New Paltz is a diverse and liberal environment and easily accepts all types of students. You may want to take a trip to visit some of these schools before considering the possibility of transferring there. What is it exactly your looking for in the transfer experience? Just a change of pace or something more specific?</p>

<p>I’m looking for a change in scenery, and the opportunity to be around new, intelligent people in a great, unique environment. I should note that I’ve also been looking at the University of Missouri, which I’m guessing still falls into the same ‘very different from NP’ category. Still, I think I’d expect just about any school to be different from NP, since NP did have a vibe all it’s own, one I’m still not sure I liked or not, and I guess I won’t really know until I go somewhere else.</p>

<p>Since you are considering Iowa, have you looked into Iowa State University? The people there are really committed to helping transfer students seamlessly integrate into the university, academically and socially.</p>