To Transfer, Or Not To Transfer?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I am a current Freshman in the LSA Honors Program at the University of Michigan considering transferring to Michigan State University. I am a Michigan resident, and I would start at MSU in the Fall 2009 Semester.</p>

<p>My reasons for this are many and varied, but the main ones are the following:</p>

<li><p>My primary goal is to gain entrance into Medical School in 3.5-4 years, however I would like to major in Political Science. At MSU I would be in both the Honors College and James Madison College, a world-renowned institution arguably better than Michigan’s political science program.</p></li>
<li><p>Michigan State has a cheaper tuition than Michigan; in hard economic times, this really does matter.</p></li>
<li><p>The Michigan State atmosphere is much friendlier and less arrogant than that here at Michigan.</p></li>
<li><p>At Michigan State I would stay in an apartment with three of my good high school friends. I am the only person in my high school to go to Michigan in the last three years, a situation most people do not find themselves in.</p></li>
<li><p>My college decision last spring came down to the wire between Michigan and Michigan State. I largely chose Michigan based on its name and “prestige” alone, reasons I now realize are not truly logical or practical.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>For all you experts out there, my questions are the following (please keep in mind that I have been in Ann Arbor for four months, and therefore I have had adequate time to form rational opinions):
Would transferring to Michigan State University be a wise move, given my situation and reasoning? As far as earning entrance to Medical School, would a U. of M. degree really carry that much more weight than an MSU degree? Personally, I assume that performance matters over anything else. And, for those of you in the Honors College and/or James Madison College, how do you like it?</p>

<p>Please offer me your upper-echelon advice.</p>

2

<p>for political science, transfer to MSU</p>

3

<p>Personally I would choose Michigan over Michigan State, largely because of the reputation, but you are right in thinking that your performance will mean much more than what school you went to for medical school admissions. If you are unhappy at Michigan, you will not do well. If you are happier at Michigan State, it may make you do better, and it's always better to have a really good record from a well-known school than a crappy transcript from a prestigious school. Michigan State is still a good school with a good reputation, and you will be in the honors college so that helps.</p>

<p>Also, if affording Michigan is getting rough that may be a good reason to transfer to Michigan State. I would say that being near your high school friends is <em>not</em> a good reason to transfer to a school, but it seems like that is one of the lesser reasons that you want to transfer to Michigan State.</p>

4

<p>I agree with the poster above, Michigan is a much better school overall, but if you want to do political science or want to have good grades and be happy before med school, go to Michigan State if you think that is what you want.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>

5

<p>It really depends on the "real reasons" you are unhappy at Michigan. I would be careful to suggest that Michigan State is more friendly. All state schools are large and its a shock to most high school kids that college is not like the good old days. Michigan is a top tier school and naturally the student body is very intelligent and competitive. That is part of life you need to adjust to.</p>

<p>If you are the only one from your high school to go to Michigan, then you need to consider how that will look if you leave.</p>

<p>Also, the honey moon is over for freshmen, at different times...some after mid-terms, some after Thanksgiving when papers are due and finals are looming. Some not until January when its gray and cold and they are sick of cafeteria food and dorm drama. But the grass is not always greener at another school. </p>

<p>There is a lot of "transfer mania" by freshmen about this time and it goes unabated until about March, then tapers off. Of course some kids will go ahead and leave, while many others will adjust, buckle down and get over what is bugging them.</p>

<p>Every school does have a certain pervasive culture to it, for good or bad and its up to you to decide if that is important, if you fit or if you can adjust to it. And dont be too quick to judge just yet. You are a first semester Freshman and you have to give it time, and examine where your head is at and what is really going on, being totally honest with yourself. </p>

<p>My D struggled at a school as a freshman with being homesick (we are far away), a totally different culture (we are small town) and just the shock of college and all that goes on, from dorm drunks, dorm drama, pressures of school, good profs and bad profs, and all that. We convinced her to calm down, be more sanguine, learn to buck up and grow up, and hang in there and "wait and see" until the Springtime. Everything worked out and she stayed and is now thriving. Doing very well in school and has learned to adjust. </p>

<p>The one thing the high school does a really POOR job of doing is preparing kids for college life. And being young adults who are still immature, they make mistakes. So there is adjustment going on at Harvard, UNC, Michigan, Stanford, Duke, UVa, Wisconsin, Ohio State, BallState, you name it. </p>

<p>There is a small percentage of kids who leave for valid reasons, finances being a big factor. Some leave for other personal reasons. And some just realize they made a big mistake and need to be somewhere else.....usually that is someone who is at a small college and wants the big state school experience, for others the opposite. But not many go from one big state school to another...because the experience is not that different. </p>

<p>If you miss your high school buddies and they are clammoring for you to join them at MSU, you might want to consider your long term interests....is that REALLY what you want? To hang out with a bunch of high school buddies? Or do you want to grow up and move on and become a better person? Just a thought.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

6

<p>nocousin, are you implying that I would not "grow up and move on and become a better person" at Michigan State University? If so, I'm sure some current and former Spartans would laugh in your face. Moreover, who said that I "miss my high school buddies" and that they "are clammoring for me to join them at MSU?" I do not appreciate your editorializing, and subsequent naivete. You are biased towards Michigan and that's fine. However, to say that I wouldn't be able to grow up and become a better person at MSU with a few old friends, and that the only way for me to mature is to "move on" from them at an institution I am not fully satisfied with or happy at after four months is complete and utter ignorance.
And, to nocousin and all others who read this post, please do not let the issue of a few of my high school friends being at MSU act as a smokescreen to my other reasons for considering a transfer. I ask you to consider my academic and financial ones, which ultimately will influence my transfer decision.</p>