I am a current sophomore at a smaller, private university. This school was my second choice and I was practically forced to go there after my first choice told me no. Don’t get me wrong, I love the school I am at, but I always wonder what it would be like elsewhere. The academics at my current school are excellent, but the social part is not. It is very close to home, so I commute, but on top of that my school is in the middle of nowhere.
I want to know if there is a way I can 100% know if transferring is a good idea because I’m scared making the wrong decision.
- would you live on campus if you transferred? Could your family afford that?
- How are your grades? Is your GPA good enough to transfer?
- Are you receiving scholarships now? Will you be able to get them at a new school?
- What social aspects are you missing.? Have you gotten involved in campus activities? Have you gone to events or joined a club? Have you joined the commuter club?
The only way to 100% know if transferring is a good idea is to transfer. You’ll never really know beforehand how everything is going to turn out.
Why do you say the social life is lacking? Are there ways you can become more involved? Is it just that you haven’t found your “group” yet? Many times when it comes to the social side of things transferring isn’t always the best option. It can be harder to make friends as a transfer student in a new school if you don’t work at it, and depending on what is disappointing about your social life at your current school, transferring might not fix it. Do you have friends at the school you think you might want to transfer to?
I think it’s worth looking into how possible it is to transfer and where you would apply. Look into how you would be able to apply at each school and what are the likelihood that you would be accepted. Is it financially feasible? Would it impact your graduation time? Make sure you’re not trading academics for perceived social improvements. Many schools may be more similar than they are different.
Start by looking into other schools and go from there. Think about what you want (such as better social life, better location, ect.) and what’s realistic (something you can get into and afford), then compile a list of possibilities. If it’s something you’ve thought about a lot, it’s worth at least looking into.
If you want to transfer, do it. Find somewhere where you think you will be happier.