Right now I go to UCSB. Unlike a lot of people who want to transfer, I don’t actually hate ucsb. I’ve made some really good friends, the academics are good, the area is nice, etc. I’ve had a good year so far. that being said, I’m a year in and I still wish I had gone to Davis or Santa Cruz (I’m from San Jose) because I realized how important being close to home and my family is. People say not to transfer because of homesickness, but I don’t feel like thats a bad reason to want to consider it. It’s not wrong to miss your family and your hometown, or to feel like going further away was a mistake. So i’m considering filling out the UC application this fall and seeing if I still feel the same a year from now to possibly transfer to ucsc or ucd in fall 2020.
What makes me wanna stay in santa barbara is: 1) I’ve made some really good friends here (but i’m confident in myself that I’ll be able to make friends and find happiness at any school), 2) it would be easier and less scary than possibly switching to a situation that I enjoy less.
I’m just looking for some honest input from people that don’t benefit from me transferring home (family) and ppl that don’t benefit from me staying here (friends). and also hopefully some advice from people who have transferred from one four year to another in a similar situation to mine. thank you:)
Give it another semester at this point. But it’s hard to be committed to anything in life in you’re sitting there with one eye on the door. That being said, if you have the grades and want to transfer make it to be closer and a potential academic upgrade. UCD could work. Just make sure you don’t drop the ball in your classes while taking on the added pressure of another round of applications and stress around decisions. Etc.
Good luck and enjoy your summer. It will be over in the blink of an eye.
If you plan well enough, there are $200 fares between Santa Barbara and Oakland on Contour.
Short of commuting to school, I’m not sure what the difference would be by transferring to either UCD or UCSC. Yes you could see your family more often perhaps, but that might take away from your schooling.
There’s also the Coast Starlight train. I’d give it more time before you decide.
It sounds like you are definitely leaning towards leaving. I dont’ see any reason not to fill out the xfer application, filling it out is not a committment to xfer. You might also want to talk to a counselor at ucsb when school resumes in the fall to talk about your decision; they specifically mention they are available for specific concerns you want to address over a few sessions See http://caps.sa.ucsb.edu/services/overview-of-services
I don’t think transferring because you are homesick is a bad reason. But at the same time, I am also not sure how moving to UC Davis or UC Santa Cruz would be better as you still would be away from your family unless you are thinking about commuting? And even if you are, I feel that at some point you would need to learn how to be away from your family as eventually you will get a career and move out.
How often do you go home during the school year? Other posters above have pointed out good options but there are even cheaper options - particularly the ride shares on Facebook. I see posts literally every day of people going to the Bay Area at $20-25 a ride. Do you ever take advantage of that?
I say don’t do it. Stay strong. These are the moments that help the transition into adulthood. I also agree with visiting the school counselor.
Have you been face-timing them? Writing them and calling them?
At those other schools, you’d be so busy on campus that you wouldn’t see them all that much anyway. UCSC is about 45 minutes away (without traffic) and UCD is about 2 hours away (also without traffic).