Hi all! I’m attending my local state school this year in the fall with plans of transferring after possibly 1 or 2 years there. I was admitted to my top choice school (one of the seven sisters), but unfortunately, the cost was too high. As a result, I decided to attend my local state school to save money before I transfer to another school. I’m interested in schools with a strong political science program, but I’m not really sure how to go about making a college list. Financial aid is really important, and I was wondering if schools would give me good financial or merit aid as a transfer student?
My high school GPA was a 3.38 UW/3.58 W (upward trend with straight As senior year) and I got a 1220 on the SAT. I had really strong extracurriculars, leadership positions, and awards.
I know it might seem early to think about transferring considering I haven’t even started college yet, but I know I won’t be happy at the school I am attending. How should I go about the transfer process?
Keep in mind that if you apply to transfer after one year, the only college grades that they will have is first semester grades, so they will still weigh your high school grades heavily.
I think that your best chance to transfer is probably to work very hard in university, try to get straight A’s, and hope to transfer after two years. However, you need to realize that university is going to be substantially more difficult than high school, and that a university GPA of 3.38 probably wouldn’t help you with transferring.
“… but I know I won’t be happy at the school I am attending.”
If you start off knowing that you are not going to be happy, then you are going to end up not being happy but you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself (and perhaps “reality”). You should keep in mind that being able to transfer is going to be a long shot, so you need to spend the effort to fit in and enjoy the school where you are going to attend.
The only thing in your control, between now and when you’re ready to apply for a transfer, is undergrad GPA. So I would focus on that…keeping it high. Given you were admitted to your top choice in this cycle, you may have a shot at it. With respect to financial aid, it is possible, but much more difficult in case of a transfer.
The only way you are certain not to be happy is if you decide in advance that will be the case (which you seem to have done) – I suggest you readjust your mindset before starting college. You may be disappointed with the outcome, but that does not mean you can’t be happy and successful where you will be. There is an expression that people need to “bloom where they are planted.” and you should give yourself the opportunity to do so.
In general I think it is a terrible idea to start one college with the intent of transferring out. This will stand in the way of your making meaningful friendships, developing relationships with professors, and getting involved on campus. Then if your transfer doesn’t work out as planned you will be really stuck. I’d go to the college you enrolled in with the intent of staying all four years.
It is fine to throw in a couple of transfer applications at some point but keep in mind that there may well be financial (merit aid is rarely given to transfers), social (friend groups are often formed freshman year and it can be hard to break in as a transfer), and academic (if you have developed relationships with professors etc.) reasons to stay put.