Hi, I know you probably will not see this because this thread is over a year old, but I am currently at Clemson, and I am experiencing the same exact thing. I am a liberal from New York who came from a very diverse area/high school and Clemson has been a complete culture shock for me. I always wanted to go to a smaller school (medium sized, just smaller than clemson) that valued a liberal arts education more, but I didn’t get into any of my top choices. If you happen to see this and DID transfer, where did you end up and are you happy with your decision? It would be great to speak to someone who felt the same exact way I feel now.
First, if this is your real name, please change it for your own protection. I’ll link the instructions. Sorry to hear you’re struggling; this thread will probably be closed because of the age of it. You can start a new thread to ask the question under the Clemson sub. What are your interests; have you joined any clubs on campus? D20 found her people through the more art centric clubs. There are varying thoughts and beliefs on campus; you just need to tap into them. Did you get to visit tiger prowl a few weeks ago? @burghdad can offer some additional insight into some of the other more liberal leaning organizations on campus. If you’re a freshman, I’d tell you to hang in there; October is usually the worst for “did I make the right choice” during freshman year. Feel free to DM with specific questions. 
2 Likes
Awe! Yes, I have a junior at Clemson, first student from our NJ HS to ever attend. It was a last minute Covid frustration application, got accepted, flew down late April 2021, and said this is is (applied to 20 schools, accepted at 20 schools). She’s a left leaning city loving kid, all of her friends are at northeast colleges (UMD, Rutgers, UMASS, NYU, Pace, Cornell, Stockton…). She has a lot of northeast friends at Clemson, plus others from other areas of the US, and locals. I think she enjoys meeting people from different cultures (her new hobby is rifle shooting which cracks her HS friends up). She also started attending church (Sunday Mass with her Catholic friends), maybe a comfort from home? She is very overscheduled with involvement in clubs, sorority, classes (her 3 advisors are amazing). The nyc metro area is very well represented at Clemson, she has her peeps there, but definitely enjoys meeting others from other areas. I think if she had one word to describe Clemson students, it would be friendly. She loves to get so many “hi’s” everywhere she goes and finds many are nice. I suggest that before transferring, join in activities, your tribe is there. She lucked out and found it quickly freshman year, but it has grown. She absolutely loves this school, but beelines to Manhattan as soon as she’s home.
4 Likes
@katherinepanda Over the years, I have known a number of kids who discovered they were simply in the wrong place – for them. They left Emory, Carleton, Williams, BU and others that were beloved by the vast majority of their student bodies. Wrong is different from having trouble adjusting or finding their tribe. Kinda like walking into a biker bar for me!
If you know you got it wrong, try to figure out where you want to go TO, not simply that you want to get away.
Can you list out what you’re looking for? That’s going to be a big driver.
1 Like
Did you just start Clemson? If so try to give it a chance – get involved on campus, seek out places where you might find friends etc.
IF after some time you still find Clemson is not the right fit then I recommend you: 1) talk to your parents and understand the budget (and any other constraints) if you would like to transfer and; 2) seek out options that would be preferable and affordable (understand that merit aid for transfer students is less likely) for your situation.
What would your ideal college be (keeping in mind no college lives up to its “dream college” expectations) and why did you think it’d be Clemson? Or has that definition changed? What did you expect Clemson to be and how is the university different from that?
The other poster realized they wanted a LAC environment, for instance.
A Jewish, Muslim, or atheist student may encounter a different vibe than a Christian student, and that may be hard to interpret. Sometimes the friendliness may rub some students the wrong way, the weather may be unexpectedly affecting you, etc! And just as often it could be that you’ve not found your peeps, haven’t gotten involved in clubs yet, feel that you no longer know the rules and feel uncomfortable because of it but will soon “get it” and feel perfectly at home…
2 Likes
To which other schools did you apply ?
Which schools were your top choices ?
Are you a college football fanatic ?
Why did you apply to Clemson ? (Seems a touch unusual for a “liberal from New York who came from a very diverse area/high school.”)
(FWIW One of my nieces attended Clemson. Is now very successful. Held significant positions in Wash DC & in NYC. Was homecoming queen at Clemson. Probably more liberal than conservative, however was not a culture shock as she was from the South.)
I have been on campus many times. I do understand your feelings although I do not understand why a humanities/liberal arts major and self described liberal from New York would have selected Clemson.
Consider the College of Charleston as it offers an environment / campus culture much different than that at your current school.
Emory University accepts a lot of transfers. Lots of liberal New Yorkers there.
William & Mary in Virginia.
Elon University in North Carolina.
It would be helpful to know which were your top choice schools to which you were not admitted.
1 Like