Transfer from Top 20 Southern School to one in the Boston Area: Help please

Parents Forum
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<p>My daughter just completed her Freshman year at Emory. She found the education and the teachers to be extremely inaccessible, rigid and the workload to be enormous for not a lot of education. She liked many of the students, but does not feel like she fits in from an academic point of view. She feels like the school is perfect for Business Majors, Pre-Med kids and for those that have a specific focus. She would like to explore different areas, such as Communication and other such fields, but they are not offered. Additionally, the advising was awful and there was no personal connections for kids unless they have a defined major. Additionally, the courses are very "white bread" and traditional. The school does not allow you to explore because they have such a rigid core. She was extremely frustrated trying to get into language classes at the 300 and above level. There are very few choices, and the choices are pure history memorization. She took an Intro to Psych class that had over 100 students (met 2 times per week and DID NOT have breakout small group sessions-- very lazy in my opinion from the school) the exams were pure multiple choice-- midterm and final. The Professor was unavailable and the TA's were PhD students who didn't have time. Additionally, she said the level of cheating was obscene. My daughter would like to attend a large city school, but is really feeling that Emory is limited in its offerings. For example, she would love to explore some business classes, but the school does not encourage this unless you are on the business track. I have a daughter at Brown, and Brown does everything to encourage exploration and risk taking.</p>

<p>She is considering transferring to BU (though it is very close to home), but it will be a challenge because they want you to choose a major, and she hasn't had a chance to explore some that they offer. Any thoughts, comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!!!</p>

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<p>Given your daughter’s diverse interests, I’d say that BU is a good choice. </p>

<p>Even if she has to choose a major, I don’t think it is that difficult to switch (although you might want to check.)</p>

<p>I know of a student who was accepted as a Business School transfer at BU and switched to being a math major within a few weeks of starting school.</p>

<p>Editing to add: Transfer students at BU are, however, not guaranteed housing.</p>

<p>Further note: Ithaca is not a large city, but my daughter transferred to Ithaca College and it offers many of the qualities your daughter is seeking. Again, she would have to declare a major but depending on the major and its requirements, she may be able to switch if needed. (My daughter was accepted as one major but switched to another.)</p>

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<p>Do you know if the BU student transfer eventually received housing? Luckily, we only live about 10 miles down the road. It wouldn’t be her first choice to live at home (or ours) but one semester would be fine and cheap. </p>

<p>I know that there are many great smaller schools, but I think that she needs a city. Ideally, it would be a smaller city school in/near the city. She is not open to Tufts and/or Wellesley and I think that BC will have the same problems that Emory has in terms of a pre-everything focus. </p>

<p>I am so happy that your daughter has enjoyed her new school!</p>

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<p>Actually the student in question didn’t really want to be in a dorm, and she lived in an off campus apartment for the year. (Her family is also local.)</p>

<p>Also she transferred to BU after leaving BC after one semester.</p>

<p>As a junior, she will now receive housing, but the assignments will be made this month so I am not sure where she ended up.</p>

<p>Will your daughter return to Emory in the fall? My daughter at Ithaca is now a communications major, and the course requirements are such that I am not sure she could have completed them if she had transferred in as a junior.</p>

<p>If your daughter is possibly interested in fields such as communications as well as things like advanced language courses, I agree that she needs a university rather than a LAC.</p>

<p>I would say Northeastern is most likely out as its liberal arts offerings are pretty slim.</p>

<p>I just checked the NACAC Space Availability survey, and one place that has availability for the fall and offers things like communications but also liberal arts is Chapman University. It is in a major urban area, but I don’t know if your daughter would be interested in moving as far as California.</p>

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<p>Would she consider Clark U. in Worcester? Granted, Worcester isn’t Boston, and Clark isn’t a “large city school,” but it seems like Clark offers everything else your daughter is seeking and might be worth consideration.</p>

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<p>Would she consider Brandeis?</p>

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<p>Neither Clark nor Brandeis offer a Communications major (or anything of that type, ie, marketing, public relations, advertising, etc).</p>

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<p>Brandeis offers journalism. I only mentioned it as one my Daughters TAs went there, and she was impressed by what he described as an enviroment that encouraged intellectual discovery.</p>

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<p>Thank you very much for your comments. We have already done the California thing, USC, and at this point, she has had the “away” experience in Atlanta and I think that she is ready to get involved in the Boston area community. Though I love Clark, she has been spoiled by living five minutes from Boston and I do not think that she is willing to trade-off completely a top college experience at Clark, for Boston. I do think that Clark is a great school, but I feel that she would prefer the Boston area. Brandeis is also rigid and some what isolated. My top choice for a small school would be Wellesley, but she won’t hear of it.</p>

<p>BU has closed their admissions for the Fall, and I do not think that she is prepared to be at home this Fall. We were thinking that she could fulfill the BU requirements at Emory, and hit the pavement running in January. I have to say that I am so disappointed in Emory. I believe that they want to be a better school, but are not really aware of their shortcomings. I am so tempted to call the new Dean from Rice, and share with him my views. I am shocked at the punitive feeling that the teachers narrate in their syllabi. I don’t think that they get that the kids are no longer in high school. Also, the class sizes, at this price, are very large and the course offerings so segregated. Does anyone think that I should talk to Emory and see if they are open. I have had a kid at USC, Brown, Emory and my husband and I went to MIT and Simmons. We have a lot of educational experience. Additionally we have had kids in both private and public schools. My daughter has had quite a few friends transfer form Emory, and the Professors do realize that their are issues.</p>

<p>I am beginning to wonder from your posts whether my daughter should just take the semester off and apply for January at BU. She could always take evening BU classes. On the other hand, many kids have angst about their schools and perhaps another semester would change her mind.</p>

<p>The great thing about Boston is that she could resume so many of her extra-curricular high school activities that she enjoyed.</p>

<p>I would appreciate and and all input. Also, my gut feeling is that it makes no difference if you transfer from a top 20 school to a lower ranked one. I , for one, did not go to a name school and had tons of opportunities.</p>

<p>Thank you all so much for your help. Please keep the advice coming. We need it!!!</p>

<p>PS. Do you think that it is possible to transfer still to BU even though they say the transfer period is over?</p>

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<p>I just checked Collegeboard, and it shows a transfer student accept rate at BU of 28%.</p>

<p>I would say it is definitely worth a call to admissions to discuss transfers, whether courses taking in the extension school are accepted, how sophmore transfers compare to junior, etc.</p>

<p>The student I know who transferred there had been accepted as a freshman. Also, she took off second semester freshman year and, because of her AP course credits, was able to pick up as a sophmore transfer with no time lost.</p>

<p>Your D could perhaps take a leave of absence for the fall, pursue BU, and have a back up plan of returning to Emory if needed?</p>

<p>It is very hard to transfer into Wellesley, if that is any consolation…</p>

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<p>Forgive me if this offends, but it seems that moving back home (well, 10 miles away) and resuming high school extracurriculars would be a step backwards in independence and growing up. </p>

<p>Maybe there are certain reasons this would benefit her, but without special circumstances I would be encouraging my kid to find a better match but not come close to home and go back to old, familiar activities.</p>

<p>Good luck and I’m sorry Emory didn’t turn out to be everything she dreamed it would be.</p>

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<p>Thank you mnopqrnj for your thoughtful comments. Boston is an amazing college community and many local people do not want to go to school here because they want to go somewhere else. By resuming activities, I meant that many activities that she enjoyed are easily accessible by public transportation in Boston. Atlanta is really a driving city, and hence, less accessible. She is the type of person that would love to attend activities at all of the major universities in the area, and would enjoy becoming part of the larger Boston Collegiate community. In addition, work opportunities are easily accessible by public transportation. After having kids far and close, I am not sure that it makes a huge difference in their attachments to home. I feel that Emory is a wonderful school (as does she) for a very focused academic pre-professional student.</p>

<p>I appreciate your thoughts, but I am not sure either of us has the inclination to explore opportunities that are far away. Boston has a great world to offer, and it is her hope to spend a year in Spain.</p>

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<p>I was at a high school graduation party recently. The grad will be attending college about 20 minutes away from her home. Her father drives by this college every day on his way to work.</p>

<p>A neighbor commented that kids who go to school so close to home either are not ready to cut the apron strings, or are sufficiently confident that they do not need to move far away from home to prove their independence.</p>

<p>Sometimes kids discover the school that fits is right in the backyard. Nothing wrong with that, IMO, especially in the Boston area where there are some really great schools!</p>

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<p>Thank you fendrock. Great suggestion. Maybe a little complicated by Sorority commitments. She doesn’t hate the school, and perhaps one more semester would enable her to see if she can work with the school to pursue the variety she needs.</p>

<p>Please keep the suggestions coming. They are awesome!</p>

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<p>When I lived in Boston, I worked in a town that was about ten miles away and it took me 40-45 minutes to get there. So, home may be close in miles, but not so close in minutes. Besides, living in the city of Boston is very different than living in the suburbs of Boston. My H went to BU and his hometown was 10 miles away (the same town I worked in). I don’t think he suffered being so close to home.</p>

<p>I agree that it would be a good idea to contact/visit BU now. It can’t hurt and it may give your D a good idea of what she needs to do to transfer with ease. I graduated from BU a long time ago and had a wonderful experience. I loved living in Boston and stayed for 10 years. BU’s College of Communication has a good reputation. Good luck to your D peacefulmom.</p>

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<p>It sounds to me as though your daughter is looking for a smaller school, one with smaller classes, one where professors interested in their students and want to teach at least as much doing research. Please ignore if I am wrong. If this is the case, it sounds like a LAC or small university which offers courses your DD is interested in would be a better fit for your daughter than a larger school. In other words, one that is more student focused and less research focused. You obviously need to weigh city, living arrangements, college costs. I am discussing the academics. As I read, it felt to me as though your daughter really would prefer a smaller school than BU.</p>

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<p>I think that you are spot on Northeastmom, but I do not think that she would be happy socially in a small LAC. She likes to have a lot going on and literally wouldn’t even stay for the tours at Bates, Trinity and other schools like that. She liked BC a lot, but really felt that it was too religious (we are Jewish) and from an academic point of view was also very segregated and pre-professional. The location, sports teams, and other things were awesome. She liked what Tufts had to say, but I do not think that she would like how small and isolated it is. Do you know anything about the education at BU. I took summer courses there a million years ago, and they were very good. I am afraid that Emory works you to death for no great benefit. I imagine her taking classes, but getting very involved athletically and working. Any further thoughts? Any school suggestions? Thanks!</p>

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<p>What about Emerson for communication?</p>

<p>I am surprised to read about your DD’s negative experiences at Emory. For kids in my area, Emory is considered a prize. I never heard about the problems. Actually, I rather expect Psych 101 to be a large lecture hall, but also would expect small discussion groups with TAs. The NS dept is strong. Still, I will be more thoughtful in future.</p>

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<p>Most LACs do not offer communications and business type courses. Also the student wants to be in an urban area.</p>

<p>So I do think BU is a good choice.</p>

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<p>I agree, but some do offer business (not sure about communication). Also, there are small universities that offer these majors.</p>

<p>Just send a PM to you, peacefulmom.</p>