I know that there’s a lot of posts here with similar stories, but I just need to post this. I’m gonna try to keep this as short as I can. Basically I’m currently a sophomore at Vanderbilt looking to transfer when I’m a junior. It’s been on my mind since last year, but it was too late to apply, so I’ll be here for another year. The reason I want to transfer is because I’m truly unhappy here (I’ve been trying to convince myself for the past months that that’s a stupid reason to transfer, but it’s really been taking a toll on me lately, to the point where I’m worried about myself). A more minor reason is that the major I plan on obtaining seems to be shrinking here, since basically most premeds are MHS now. I unexpectedly got accepted as a senior in high school and I instantly accepted my offer without really knowing much about the school or even visiting - I used to have the mindset that one could make any school a “perfect fit,” but quickly realized that that’s definitely not true. I am just very worried about what my parents will say, since they’re in love with this school, mainly due to prestige. They are so proud that I go here and whenever I called last year crying about my situation, they would just say that getting my education is more important and to just pull through (they’re that type of people, which I understand. So I don’t really call them for that reason anymore). Can someone please convince me that I’m not being stupid for wanting to transfer halfway through my college career? I want to transfer so bad, but there are just times when I think whether it’s a bad decision, especially when I don’t really have anyone to tell this to that will understand.
I’ve also been thinking about where I would like to transfer when the time comes. I would still like to go to a “prestigious” school because I don’t see the point in transferring down (especially when I plan on going to med school). I don’t know much about similar schools, but would like any advice from anyone that has any. I really do not like the work hard play hard culture here, and don’t want to go somewhere where greek culture is super prominent as it is here. I would like to go somewhere that really does focus on studies more than anything else. Since I’m also premed, I would like a school that has a good stem program with a lot of research opportunities. I also need to go somewhere that has a lot of need-based financial aid… So far I think Rice, Northwestern, and Emory fit that pretty well, but please give me more suggestions/corrections/opinions. My GPA is not the best, but its pretty decent. I’m hoping to raise it these next two semesters as well.
I know its super early into the school year but if anyone has any thoughts please let me know. I would really appreciate it. Thanks for reading my long post : >
I am sorry that you are not happy at Vandy. I wonder what other reasons you may have had for you to be so unhappy. The reasons you gave about greek life, there are a lot of kids there not in the greek lives and they happily coexist with the frat and sororities. There are a lot of research opportunities at Vandy. Have you done any of the summer research programs?
If you are premed, why does it matter what major you are in or your major is shrinking? Especially if you are going to med school? And prestige of your undergraduate is not a factor if you are going med school. Will you get as much FA in the new school? And if the fact that you might not even find your major in the new school doesn’t seem to bother you in your decision making for transfer, are you really leaving because of your major? Can you still finish undergraduate in 4 years if you transfer? Are you
I really think you are currently in a great situation, and need to go out and make more frinds instead of internalizing. Best of luck!
Full discousure…my D is also premed sophomore, but in engineerring school. She and her friends are not in Greek life.
Rice sounds like a great fit for you as it does not have Greek life. Rice is organized around a residential college system Transfers participate in orientation week so are well integrated into campus life when they arrive. Northwestern and Emory have Greek life and seem pretty similar to Vandy in the Greek/work hard/play hard respect. Rice meets full financial need. If you are class of 2021, transferring into that class at Rice could be difficult as it was very overenrolled freshman year. However, one of my daughter’s high school classmates was able to transfer into that class from SMU. Coming from a peer school like Vandy should give you a leg up in the transfer process.
I am sorry you are not happy in your current situation. I hope that this year you can find like minded people who are focused on academics, because I am certain there are students like that at Vandy.
Regarding transferring, much will be dependent on your current GPA and financial situation. Most transfers to Rice and Emory have at least a 3.5 GPA per the school websites (although the minimums to apply are lower). I expect it is similar at NU. NU, Rice and Emory all offer financial aid for transfers, but grants tend to be lower relative to what freshmen are typically offered. NU does not guarantee to meet full need for transfers.
If your GPA is lower than 3.5, you might consider staying at Vandy. I am not sure what you mean by a ‘shrinking major’, but you can change majors if your current one isn’t right for you. If you must transfer, I would suggest you broaden your search and take a look at schools that are a step or two down in rigor. Good luck.