<p>I will also toss out U of Miami in Florida, but it may still be too much party, although they are supposedly trying to put a lid on that. Also roughly 35% Jewish. Lots of ne kids trying to get away from the snow.</p>
<p>Since someone stated it's nice to see the results after...I still hold out that I think she has been mostly happy through this whole year. I think part of it is that we all hold out, and they hear, that college is such a wonderful fabulous time in life. It is, but in telling those stories, we forgot to mention the hard times.
I think a lot of her issues dealt with the social situation and the roommates. In the three times I have been there this year, she can't walk a few feet without saying hi to someone, yet she said she had no friends. After a lot of discussion, she distanced herself a lot from the roomies, pushed some of the aquaintances to friends, found other people to be roommates with next year and became a bit more active in other groups. In the midst of the downtime, one of her friends who had been at boarding school gave her great advice (expecially since it came from a peer) that she only knew a few people well, how can she be so sure she doesn't like it based on that small number of people. She also found a better advisor who will help her find those challenging classes.
She also is now more aware of the fact that she picked the wrong dorm. The dorm is the prettiest one, it has suites and it's the party one. I think she thought she'd be more wild in college, but that's not her. This week, she said she should have gone to the leadership house, those are more the people she should be hanging out with. She got asked to live in the sophmore one, but isn't sure she wants to be that isolated from the dorms, which she would be.
All in all, she had a "second semester blues" experience, she's grown from it and I think she's at a school she will probably stay at.
Thank you all for all your advice, help and suggestions. I feel a great support from all of my virtual friends!</p>
<p>Fourkidsmom:</p>
<p>It sounds very promising. Your D is drawing very useful lessons from her experience. I hope things continue to work out.</p>
<p>I'm glad to hear it fourkidsmom. It sounds like your daughter is handling this situation well. I hope it continues to go her way. Kudos to her for seeking out the right situation and friends for her.</p>
<p>Who your freshmen roommates are is a real wild card. I remember thinking when my son was considering housing options that being in a quad suite might be a good thing because he would be more likely to hit it off with one, but your daughter's experience suggests the downside of this option. My son ended up in a double with a kid who was not at all like him. It really was more than OK though - they got along really well sharing a very small space, but sought out entirely different social groups. My son was just lucky that he found his social group living one floor up.</p>
<p>The advisor can make a big difference too. My son's advisor for his first 1.5years was someone he liked but who was in department not remotely related to his interest. She really wasn't able to advise him appropriately. He declared his major in January and now has an advisor whose specialty is his interest - already a huge difference.</p>
<p>Keep us posted! </p>
<p>On a unrelated note ... did you know it's supposed to be -7 in Hamilton, NY tonight?!</p>
<p>it was -24 windchill the other day- spring break starts tomorrow and it's supposed to be 75 here a few days next week!</p>
<p>Back again...didn't do anything last year because she had a boyfriend (no longer) and a friend said "room with me!". Now that summer's here, she is back to wanting to transfer. I told her she might be able to still work her way into a state honors program, but she'd have to wait for a private college. She is adamant about not going to a state school. She'd like to transfer after the first semester next year. Do you know of any schools that are good calibar not partying schools that she could look at for a semester transfer? Her grades were great all year so that shouldn't be an issue.</p>
<p>Is money an issue? I know many schools who accept midyear tranfser students won't offer them aid or will offer them very little aid (some state this outright--Barnard and Bryn Mawr, both which may be good choices for your D if she is open to a single-sex college, come to mind as colleges that state that they offer limited/no aid for suchstudents). Also, look at WashU St. Louis, perhaps.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>If money is ok, then definitely look at Tufts. 30+% Jewish, small classes, easy access to Boston, LAC environment; there are those who drink and those that don't and everything in between. My D tells me that no one cares ifyou do or do not drink. Tufts is one of those schools where you can really be your own person. Big emphasis on individuality; no one really knows or cares what other students get for grades; big on community service; very, very small Greek system</p>
<p>I don't think most private colleges allow mid year transfers.</p>
<p>Money is not the issue, the timing is (in her mind and she's the one living it)</p>