Transfer? Take a semester off to volunteer? I'm so lost.

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi everybody - </p>

<p>I haven't been on College Confidential since I was finalizing my college essay, two years ago. Who would have thought I would be asking for more advice now. Anyway, to make a really long story short, as a senior in highschool I applied to only four schools, which was a mistake to begin with - NYU, Northeastern, Maryland, and Penn State. I got into all four, and my decision process went like this (foolishly):</p>

<p>NYU - too expensive. X
Northeastern - in Boston, therefore too cold. X
Penn State - way too big, not academically rigorous enough. X
sooo...decided I'm going to the University of Maryland!</p>

<p>Having finished my freshman year at the University of Maryland, I can honestly say I have experienced the worst year of my life. I had roommate troubles from the beginning (she threw up on herself in her sleep the first week of school, left her soiled shirt in the laundry for a week... went to the hospital with a .34 BAC... brought back three guys within the first two weeks of school.. general unconcern for anybody else's feelings but her own) and things ended really poorly with her, thankfully she moved out of the room though. The semester didn't get much better from there - while I like to party, drink as much as any other 19-year-old, smoke occasionally (just being honest here), the party atmosphere at Maryland absolutely overwhelmed me. Although I was in the Scholars program there, and lived with other Scholars, there was an unbelievable pressure to go out five nights a week. I was shocked, and kind of disgusted - I know that there is pressure to party at EVERY single big state school, but I thought that Maryland really valued academics over partying, and through experience I've learned that's not the case.</p>

<p>in advance everybody - I'm REALLY sorry that this post is long I just have a lot of background information to explain, thanks for taking the time out to read it.</p>

<p>Anyways, I had major issues with being homesick and missing my best friends from home. I also had basically been in a relationship all summer that ended abruptly, and he ended up having the time of his life at college. First semester was miserable - I would cry on the phone to my parents weekly, which is SO beyond unlike me. I never cry, yet college turned me into a weepy baby. I joined clubs, got super involved in school, from volunteering at Maryland's crisis hotline, to the Supply Chain Management society, to organizing events for my Scholars program. Yet, I truly fell into a depression and couldn't find happiness. </p>

<p>I literally counted down the days til Winter Break. The anxiety I developed that semester still hasn't left me..</p>

<p>My parents told me to wait it out another semester before applying to transfer, so I did. I tried rushing a sorority in the Spring, which ended up not working out. This devastated me, as it was just another thing to add to my list. I developed actual anxiety second semester about being at Maryland, and contemplated going on some sort of anti-anxiety medication, but in the end just decided to stick it out for the rest of the semester. Unfortunately, there was no light at the end of the tunnel for second semester. It was just as miserable and depressing for me as first semester. I started having over-the-phone appointments with my Mom's therapist, which helped. At the end of the semester, again, I literally counted down the days until I could go home.</p>

<p>** I just want to note that positive things DID happen to me at UMD - I was accepted to the Clinton Global Initiative for a program some of my friends and I started regarding spreading basic nutrition information to underprivileged children in the DC/Maryland area. I excelled in my classes second semester. Throughout all of this, I have developed AMAZING friendships with people that I know will last a lifetime, no matter where I end up. Volunteering at the crisis hotline was incredibly rewarding in so many ways.</p>

<p>Despite these positives, I hate my school. Being just an ID number at such a HUMONGOUS school is almost traumatic for me. I truly feel like I belong at a better, private school, where the type of college student that goes there is a) more goal/academically driven and b) not your average "in-stater" (although I have absolutely nothing against people from Maryland at UMD - some of my best friends are, although there is a huge crowd whose sole goal is to drink. simply put) Anytime my parents bring up the fact that I am supposed to go back to Maryland in the Fall, I burst into hysterics - it's something that I literally cannot control. I absolutely dread the fact that I will have to return to a place that has caused me so much misery and depression.</p>

<p>This is where I come to a crossroads - why should I go back to a school like this? Maryland obviously is not the school for me - but I didn't apply to transfer for the Fall 2010 semester... so what do I do? I know it's late in the game to be deciding this, but here are some of my stats/options... I am open to absolutely ANY advice.</p>

<p>-I don't know if it matters, but my highschool GPA was a 3.9, 1340/2050 SATs, super involved - 500+ volunteer hours, killer essay, etc.</p>

<p>Maryland Stats:</p>

<p>International Business Major at the Smith Business School
first semester GPA - 3.26 (I feel like in an essay, I could absolutely articulate the extent that I suffered emotionally first semester to explain why my GPA was so low)
second semester GPA - 3.93</p>

<p>cumulative GPA - 3.57</p>

<p>-in-training to be a counselor at Help Center (suicide prevention hotline)
-Global Business Society
-Supply Chain Management Society
-attended the Clinton Global Initiative in Miami in April to present my group's nutrition education program</p>

<p>.........</p>

<p>The logical part of me says to suck it up and go back to school for the semester.
The other part of me says that there is no way I can survive another semester there.</p>

<p>As far as alternative options to going back to Maryland this coming semester, I was thinking : volunteering abroad (teaching English somewhere), doing some other volunteer opportunity, backpacking?, trying to get an internship in NYC, getting a job for the semester as I get transfer stuff together.</p>

<p>So, my question is, WHAT DO I DO? Will taking a semester off reflect poorly on an application? Should I go abroad and "find myself"? I really feel like I've lost some of myself in college and need to do something like that.</p>

<p>I'm thinking about applying to schools like University of Miami, Northeastern, NYU, Cornell, Babson, I'm really not sure though.</p>

<p>Please, I'm begging you guys, give me some advice/direction. Thank you so incredibly much.</p>

2

<p>There is no “law” that says that one cannot take a break from college. Logically, doing something “productive” with that time is “best.” It may be harder to apply to schools while abroad, but I’m sure it has been done. </p>

<p>The only tricky thing is that some schools may schools want recs from professors, which might be hard to get after you take time off. (I don’t know if the colleges you listed require them or not). Of course you can get around this by taking classes at a community college, for example. </p>

<p>It’s your life. What do you want out of it?</p>

3

<p>There is a reason that the ‘logical’ part of you says to suck it up and go back to school for the semester. At this point it is somewhat nonsensical to take an entire semester off just to volunteer. Though it would look good (somewhat) you seem to have a positive grade trend and there is little reason to do it.</p>

<p>Not to mention that it would become more difficult to get recommendation letters from your professors and get transfer things together if you were abroad. As for your question, taking a semester off really doesn’t ‘reflect’ badly on your application. But it does definitely need to be justified.</p>

<p>If I were you I would suck it up, sign up for some smaller classes and continue keeping up the good work and then transfer next fall. Preferably too a smaller more prestigious school (Amherst?)</p>

4

<p>I’m really not worried about rec lettters. Wouldn’t taking a semester off to figure out what I want to do, and also volunteer extensively in another country be justified?</p>

<p>Also - if ANYBODY has experience with taking a semester off, please please please PM me.</p>

5

<p>I suppose that would be adequate justification. If you do think you’ll be able to get rec letters and complete all of your transfer related apps then there is really no difference between doing 2 straight years and having a break in between. </p>

<p>Well, other than the fact that you’ll have less transferable credits. But eh, that’s to be expected.</p>

6

<p>Wait… now that I think about it I do know someone who applied to transfer from abroad. I have a friend who was miserable her first semester at college. She withdrew from that college, and went to Israel for a semester. While in Israel she applied to transfer. The situation worked out for her, but she did get recs before she withdrew.</p>

<p>Does going to a community college sound more appealing than returning? Can you live off campus? If you want to apply for spring semester, are you ok with the fact that not all schools accept spring transfers?</p>

<p>The last thing you want to do is go back to UMD and have your grades drop because you are miserable. So if you return to UMD you must use your misery as fuel for excelling in school, and not a cause of “bad” grades.</p>

<p>At this point, you need to do what’s right for you not what’s “right” for college applications.</p>

7

<p>college_ruled - I completely agree… if for whatever reason I DO end up at UMD, I have to have the mentality of “these grades are going to be what gets me out of here.” I’m actually considering Israel as a possibility for next semester - I’ve PMed you.</p>

8

<p>The first year is always the worst if you’re going away and you aren’t ready to drown your depression/loneliness in drugs and alcohol, trust me. Unless you’re 100% confident you can be very productive with your semester off and enhance your transfer application, I wouldn’t do it.</p>

9

<p>im in the same boat as you. I applied for transfer admission this year. I decided to defer my acceptances and instead do an Americorps program next yr before going to my new school. </p>

<p>A year or semester off is fine, as long as it will benefit you.</p>

10

<p>If you have a meaningful volunteer project to go to, that sounds much better to me than heading straight back to UMD. It is OK to decide that is the wrong place for you. There are about 4000 more colleges and universities in the country to pick from. If you spend a year or so working and/or volunteering, your supervisors will be able to provide you with some of your letters of recommendation. </p>

<p>You also need to think about the specific professors/instructors you had last year at UMD. Did you get to know any of them at all? If you did, get in touch with them now and let them know that you are considering transferring. Ask if they feel that they would be able to write you a letter of recommendation. If the response is positive, let them know that you will be taking a semester off while you consider the list of colleges/universities that you want to apply to, and ask what is the best way that you can stay in touch with them so that you can let them know when you do apply for transfer and which places you are applying to. Then, be sure to stay in touch - an email every once in a while should do it.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

11

<p>“The first year is always the worst if you’re going away and you aren’t ready to drown your depression/loneliness in drugs and alcohol, trust me.”</p>

<p>Hahahahah - I could not agree with this more. Thanks everybody for the advice, please keep it coming.</p>

12

<p>aww man that sounds really awful…i read your whole thread and I feel really bad for you…
mmm my suggestion would be…mmm how about contacting the study abroad office at UMD and ask to study abroad for a semester? anywhere where they have vacancies open? that way, you’d technically be studying, getting a good gpa, out of the MD crowd, and trying to find yourself like you’ve always wanted…if it’s too late to study abroad, i, personally feel like you should still go to school, not take a gap year…i mean that’s really risky…at least if not MD, then community college…that’ll make ya feel a whole lot better i’d think</p>

13

<p>college_ruled, I so agree with you!!! This is the problem with our society, we’re in this “boxes” of pre-determined plans for our lives and don’t even have the courage to stray away. If you are really unhappy at UMD, don’t stick it out, get out and do something that will match your potential and bring you real happiness. I’m sort of in the same boat, except that I’ve just been accepted and don’t want to go to UMD and take a semester off instead. I’m PMing you.</p>

14

<p>Hi!</p>

<p>I was just wondering what you decided to do. I’m a sophomore at University of Maryland, and I’m thinking about taking a semester off, so your post interested me. I definitely was hoping to go to a smaller school. I don’t HATE it here, but I feel like I’m drifting. I keep trying to get involved, but not feeling exactly . . . welcome. I’m thinking about taking a break to decide what I really want to get out of college/life, but I’m very concerned that I’ll do what I do every summer, namely not much of anything. I want to stop cruising through college and find a place that feels like home. </p>

<p>Do you have any suggestions? Did you end up taking the time off? Please let me know! I’m not sure what to do here. . .</p>

15

<p>I’m really sorry you are having that experience. I am having the same experience myself at a really prestigious school. I thought everyone would be seriously intellectual, but actually it’s all drugs, drink and wild stuff. (Unfortunately I got involved myself, the first night of school and am really paying for it. Ironically I rarely party myself.) Anyway, I would spend a weekend anywhere before deciding if the school fits. I wish I had done that. If you hear anything about a more peaceful school situation, I would love to hear.</p>

16

<p>seriously, do what you want to do. i know people say an education is everything, and I am sure you will finish your college degree. But who says you have to do it now?? take a semester off, live life. go volunteer. I’m an undergraduate student right now, and I am taking a semester off to go to kenya and work at an elephant conservation for about ten weeks. I’m still working out the details but i know this is what I want to do. Everything may be telling you that you are making a wrong decision, but isnt making mistakes part of life? What does the world want for you? To play it safe? Does it want you to play it safe because you were scared what some stupid employer may ask you about your semester off? or because some professor didn’t like your choice of a semester off and doesn’t want to write you a recommendation? This is your life. Does life want you to play it safe and go back to where you came from because you didn’t have the courage to say “yes” to life? Do what you want. Your happiness should come first.</p>