Transfer to UW Madison?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Wisconsin
1

<p>Hi, I'm a Madison, WI native who made the decision to go to a small, Northeast, liberal arts college. Now I'm a couple weeks into the spring semester of my freshman year (as a psych major), and I'm coming to the realization that this school is not for me. I had no problems adjusting to the college academics or being "on my own", and my grades have been very good.
HOWEVER, the social environment is a horrible fit for me. And with the way the school is structured, there is almost no interaction with the surrounding city and even less opportunity to get off campus. It feels like the school deliberately wants to keep students from leaving campus of their own accord. And I don't feel like I fit in with the students on campus either, they've got completely different backgrounds and views on life, and there's not a lot of variety in the student body. There isn't an engaging weekend life, either.
Basically, over the last few months, my depression came back, and I have tried desperately to get off campus, only to come back to the "prison" every time I do.</p>

<p>So I decided that I would want to transfer to UW Madison after I finish this semester, unless something drastic happens to make me actually enjoy it (which I really don't see happening, since things just don't happen here). </p>

<p>But my questions are:
1) I'm assuming that financial aid is not very good for a transfer student? The only reason I'm anxious about leaving this school is the aid package I got. My family is really struggling with money, so would I even have a prayer of being able to afford it?</p>

<p>2) How would the school look on a student who took a semester off? The deadline to apply for the fall is in two weeks, and my mom is making me promise not to do anything until May after my finals, and by then it's too late. If I apply for spring and spend the fall working, would that affect my chances?</p>

<p>3) How does credit transfers work? My school and UWM are completely unrelated, so obviously none of the courses would match up exactly. However, I will have the required amount of semester hours to apply, and for the most part they are pretty basic (yet varied) classes. If they don't match would the school not accept them, or is there some way to convert?</p>

<p>Thank you for those who stuck with me in reading this long post, and more thanks to people who respond. I really need to get my options in perspective and find the best possible way out of this school, because I simply cannot spend three more years here.</p>

2

<p>First- remember it is just plain UW for Madison (the M means Milwaukee to people).</p>

<p>I understand why your mom wants you to wait to decide until you finish this semester. However, you can go ahead and spend the money and get your application in by the deadline, then decide whether or not to follow up on it. You do not need to inform your mom- one less thing to argue about. </p>

<p>Finances should not be a reason to continue at a school that really is a poor fit. You could need to work for awhile to avoid big loans for UW. You would need to check with UW for how your specific school’s credits would transfer. Look at the UW website on how to get this info. </p>

<p>College should be a place you want to spend on campus without feeling the need to go elsewhere for your free time. You state depression as though this is an ongoing diagnosis for you. Presumably you have dealt with mental health professionals in the past. Contact them this week- via email or phone if need be; I presume they left you with instructions about what to do when symptoms recur. Also visit your college’s student services to help you deal with your problems.</p>

<p>Get your real world support people involved. Perhaps your dorm RA (resident assistant) can help you feel more at comfortable with the school. Perhaps finding activities that suit you may be helpful. </p>

<p>It could be that this college is not right for you. It is not the end of the world to postpone college for finances. My major concern is your depression becoming worse this semester- get the help you need with that. Please do not rely on what we say online instead of seeing real people.</p>

3

<p>Once you have your EFC from completing the FAFSA, you can enter it into the Net Price Calculator for UW-Madison:</p>

<p>[Net</a> Price / Award Calculator | Office of Student Financial Aid - University of Wisconsin–Madison](<a href=“Office of Student Financial Aid – UW–Madison”>Office of Student Financial Aid – UW–Madison)</p>

<p>Here’s an example for someone with an EFC of $3,000 for 2013-2014 who plans to live at home in Madison and commute to campus:</p>

<p>Estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) for 2013-2014 ?
Tuition ?: $10,402.00
Books & Supplies ?: $1,200.00
Room ?: $1,000.00
Board ?: $1,000.00
Miscellaneous ?: $2,415.00
Travel ?: $400.00
Total Cost: $16,417.00</p>

<p>Estimated Need Calculation for 2013-2014
Cost of Attendance (COA) $16,417.00
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) ? - $3,000.00
Total Need: ? $ 13,417.00</p>

<p>Estimated Eligibility for Awards for 2013-2014
Pell Grant ?: $2,695.00
Wisconsin Higher Education Grant ?: $1,184.00
UW-Madison Institutional Grant ?: $2,000.00
UW-Madison Initiative Grant ?: $1,500.00
Total Estimated Awards: $7,379.00</p>

<p>Estimated Net Price Summary for 2013-2014
Cost of Attendance (COA) $16,417.00
Total Estimated Grant Aid - $7,379.00
Estimated Net Price ? $9,038.00</p>

<p>Estimated Eligibility for Other Aid for 2013-2014
Federal Work-Study ?: $2,200.00
Perkins Loan ?: $522.00
Subsidized Direct Loan ?: $4,500.00
Unsubsidized Direct Loan ?: $2,000.00
Total Estimated Other Aid: $9,222.00</p>

<p>Estimated Remaining Cost for 2013-2014
Estimated Net Price $9,038.00
Estimated Other Aid - $9,222.00
Estimated Remaining Cost ? $-184.00</p>

4

<p>wis75, my depression has come up in the past, yes, but this is the first episode of it in just over 4 years, and I can pinpoint it to problems with how I feel in this school’s environment.
I did go to see a counselor on campus; however, to meet with a therapist regularly here you need to be signed up from the start of the semester, or else find a psychologist off campus (and my family’s insurance doesn’t reach out here to cover it). It’s not a very good program. I’m not relying on the internet for any more than answers and advice for the transfer process. </p>

<p>I of course listened and agree with her about finishing this semester; I wouldn’t drop in the middle of the year no matter how much I dislike it here. She also advised me to do the same thing you did - try out groups on campus that I’m interested in. The thing is, most of what I would be interested in is either heavily audition based and beaurocratic or not conducted in formats that I agree with (i.e. no room to explore). I won’t pad this response with unnecessary details, but I do promise that I have tried, and will try the rest of the semester I am here, but there is just this strong feeling that I am wrong for this school, and I would point to many different reasons as to why this feeling is present, and why it likely won’t improve if I simply “try harder.”</p>

<p>You’re right that money should not keep me somewhere I’m not happy or healthy at. However, the crux of the problem is more about what it would be able to get me into - even with the package I get here my family still is straining to pay. Taking a summer and semester or more off to work might be the best choice for me to be able to afford anything.</p>

<p>Thank you both for your responses, they are definitely being taken into consideration for what my plans will be.</p>

5

<p>Talk with your RA- s/he can be a go to person when you feel especially down. S/he may also help you come up with some easy to join activities you haven’t thought about. You need to deal with the stress to successfully finish this semester. You are by no means the first person who has transferred due to a misfit with a college, nor are you the only person considering taking a break to earn some money for school. These have no bearing on your ability to do college work so keep your goals of finishing school alive. Living at home and even being a part time student while also working part time are viable options. You did get to have the new freshman leaving home experience, even if it wasn’t what you thought it would be. No one can take this from you. Life is a journey with many meandering paths to goals.</p>