Transfer Woes - UCSD to Berkeley

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
1

<p>Hi everyone.</p>

<p>I just finished my second year at UCSD, and in general I’m not
feeling very connected to anything, and thinking of transferring.
I feel I don’t have many close friends, people who I click with.</p>

<p>When I applied to colleges I did get in to Berkeley and I went to
UCSD. Now I find myself wondering if I could be having a better
time at Berkeley. I play trumpet, and UCSD has a fun Pepband, but
it is small and I feel I don’t have anyone musically to look up
to. The big Cal Band looks like a lot of fun, with lots of other
dedicated musicians who have fun, and a band hall to boot.
I miss high school marching band and that whole scene.</p>

<p>I am also not feeling a strong connection with the students. Too
often I’m the person people go to for help, and I feel I know
almost no one in Computer Science, my major. I feel I’m not
very stimulated by the students around me, and that I would be
at Berkeley. I don’t want to badmouth UCSD, but there are other
aspects I don’t like as well.</p>

<p>But San Diego has good things, too. I’ve got Regents’ Scholarship
there, and I’m much more familiar with the curriculum. I’ve been
doing very well in classes, and I feel it would be easier to get
an internship or research position at UCSD, which is good for
grad school, which is what I’m aiming for.</p>

<p>Transfer would also involve another year of school, because if I
transferred, I would spend the next year at Berkeley City College,
a community college, in order to join the band, and transfer the
following year.</p>

<p>One of my friends said that maybe it’s a “grass is greener”
scenario. That maybe if I tried just a little harder and saw what
I had at UCSD I’d be happy. But I’m not sure. Wherever I decide to
do I want to be excited about it. I feel I could be better
off socially at Berkeley but I would be better off academically
at UCSD. I’m unsure about leaving what I have at San Diego to try
my luck at Berkeley, but I’m not very thrilled about going to
San Diego.</p>

<p>Any thoughts? Ideas? Advice? Thanks for anything!</p>

2

<p>If you aren't happy with where you are, transfer. You're only an undergraduate once. :) However, it's also a risk transferring since you don't know what the other side is like. Personally, I would transfer if I was unhappy with my university and try my luck.</p>

<p>Your post kind of depresses me since I'm an incoming freshman this Fall at UCSD. Hopefully I'll like it. If not, I'm planning to transfer also.</p>

<p>BTW, what college at UCSD are you in?</p>

3

<p>This feels weird saying it myself, but don't let my post get you down or go into UCSD with negative expectations. I really believe that if you go into a situation expecting it to be bad, it'll be bad, but if you go in expecting great things, they'll happen. Perhaps certain things I don't like you will like and things I like you don't like. They are right when they say different schools are right for different people. I'm in Muir College, so if you have any questions about it or really the university at all, let me know.</p>

<p>Anyone else? Thoughts about transferring? Reasons why one would leave one school for another? Anyone done it before?</p>

4

<p>I'm thinking about transferring from Cal to UCSD. I like the weather there.</p>

5

<p>If you want to go to Berkeley and are a good enough musician to be in the straw hat band, then I suggest contacting the advisor/head of the band and seeing if they want you to play for them and can help you get in for the fall semester. Can't hurt, might help.</p>