TL;DR: I’m a college junior but was a NMF in high school — am I still eligible for merit aid at Bama?
I believe that NM scholarship at Alabama is only for income one freshmen. @mom2collegekids or @tsbna44 might know better.
You need to stay put and get your degree.
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Please consider counseling right away. Transferring won’t solve your concerns.
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I’m sorry to hear of your situation but I don’t think jumping around is the answer.
I would find the right school for you. It sounds like you just want Bama because you think they’ll pay you. I suggest you find the right school.
You may want to take some time off and clear your head and/or get a job. It seems that at this point, maybe school isn’t for you or you need a breather.
Here is their link (Bama) for transfers but I would call a counselor to discuss more.
In the meantime, I’m not sure this will solve your problems. It has been a very difficult and stressful last few years - and perhaps someone to talk to and a breather from school might be more in order.
Good luck to you.
Out-of-State & International Transfer – Scholarships | The University of Alabama (ua.edu)
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This is somewhat insensitive, but I do agree with the intention. There is a chance that you are moving and searching for happiness in a school/social environment/degree/internship that will never fill your cup, because you aren’t in a good place. The past two years have been horrific at best for many. Please consider talking with someone and even possibly therapeutic support to assist you. Maybe a non-Ivy school would be best, but I think focusing on YOU is more likely to help most.
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Yes, you are right. And the fact that doing CS there won’t be as bad as CS at Columbia. But those are two perfectly valid reasons.
I am currently in therapy right now, but I’m curious why everyone is saying transferring won’t solve my concerns? I think it definitely will. Not sure what about my post says that transferring won’t help alleviate the career concerns I have. And calling this calculated move “jumping around” is pretty inaccurate.
I am already in therapy. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m screwed post-grad. Again, I have very tangible concerns that can be changed by moving away from the Ivies.
The grass is not always greener. I would suggest that a below median CS degree at Columbia – or any top school – would not have much difficulty finding a job after graduation
btw: did you transfer into Columbia College or GS?
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I can’t complete the CS major or concentration as a transfer. Too many classes, and I have to do the Core on top of that. I’m in the College. No way could I afford GS.
What was your major before you transferred to Columbia?
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You have so many chips on your shoulder and so much misinformation about what is important in being employable that you need to sort that out before you even consider transferring. That plus your obvious under-evaluation of yourself is why everybody is saying ‘get help’.
I could pick apart your posts and point out all the many, many fallacies, but I don’t think that would deal with the main point: you are not able to accurately evaluate your circumstances right now. The single biggest piece of evidence for that? you thinking that you only have an “OK” GPA. Nobody transfers into Columbia as a Junior with an “OK” GPA.
You are NOT “screwed” in any of the many ways that you think you are, and running away to Bama (who are NOT going to give you a full ride at this stage) won’t solve a single one of your challenges.
Have you actually talked to your therapist about this?
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So you just started 3 weeks ago? Hopefully things will get better as you get settled in, get to know more of your fellow students in your classes and seminars. Much of the social life doesn’t happen in the dorms.
I wish my daughter (and by extension: me) would be ultra wealthy - and, fortunately we’re not poor. Still, making friends has never been an issue for her - even if she doesn’t parade around in Canada Goose jackets in the winter, or doesn’t worry out aloud on Friday afternoon if she’ll have enough time to still get to the Hamptons.
She has close friends from the entire income spectrum. The fact that some friends’ families live on Central Park West is just where they LIVE, not who they ARE.
I understand that there are other factors - but I’m hopeful that you’ll be able to make connections so that you’ll at least be less miserable socially.
Naturally, if you didn’t research and consider the graduation requirements etc. before transferring, that’s an unfortunate misstep. Would it be feasible for your family to adding the necessary semesters, rather than doing more “hopping around”?
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Not an option. Columbia has a hyper-strict policy where they kick out junior transfers after four semesters.
You’d be surprised. My GPA at my old school didn’t even put me in the top half of my class. I think Columbia doesn’t really care about your GPA as long as it’s over a 3.5 and you’re coming from a prestigious school.
You are in NYC, and in 3.5 semesters will get a degree from a highly regarded school. Many employers are hiring now, even humanities majors are finding jobs. Get yourself together and get a good internship now that may lead to a full time position.
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If only it were that easy. The only humanities majors I know who get internships that pay above minimum wage either already have connections (mainly through parents) or have a track record of insane achievement (i.e. high GPA, multiple leadership positions, etc). I have neither. It would be best to lateral into a more merit-based and higher paying major.
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Added to say that since Bama won’t pay me, please do let me know if anyone is aware of any school that gives merit aid to transfers. Thanks in advance.
Many private universities give aid to transfers but they also want you to complete your last 60 hours at the school.
Econ majors get solid jobs.
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I wish I was good enough at math to do Econ at Columbia!
Clarified to say I need merit based aid, as need-based aid will leave my parents footing part of the bill, which isn’t okay.