Transferring due to harassment

Transfer Students
41

The university legal department will ALWAYS make the administration (including admission officers) choose the university over the student.
That’s why in case of sexual assault you must first immediately go to a hospital, not the university clinic, and get your statement to a police officer, not a university security officer. Only after these steps do you bring the university into it.
Read MISSOULA, by John Krakauer, for instance. (Eye opening, documented, often depressingly riveting account. Would be a thought provoking summer read for all college students and people working in universities. )
All institutions work like this.
That’s why you mustn’t impugn the other university even if they’re in legal trouble. You can explain it’s related to local or national culture, which proved too much of a culture shock, police culture which allows x or z, student culture, a deaf administration.
If there’s a lawsuit, it’s separate from your application - even a HINT that you come with a lawsuit against your previous university and they will NOT take the risk of admitting you.
(Lower ranked universities may overlook this when the student admits guilt but in your case since it’s not your fault it doesn’t apply.)
Also “the university is well known for its poor handling of…” If you’re talking about a foreign university, assume ZERO is known about their issues. Only their ranking would be known, and what type of environment they’re in (ie., non democratic countries or democratic ones, economically developing, etc.). If you want to bring up colleges like, say, Imperial, EPFL, TMU, Waterloo, and have a legal case against one of those (or similar), US Admissions won’t care. They are not a court. They aren’t in the business of vindicating you. They don’t want to hear it.
If “US” in the above answer meant the university is an American university and the university is currently publicly in legal trouble or has been in official, public trouble (think: Baylor) then you can mention that you were one of the victims vindicated in the (2019 ywx case) and the facts described therein should suffice in explaining how the situation would impact anyone’s results.

So, your strategy can mention the issue as an additional comment, framed in terms of local culture or police culture etc and/or, if judged, by referring them to the case and indicating you’re one of the victims. But your main reason for transfering should be the culture shock, unexpected lack of resources, large lecture halls, the difference between your expectations and reality, student culture, etc.
“University A wronged me so I must transfer” is a good motivation but not a good transfer strategy. You seem to move back and forth between the temptation to explain your grades by blaming the way the university mishandled your case and not doing so.
The above advice of finding a free legal clinic for advice is also excellent.

Btw, I’m aware it sucks. You were wronged. You need to transfer because of it. It’s not right. But first, transfer. Find your fit and safety. Then, figure out the rest.

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42

There really isn’t a way to “justify” lower grades that will cause other universities to view you like a student with high grades. If you got a 3.3 while you were undergoing cancer treatment, the whole story is relevant to your transfer application, but you’re still a student with a 3.3. A 3.3 plus cancer treatment doesn’t add up to 3.9. Many students find that a large university isn’t a good fit for their learning style, but at the end of the day, other highly ranked schools will have the luxury of choosing transfer candidates who got high grades despite poor fit at the first school. What is your college GPA now? If it’s over 2.0, you will likely be able to find universities that will accept you without further explanation.

Do you have access to help as you process what you’re going through? Do you have health insurance that would cover counseling?

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43

I would spend money on legal counsel before spending it on a fancy admissions counselor that is willing to help you spin whatever this is onto a transfer application…

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44

That’s true. I wouldn’t encourage misinterpretation though.

45

Not asking to be viewed the same way. But no explanation is still worrisome.

46

Sorry, I’m not ignoring the advice. Please don’t continue attacking me with accusations like that. Requests for further explanation weren’t given.

I’m not yet completely convinced because I would be skeptical of an application without an explanation that simply says it isn’t a good fit but doesn’t justify why performance would suddenly improve at another university.

47

Funnily enough, I had never intended to file lawsuits, the idea had never crossed my mind when I brought up complaints with my friends & family, and I do my best to stay as far away from the legal system as possible, as my close ones also encouraged me to. They were words from university staff, what the intentions are I can’t say, also mentioning “lawsuit” to work colleagues possibly to create a hostile work environment and scare them into acting in the university’s interests over mine (since they had been informed, not even by me directly, that I was seeking transfer). There is no lawsuit now and there has never been one from me and I have never been involved in any lawsuit ever, actually.

So, your strategy can mention the issue as an additional comment, framed in terms of local culture or police culture etc and/or, if judged, by referring them to the case and indicating you’re one of the victims. But your main reason for transfering should be the culture shock, unexpected lack of resources, large lecture halls, the difference between your expectations and reality, student culture, etc.

Sure. That’s the reason actually. I think many commenters aren’t understanding it correctly.

“University A wronged me so I must transfer” is a good motivation but not a good transfer strategy. You seem to move back and forth between the temptation to explain your grades by blaming the way the university mishandled your case and not doing so.

No, that’s definitely not a transfer application strategy at all. I’m also not moving back and forth between temptation to explain grades, since I’m already fully on the side of explaining grades, and not by “blaming” the university about mishandling cases, since mishandling only accounts for part of my grades.

48

Yeah… this just sounds like a faulty argument… it’s like saying your house burned down because of your neighbor (using your example) and getting denied a better house since you’re risky. Lol

49

Actually that’s exactly what happens. Unless you pay the difference.

You are a young man. You’ve asked the question and many experienced people have answered you similarly. One thing you will learn as you age is if 100 people tell you something you don’t like, there’s probably truth to it.

You asked a question but are pushing back because you don’t like the answer.

So why did you ask the question ??

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50

Why do you think OP is a man?

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51

Thought I read in a previous comment. But maybe not. Sorry if I mis described. The different chats all scramble the mind.

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52

Sorry for the misunderstanding that you and other commenters seem to have, and it’s quite rude actually to suggest that to strangers when you don’t have any medical qualifications: I don’t need mental health counseling now, I have sought it in the past already and taken their advice to stop contact with abusers, but I need legal counseling and application counseling, if any counseling. Processing negative events isn’t requested in this thread, transfer application advice is.

53

I also noticed a lot of other misunderstandings in the post. I think that’s what happens when you don’t give full details about everything.

54

Yeah no. Sorry. Not a man either. Many of the commenters are experienced?

I’m not yet completely convinced because I would be skeptical of an application without an explanation that simply says it isn’t a good fit but doesn’t justify why performance would suddenly improve at another university.

55

Thank you for this! I’m female! This happens all the time online! I guess in this post it’s assumed that people don’t do bad things to women.

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56

My comment was saying I respond on many threads. Some identify their gender. Some don’t. I simply erred confusing you with another. Mistakes happen. I apologize.

You’ve come here asking for assistance. I wouldn’t say anyone is rude. They are giving of their time and minds.

We may or may not have the right answer. We certainly have not provided the answer you were hoping to hear.

But everyone is doing their best. When you ask for help, everyone will give, what to them, is appropriate.

It’s unfortunate if you feel a response is not appropriate but everyone is doing their best to assist you. As for my gender mix up it has zero bearing on my previous responses.

Good luck to you.

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57

A quick clarification:

Were you working full time for the university while you were a student there? Most universities will not hire enrolled students as full time employees.

Just another quick clarification - the university is harassing you because of issues that you brought up to your superiors at the university when you were working for the university?

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59

Might I remind members of the forum rules: “Our forum is expected to be a friendly and welcoming place, and one in which members can post without their motives, intelligence, or other personal characteristics being questioned by others."

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/guidelines

On another note, to allow the OP time to process the advice before responding and to perhaps allow others to join in, I have put the thread on slow mode until morning.

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60

Universities are businesses. Adults with extensive work experience (and yes, even experience being harassed) have told you that no new employer (and that includes universities in this context) wants to hear about problems at a prior job, Ever. It is trouble and their legal and HR departments want to avoid that like the plague. The admissions committee is essentially functioning as an HR department. You may find this unjust, but that is irrelevant.
You have been advised repeatedly, and should be in a position to make your decision and bear the consequences.

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I’m not yet completely convinced because I would be skeptical of an application without an explanation that simply says it isn’t a good fit but doesn’t justify why performance would suddenly improve at another university.