Hi, I am currently a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin, and have not had a very good first year. I believe I’ve done everything (but rush) in order to try to feel integrated in the community by joining clubs, sports, service orgs, etc. and have made a few good friends, but still wake up most days feeling unhappy. I am from New Jersey and as hard as I’ve tried to shake off the home sickness, I am very close with my family and the distance really kills me. I was originally choosing between UT and Temple Univwrsity in Philadelphia, both to major in graphic design. I quickly found that the program at Texas was not at all for me, and did not live up to my potential, and have recently decided to switch my major to advertising, which Texas has a great program for. However, although I am enjoying advertising courses more, I still really struggle to picture myself here for four years and even though I might rush next year to see if this helps, the big Greek life and football culture really never seemed like it was for me. Now, I have applied to possibly transfer closer to home at Temple, where I visited in high school and loved it. I would apply for graphic design rather than advertising because they have a well ranked program at their art school. I would also be able to room with a good friend from high school. However, I am afraid of leaving such a good advertising program that I have so far enjoyed at a high ranked school for a less prestigious school that is good for my original major. I’ve always known that I don’t want to go to an all art school like Pratt or RISD because I want a full college experience, which is why Temple seemed like a good balance. I’m really struggling with this decision, as I know that if a school exactly like Texas was just located closer to home and felt more familiar, I would most likely feel fine about it. Please help!
Why did you pick UT Austin in the first place? What drew you to it? Why did you pick it over Temple?
What woudl the cost difference be?
Can you get into graphic design as a transfer?
I picked UT because I believed it so have great programs overall, and had seen their art program accredited by some sources, however from experience I did not feel that it lived up to other programs here. If I transferred I could get a good degree in graphic design, though not as good for advertising which is what I have found I’ve reallt started to enjoy. UT was also more appealing at the time because of its high end facilities and good school ranking, and I do really like the city of Austin. Cost wise, I received very little financial aid from UT compared to temple even though they come out to about the same in cost, though I’m not sure how much temple would give me a second time around.
My take on it is this: The first year of college an be tough as it’s a huge transition, especially being thousands of miles away from home. However, the good news is you’ve now completed the transition. I would advise you to give it one more year at UT, and then decide to transfer or not. There is a very good chance that the way you feel has more to do with the home/HS to college transition than with the actual school itself.
Don’t transfer based on rank. You already picked a school program based on what you thought was a higher ranking and it didn’t satisfy you. Dig deep and consider whether or not your current school and program is truly a bad fit, factor in the cost differences, think about where you may want to live and work when you are finished your degree. Then talk to your parents to see where they stand, especially if they are paying. Once you consider these factors you can make a decision.