I am currently I Freshman at Providence College and I am considering transferring to a school in Boston next fall. I honestly like PC and I have been making friends here and staying involved, but I’ve always wanted to go to the school in the heart of a city. When I was looking at schools my senior year of high school I wanted something fairly large and in the city- the exact opposite of my tiny public high school with a graduating class of around 90 students. I liked the feel of PC and chose it over the business program at UMass Amherst. Now that I am here, I feel trapped between the huge number of core classes and the smaller campus I just feel like I’m trapped both physically and academically. I am paying a lot to go to school, and I honestly feel like I should transfer. I want to go somewhere in Boston with a good business program next year- I’m thinking maybe Northeastern?
One thing I do like about PC is the school spirit and feel of community, but on the other hand I tend to feel like I’m at a huge high school because everyone seems to know each other. I know many people will tell me to wait it out, but I feel like I failed myself. I don’t know how I ended up at a small liberal arts school when I’ve always wanted to go tom schools like George Washington in DC and Northeastern. (I actually applied and got into GWU senior year with a pretty good scholarship). Does anyone have any advice? I know many will tell me to wait it out because it will get better etc., but I sometimes feel like I don’t want to let myself like PC. I’m disappointed in myself for not picking a larger, more city-like school. I feel like I got cold feet t during senior year and instead of focusing on city schools I focused on smaller, more suburban schools.
Does it seem like I simply fell back into my comfort zone of more suburban, smaller schools? I just don’t know what to think and I feel like I can’t truly enjoy my experience here at PC because all I do is think about how I want to be a larger city school. If anyone could please help me that would be amazing!!
@newenglander367 You are trying to define yourself in y your own mind as a city girl that can’t be happy in Providence. I don’t know what help you are expecting as everyone here has already given you the advice to wait it out. You need to be more mature about this situation, and open minded. Stop thinking about what could have been. PC is a great school and you are not having issues adapting socially (sounds like). So do what college kids are supposed to do - open up your mind to this new experience. Throw yourself into the school activities without being judgmental about how its so ‘suburban’. When your mind starts to wander, start thinking about awesome study abroad programs in a big city. Go out and meet people. Focus on studying to keep your grades up and having fun in your down time (instead of posting on this site).
“but I sometimes feel like I don’t want to let myself like PC”
Let yourself like PC! Truly. Next spring, if you are still miserable, then you can think about transferring. Not now.
The grass is always greener on the other side.
IF you truly took the smaller school at the 11th hour b/c it felt safer, then transferring might be a good plan for you. When my D turned down colleges she got a ‘we’ll keep your app on file just in case you change your mind’ note back. You might review Amherst (not GW, unless you have the $$, b/c you won’t get the scholarship again). and whoever else looks better now.
Obviously, we don’t know you, your options, or your financial realities, but of all the ‘I’m having second thoughts now that I am here’ posts that I have seen this fall, yours appears to be one in which looking at transfers makes sense. Just be sure to spend the night at each school before you apply to transfer.
@suzyQ7 As much as the tough love makes me feel bad, I understand your advice. I’m sorry if I annoyed you with my posting, I’m just in a hard place right now and I feel like college is the one thing I can control in my life. I can’t stress enough how much I am willing to wait to see how much I love PC, because there are some very good reasons I chose the school. When choosing PC I took my parents’ and other people’s feelings into consideration more than my own and I think that’s why I don’t feel like PC is the right place for me. The biggest reason I’ve been posting so much is that I wanted to keep my options open if I still don’t like PC in the spring. If we’re being completely honest here I’m terrified, so I’m sorry if my attempt to seek advice on a college forum is annoying to you in any way. I’m giving PC a year no matter what, so thanks for the advice.
@newengander367 The best way to keep your options open is to study hard (to keep your grades up) and be a strong member of your PC community. For next fall, Transfer app deadlines are April 1st, so you have plenty of time (in Feb/March) to think about that. There are no SATs to take, etc… so it should not be such a difficult process. That said, if finances are an issue, you will have to decide later what you are going to do about that. I don’t think BU, NEU etc… give merit for transfer students (not positive on this).
And I never said you were annoying, just that the advice you already have (participate, wait it out, don’t hang on this site so much 
) is probably the best advice you will get. Good luck to you.