Trying to decide to transfer from or stay at Macaulay/Baruch

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I'm in my 1st semester at CUNY Macaulay at Baruch. I have a transfer option to go to Cornell ILR next year, and since registration is approaching for next semester, I've been trying to think over what I want to do and I'm having a hard time being objective about it. So I was hoping that someone could provide some insight that could help.</p>

<p>I initially picked Macaulay since it seemed like a special program with a lot of nice perks that would help me deal with, or at least offset some of the downsides that come with living in NYC and dealing with CUNY. Baruch itself isn't terrible, but it certainly wouldn't stand on its own if I weren't in Macaulay. </p>

<p>The problem I'm having is that a lot of the things which I thought Macaulay would add don't match up with my expectations. The honors advisor has been unhelpful every time I interact with them, the priority registration we are supposed to get is disrupted by the fact that Baruch itself has barriers to registration that make the priority registration almost meaningless, and so far Macaulay has made it more difficult to do something more often than it has made something easier. </p>

<p>In addition to my direct problems with Macaulay/CUNY, I've just found the city to be a very stressful place to go to college in.</p>

<p>Of course, there are things I like about NYC and Macaulay. They do provide a lot of interesting things to do and see that I wouldn't have available to me if I were in upstate NY. But on the other hand, there is so much travel time involved in going to these things that it is difficult to fully enjoy them given that I have homework to do as well. </p>

<p>I recognize that I'd probably still have some of my problems (and some new ones) at other colleges, the question that I'm mulling over is: If these problems are going to be at any school, why not just go to the one that has other better qualities? </p>

<p>Also for a little context before I present my options, I'm interested in economics, government, and mathematics. Not sure which I'd end up focusing on or what mix I'd do, but those are what I am keeping in mind for my choices.</p>

<p>My options are: (Could theoretically go elsewhere, but without scholarships private and out of state public schools aren't ideal choices.)</p>

<p>Stay at Baruch:
Pro: Don't need to make big changes. Keep benefits of Macaulay and NYC. Options available.
Cons: CUNY Bureaucracy, stressful city, slightly less academic choice. Options are more or less mutually exclusive without a lot of extra hassle. </p>

<p>Transfer to Hunter:
Pros: Get to stay in Macaulay and city. Minor changes. Academic choices might be easier to pursue? Better location in city.
Cons: Still CUNY Bureaucracy, still stressful city. Academics similar to Baruch. Still some changes involved. May need to argue with Macaulay.</p>

<p>Transfer to Cornell ILR
Pros: Much better academics and name recognition. More peaceful/natural setting with campus. (No 40 minute subway rides to class) Might be easier to get a job out of undergrad. Meal plan. Don't need to reapply to anything.
Cons: Fewer interesting things. No special program like Macaulay. Registration/Bureaucracy will still be annoying. (although no expectations broken about it.) MASSIVE change. More expensive and therefore limits options for grad school. (Would either need to get a job or go for a PhD program with a stipend.) Need to start preparing now so that I have the right classes needed to transfer.</p>

<p>Transfer to SUNY Binghamton
Pros: Slightly better academics than the CUNYs. Peaceful/natural campus environment. Academic interests easier to pursue. Meal plan.
Cons: Fewer interesting things. No special program like Macaulay. Registration/Bureaucracy will still be annoying. Big change. Would need to reapply. (although likely to get in since I applied before.) </p>

<p>Transfer to SUNY Geneseo:
Pros: Slightly better academics than the CUNYs. Peaceful/natural campus environment. Smaller and may be less bureaucratic/impersonal. Meal plan.
Cons: Fewer interesting things. No special program like Macaulay. Big change. Would need to reapply. (although likely to get in since I applied before.) Econ department is weaker and they have poly sci rather than public affairs, so I would likely focus on math. (which may or may not be what I definitely want)</p>

<p>(Note: Everything but Cornell works out to a similar price range after taking into account cost of living expenses.)</p>

<p>If anyone could help me think this through, it would be immensely helpful. I can't get beyond a mental struggle between a bias towards defaults vs thinking that "the grass is greener." </p>

2

<p>Have you applied to Cornell ILR? Been admitted?
What expenses would you incurr and how would you pay them? I assume that with Macaulay you didn’t take your federal subsidized loans this year, so they’d be available for next year in addition to the regular sophomore loans. You shouldn’t take on more debt than that: will ILR be feasible under these conditions?
If so, then Cornell ILR is the best choice: the environment you like and a name recognition at least on par with if not more universally recognized than Macaulay, especially outside the NY area.</p>

3

<p>I have a guaranteed transfer option to Cornell ILR. Since I’m a NYS resident, it would cost around $40k/yr. I don’t qualify for federal grants, so Macaulay is paying tuition then I estimated that cost of living in NYC ends up being around $15-20k/yr. Paid for from a savings plan. From what I understand of our finances, it is possible to pay for Cornell, but grad school is more uncertain depending on costs and the economy in the next few years. </p>

4

<p><<<
More expensive and therefore limits options for grad school. </p>

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<p>Talk to your parents. If they are totally fine with paying for you to go to Cornell, then go. The Ivy name recognition alone would be worth it…as well as leaving the stress that you are now facing. No one outside of the region has heard of Baruch, and the honors program is probably known by even less. </p>

<p>Do you only have that guarantee if you transfer as a soph? what if you transferred as a junior?</p>

<p>Don’t worry about grad school. Apply directly to PhD programs that are funded. </p>

<p>What is your career goal? </p>

5

<p>If you have Macaulay stats and guaranteed admission to Cornell ILR, I’m willing to bet you’ll do well at Cornell and will be able to go to a funded PHD program afterwards.
Since city living isn’t for you, go to Cornell, enjoy the Ivy League amenities and the college town,and don’t think twice.
Note that if you’re a citizen or permanent resident, you can get the federal loans. Add your savings plan for Cornell and whatever your parents can contribute (keeping in mind they saved by your choosing Macaulay this year) and, I’m willing to bet, some money from Cornell, and things should be doable from a financial point of view. There’s no other downside. (And there IS plenty to do at Cornell and in a college town such as Ithaca.)</p>

6

<p>^
If the student plans on getting a PhD, then he shouldn’t borrow as an undergrad unless subsidized. Any unsub undergrad loans would be quite big by the time he finished his PhD and could being repayment. Better to go thru any college-funds for undergrad and borrow unsub loans later.</p>

7

<p>Seems like an obvious–go to Cornell!</p>