Unhappy in Suffolk, want to transfer

Student Lounge International Students
1

Hey everyone,

I go to Suffolk in downtown Boston. I am really unhappy in this school, its not challenging, kids are not smart and ambitious and there are so many weird, marginal people. There are some girls who look like hookers. Really. Dorms are dirty and no one makes an effort to collaborate and clean. Thats horrible. Guys shout all the time watching baseball game, they make animal sounds until 2 am. It was a pain to live here. No sunshine, cant open the window and the room is small as a closet. I dont know how they can let human being in this prison-ish room. The food on campus is frozen and I have been poisoned. Always an issue, always police dealing with crimes or whatever on campus. I can’t tell how much I hate this school, it is too bad quality.

This is my first year here, I was a Gvt major and first semester I had 2.5 gpa, all classes B, except Govt which was D. I hated Government and will change my major to eighter Econ or Finance. I assume I will have a better GPA this semester, I was recently sad about many issues previous semester. I have a financial aid here and scholarship. I pay nearly 17 each year. I’m now considering studying abroad or transferring to a better college here, but I do NOT consider showing SAT Scores.
What are some options in Scotland or England, Ireland, Netherlands or Scandinavian countries? I only wanna go to northern European countries or stay here and go to a college like BU, AU or U of Washington-Seattle at least. Is it hard to make it there as a US Citizen? What happens in summer break-am I permitted to stay for 3 months? What about job opportunities?

I also want to go to Europe because they have better education. Here I dont feel intellectually challenged. I studied in a French HS abroad and it was way harder than Suffolk! But on the other hand, I think about other things such as-not being able to find a job there or when I return to the US-not being eligible because I am not focused on the US market during my studies.

Every opinion is appreciated. Thanks guys.

2

Last year you posted these stats. You were a senior, right? With your first semester 2.5 GPA, I wouldn’t assume you’re smarter than your classmates. If you don’t like your current school, you need to find one that fits you better, but as a transfer with a 900 CR + M SAT that may be challenging.

You’re a US citizen who was educated abroad? Do your parents live abroad or are they in the US? What’s your budget? You need to check the admission requirements of the schools you’re interested in. They will likely require both your SAT and high school GPA along with your college transcripts. I think the mid-50% SAT scores of the schools on your list are above 900. Check to be sure though. Good luck.

3

You will never get into these schools with your stats.

4

If you attended a French-patterned school, what were your bac results/mention?
Is your “60%” a 12? (Who told you it was a 2.4?)
Was is “French patterned” ie. Lycée français de New York or French-ministry accredited as an actual Lycée français with “delegated” teachers from the French ministry?
European universities will use these results to decide whether they admit you.
I think you can still apply to Irish universities through CAO (Irish application system) and APB (French application system) are still open. As you know, many French universities will admit all bac students who score 10 and higher. However, I wouldn’t expect the environment to be better than Suffolk’s and the facilities would be much worse.
What’s your budget per year?
Did you get credit for your bac at Suffolk? (To give you an example, you get 3 credits for each 10 score that is associated with a coef 4 at Penn State. NYU considers scores of 12 and above.)
Are you instate anywhere?
I agree that Suffolk isn’t very intellectually challenging, but with a 900 CR+M that’s what you would expect (did you take the test only once? Can you retake it? Or take the ACT? If you want to transfer, that should be a priority! There’s an SAT test coming up in March).
Just because Suffolk is not that challenging and filled with students who scored …just like you… doesn’t mean American universites aren’t challenging. And if your goal is to work in the US, then yes you’re better off attending college in the US.
A 2.5 in college is not good, though. I hope you go to office hours and meet with tutors whenever your grade dips below 88, because you should aim for a 4.0 this semester to make that up. Most universities want a 3.0 (minimum) for transfers. (in French terms: 2= minimum pour ne pas être viré, 3= la moyenne, 4= mention).

5

You might also find it helpful to seek support from a counselor on campus. You have several months left in this academic year, and there is a lot you can do to be happier now.
Here’s the link:
http://www.suffolk.edu/counselingcenter

6

I’m not trying to be rude, but if you “don’t feel challenged”, why is your GPA a 2.5?

I know Suffolk isn’t a great school, but I do think you should lower your expectations.

7

No fin aid in Europe.

8

Is it possible you could study abroad, through Suffolk, next year? I know Suffolk has a branch campus in Madrid, Spain, and they are supposed to have a strong study abroad program for other locations.

Otherwise, I’d suggest you get off-campus housing next year, that may help.

Fwiw, rents in Boston are really high, and you will probably get another room the size of a closet, albeit with your own tiny kitchen in it… but at least you won’t have to hear other students at all hours, etc.

I agree with others, it will be hard for you to transfer anywhere with a 2.5. Bring your grades up.

9

For all those who ask why I dont feel challenged with a 2.5 GPA: I am graduated from a French HS where I get a better quality education comparing to most US colleges. My HS is harder than college here. So it doesnt intellectually satisfy me. I did deep analysis of Bruyère’s poems. Real deep. And the fact that people cant get into intellectual conversations in Suffolk kills me.

Answer for I am not smarter than my classmates: Oh yeah I am. Cause I read a lot and I have a wide interest in arts and literature along with my fine taste in everything. I dont study much or I am not as responsible as I am supposed to be. There are kids who spit in the elevator in Suffolk, no doubt the dont own 1% of the brain I own. College age kids having fun like this. I call it mental disability.

Theres no good school in US that would allow me with these grades, THIS IS WHY I said Im looking for a college abroad. So before you think you might be helpful you’d better read smart kids.

@austinmshauri
@newjerseygirl98

10

Thanks @siliconvalleymom , No I didnt get credits for bac. English is not my first language and this is why I thought I’d never be able to work out studying ALL the material for SAT… I can’t keep in mind all those words to learn, it is impossible especially in such limited time to be realistic. If I have time over the summer(and if I am not working) maybe then I can do it. That’s why I consider Ireland or UK. They have better tolerance to US citizens comparing to other countries in EU also. No visa for Ireland, just paperwork when you land to country etc.

11

Actually, you do need a visa to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days, and their immigration people are not very kindly. If you are enrolled in an accredited program you get a student visa.

For both England and Ireland you generally apply specifically to the subject you want to study, and the biggest element is your test scores- typically including SAT subject tests and/or APs.

Afaik, your scores (and GPA) are too low for all of the Irish universities, and I believe for the UK ones as well. Transferring is probably not an option either. Your best bet in the UK is to do a “Foundation Year” at one of the universities, then use those marks to get into a university course.

12

Sounds like what you REALLY want is escapism. Achieving only Bs & D, you clearly haven’t even taken advantage of the academic opportunities at your present university.

So, how do you propose to fund this escapist fantasy, since you presently require FA to attend your current school?

Have you ever paused to wonder why hordes of American students don’t go to college overseas? There’s no financial aid for foreign full-time study. There may be some scholarships for ‘walk-on-water candidates’ like Malala Yousafzai, but with your present college 2.5 GPA, do you have some hidden Nobel Prizes you haven’t yet mentioned? Your opportunities for transfer to any school will be SEVERELY limited w a 2.5 GPA.

Nobody gives a crap if you are the smartest person in the world if you can’t deliver the goods.

Why are u not attending a more selective school NOW if your performance at your French school was so great? Are you a dual French/EU national? I noticed you didn’t mention any interest in attending a university in France.

From one of your previous posts, while you were still in HS:

Like I said before, no one gives a crap about how smart someone thinks they are if they can’t deliver the goods. US colleges will cut some slack on SAT for int’l students, but your HS GPA is severely lacking, too.

Right now, you’re best option may be to just double down and apply yourself at your present school.

13

The “Intellectually unsatisying” excuse doesn’t fly with a 2.7 GPA especially if you had a similar high school GPA.

Transfer to a community college, work hard and hopefully you can transfer to a different 4 year university.

14

If you want to transfer to a more selective school, then you need to spend less energy on contempt for your present fellow students and spend more time on getting your GPA up.

15

Look, I have no idea how you landed at Suffolk, if you thought you’d be in Boston and it’d be cool or what, if you have family in the area, if someone gave you bad advice, but yes you shouldn’t be at Suffolk if you have a bacgeneral or a bac techno avec mention, and yes lycee’s level is much higher than Suffolk, Suffolk is for kids who would have a back pro in France and need some transition to upper level academic classes.
Now the problem is why you’re not getting a 4.0 there, and that’s on you.
Why didn’t you ask for your bac credits? You’re not even in the right courses.
(for Americans: this kid has the equivalent of a full ib diploma and in all likelihood the 2.4is a personal translation that bears no resemblance to his actual results he got).
Right now you need a 4.0.Are you on your way to 5straight A’s? If not, do what it takes.
Second, answer the questions I asked in my post, I need the answers if you want actual help.
Third, register for the March sat today, take a prep class, and show what you’re capable of. Your score isn’t surprising for French students, who are trained in the art of dissertation and have never encountered a standardized test before, but it doesn’t mean you can’t do better.
Third, what’s your budget?
Finally, understand that people on this forum react to what you brought to them. Imagine being in France and telling people “j’ai eu un bac avec mention et je me retrouve en BEP Assemblage, les cours sont trop faciles, les élèves sont lourds et nuls, je veux aller ailleurs, j’ai 7 de moyenne”… obviously people would focus on the contradiction between the 7 and your other statements. It’s not that you may not be able of much better, it’s that, based on evidence (preuves, faits) you’re not better than these Suffolk students you can’t stand. So your first order of business is to get better grades and a better SAT score. Another avenue to pursue is to ask to be transferred to the substance-free “healthy living dorm”, ask your RA now. Second is making a plan for next year.
Are you open to any area of the country? Do you have majors or an academic area in mind (ie., science, humanities, social science, art)?

16

@internationalInt : check your mailbox (you can receive PMs).
Lots of colleges offer economics. Quite a few offer Finance.
Answer the questions asked in #3 as well as those:
Why did you get a D in Government? What was it that attracted you to the major? What kind of class did you take?
Are you a dual citizen (French/American)? Are you a resident of any State.
You could also attend Baruch for Finance but you’d need to hurry since the priority deadline was Feb 1st. Most other colleges will have later deadlines for transfers although some may have Feb 15.
What classes did you take 1st semester? What classes are you taking now?
What are your parents saying about all this?

17

@MYOS1634 Thanks for understanding.

I have Econ/Finance in mind but I kinda suck at math so I’ll go with whichever is more suitable for me.

Budget is 20.000. Thats what I pay for Suffolk. The only thing I am positive about Suffolk is the universitiy’s connections with investment banks nearby. Location makes a big difference.

I am open to ‘any’ area of country unless its not TX, AZ, AL or alike.

My parents give the choice to me, they just tell me how much they can pay. My father is positive with me taking a little bit easy classes along with requirements, because he wants me to get a good GPA. Last summer was so depressing for me because of my mother’s health issues and I couldn’t be ambitious previous semester. It started off when I was feeling still bad.

Im dual but I think I am (or not!?) considered as a resident of MA. I have been out of state 3 times within 6 months. But I am living here in the dorm.

I was attracted to Government because I was always interested in how everything works behind the scenes and the idea of power, knowing more than others about whats happening in the world etc. Now I want to choose a different career path because I think working in a stressul bank environment is what I really want. And dealing with money. Not politics. People who didnt study anything deal with politics too.

So these were the classes I took 1st semester:
GVT-110 Intro to American Democracy (GVT requirement)
JRN- Intro to Journalism (I wanted to see if I had an interest in Journalism at all or not)
SF- Politics, Power and Media (Required or everyone, you can choose a subject you like-this one looked the most ‘serious’ and related to the major.)
WRI-101 (Required for everybody)

1st semester was a chance to see if I am interested in the major I choosed, and take another class for Journalism. I saw that I was not interested at all. This semester:

WRI-102 (Required for everyone)
ECON-102 Global MacroEconomics (Finance and Econ requirement)
SOC-112 (A support for increasing my GPA and also support knowledge for Economics)
SBS-100 (Sawyer Business School requirement for Finance.) Later I found out that this class is not necessary since I took SF first semester. This one is one credit only, and it is relaxing like a counseling appointment. Maybe it will help improving my GPA also.

I am thinking of getting into a club for Finance. I play volleyball but we dont have a girls volleyball team in Suffolk.

Why did I get D in Government. Thats a good question. I nearly didnt understand anything the professor was talking about. He was speaking like a cool American, avalating letters(voyelles) so it was so hard to catch. Also he was VERY spontaneous and talking about different things all the time-I couldnt see which was important and which wasn’t. He talked about Canada’s president one moment. then about NFL another. I felt like only one could succeed in his class if they are amiliar with American politics.

18

Econ & Finance are both numeracy based, so not usually recommended for people who ‘kinda suck at math’.

You probably don’t have Massachusetts residency, unless your parents were living there for a year before you started college and have some evidence of intent to live there indefinitely, and specifically you don’t qualify if the reason you are living there is to go to school there.

As for your Government class, obviously I wasn’t in the class so can’t know for certain (and there are wild card teachers out there), but some of that is one of the differences between France and the US (spontaneity), and some is the difference between secondary school and college (leaving you to figure out what is important and what isn’t). Fluency is a tricky thing, especially colloquial speech, and even fluent speakers can find it hard to get the nuances.

19

It may help you to enroll in ESL.
Verify your residency status. It often depends on where your parents live.
For now, do everything to get A’s in every single class you’re taking. That’ll bring your GPA to above 3.0 and will alow you to transfer.
Since you’re a citizen, you can stay in the US after this year. Simply take a leave of absence (don’t just “leave”: officially ask for a* leave of absence* for personal reasons. If there’s no official request, they could charge you for Fall semester). Enroll in ESL at a community college and work. Do you have family anywhere?
Irish CAO is only open for 5 more days so hurry. You can apply for level 6, 7, and 8 programs. “Arts” means “liberal arts”, you choose from a variety of subjects, and “international arts” means there will be lots of international students.

20

You probably cannot afford the UK. $20,000 is about £13,800. In most places one year of tuition will cost more than this if you’re an international student (if you qualify as a home student it’s up to £9000 per year in England but free in Scotland). Living expenses would be in addition to this.