Unhappy with my college decision

So, I am an incoming freshman at UIUC and have already committed. During admissions time, I focused most of my efforts on very selective schools. I have always wanted to live in Chicago because of internship opportunities etc, but UIUC was the best school I got into and it is rural.

I have been very remorseful about my college decision lately. I know it’s too late to do anything now, but I’m trying to figure out what’s best moving forward.

I’ve decided I really want to live in the city, and regret not applying to UIC, so my options are this:

Go to community college and then transfer,
Take a gap year and then start as a freshman,
Do a year at UIUC and then transfer.

I am just worried about how much UIUC will frown upon me transferring, or if it is very hard to get aid as a transfer student.

Thanks.

UIUC is a much, much better college than UIC. In addition, it’s located in a college town - you’ll have so much to do that you will not have a minute yourself (unless you’re so unimaginative all you can think of is drink, and no city would help they).
UIUC will not care if you transfer. But I can’t imagine you’d want to.
Do very very well in your first semester and apply to DePaul and Loyola, as well as Elmhurst and Lake Forest. If you like cities, add UMN twin cities, St Thomas, Hamline, UDayton, UCincinnati.
Or make an actual plan for a gap year - find a job, a place to volunteer in order to learn more about your objectives so re if qcityYear in Chicago is still recruiting; present those plans once they’re firm, andk UIUC if you can defer for a year.

I think any one of the three options you have listed would work. You might find that UIUC is a better fit than expected for you and it is only 4 years after all. My oldest son went there for Biology and he enjoyed his 4 years there. Having grown up there myself, and living in Chicago now, I understand the attraction and I would probably not move back to C-U again but the university is very strong and there are lots of opportunities there for students.

You can spend summers in Chicago, and move to a city after graduation. Give UIUC a try. I’ve been there, I know what your saying. But go in with the goal of making friends and getting involved on campus.

“UIUC was the best school I got into”

UIUC is a great university.

“UIUC is a much, much better college than UIC”

I agree. UIUC is also a LOT better than any community college. You can do very well with a degree from UIUC.

Expect UIUC to be academically very challenging. Expect to need to work hard and plan to keep ahead in classes and do very well. This will open up opportunities for you, whether this be via transferring, doing an exchange abroad, graduate school, or a job after graduation.

Personally, I would plan on staying at UIUC for four years, but also look for summer jobs in cities, and/or plan to take a semester or a year abroad in a foreign city.

I don’t know much about Chicago schools, but I can briefly talk about my community college experience… Honestly, I can say that attending community college was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

My community college provided me with some amazing opportunities, which most likely I would have never gotten at a four-year university. If you actually participate in student life, join clubs, and make connections, you will be surprised by just how many opportunities community college students have.

As a community college student, you can save money during the first two years and be able to afford a more expensive university during the last two years. Besides, there are numerous scholarships for transfer students. If you join Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, you are likely to receive a some kind of scholarship from them. You can also apply for Jack Kent Cooke transfer scholarship. That one is more competitive but still worth a shot. Also, see if colleges you consider transferring to offer merit scholarships for transfers. Many also give decent financial aid.

I am transferring from my community college this year… I ended up getting into some great colleges, including Northeastern, UNC Chapel Hill (as an out-of-state student), Smith, UMiami, Brandeis, American, and numerous others. Three colleges even offered me some awesome merit scholarships, ranging from $10,000/year to $20,000/year. Some of my friends also got into Brown and BostonU.

Although community college is definitely not for everyone, it ended up working out amazingly for me and some other students I know. If you are not happy with your college choice, I would recommend considering community college as an option. But no matter what you decide, good luck!

Jack Kent Cooke is a long shot for EVERYONE. I sure wouldn’t pick community college because you might get that. The OP hasn’t been complaining about cost. And socially, the OP may prefer to be a school all four years to make stronger connections. I wouldn’t turn down your state flagship for a community college unless you have cost issues, family or health issues of your own that keep you near home, or academic challenges that might be better matched with a couple years at community college. CC can be a very good option in some situations, but I don’t think the OP seems to match those situations.

Did not say that JKC was not a long shot. But it is worth trying. PTK is much easier, but, of course, does not give as much funding.

The OP said that he/she is worried that “it is very hard to get aid as a transfer student.” This is why I mentioned all the transfer scholarships.

Now, I’m not saying that community college is a perfect option for everyone - but it is definitely worth consideration. For me and for many others I know it worked out great. There are community colleges where you can make some amazing connections. There are community colleges that provide you with more opportunities than some four-year universities.

All I’m saying is consider it. It’s not for everyone, but it might be a better option than it seems.

I agree with @xraymancs…you might find that it’s great after you get there. Bail now, and you’ll never know. Why not try it and transfer if it doesn’t work?

Also, I wish somehow, your statement about the way you chose schools, and how you feel now, could be placed in a permanent banner somewhere on CC. It’s a wonderful encapsulation of the risk of vetting schools by reputation and ranking only. Sorry you are learning this hard lesson so late.

Good luck!