<p>I recently posted a forum about my daughter disliking her school; she's a freshman nursing major at UMass Amherst. I just figured I'd keep everyone up to date! </p>
<p>She just got back her grades and received three A's and one A-, putting her GPA at 3.93, which she's very excited about. She's enrolled in Anatomy, Nuitrion, Sociology, and Women and Gender Studies for next semester. </p>
<p>She's hoping to keep her GPA up in order to receive some merit aid at the schools she's applying to; right now, these include Northeastern and Simmons, but she's looking into others. </p>
<p>That’s great news. But most schools don’t give merit aid to transfers and some won’t even give need aid, so unless she knows they do it is a waste.</p>
<p>I’m so happy your daughter’s doing well. I don’t think Northeastern is especially generous with merit in general so guessing for a transfer, it would be even less so. My older S is at Hampshire and is taking his first UMass class next semester which he’s pretty excited about. He really loves the area.</p>
<p>Glad to hear she is doing well in her classes. I’m not sure of your situation but the 5 school consortium allows her to take classes at the other four schools and she needs only take two per semester at UMA. Because she is in the nursing program YMMV of course. Has she looked into picking one of the other schools that she may want to attend and take her geneds there? Might help when it comes time for transfer.</p>
<p>Nursing program at UMass is highly regarded. Is it possible that as a result of her success, she may grow to like UMass? (Don’t remember the particulars of her situation, but if it’s housing, there are lots of other residential areas, each with its own vibe.)</p>
<p>ellen - I’m glad your daughter is doing well. One thing to consider when she applies as a transfer is how the nursing program is structured in the schools that she is applying to. Generally, there are two types - a four year “direct entry” nursing program, and a 2 + 2 program where you have to reapply during your sophomore year to enter the nursing program as a junior. </p>
<p>There are pros and cons to each structure and it should be noted that many direct entry programs will not allow transfers into the nursing program. You apply as a prospective freshman and that is it. If she transfers to a 2 + 2 system school, she will need to reapply during her sophomore year. I don’t say all this to discourage you, only so you and she can be forewarned.</p>
<p>P.S. when 2 + 2 schools do their accepting, they almost always decide strictly based on the candidate’s GPA, so your D is off to a very good start! Check out this forum:</p>
<p>I have hope that she’ll come to appreciate how good a school UMass is and stay there. We know several kids who declared they weren’t going back to their schools second semester as early as September, but at least two of those have reconsidered and will stay at least through the year. Many of the initial ‘shocks’ are not so shocking, they’ve learned where all the bumps in the sidewalks are and can avoid them. They may have found a few more friends. I think a few even figured out that most schools are going to be pretty much the same, with good things and bad things, and often realize that cheaper may be just as good.</p>
<p>Hope she will decide to stay put. Many years ago I was a nursing major at a state univ. whose nursing school was highly ranked. After two years there, I transferred to another state u. (in the same state) because I was getting married and had to relocate. And NO, I was not pregnant!</p>
<p>Even though the schools were in the same state system, the requirements for Nursing differed. I ended up taking five years (going fulltime) to graduate because State U. #2 required some classes that State U. #1 did not. A whole year’s worth of tuition paid (and a year’s lost income) all because I transferred. It worked out but wasn’t the easiest path. </p>
<p>She’s still pretty set on transferring-she didn’t want to be there from the start, and no amount of bribery is changing her mind. We’ll see how it works out.</p>