<p>I'm supposed to attend Loyola Maryland this fall as a freshman but I want to transfer out after the first semester. I was very lazy during the college app process last fall and put no effort in trying to find the right college. Now I'm going to a sporty, preppy, party school that I don't really want to go to. I'm quiet, I like to read. I hate sports and don't drink or party. Further, I'm not religious and Loyola Maryland is a Catholic school. Oh yeah and I do NOT want to go to a core curriculum-school. </p>
<p>Can someone help me out? Recommend a school I can go to and find like-minded people? I've been getting kind of depressed over this lately. Also, although I want to find a good school, I probably couldn't get into anything with lower than a 40% acceptance rate.</p>
<p>If you’re convinced you’re going to be that miserable, either take a gap year or go to a CC for a year and then transfer. Why pay all that money for a semester of misery? </p>
<p>There must have been something about Loyola MD that appealed to you. What was it? Aside from the negatives you want to avoid, what are the positives you’re trying to find?</p>
<p>Possibilities:
St. Mary’s College of Md.
Goucher</p>
<p>Centre College
Clark University
Drew University
College of Wooster
Earlham
Guilford</p>
<p>The problem with transferring out after 1 semester from a 4 year is that other schools have differing admissions requirements for transfers. Some schools won’t let you transfer in after one semester. Some schools will still take into consideration your high schools stats, and now your college gpa. Some schools will require letters of recommendations, etc(which can be difficult to get when you’re only at a school for one semester).
Your best bet is to take a gap year and reapply for 2012 admissions as a freshman(if you’re confident your stats can get you into a school you’d like). Another option is to transfer out of community college.</p>
<p>Look at St. Johns College, New College of Florida
Also most all decent/good/great schools will have strong English and Philosophy departments. If it’s a matter of social fit, then concentrate on looking for a student body or a social atmostphere that will meet your needs.</p>
<p>Yeah, I’ve thought about what you said about colleges not accepting students after one semester. I was thinking though, if I’m really unhappy at Loyola Maryland, would it be a bad idea to leave after one semester and come home and go to, let’s say Hofstra University (a school near where I live and should be pretty easy to get into), and then transfer to a better school next fall? Or is it better to just stay at Loyola Maryland the full year because it would look better transferring from there than at a worse school like Hofstra?</p>
<p>Don’t write off Loyola before you even get there! Most schools have a variety of people enrolled, and you don’t need to be friends with all of them, so if you don’t like the preppy partiers, search out the others. They might be less visible, of course, if they are in the library studying. Go to the English and philosophy departments when you get to Loyola and find out if they have clubs, literary magazines, etc. that are looking for members. Artsy groups, if you have any musical or artistic ability or interests, might also attract people you would find compatible. Notice the serious students in your classes and make friends with them.</p>
<p>You certainly don’t want to transfer after a semester, and then transfer again after another semester. There is a significant adjustment involved in each move, and every college has slightly different requirements; you don’t want to complicate things.</p>
<p>My advice is to go to Loyola with an open mind and try to do as well as you can there (you will need good grades anyhow if you want to transfer.) Don’t make a decision until close to the transfer application date, which is generally in mid-winter. If you do decide to make a change, the University of Maryland/College Park and University of Delaware have good English Departments and I believe are about as selective as Loyola. Further afield, Pitt has a fine English Department and one of the best philosophy depts. in the world.</p>
<p>I agree that public research universities are often excellent choices for English/philosophy. They’re hard places in which to get jobs/tenure, so the professors will be very very good. And the fact that these are large schools will ensure you will meet many like-minded students. </p>
<p>Having said that, I also think you should give Loyola a chance, and transfer only after completing a full year.</p>
<p>there’s what, 4,000 students at Loyola? I have a hard time believing they are all sports nuts and drinkers. sports and drinking are big at most colleges.</p>