<p>Okay, let's see. Where to start? I'm currently a freshman at Florida International University. I'm having several difficulties here. First off, let it be known that I am from Orlando, FL, and FIU is in Miami. Therefore, you know that I have to live on campus. Up until the day before classes began (Aug. 23rd) I didn't think I was going to be able to attend because we couldn't afford the first payment installments for housing and weren't allowed to move in. Luckily, I had a friend who was willing to loan me a couple hundred. Now, my FAFSA has yet to be verified and we have another housing payment approaching :/ What I am getting at is that financially I am having a great deal of difficulty staying here. (Bright futures and another school sponsored scholarship covered my tuition, it's the housing that is the issue). Oh, and books. We are three weeks in and I have yet to get a single book. I just don't have the money for it at the moment. I've tried getting a job, but I'm in a very spanish-speaking area of Miami and I do not speak Spanish. Everywhere I have applied leans toward hiring bilingual speakers. I've applied to a few jobs on campus, but did not make it to the interview stage (probably because, again, I am not bilingual and this university is 70% hispanic. Internationally hispanic, at that). The other on-campus jobs are work study, and my FAFSA needs to be complete for me to know if I qualify for them or not. Also, I've become really stressed and have grown to hate every day here. It's just not enjoyable at all, and I'm afraid that will also reflect in my grades. My plan was to transfer to UCF (in Orlando) for the spring '10 semester. That way I could live at home and wouldn't have the issues present (finances, job, etc.). But now I'm starting to think that maybe I should withdraw from this semester, return home, find a job and work, and then go to UCF for the spring. Would the W's on my transcript look bad? Or would that be explainable? Do you think UCF would mind? Or would they not even know by the time they decline/accept me (seeing as I'm submitting my application now, and wouldn't be withdrawing until next week. Plus I have no other prior collegiate transcripts). Or would it be better to struggle both financially and maybe academically and complete the semester and then transfer for the spring?
I really value everyone's opinion and really need your help!
Thank you!</p>
<p>It makes sense to withdraw and transfer to UCF for spring. The withdrawals on your transcript won’t hurt you. People have lots of good reasons for withdrawing: financial problems, illness, family emergency, etc.</p>