Sally_Rubenstone

Question: It is 4 weeks before college starts and my daughter feels she has made a mistake in her college choice. She was very torn with her decision and we feel she is right. She made a choice based on what she felt we wanted and what would be better financially for us as a [...]

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Roger_Dooley

Sally gives great advice in the ATD column on how to try to get into the school the student said "no" to.

I'd also add that it's common to experience buyer's remorse when choosing between colleges. No school has everything, and as soon as a student commits to one the good attributes of the rejected school start to loom larger and larger. Most students experience at least a little of this. Fortunately, when they arrive on campus in the fall they get caught up in the whirlwind of freshman activities and academics and rarely look back.

I think some third-party input would be good in a situation like this. Is the school the student planned to attend really an inferior choice for her needs and interests? Do both schools offer a good variety of majors in case the first one doesn't prove interesting? It sounds like the other school would entail higher costs than the selected one - is it worth the difference, and can the family afford it? A separate set of eyes on the issues might take some of the emotion out of the decision and help make the case for or against trying to switch late in the game, taking a gap year, etc.

LondonCircle

Hello, I seem to have found myself in a similar situation to the poster of the original question, but clearly I'm quite a bit later in my realization. If I contact the admissions departments of the other schools I'd rather be at, is there any chance that there might be room for me to come in during the spring? Am I going to have to do the whole common app again? Am I going to lose out on financial aid if I transfer this early?

Sally_Rubenstone

LondonCircle--There is no down side to contacting admission offices at those other schools and asking if they will consider you for the spring semester. If the answer is yes, you will probably find that the requirements will vary from college to college (some will want recommendations and an essay; some may want nothing but a transcript from your current college ... even if there won't be any grades on it until January). Depending on where you're applying, it's possible that they won't admit you unless they can meet your financial need as well. You'll just have to ask about that, too.

Although you may feel that you didn't choose the right college the first time around, and you're thus wise to start investigating transfer options immediately, it is also way too early to give up on your present school. It's not impossible to seek greener pastures while you concurrently make every effort to get involved where you are now, to seek out activities you enjoy and people you like to do them with you. I've known many freshmen who were unhappy in the fall who ended up loving their college by the second semester.

rincehoro

I am so sorry! That is such a tough situation to be in!