AnotherParsec

Hi All,

I am currently a freshman undergraduate student at SUNY Binghamton. I've only been here for a month but it is very apparent to me that I want to transfer out for various reasons. Binghamton was the last school on my list when I was applying to schools and I am only attending because it was the only school money would allow.

I have always had a strong desire to go to Boston and was hoping to attend Boston College this Fall but, unfortunately, even with scholarships the total cost of attendance was slightly more than $30,000 which is out my family's range ($25,000 or lower). I was planning on applying to transfer to Boston University and Northeastern with the hopes that I would receive significant scholarships - I don't know if this is realistic - or, as a backup, Stony Brook, which is local for me.

Stony Brook is not my ideal college, but I would very much be local than where I am currently. However, if I did transfer to Stony Brook for the Spring 2013 semester, I would like to try and transfer somewhere further from home for the Fall 2013 semester.

My questions would be:
- Is it a possibility that I would receive the amount of financial aid that I require applying as a transfer student to the private schools I mentioned for the Spring 2013 semester? for the Fall 2013 semester?
- If I do not receive the amount of aid I need from the private schools for the Spring 2013 semester and attend Stony Brook, is it reasonable to try and apply again for the Fall 2013 semester and expect a different result? am I even able to apply again?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated because I am completely unfamiliar with the transfer process.

Thank you!

BCT2NYGuy

Haha, I'm transferring out of SUNY Bing too after this fall.
But from my experience, schools don't give ANY money to transfers via merit-scholarships. So don't count on getting the amount of scholarship money you got as a freshman applicant. Granted, my only experience is from transferring from a private to Bing (and now to another SUNY) so I can't speak for the private school merit-based scholarship process...but the SUNY I'm transferring to gave me a great scholarship initially as a freshman applicant, it's gone now unfortunately as they don't offer scholarships to transfers. Best of luck to you though, transferring is definitely a stressful process (not so much the paperwork, but the realization of unhappiness for sure)

AnotherParsec

It's funny that we happen to be transferring out of the same place. I've certainly realized a significant amount of disappoint and unhappiness from my initial application process as a freshman. I know transferring is going to be tough, I've certainly heard transfer students barely get any money if at all. I think it's really important to my mental health to transfer as soon as possible haha but I don't want to put myself in a position where I won't be able to get to a place where I am happy. I appreciate the response. Best of luck to you as well!

AnotherParsec

If anyone has any information at all that could help me it would be greatly appreciated.