ganderingoose

Hi!
I'm currently a first year at a midwestern LAC. While I've been having a great time here and I really am making the best of it, I cannot stop thinking about the other college I almost chose to attend--Vassar. I got into both and for some reason ended up choosing here, which was strange because Vassar had been something of a dream school. I think I just got a weird impression of the school when I visited and felt more comfortable committing here.
But now I feel like I might want to make the switch. I think Vassar is academically more robust and there are so many things about it that I love. And I just feel in the "wrong" place.
So I'd like advice from current students regarding the following:

1. What do you think about getting in as a transfer? Is it feasible in the slightest? Other than getting good grades, what should I strive to do?
Are my chances of getting in increased because I've already gotten in once?

2. One thing I worried about Vassar was that I would encounter a lot of pretension. I wouldn't have thought this but for some current students telling me this (one of my weird impressions). I am a very friendly, warm and goofy person and I am confident. But I was worried there wouldn't be others who would respond to that. I am also from the midwest and the east coast felt a bit unwelcoming in the days I was there.
My current school is less.. "weird" than I thought it would be. Which makes me sad. And I yearn for a more artsy vibe. I am a visual artist myself.
What do you think about these aspects of the student body make up?

3. Do you think it would be awkward to transfer and not even worth it? I feel upset I'm in this position--four years in one place seems ideal. Would I miss the boat socially or otherwise having spent freshman year elsewhere? Could I be in a fellow group as a transfer? (I always thought those sounded neat)
Do you actually know any transfers?

THANK YOU very much to anyone who responds.

jym626

Transferring into Vassar is not easy. There are often very few spots for this these days. And whoever is telling you Vassar is pretentious is not giving you a reliable, balanced picture.