CSF? Not so sure anymore...

Transfer Students
1

<p>Howdy all,
Okay I’m a freshmen creative writing major attending the College of Santa Fe in New Mexico. After an absolutely incredible first semester things are going downhill fast. CSF was my first choice school and the only college I applied to after visiting UVA and W&M. I’m wondering if I should rethink my choice of schools…</p>

<p>I sitting pretty on a 4.0 GPA toward the end of my second semester. In some areas I feel challenged. Research and writing keep me busy, but all in all, I don’t have to work too hard (if at all) to keep the GPA solid. Creative Writing program is stellar, but the other academics leave me wanting (a lot) more.</p>

<p>Socially CSF is a weird dynamic. I don’t feel like a lot of the kids here are here for the right reasons, and very few are highly motivated. I had a fantastic group of friends first semester who were all very supportive. Inexplicably, they’ve changed are on the cold side. Frankly, I’m tired of dealing with such high-maintenance people. CSF gets huge “clique syndrome.” All the majors stick together and aren’t keen on making kind with newcomers (in my limited experience). Simply put, I’m not impressed with most of the kids choosing to attend.</p>

<p>The institution itself is doing having some difficulties, ones the new president is helping to pull us out of. Some of the attractive liberal arts core majors have been eliminated to foster the birth of a liberal ART school, now with improved emphasis on the art. My program will remain unaffected but there’s certainly some tension on campus with all the changes and administrative choices.</p>

<p>Homesick? Sure. Isn’t every freshmen? But it’s different here. I’m almost 2000 miles from home and the West is certainly a far cry from the East. I’m getting tired of desert scrub, sand and dirt. </p>

<p>Getting Involved? I wish. There aren’t all that many organizations on campus to speak of. We just got a literary magazine, but it’s online, so no meetings. Student government is kind of a thing of the past with all the changes in administration that last few years. </p>

<p>That’s the short version… I really dig the Creative Writing program. My advisor and professors here have all been incredible. At times I think it’s the one thing keeping me here. I feel like I’m looking for an institution that can challenge me on all levels with people that I can relate too. Maybe I’ve been trying to sugarcoat it too much but I’m pretty sure I’ve never been this unhappy and dissatisfied before.</p>

<p>Should I be so quick to pack my bags?
If so, what kind of institutions (with Creative Writing programs) do you all think I should look into.</p>

<p>NC
P.s. Thanks for putting up with me!</p>

2

<p>How would you describe the students at csf? I go to st john’s college in annapolis and I’m spending next year at the santa fe campus. I was just sort of curious about the other school in town. What made last semester so much better?</p>

3

<p>well, the kids at CSF kind of have that “island of misfit toys” feel. Lot of recreational drugs, but for the most part they’re friendly enough. In general though, there’s a sort of arrogance that can be grating at times. They’re fun, just unmotivated.
St. John’s is totally different. CSF kids give them crap, but sounds like they’re more my crowd.</p>

<p>As for last semester, it had a lot to do with the health of the institution. The changes didn’t really start to affect anyone until the end of last semester when faculty started getting cut and entire departments got the boot. A little bit of bad blood. I was more excited last semester too. The programs were more engaging and the professors (for the most part) top notch. My niche of friends was closer too. This time around, not so much on all counts.</p>

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<p>Wow, as a Creative Writing major myself (or English, or POSSIBLY Journalism, depending on where I end up transferring), I find this post extremely interesting. </p>

<p>I’m finishing up at community college. Since CSF has a supposedly-decent Creative Writing program, not to mention rolling admissions, I was considering it…if all else fails. Judging by your rather informative post, it seems I might actually fit in socially. </p>

<p>However, I must say, I am inherently suspicious of any Writing program that doesn’t have an actual literary magazine. Can you elaborate on that? You seem to like the program itself, correct? What is a typical class like?</p>

<p>Also, please don’t hate me, but…it is honestly a tad bit disheartening to see a student with an English-related major (unintentionally) confuse the words “to” and “too”. I realize this is the internet. Thus, speech is informal, and nobody likes a Grammar Nazi. I’m sorry. It’s just a pet peeve of mine, really. I had to mention it. Forgive me?</p>

<p>By the way, I think you should definitely rethink the choice…if you’re truly unhappy, that is. Moving anywhere new is an adjustment. Still, with a 4.0 GPA, it’s at least worth applying to some different places. I guess what it comes down to is how important academics are to you…and how much you care about fitting in.</p>

<p>I’m from the East Coast, too. I don’t know how helpful I can be in terms of suggestions, but I’ll try. </p>

<p>Now, I am biased, because this is where I’m hoping to go…but Emory has a Creative Writing program! And it has one of the best school papers in this country, though I don’t know if that matters to you. It also has rigorous academics in general. </p>

<p>Also, Purchase College (in the SUNY system) has a well-respected, selective Creative Writing program, though Purchase itself is not so selective, more arts-oriented and nothing special in non-creative areas. So you might have a lot of the same problems there. </p>

<p>You don’t seem to like the southwest, but how do you feel about the southeast? (It’s on the east coast!) The University of Miami has a Creative Writing program, as well, and it would surely be more challenging than CSF in other areas.</p>

<p>I don’t know how you feel about NYC, but I’ve actually heard good things about the Creative Writing program at Eugene Lang (The New School for Liberal Arts). For more ideas, you should definitely check out The Princeton Review’s list of schools that offer Creative Writing as a major, if you haven’t already. ([The</a> Princeton Review](<a href=“http://www.princetonreview.com%5DThe”>http://www.princetonreview.com)) I’d link you to the list itself, but I’m pretty sure you must be logged in to view it.</p>