After the Spring of 2014 my son transferred from a large state school to a top private university in the northeast. During his freshman year at the state school, he fared extremely well academically earning a 3.8 GPA. However, he was relatively disconnected from the campus and wasn’t involved in any activities or clubs. He had little friends other than his buddies from high school. At his new school he became more involved and has many friends in the clubs and volunteer work he participates in. He seems to be fitting in more socially at his new school. However his grades suffered and finished with a 3.2 GPA after 2 semesters at the new school. He maintains that he studies just as hard, if not harder,(getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night) at the new school, but is not seeing the same results.
Any parents have any advice for me and my son going into his junior year? I know he is more happy at the new school but his grades have suffered and he is upset over this. But I feel that it was the correct decision to transfer.
Some factors unrelated to slumps might be at work here. Classes get harder after freshman generals are done. And moving from a state school to a “top” school is likely to be harder, academically.
My son has been at a selective LAC for 4 years and is graduating with a 3.2 something. We are thrilled. He just had his best semester with a 3.5 something. He has also worked extremely hard every semester. A’s are also not given out at his school like candy. There is nothing wrong with a 3.2 and you need to tell him that. He is doing fine.
Except for certain majors in Engineering, Math, and Physical Sciences, the rigor at a top private university will be harder than a state school. Thus, the drop in grades is to be expected. I tell my kids that unless they plan on going to graduate school, just learn a lot and don’t worry so much about the grades. A 3.2 is great!!
If he was repeating stuff learned in high school AP courses as a college frosh, then he may now be looking at completely new material as a college sophomore. This will be harder.
“getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night” - This is one of the very BIG reasons.
If 6 hours is not enough, then he has to make sure that he sleeps HIS normal amount of hours. (it is enough for some people, I need only 3 - 5, but I am ancient, young people usually need much more).
Another question is what is his plan? For some majors, college GPA = 3.2 is still pretty good (like engineering). The very GPA sensitive major would be pre-med. But I assume that he is NOT a pre-med because of his transfer as it is not important what college one attend as a pre-med. Is he a pre-law? Why his grades are so important?
Another point is that each college year require adjustment in working habits as student is taking higher level courses in each subject.
The important thing to me would be is he doing well in his major classes? As a sophomore he most likely took some major related classes. My DS just finished up his second year although he is a junior by credit. Because he is now taking mostly classes in his major he has found it is getting a little easier. Mostly because he is interested in it but also not everyone is good at those general ed type classes. There is nothing wrong with a 3.2 GPA I am wondering though is his GPA a 3.2 overall for both schools or a 3.2 sophomore year at the new school?