Gap Year in the Middle of Undergrad

Transfer Students
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Hey everyone. For some context, I’m currently a sophomore at a T10 US university, but I transferred there this year from a small, well-ranked liberal arts college (~T10). I transferred for personal reasons (including a documented title 9 case where i was the victim), but I regret my decision a ton. I was planning to double in math and physics and to go into a PhD program in one of those subjects, but I’m seriously behind in the curriculum of my new school and it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to have advanced enough coursework in either major in order to gain admission to a PhD, maybe not even enough to finish either major, and I certainly can’t double major. My GPA also dropped when I transferred (4.0 → ~3.6 – which I know is not bad at all, but it’s still more than marginally worse, and I put in about twice the effort at my new school), and that’s not even counting the class I dropped. I’m also absolutely miserable at the new school.

I asked my LAC if they could take me back, but they said I’d have to go through the transfer process, which only has a fall start. My question is: what if I took a gap year for the rest of this year and rejoined my LAC as a sophomore transfer again? In that time I’d work on publishing a physics paper with a professor I’m still in contact with (would be publishing as second author), work on my mental health, probably get some simple job, and maybe audit some courses at a local cc. Then I’d have 3 years remaining at my LAC and apply to grad school from there. The LAC’s admissions rate to grad school is very good, probably better than my current university’s even though the latter has more general name recognition.

This idea seems so extreme, and I feel a little silly for even considering it. Do you know of anyone who has done something like this? Does it sound stupid? Is this too hard to explain to an admissions committee/does it hurt my chances even more than if I just stayed? Am I just digging myself into a deeper hole? I’d really appreciate any advice, especially from people who went to grad school/are in academia or who know someone from a similar situation. I need to decide by the end of the week.

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That doesn’t sound crazy to me at all. Often a break in college years can be very productive. The question I would have is how high are your chances of admission to your original school?

Math and physics are subjects with foundational classes and a set sequence that may be different at each school so I can see how your transfer to your current school might cause some problems.

If you took a break, is it possible you might reevaluate and change future plans? Is it possible that your current university might be more appealing if that happened?

What do you envision as a career if you finish a PhD? Are you thinking academia or industry? Are you familiar with the financial challenges of a PhD program? I hope you are well-informed before you make major life decisions based on the hope for a PhD in math or physics.

If you are unhappy at the new university, do you think that may improve? It is not uncommon to be unhappy at this point in the first year at a school and transferring makes it even more socially difficult. It might get better. Do you have any other academic interests?

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When I was in college I dropped out mid semester (a spring semester) after a bad breakup with a long term boyfriend. I just needed a break and was not going to make good grades that semester because of all of it. So I went home, got a job working at burger king (lol) and worked the rest of the spring and through the summer and then went back to school in the fall. It was a great decision for myself. I was much better off mentally. Of course I went to a nothing little regional state school, but still, I can understand needing a mental break for a semester.

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My only concern and I don’t know what the title 9 case was but:

  1. Not an academic but a comfort level, would you be ok back to the place where something happened ?

  2. Would the school, even if not legal per se, want you, take you back ?

One concern that I have from what you wrote - that you are spending more time and struggling academically. Different schools have different levels of rigor - was the first school not challenging enough ?

I’m guess I’m wondering if this should be only choice A or B because B may not happen. Why not also look at Choice C - a new, fresh start.

Look at the PhD feeders on the right for other options. Many colleges and not just top 10 put out PhD candidates. Good luck.

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You said that your old LAC only starts the transfer process in the fall. So, how do you take a gap semester now and return to that LAC in the fall?

I’m confused.

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So first off. Congratulations to evaluating your situation. A drop off in sophomore year with more work /time put in is… Well… Normal is college. Classes get harder. To me it’s normal and I don’t consider it a drop off. At my son’s Big ten university all undergrads take like physic together. Usually the Pre med and physics students are the ones doing well. Everyone is just trying to pass the class. Also there are a few classes in math and physic that are usually harder weed out classes. So a 3.6 is fantastic! Don’t be too hard on yourself . College isn’t supposed to be easy. I know an engineer that cried her way through her physics classes.

My daughter transferred from her small Lac to another Small Lac while doing study abroad the first semester of her Junior year. She first took a “Gap” year after that semester abroad in Indonesia and back packed across southeast Asia. She applied to a few colleges while abroad, got a Presidential merit over half tuition and 180 degrees changed her major.

This was more expected than not. Her new school and the Federal government sent her back to Indonesia also.

So, it was the best decision for “her”. Slightly different situation than your’s but the break for her mental health and just because she felt she needed it, was great. She also has very supportive parent’s that understand :wink:…

She is now getting her Masters in Speech Pathology another deviation from both majors but she can use what she learned for it. For her, college was about self discovery. She actually held a Photo gallery exhibit at her new school called “Gap” from the photos she took during this time.

I know another girl that just did a gap year after graduating college and went abroad in a program for that year. It was an amazing experience for her. She’s doing great in her first year at college. She just needed to get away from school and learn more about who she is first.

So, I think it’s pretty mature to have this self discovery actually.

I would make sure you can also go back to your current school. Not sure if you take a leave or how that works out. During your time away you could possibly find out that is actually the best place for you. For my daughter it gave her time to find other schools that were just better fits for her. Rank had nothing to do with it. I would actually tell you to have this same approach. Rank is just a number. If your not happy there it really means nothing.

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Be sure to do the paperwork required to take a formal leave from your current school so everything is in order.

If you utilized merit aid at the LAC, be aware that it may no longer be available as a transfer student.

I hope things work out.

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One question might be: What is best for you? I am not able to speculate on this point. However, life is not a race and taking care of yourself is very important.

I do not see any problem with this at all, as long as you would be comfortable returning there.

To me this looks like a very good use of your time, and a very good use of a gap semester.

Not knowing which school you are referring to, I think that this would be true at any “top 10” LAC (or any “top 20” LAC). Certainly my experience is that very good graduate programs have students who come from a very wide range of colleges and universities.

To me your plan looks reasonable. Certainly as @happy1 says make sure that you complete the appropriate paperwork to withdraw from your current school.

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Hey everybody, thank you so much for all the replies so far. I’ll address all the questions a bit here.

The question I would have is how high are your chances of admission to your original school?

I think it’s very, very likely. I’ve been in contact with the admissions office for a while and they’re going to tell me more or less what the chances are by the end of the week. All of the people they know and remember who applied for readmission got it.

If you took a break, is it possible you might reevaluate and change future plans?

Maybe? I’d be at a better spot in my current university too if I started again in the fall; basically all of their math and physics sequences start in the fall and I missed a few I need. The only thing I’m truly worried about is not being able to finish college. I know I want to do that.

I’m pretty sure about a PhD program. My parents and many adults around me have gone to one and I’m very aware of the costs and benefits. I’m undecided between academia and industry after; I think that’s too far in the future for now.

If you are unhappy at the new university, do you think that may improve?

I think for sure that it might, but what definitely won’t improve is my progress in the major, and that worries me more. Even if I became happier at this school, all my future plans are still less feasible from here. I could maybe major in statistics, math, or applied math, but I don’t enjoy any of them that way I enjoy math and physics. I’m also behind in all of those (besides applied math), too.

Would the school, even if not legal per se, want you, take you back ?

I think so? I chose to not press any serious charges and the situation is entirely resolved. I forgave him and we’re on very good terms. It’s more so to give context for why I left at all.

Different schools have different levels of rigor - was the first school not challenging enough ?

The first school was known for being very challenging, but also for having very good teachers. It was certainly hard, but I handled it well. I had extra time for activities I enjoyed too. The LAC was actually very near the very top of that PhD feeder list. That was a large part of the reason why I chose it.

The new school isn’t necessarily harder by content, but the professors are much more difficult and the one I had last term I’d have to take for the entire year if I stayed. My concern is I’m not only doing worse, but also learning less.

You said that your old LAC only starts the transfer process in the fall. So, how do you take a gap semester now and return to that LAC in the fall?

I’d be returning as a different class from when I originally went there, ie I’d graduate a year later than when I would’ve from freshman year. It also wouldn’t be a gap semester–I don’t want to give too much identifying information, but the school I’m currently at is on a quarter/trimester system, so I’d be missing both winter and spring terms.

Thank you so much for all your replies. I think I’m leaning towards doing this. I’m just a little scared. Does anyone think this would seriously hurt my chances for grad school admission?

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I’m a little confused about your course sequence/credit/academic standing situation.

Why would you need to repeat sophomore year-- by my math, you’ll have completed three semesters of college work, so only need 5 semesters (not 6) to graduate. Have you asked the LAC to review your transcript and let you know which credits would and would not transfer over?

I understand that the LAC only allows transfers to start in September-- but surely they don’t make everyone take a 9th semester if they’re done after 8, right???

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All of these schools are trimester/quarter systems. I’d come in with 4 quarters; you need 12 quarters to graduate. sorry for the confusion!

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I would graduate early (winter instead of spring), but still in a different class year from when I first entered college.

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So obviously the courses you took at the LAC the first time will “count”, and the two quarters you’ve taken at your current school will transfer over completely?

I’m not understanding why you are worried about not finishing your degree (I get that a double major is going to be challenging- as it is for ANYONE). Are there credits that won’t get counted if you transfer???

The key for grad school is the quality of the relationships you have with the faculty at the school you are in as a senior. They are going to help you figure out who you want to study with (and where those professors are), what a general direction for a dissertation might look like based on your interests, and what U’s would be interested in a student like you. So I would be less worried about “how does it look” that you took a Gap period, and more focused on hitting the ground running academically when you transfer back. And having inter-disciplinary interests is just fine (math, physics, CS, all of these things connect at least at a theoretical level) as long as you’ve got a coherent story to tell after you have a few more classes under your belt.

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Do what is best for you and I expect grad school admissions will work out.

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I agree.

To the original question, @goosegoose1, I think your plan is workable and makes sense.

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