I second all of this. Just don’t know what they offer in terms of oceanography.
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As a source for ideas, you may want to look into whether colleges affiliated with Sea Education Association would offer you opportunities not available through Williams:
Note that the source states that “many” of these colleges “allow institutional aid to transfer to allow students access to an affordable study abroad experience.”
Transferable course titles include Maritime Studies, Nautical Science, Oceanographic Field Methods, Oceanography and Practical Oceanographic Research.
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Totally different than Williams and schools on your current list, but University of Delaware has a highly ranked Marine Science with an Oceanography concentration major. They also have highly ranked masters and PhD programs as well. Not sure of the cost/aid situation for an out of state transfer, but it is a beautiful campus of about 17K undergraduates with close proximity to Philly and DC.
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Is there a path to affordability for a high-need OOS transfer student? It sounds like even her own in-state flagship was unaffordable when she was applying in HS…
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You can definitely try&go for Duke. Nothing to lose.
Bates sounds like what you’d want, too… though I understand why you wouldn’t want to "go back"after spending your life nearby.
You could spend a year in Oxford
There are semester or year long study abroad or study away programs for your junior year, as people stated above, in case the transfer plans don’t work.
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It’s already quite late to get the ball rolling for junior fall, though; some schools are already past their deadlines to apply for spring study abroad for next year. So get those backup plans in motion ASAP, if you think you may stay the course at Williams. (Unless you’d want to take a gap year and then do your whole junior year abroad.)
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I would encourage you to really look at Brown. They have a larger cohort of transfer students each year compared to other highly selective schools, and a good transfer orientation program – all of which means you are less isolated as a transfer student out of the gate. Also definitely less of the elitist culture you describe at Williams, and much less rural environment of course. Also unlimited P/F means you decide your stress. No idea about geosciences but have to think good programs since you are near the water and of course it’s a university. You seem like a really good fit for Brown! Also agree hedge your bets with some study abroad options. Good luck!
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Just a reminder op wants to stay close to home.
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This thread caught my eye. I went to Williams, did the W/M program, went on to work for SEA and ultimately pursue a graduate degree in fisheries/biological oceanography at a major research university. I also live in Maine. An undergraduate degree from Williams should not set you back at all on a professional career. Your other reasons for transferring are obviously very valid, but my hunch is that to get a more expansive curriculum that includes the oceanographic sciences at an undergraduate level you will need to look towards larger research universities that also have graduate programs in the oceanographis sciences. URI comes to mind. Also look at Bigelow Labs offerings.
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Your concerns are valid.
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I really suggest Bates. I know you say it’s too close to home…but it might just be where you will be the happiest. And really, if you live on campus, you can be five miles from home or 500 miles from home…and it won’t matter.
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I worked at Bates doing research over the summer, so I’m not entirely opposed to going there. I also have friends there, so that wouldn’t be too bad of a transition. Will consider it! Only downside is their financial aid can be kind of crappy.
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Current Conn Student here. I would say if you are considering transferring this late into college do it for specific professors at the institution you are choosing. Honestly from what you are interested in I do not know if a small school can offer everything you are asking for. At the same time it is the liberal art schools that give the $$$ so I get it.
On Conn’s program,
We have a biology professor who does a lot of work with marine sciences and oceanography on the Thames River which is part of our campus. Location wise I don’t think you can beat Conn for marine studies at a small LAC. We are literally on a river going out into the sound and our arboretum gives us access to some cool habitat. (We are also 10 minutes from Mystic) Our geoscience dept. is really tiny and falls under physics but the professors are fantastic. Our Oceana Club just sent an email around offering students the chance to participate in the Williams Mystic program because there were empty spots so you might meet some Camels next spring!
One thing that might be worth looking into is our Goodwin-Neering center for the environment where you basically form your own concentration in environmental studies around your interests. A friend of mine is in that center and is literally doing exactly what you are interested in both here and abroad. The center requires you to produce some scholarly work or project which is a plus.
Honestly I understand what you are talking about when it comes to a draining academic environment. I choose Conn over more prestigious schools in part because I did not want to deal with students thinking they were the best just because they happened to get into a certain school when they were 18. If you message me directly I can give you more details and professors here to contact.
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I am also an fgli at Williams strongly considering transferring out for many of the same reasons lmao
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If you would like posters’ help on deciding and creating a transfer college list, you should start your own thread….posters would be happy to help.
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Recently have read of others in similar situations. You are not alone and your post is probably comforting to the OP.
This is neither a new nor an uncommon problem.
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You should (both) reach out to the FGLI office at Williams to let them know of the situation, so that they can try and remediate it for you as well as and especially, for others.
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Excellent advice–especially because of the generosity of Williams College and the real world value of a Williams College degree.
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Kind of late to jump in here, but have you considered Wesleyan or Trinity?
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