I’ll just start off by stating what has gone on in my college life so far.
I first attended Union College in Kentucky on a athletic scholarship for Bowling, it was a crisp 16 hours away from home, and just a lot of things just didn’t pan out like I hoped. Their was also some family issues with my grandfather dying, I wasn’t able to make it home for his funeral and I’ve always hated myself for it.
So long story short I transferred to Franklin Piece University in NH. It was the perfect situation, hour and a half away from home, had just started a men’s bowling team had my Sports Management Major. I won my first collegiate title in February of that year, but things took a turn for the worst when the university suddenly cut the men’s and women’s bowling teams at the end of last February. They said they wouldn’t honor any scholarships and just sort of left us stranded and rushing to find a school
Fast forward, I found Paul Smith’s College in Upper NY. It is a nice school, great academic programs and they just started a new Sports Management Program that I like, but here’s the catch I’ve been budding heads with most of the bowling team and the head coach because of their incompentce when it comes to the sport. I’ve gone to the AD hoping I can fix things about the team but only resulting in my coach yelling at me and say I should stick to be a student-athlete and that he is the coach.
They constantly fight, bicker, and call out teams that are clearly better than us complain about everything and get frustrated when I try to help them because I know the sport better than them. And because of that, most of the team dislikes me. I just don’t feel like I fit in with IE Right-wing rednecks, who just insult you if you don’t conform to their ways, mostly because the school has more hands on majors and really isn’t known for their “Business Programs”
I’m just beyond frustrated and I hate transferring because I feel like a failure, even though some of it is attributed to just bad luck. I’m confused, lost and depressed and looking to maybe transfer AGIAN to either RIT or Stony Brook both have solid bowling teams. I just want to find a place where I can be happy, and stress-free but I know this is life and sometimes that’s not possible. But I want opinions before I do anything…
Wow, that’s a lot. First, forgive yourself for the funeral. Your grandfather would want that. Sorry about the terrible luck at the Franklin Piece U, that stinks.
I see a couple of options besides transferring, namely 1) Just bowling, putting up with the coach and teammates and just working on your own game. Forget your attitude that you know the game better than your teammates or the coach. I realize that it would be very hard to be on an unsportsmanlike team, and maybe this isn’t possible, but is it worth a try? 2) Quit bowling for Paul Smith, since you like the academic program, stay there just don’t bowl for the college team.
One lesson here is that if you do transfer again, you’ve got to really dig deep and research what you’re getting into, academic program, college location/culture, and bowling team.
Note, I am speaking as a parent and not as college athlete or a parent of college athletes so I understand my perspective is different than yours. But since no one has replied yet I thought I would try to get things started!
Another thing to consider is financial aid and whether you would graduate on time if you transferred again. I think ou should stay where you are and get your degree.
The only thing I hate about quitting is I dislike the fact I’ve worked so hard, and spent so much money just to stop. I love the sport and I hate that people are tearing me apart.
I’m also just worried about job opportunities, debt, and graduation time if I do transfer again…
I just feel really lost, and I feel like a disappointment, I’ve heard people say when are you going to transfer again. Stuff like that just gets to you especially when a lot of it was just bad luck.
Do you need to keep bowling to maintain a scholarship that makes this place affordable?
It looks like you are a junior. If you stay where you are, will you graduate in just one more year?
If you transfer, will you be able to compete right away? How does that work for your sport?
If you transfer, how long will you need to be at that campus?
Can you just take a leave of absence for the spring semester, go home and bowl in a local league for a while, and consider your options? During that time off you could send out some transfer applications and see how they turn out.
No, Paul Smith’s isn’t a school that gives out athletic aid.
And technically I have 39 credit after transferring twice, so in reality I have after this year, a year and a semester unless I take 18 hour semesters.
Eligibility in bowling is sort of weird, our coach never signed us up for the national governing body so I might be able to play right away but unsure.
I honestly just want to be done with school, but I also want to be happy. I thought about taking a leave possibly but that would set me farther back than I am.
A leave will get you out of this toxic environment for long enough to clear your head.
Do you have a nice cheap state U you could go to where you could take classes in the summer as well as during the academic year? That could get you through things a bit faster.
It’s certainly a possibility Vermont has some of the highest tution but I can look into it…
I’m just really stressed, and I’m worried four schools in four years will look bad in jobs… and I don’t want to keep jumping places that I already have a hard time affording…
Rochester Tech looks really good, I already have a couple friends there and I’ve heard good things about the business management program plus I can continue my history major or minor (I haven’t decided) their because Paul Smith’s doesn’t offer history.
But like I said, I feel like four schools in four years is a red flag, so I’m worried even with the bad luck I suffer from.
But I hate butting heads with everyone here, I just don’t feel like I fit in, but I know in life sometimes you’re just not going to ‘fit in’ and that you need to stick it out…
If you are not receiving a scholarship for bowling cut your losses and finish at whatever school has your program and is the best financial choice. You may love bowling but it may be time to file it in the “just for fun” category as a personal activity. You can always join adult bowling leagues. Bowling seems to be leading you down paths that aren’t really the best for your education and financial fitness.
Paul Smith’s is very expensive and not really known for anything except forestry and culinary. It is a very unusual school in its isolation and IMHO, a difficult match for most potential students. Franklin Pierce is very isolated too. Maybe those types of schools aren’t the best locations for you?
If you do decide to stay at Paul Smiths just keep your mouth shut and bowl. It will make your life easier.
On your resume you will be listing what college you graduated from and what degree you earned. There is no need to list the entire path of how you got there.
I agree, forgive yourself about not attending your grandfather’s funeral. What is most important is the time you spent with him in life.
Stop and re-read this: " I try to help them because I know the sport better than them. And because of that, most of the team dislikes me. I just don’t feel like I fit in with IE Right-wing rednecks, "
At the time, i wasn’t in the best of mind. I probably could of worded that alot better. So I apologize. I just try to help people that are struggling or don’t know what to do. Many don’t know the sport as well as I do, witch is true. I’ve been coached by some of the best in the area and I also do some part time coaching on the side and it’s frustrating to see them struggle and them just being ignorant and not listen and then they complain about not doing well and all you do is try to help.
The other part about rednecks, I should say it’s a more conservative campus and I would call myself a moderate with more liberal tendencies. It’s hard to have a decent conversation with someone without them brining politics into it witch alot of people around here do unfortunately and recently I’ve been trying to stay out of everything politics.
In terms of isolation, I loved Franklin Pierce, the only reason I left is because after they cut the bowling teams they wouldn’t honor our scholarships we recived so financially I had to leave, i had no choice.
I was thinking the same thing as @Empireapple , it’s been a long time since I did a resume but it was just the college graduated, year, degree and major. You wouldn’t be listing out any of the other schools besides the one you ultimately graduate from.
And if anyone would require all of your transcripts and asked about the changes, your athletic scholarship and bowling team storyline would clear everything up. It isn’t unheard of for athletes to switch institutions several times in search of the right combination of academics, financial support, and coaching.
But on an application form, you can be asked to list all colleges.
In part, I think you could explain you were chasing the bowling opportunities. But I don’t think that’s enough. How many kids who major in sports management actually get an SM job? You may need to ensure you have the right academic strengths, in case your best job opps require more than just that one angle.
But you could say that about most people with degrees. I enjoy the sports side of business and I would of loved to continue my double major with history too but unfortunately PSC doesn’t have that, RIT has at least a minor in it and they have Museum Studies witch the only history major but it seems interesting.
I mean I already work for the school athletic department as pretty much a assistant to the sports information director and I’m game-day management. Also have a possible internship with a local summer college baseball team in the works. Honestly after school I’m looking into getting into bowling coaching opportunities first, but looking at other college athletics things I have a good plan for after college that I set way back in high school, just need to be happy with myself and where I am or what I’m going to do.