TLDR: I spent a year at a small out-of-state university, transferred to a large in-state SEC school for two years, and now I want to transfer back to the small out-of-state school. Pros: enriched social life, degree program Cons: will graduate 1-2 years late
In 2022, I got accepted to a small out-of-state school two hours away from my home. I was pretty happy there until, to make a long story short, I lost all my friends in one day and decided to transfer to an in-state SEC school closer to home. I’m currently a junior at said school, and I’m miserable. I’ve been here for two years and haven’t been able to make any solid connections with anyone (I’m involved with club sports, but my lifestyle is very different from my teammates, which makes it very hard to form relationships with them outside of practice). This past semester has been one of the hardest semesters of my life mental health-wise, and I 100% associate it with the level of isolation I’m experiencing. I was initially a commuter student because the only lease I could get ahold of started after my first semester at the SEC school began. Said lease was a single-bedroom apartment 20 minutes off campus. The reason I’ve included this information is to stress how, from the get-go, I was dealt an awful deck of cards and not set up for success from a social standpoint. I’ve tried to make friends at my school, I’ve gone to club meetings, but it just hasn’t worked out.
Besides the social problems, I also have no desire to work in the field I’m currently studying. I’m a biology major but have found that I enjoy chemistry a lot more and would like to teach it one day. The out-of-state college has a non-comprehensive chemistry program that leads to you getting your master’s in education and a teaching certification, something my current college does not offer. If I were to transfer, most of my credits would transfer over, although it would set me back a minimum of 1-2 years due to me changing my degree plan.
Ironically, right after I transferred schools, I became really good friends with someone who was a student at my old university. Through them, I’ve found an amazing group of friends who unfortunately all live out of state and attend said college. I’ve spent many weekends with these people and feel a strong sense of belonging when I’m with them. My transferring back to the out-of-state school has been talked about over the past year, but now everything has started falling into place and I know I’ll be happier there.
Money isn’t an issue for me, I have great academic standing, and my family understands and is ok with me graduating late. What I’m wondering is if this is the right move for me. I could tough out another year of biology at this school, but my mental health will be in shambles and I won’t use my degree for anything but getting into grad school.
I think you need to sit down with the transfer advisor at your old college before you get ahead of yourself.
There’s a difference between adding an extra year for a major you’re interested in, and two years- and right now, you don’t know which one.
Why do I say that? Your current friends will have graduated by the time you’re still doing your senior year, correct? And then what- the social network you’ve built- all graduated, and you still have two semesters left, the same social isolation you’re feeling now, and little incentive to “get out there” because after all, its’s “only” a year.
Go through your entire academic record with the advisor. Figure out which credits transfer, which credits you need for the program which interests you. And THEN have this discussion with your parents, yourself.
Verify that you won’t need grad school to do what you want to do. It would be a shame to transfer, graduate and THEN learn you’ll need a Master’s degree.
So get your facts together before you fall in love with this idea…
A few questions to start with:
– Is this plan affordable? You likely will not get merit aid if you transfer back.
– Can you get re-accepted to the old school? You may have too many credits, there may not be spots available, etc.
– Won’t your friends graduate well before you finish the extra years? How will your social life look then?
–Can you finish up your degree quickly (maybe over the summer) and then go elsewhere for grad school to pursue your preferred career path?
not sure what a non-comprehesvie chem program is, but why not switch your major to Chem at SEC school and then get a teaching cert? Does SEC school not have an Education pogram/major?
There is no question about me getting accepted to the old school as there is no credit limit and it isn’t a competitive university
Some of my friends will graduate, but some are a year lower and we will graduate at the same time (also, none of them plan on moving out of town post-grad)
The classes I need are upper-level courses, most of which are not offered over the summer. Additionally, even if I were to take summer courses, I would still graduate at the same time.
The non-comprehensive chem program is essentially a 2/3 chem degree and 1/3 whatever minor you declare that is a part of the program. In my case, it would be an educational minor that would streamline my master’s in teaching and certification process. The SEC school does have an education program, but that would involve me staying at the school that I am unhappy at for an extended period of time in order to get the teaching cert.
Can you stay where you are, graduate on time, and still teach cemistry.
You should check into that.
There are certain districts where people teach other subjects than they major in.
If you want so spend more time and money - sure.
But you might be able to finish where you are quicker. You may not love it but…it’s a time / investment / earnings type thing - you spend more money and earn less as you start working later.
You say your mental health will be in shambles. It will be if you go in with that mindset - but if you change your mindset to I will love (or tolerate) this year, you’ll get through.
Make sure to check into teaching requirements - the science major itself may not be enough.
Have you walked through your transcript class by class with the transfer advisor at the old college to make sure that every credit you think is going to transfer will actually transfer?
This seems to be the missing link in your posts. You are convinced this is a good idea- why not invest an hour in a meeting to make sure that your assumptions are correct?
Even with no credit limit- that does not guarantee that every single course you’ve taken will “count”. You may be over the requirements for Gen Eds (for example) but under the requirements for your Pre-Req’s.
You seem to have already decided you are doing it- so why post looking for feedback? All we can help you with now is making sure your timing assumptions are correct.
I agree you should make absolutely sure this plan will actually work as you think it will work.
But if so, then I don’t really see a problem. You are saying it is an affordable plan to get the credentials you need for the career you want to start, and you would be a lot happier too. Again, assuming all that is correct, then sure, of course you can choose that path.