Match Me / Ideas for a Transfer Student / Photography + Business [3.00 GPA in 1 semester of college, 3.94 HS GPA, 32 ACT, <$50k, lower is better]

Chance Me / Match Me
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The other concern on transfer is - what credits will be accepted. As you look at a major in business or art, the answer may be different. As you are budget constrained, it might matter if you can’t be done in four years.

Btw the schools I listed above have photog and business, not art as you noted photog but the current has it in visual arts.

To me and I know little about it but a school like South Dakota - not too big, not rah rah, cheap, has photog and business - if you live in Nebraska, not far - might be worth a look. Some Greek life.

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I’m using “art” to cover photography. It’s Visual Art with an emphasis in photography. It’s not quite the same as a degree in photography which I understand is “better”, but maybe it doesn’t make all that much of a difference. IDK.

She got a single room and moved into it at the semester break. She has three suitemates, all with their own rooms. She likes them a lot better; they’re friendly and quiet. She also has a full kitchen. We had to use her medical diagnosis to get the room.

I was hoping and praying that the room change would help and it has, but only a little. We saw her today and she is not herself. I hoped the art class would help; I’ve been encouraging her to talk to the photography professors and get to know the department. Well the first day of class the professor said that photography is not real art because all you do is push a button.

She feels out of synch with a lot of kids. I have suggested everything—clubs, taking photographs for their social media if she could get on, therapy, coaching, external gym memberships…

She is stuck, fearful, unhappy, and caught up in self-doubt. It is heart wrenching. It has basically been bad since the first day she got there in August.

We have told her we think it’s better if she can find her place at her current school. It’s a lovely campus, she has accommodations…we may be hit with a $25K increase in tuition next year though, which is also a factor.

ETA: and no photography jobs aren’t a slam dunk but then again, even Comp Sci grads are struggling right now.

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$25k there or elsewhere ? There are schools for less?

If struggling that much, perhaps my thought of cc might be a good idea. Live at home.

Perhaps she’s overdoing without realizing the negativity. I can’t imagine someone saying photog is just pushing a button as there’s so much set up etc.

You saw her today. Why ? Have you moved there ? Is she homesick ? If she spiraled, maybe pull her out ?

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We saw her because 1) she had stuff still at our house from Christmas that we couldn’t fit in her car 2 weeks ago and 2) we had weekend plans a few hours away so we were able to coordinate bringing her stuff with our trip.

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I’m sorry she’s had such a rough time. You thought through her options so carefully, and it seemed like a good choice. I do think it’s a school whose external image doesn’t always match the reality of the experience, but still, I wouldn’t have anticipated such a bumpy ride for her. :frowning:

I’m curious as to how narrow her interest in photography is, as opposed to broader things that can include some photography, like graphic design. When I think of art/design plus business (and a touch of STEM), the field that comes to mind is packaging science. It’s very interdisciplinary and project-based, and grads are in demand for well-paying jobs. There aren’t a lot of programs, and many of them would be over budget, but one example would be U of Wisconsin Stout, about an hour east of Minneapolis. At the Midwest reciprocity rate, it only costs about 25K/year. It’s relatively small - around 6K undergrads - and D3 athletics, so not overly rah-rah. Here’s the packaging program: https://www.uwstout.edu/programs/bs-packaging There’s a photography & video minor (possibly combinable with packaging or business), a studio art BFA that can be photography-focused, and a business administration major. There’s a packaging minor too. About half of students live on campus, so there are off-campus options but it’s not a commuter school to the point of not having campus life.

If the packaging angle doesn’t appeal, other UW branch campuses may work too, like Milwaukee and Eau Claire.

Western Michigan could be worth a look too. It’s similar in size to her current school, but quite a different vibe, I’d expect. Kalamazoo is a nice student city, and WMU is quite artsy but also has a business school.

Michigan doesn’t participate in midwest reciprocity, though, so it would be around 41K/year.

Truman State? Missouri’s public honors college - quite affordable (about 33K/year with MSEP discount), under 4000 students, not rah-rah (D2), lots of smart kids who are there for quality academics for a great price.

Trinity U in San Antonio meets need - would they give her enough aid? They have both majors, a very nice campus culture, and far more appealing surrounding area vs. Waco.

Any chance Cornell College in Iowa might appeal? They do a one-course-at-a-time block plan, similar to Colorado College. This can be great for art majors, because classes can schedule trips to art museums in cities around the midwest, and really immerse themselves in projects. There are multiple business majors available too. I’m not sure how costs would shake down, but they meet 86% of need on average, and they offer automatic merit scholarships to transfers with a 3.0 minimum GPA (apply by March 1st) Would a block plan like theirs work well for her?

Good luck sorting it out and getting her only a path that she’ll be happier with.

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I’m sorry to hear about your D’s first semester experience.

I would tell her and you to prioritize her mental health/well being. It sounds like maybe being in school this semester might not be the optimal choice (realizing there likely aren’t any optimal choices.)

As for transferring, the 3.0 will matter, as you posted. Especially since she only had three years of HS and took a gap year. Are there any C’s or lower in her first semester of college?

I would start with the other schools that accepted her…would ASU work? I know it’s large, but it’s so disparate, and not too rah rah. And copious amounts of sunshine. I think your other potential schools make sense…Kansas, Utah, Belmont, Denver. Not sure Denver or Belmont get to your price though.

If she is really undecided about her path, CC could be the right answer for now. Living at home, doing well in some classes, hopefully finding some classes she likes could provide a good reset for her.

What about some LACs out west…maybe Occidental or Willamette? Don’t know if they will get to your price, especially for a transfer though. They could be too liberal as well, which is why I’m not going to suggest Lewis and Clark or Whitman, for example.

For relatively more conservative choices in the West…Southern Utah, Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, George Fox in Oregon (pretty strong/varied arts here), Whitworth, Montana State, University of Portland. She would have to look at the major choices to see what might work at each school. Not sure about getting to the budget, and some of these schools are quite a bit more conservative than Baylor.

Why?

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First off, I’m so sorry that your daughter is still struggling so much at her current school. I’ve been following along a bit with her journey and was hoping so much that the change of housing would help her.

I know it’s on the opposite coast from where your D wants to be but the first school that came to mind reading her list was RIT. Very project learning based, known for being great with accommodations, she could double major in her new track, only 2% greek life, etc… But In Rochester NY so location wise is a miss and I don’t know if they’d come in under budget or how they would feel about the first semester college gpa.

St Olaf would be another school to consider albeit in MN. Not as much for the project based learning but checks a lot of the other boxes. Every student I know that went to St. Olaf loved their time there and had great post grad outcomes. No greek life at all.

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Thank you for the kind and informative replies. I appreciate it!

To answer some questions:

• I did think of Trinity U; she can drive down and see it, which is nice. The heat in Texas is exhausting; how much of that has to do with having been in band I’m not sure.

• band has been a big issue. She found out her section leader is not returning next year. Apparently the band director has issues and the majority of the band is freshman. Older students quit when they can’t take it anymore.

• she is less unhappy than she was. But still unhappy. It still is only a couple of weeks into the semester, and classes went on line for a few days due to weather. Her art class is online indefinitely due to storm damage to the building. Still, if she is going to transfer she needs to get on top of that.

• location is an issue. She wants to be 3 to 4 hours from home, but hates all the area that is 3 to 4 hours from home. That is something she has to reconcile. Areas she likes are much farther or more costly.

• We are not from Nebraska, don’t like Nebraska, are trying to move away from Nebraska, and any school
In Nebraska is absolutely wrong for her. She could have had a full ride to UNK. Other women I know whose kids have gone to UNL tell me straight out that it would not be right for my daughter.

• she got into U of A, not ASU. U of A has a top notch photography department, they have really nice modern high rise apartments across the street from campus…still bit of a party and Greek life school but maybe big enough to ignore that. Also kind of far from home.

• packaging science…I’ll ask her. Clemson offers that and of course she got in there. The cost at Clemson is a lot though. But it is very rah rah and Greek life heavy and fairly party heavy. I think it was @OctoberKate who said one of her son’s friends left Clemson at Christmas because she found it very cliquey and I can see that being accurate.

• having said that, budget is somewhat flexible

• a small LAC might be a good fit

• I think my D is just very disillusioned. My husband says she seems lost. Part of it is internal…she thinks maybe she isn’t as smart or as driven as she once thought she was, she’s not a band kid, not a sorority girl, not a true engineering “nerd”, definitely not a party girl, not super into Bible study, she’s afraid if she tries photography that she will fail at that too.

• …part of it is external. Agree that her school Isn’t as picture perfect once you get there as they make it seem like it will be. She has run into a lot of mean girls—gossip and drama and immaturity— heavy drinking and partying, washing machines and dryers are constantly broken, food isn’t that good. We had to fight like hell to get her room changed. And then there are the kids who do Bible studies, are quiet, studious, intelligent…it’s almost as if there are two different types of kids who go there. In the parents group I’m in, I see post after post asking about therapists, doctors for anxiety and depression, how their kids don’t have friends…

• cost is likely to go up next year because of the FAFSA (unless they grant us an exemption based on extenuating circumstances), tuition increase, and the loss of her engineering scholarship.

• she got a 79 in Chemistry, which stinks because she doesn’t even need it.

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I am so sorry your D is still unhappy. I have no specific school ideas offhand.

However, I do want to suggest that for any school being considered that your D check out the online course catalog to see if a dual business/photography major can be completed in her three remaining years. Business majors have a separate core curriculum (on top of any school-wide general ed requirements) with intro classes in disiplines such as accounting, finance, business law, etc. (This core is often completed before a major is selected.) And art majors can be very time consuming/intense (at least that was D’s good friends experience). So if your D transfers, just be sure (to the extent possible) she understands the academic plan needed to move forward with her dual major.

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I think this is far more schools than you think. And many schools have problems meeting the need - they are overwhelmed.

U of A is incredible. She wants to be off campus (not cheap) but the Honors Dorm, if she can get in, is awesome - with a dining hall at the bottom and gym and therapy building adjacent. Not sure if it has singles. But yes, lots of off campus options - and a free transport to get to downtown - if she lives a bit further off. While it’s extremely diverse (as a Natl Hispanic Institution), it has vibrant Greek life and sports - especially hoops - so that might be a concern.

NE resident, graduated high school, now in gap year, 3.94 GPA, 32 ACT, <$40k]

Can I ask where home is? In your original post, it says high school in Nebraska or did that mean New England? I assumed Nebraska.

Perhaps something in your state or in a shared pool like the Western Undergrad Exchange or MW Student Exchange can be of use? Someone up stream mentioned Wisconsin branch schools - that may be a part of this, as an example. New England has one too if NE is New England.

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Not sure if dual majors or price would work, but you can look ar some of the Jesuit colleges in geographic areas that make sense. They may have the vibe your D wants (generally mid-sized, some have good bball but not big football schools, no or limited Greek life, population that may skew more moderate, etc.). Do note that Jesuit colleges typically have a large core curriculum which may make finishing in four years even more of a challenge.

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Yep, that was me that mentioned one of my son’s best female friends transferring because she just felt like it was too cliquey. That said, that’s just one person, just happened to be his person. I do think the school is similar to what you’re describing in some ways - definitely some sizable Greek life (but not as huge as I thought) and a lot of the folks who are very into Bible study - I think the dichotomy is what my son has found challenging. Neither of those groups are right for him, so finding some other middle ground has been hard and I could see that maybe being a similar concern for you. But! It’s such a big school that there’s certainly more and I think if she didn’t get discouraged too quickly she could find her people in her major. I feel like photography or arty people tend to be pretty inclusive, so maybe that will be better?

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Not to state the obvious, but a college can be a great college overall but not the right fit for everyone who attends, ya know?

My D kinda is beating herself up because she didn’t think more about all the different options she had. She kind of followed in our footsteps, with attending big and popular universities, being in a big visible activity…even the engineering major. It was a path demonstrated for her, and one she was very exposed to, but not necessarily the right path for her.

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She should try to stop beating herself up. Focus on this being a time for growth and learning about herself. 20/20 hindsight may be perfect vision but you can’t redo the past – the only viable option is to focus on the future.

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I know, I do. I tell her about redirection and growth and all the rest.

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You and your D have been most thoughtful throughout this difficult time.

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We’re in San Diego and she would love Point Loma Nazarene. They do have a religious requirement and they might be expensive, but she may be able to get a scholarship.

My advice to you would have her volunteer at a local photography studio just to get her off campus.

Send in an app to Point Nazarene and the University of San Diego. Sometimes they’re surprising with their scholarships.

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What type of photography is she interested in? This may help lead the search for a school to transfer to. If she isn’t interested in having to do a bunch of studio art classes, maybe even some kind of media degree incorporating photography and videography might be a possibility.

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How kind of you to say. Thank you.

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Or volunteer at the Alumni Office, President’s Office, Athletic Department, Student Newspaper, Activities Office or whatnot ON campus.

College’s produce and disseminate LOTS of images– physical and digital. It will help her build a portfolio; it will confirm her interest in photography; it gets her away from Mean Girls and working with people with similar interests.

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