Please suggest me colleges!

Transfer Students
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I’m searching for colleges to transfer to and primarily looking at mid size schools. I’m studying Economics at a top #10 LAC, so looking for a school with a great Econ undergrad program.

I would love some suggestions for schools that are “work hard play hard”, but what I mean by this is students work really hard during the week and take the weekend to do fun activities and/or balance academics with fun extracurriculars and a social life (I’m not interested in schools’ where parties are the main focus).

I’m also looking for a more laid-back/ collaborative student body (w/ intellectually curious students); a place where as a transfer I would feel welcomed. Honestly a place where students generally seem happy which I know is subjective but I currently come from a school where many of my peers complain about not liking the culture/environment, so I would love to be at a place where the majority seems to enjoy where they are. – (from what I’ve seen online, I like the vibes of Brown). Course flexibility is also important to me! I’d like to be able to take classes that aren’t restricted to my major/program.

For clubs, intramural or rec sports are important to me. Also any Economics related clubs (consulting, etc…). If the school has a transfer orientation program or special support for transfers that’s a big plus!

Preferably looking at schools on either coasts and close to major cities (California resident)

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Budget, your current stats.

What don’t you like about the current college besides the fact that students complain? They complain everywhere, so that’s not particularly helpful as a decision criterion!

And “econ related clubs”- are you looking for purely pre-professional opportunities? Not sure what you mean by this. Something like a student-run endowment portfolio in conjunction with a finance class??? Is that your “work hard play hard” model?

Need some clarification if we’re going to be helpful.

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Would help to know the name of your current school as well as additional information regarding budget limitations, career goals, your current GPA and other qualifications & preferences. (Your prior posts reveal that your current college is located in New England, cold weather is okay, and that Denison University would be too small.)

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Links to OP’s previous posts: Please help! Top Colleges with collaborative and DIVERSE student body, best lifestyle and happiest students [CA resident, 3.44 college GPA, current sophomore, economics and data science]

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I just took a quick look at your older threads. A year ago you were a sophomore. I am guessing that this means that you are currently a junior.

One big issue is that in most cases if you transfer, you will need to spend two years at your new school in order to graduate. This means that you will need to graduate a year later than you otherwise would have (unless I am missing something). Spending an extra year is of course an issue in two ways. You need to want to do it. You need to find a way to pay for it. Scholarships and financial aid can be harder to find for transfer students, and for fifth years of undergraduate study.

You are already at a highly ranked liberal arts college. Are you looking to transfer to a lower ranked school? If you want to continue at a school that is ranked something comparable to where you currently are, then you are going to find a significant number of students who are quite competitive, and you are going to find some situations where you need to study over the weekend. I still have fond memories of spending six hours on a Saturday (roughly 11am through 5pm) doing one homework problem, out of five, for one of my five classes, at a highly ranked university. Doing homework on the weekend is just part of what we signed up for when we decided to attend a highly ranked school (whether a university or liberal arts college).

I think that I read that you are at a top 10 LAC in the northeast of the US. This makes me think of Amherst, Bowdoin, Colby, Wellesley, and Williams Colleges. On this level I do not think that you need to tell us which of these schools you are attending or if you are at a sixth LAC that I did not think of. These schools are all very good. They all have very strong reputations. They all have some amount of stress that students will notice at some times during the school year. I took a couple of classes at one of them when I was an undergraduate (cross registered from a university that has an agreement with one of these schools). I recall there being some cooperative students, some highly competitive students, and some students who seemed to be stressed out at least part of the time. I also remember quite a bit of homework, but that just comes with the territory.

No school is perfect. There are some annoying people at any college or university (I occasionally hear stories since I still have two daughters in university – both in graduate programs). There are many very good professors and a few bad professors at any college or university. Finding a balance between classes that are too easy and students who goof off and party, versus tons of homework and students who are stressed out and/or non-cooperative, is a tough balance to find regardless of where you are studying. Also, transferring into any school that is on the level of a top 10 LAC is tough.

If you have three semesters to go at your current school (including the current semester), I am thinking that you might want to just stick it out and complete your degree where you are. I have seen other students (possibly including me) who were tired of wherever we were by the time that they handed us our bachelor’s degree, but mostly we just have to do the work and get it done.

If you want to apply to graduate programs at some point in the future, then it would be very normal and entirely appropriate to look to change schools regardless of whether or not your current school offers appropriate graduate degrees. Changing schools for graduate programs is very common and is generally encouraged.

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good econ program? Happy students? Work hard Play hard? midsize.

Have you looked into Lehigh? It checks all these boxes

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You can find these kids at many schools - where parties aren’t the main focus (for most) but they will always be for some.

And you’ll find many that kids don’t like the school.

But are you willing to go to - let’s say an Arizona, etc. - a big public?

Or do you want like an Occidental or Pitzer - small colleges?

Good econ will be everywhere.

Do you have cost issues - many don’t have transfer aid.

On the East Coast, a Syracuse could work or smaller - a William & Mary type.

As for consulting, I know UCB has a club because they solicit me every year - and just did a few weeks ago.

Tell us more - especially about size, budget, etc. - but you’ll have to realize, what you seek will be many places but what you hate about your school will also be in pockets at many places.

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Without knowing anything about your budget, major or current GPA, I’ll suggest U Rochester based on the above quotes.

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If OP is a Junior though, how much flexibility would there be? Even at open curriculum…in major, you will focus there your last two years…I think…

Lots of mid size schools but yep, OP has given little info - at least cost wise.

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