I recently started college at a pretty good university, but so far I haven’t liked it and I just want to go back home and attend college somewhere closer to home. I’m not happy at all at my current school, and I don’t think I can wait one year in order to transfer (plus there’s no guarantee I’ll even be accepted anywhere since transfer admissions are much more selective). Even though I don’t like it here, it has only been a week and I may still be adjusting to the college. Despite knowing that, the way things look right now, I don’t see it getting any better.
My question is, should I drop out before the year ends and apply to other colleges closer to home as a freshman again? Or should I stay for the whole year and try to transfer out?
It’s been a week. Give it some time. You’d be surprised how many people are miserable and homesick their first week (or month) of college. It’s a huge transition and it can feel scary and awful, but it certainly is no reason to drop out or even transfer.
You posted elsewhere that you want to transfer to Penn Wharton. Walking out of your current top 25 school will look bad and would eliminate the already miniscule chance of being accepted at Penn.
You now appear to be homesick at your current school. You should visit the counseling office at you school forassistance.
The grass is always greener… we have a couple of threads going now from students who transferred, realized their new school isn’t “all that”, and are talking about transferring back.
You think you “may” still be adjusting to college after one week?? You have a completely unrealistic expectation of how long it takes to adjust. You worked hard to get to where you are, don’t turn tail and go home now.
If you are thinking about transferring to an Ivy–here is what you should know-- the seats at Ivy-plus schools that are available for transfers is largely tied to attrition. Since attrition is almost non-existent in the top Ivy schools, so are the seats available. By way of example, recently, Harvard had over 1500 applicants and admitted about 15, and Yale had over a 1000 applicants in which about 2 dozen were offered seats. Brown is close to 5%.So, while being qualified is certainly a criteria, the other portion must convey why these schools; typical reasons are that these schools offer programs and/or degrees not offered at your existing institution. Transferring because of the desire to attend a more elite institution is NOT consider a valid reason for transfer.
Second, that you could have obtained admission as a freshmen applicant. Third, that you have perfect scores at your current institution. Long story short…it is much more difficult to obtain admission as a transfer than as applying for a freshmen seat…
Yeah, I was wondering if I could retain my freshman status, but it looks like I’m going to stay for the year. It has only been a week, and while I don’t like it right now, everyone I’ve talked to says it will get better. I’m still going to transfer, but I guess I can survive the year here.
You shouldn’t be thinking transfer now. Put it out of your mind and dive into life at your school. Join clubs, study groups, do stuff with your hall, get a job on or near campus, find a volunteer group on campus to work with, work out regularly. Get great grades, which keeps your options open. After winter break, once you are into your second semester of classes, reassess then and see how you feel.
Don’t think about transferring now, like what @intparent said. Give it time to sink into you you’ll never know how much fun you’ll have especially when you try to explore the university you’re in.
The school I’m at right now is definitely a good one, but I never really wanted to go here in the first place. I came here because I didn’t have many choices during my senior year of high school, and that is why I feel like transferring. I will give it more time to see how I feel, but I doubt that my mind will change and if I’m going to even have the option to transfer I need to start thinking about it right now so that I can focus on grades and getting to know my professors.