I’m a current freshman who just began college yesterday at Washington State University and I’ve been deliberating on doing this due to how I will only stay for freshman year since it’s not a college I feel like is ‘right’ for me (I do enjoy the experiences I’ve made so far though, it is a good school with great programs to offer).
There’s a leadership committee here that organizes all of the events that happen on campus but the thing is, my main reason for joining is if it will help with my direct to major application for Computer Science at the college I will transfer to (UW accepted me into the college but only admitted me to the pre-sciences major; ofc, CompSci is difficult to get into directly for many colleges, so I wasn’t surprised).
I can join, but I’ll be honest, l’m not really sure if my main reason to join would be ideal. Are there other ways I can make something of myself here on my current campus that don’t have to involve leadership?
You started school YESTERDAY, and already feel the school ‘isn’t right’?! Perhaps give it time.
I think it’s always selfish & unfair to join anything, if you can’t give and join for ulterior motives.
Join the leadership committee. It’s the beginning of your freshman year, and you already have positive things to say about this school even though you think “it doesn’t feel right”.
You might just decide it IS right and your experiences there will benefit you well.
P.S. there is no guarantee you will get accepted as a transfer in CS to UW.
I understand, I don’t intend to offend anyone here, there are some personal factors in why I want to transfer out of the college that I can’t say here. I know there might be some varying answers and it’s a genuine question to help me think about what I should do.
So, my first thought was you should join the leadership committee because it’s something that interests you. Then I read your post and thought, so the only reason you’re doing this is for your ulterior motive of getting into UW.
It’s only for you to have a brownie point. That’s not fair to the other people that are there that really want to excel at WSU. That’s not what you want. You want to get out of Dodge as soon as possible, so I don’t think you’d serve your current school well because your heart is not into the school. It will be very evident to the other people on the committee, as well as the leaders. They will know. You won’t be getting an LOR from them
If you already were admitted into UW in the pre-sciences you eventually may have been able to transfer into computer science while getting to know the CS department staff there as a freshman.
Now you’re trying to get into UW using this leadership committee to try to back -door into UW. How do you know you’ll be readmitted to UW with this leadership committee?
Do yourself a favor and stop being unfair to yourself and to the people around you at your current school. If you want to join this committee, go ahead and join it but they will see who you really are; that you don’t want to be there and you’re using them.
The transfer rate in the UW computer science program is quite low for current UW students (pre-science) and even lower for transfers from a different university. I am unsure why you didn’t attend the UW, as you were offered admissions and then try to transfer to the Comp Sci department vs accepting a place at WSU, if you plan was to always end up at the UW? Either way - it is not easy to transfer into the program.
It sounds like you are determined to transfer, but I would also encourage you to make the best out of your situation at WSU and if that is getting involved in groups - then go for it. I believe WSU also has a Comp Sci degree (I could be wrong) and you may be hard pressed to have a good reason to transfer that is acceptable to the admission team at the UW and make enough changes after just freshman year to add to your application.
Check out the comp sci department at WSU - join those clubs, start a club, meet with professors and see how you can get involved - lots of options. You may see that this school is right for you.
It is nice that you are already feeling comfortable on campus after such a short time and do all you can to enjoy your freshman year, as there is no guarantee your transfer will go through and having strong relationships at WSU will serve you well.
I say give it 100% while you are there, and if you want to join a club, join. Others who join also won’t be there next year for lots of reasons - they transfer, they don’t like it, they flunk out, they can’t afford it.
If you do nothing, you really won’t like the school and will have a boring 25% of your college life. Jump in. The only think I’d suggest you not join is Greek life unless there is a house at the school you want to transfer to, because once you are in you can’t join another Greek house in the same system.
I understand, someone else had a similar point to you too and that’s why I asked: it’s a genuine question and I want to think it over, especially with other input before I decided. After reflecting on the replies I received, I know if I was friends with this type of person and I had knowledge of why they would join the student committee, I’d be concerned and disappointed in their decision to do so as well.
Thank you for your reply, it really helps me figure things out and make the ideal (and morally right) decision that I can make.
Programmer here. UW is certainly more prestigious, but as you mentioned, the CS program is not easy to get into. The last thing you want is to transfer to a school and be stuck in a major you don’t want. The good part about a CS degree is that it’s ridiculously employable, and prestige doesn’t matter. Virtually all of your credentials will be built on the job. After about 3 years experience, employers don’t even ask where you went to school. WSU is a well respected heavily recruited school. I would recommend staying and making the best of the school you’re in. That’s the kind of thinking employers like.
Join the leadership committee. People join for all sorts of reasons and as long as you do it right, your motivation for joining doesn’t matter.
You’re a freshman, you should get involved in all the activities you find potentially interesting.
No one knows whether or where you will transfer - making the best of your experience at WSU is more important.
and join for ulterior motives.