So, basically I go to a school with the ranking in the 2019 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 171, but I feel like it’s a low-tier college. The area is dull and I’m doing so well in my classes, I have straight A’s and my professors adore me. However, I feel it’s because everyone here is dumb. My dilemma is, I’m saving thousands of dollars going here, but another issue is I can’t tell if I’m genuinely smart or if the grading here is very easy. I want to have a good shot in my future and I’m not sure if I should transfer to a different school to help me achieve my goals. Currently, I’m a double major international studies and political science with a concentration, if I were to transfer I’d apply to a bigger school in the city. I guess I’m just wondering, does it even matter?
Okay so you’re going to an in-state school and don’t find it challenging enough. I say, sure why not try transfer?
Have you thought about your state flagship?
Are you female? If so, you may want to also consider some of the women’s colleges. Many schools don’t offer the best FA for transfer students, but some women’s colleges offer great aid for transfers (not all).
Look at, for example, Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Agnes Scott
Also, you may want to consider Hamilton and Wesleyan, coed schools that offer really great FA for transfer students.
- Connecticut College
- Southwestern U in Texas
- Wooster in Ohio
- Lewis and Clark in Oregon
- I would suggest American with your interests, but AU offers the worst financial aid. Just the bare minimum.
- Vassar offers excellent need-based aid
- Trinity college in Conn.
- Macalester in Minn
- Carleton in Minn
- St. Olaf in Minn
What is your scholarship based on? Is it a merit scholarship, or need-based? What can you afford to pay if you end up transferring?
You are getting all A’s and your professors adore you. Ask them if the A’s are because the grades are curved and everyone around you is weaker. It really, truly, is OK to have that discussion. These people are the ones who will be writing your LORs for transfer or for grad school admission some day. They know how you measure against the rest of their students and can compare you to students they’ve known at other institutions. They have pals and old professors of their own teaching at some of the places you might think of applying to. They also know whether the upper level courses are going to be tougher and more challenging for you.
This is really a question of agency. What are you doing to help get that great future?
Some majors are more vocationally oriented; someone with a nursing or engineering degree has been trained for a specific field. Your 2 majors are in liberal arts and there aren’t many job opening where they say “poli-sci degree required”. You should be exploring potential fields with the career center, talking to alums in areas you are considering, looking for internships, taking part in campus groups and hopefully getting leadership positions.
it may be more enjoyable or challenging at a different school but it doesn’t sound, from what you’ve posted, that you’ve come anywhere close to taking full advantage of the opportunities you already have. And the only one that changes this is you, whether at this school or elsewhere.