A couple months ago, I got into the University of Michigan as a transfer for sophomore year. Umich was one of my dream schools when I first applied to college, and I was distraught when I didn’t get in. However, after just a month at Holy Cross, I found my people and my community. I made the best friends I have ever had, I am close with the professors, and I am an A student. I love the campus and feel at home and supported.
My dream job is in publishing/ being a literary agent and Holy Cross is not known for that. UMich is. UMich is known worldwide for being a pipeline into the publishing world. UMich is one of the top schools in the WORLD for English, Classics, and Creative Writing (which I am studying). Plus I could minor at Ross which is huge. I am a huge sports fan and like going out to parties and so UMich looks perfect on paper.
But when I imagine leaving my HC community, it is a burden I am unsure if I can handle. At HC, my recommendations would be stellar due to being close with professors and no TA’s (which I have heard UMich has a lot of) and I can stand out as a big fish in a small pond. However, there is no pipeline to publishing. I also thrive in small classes and am worried that UMich is too big for me, but my English classes at UMich would be small. I’m sure I would make friends at UMich, but when I imagine those first couple months without my closest friends, it’s almost too much to bear. I’m sure I’ll make friends, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to make th same level of friends that i did at HC. I’ve planned my entire future with my HC friends and I’m supposed to dorm with my best friend and our other two best friends right next door. I can’t stop thinking about the movie nights, debriefs and laughs that I’ll miss. I feel like I’ve finally found myself at Holy Cross. I have no desire to put on a mask again and try to seem approachable to people.
At this point, it’s like a war between my head and my heart: my career and my comfort. Imagining my closest friends hanging out while I fade away is heartbreaking. But don’t I have to think longterm and sacrifice comfort for a lucrative and successful career? The opportunities and classes at UMich are endless and there is no doubt I would have a leg up when job hunting. But there is a part of me that is positive I will be able to achieve a good career from HC, but I don’t know if it is just me trying to cope.
All my life, I have valued human relationships and my friends over anything else and I have never seen it as a weakness until now. Is it time for me to grow up and push past my fears so that I can achieve my dream career?
According to College of the Holy Cross, second and third-year transfer students are welcome to apply & then accept for both the fall and spring semester. You might as well apply by the November 1st deadline. If accepted, then you can spend five full semesters at Holy Cross, assuming the college operates on a semester calendar. Not sure about financial aid or scholarships if money is an issue for you. Why waste any more time at the University of Michigan through next May? It’s your bachelor’s degree and your life.
Stay at Holy Cross…going to UMich is not a guarantee of a dream career. You sound like you are thriving. Don’t risk losing that….
Also, I actually think it is sometimes easier to stand out coming from a “random” school than one where everyone lots of people are going into the same industry…(I say random as you say it isn’t as known for this industry - HC is a VERY well regarded academic school).There must be some HC grads in your target industries and you will be one of the few that want to talk to them:) Don’t underestimate that!
And don’t underestimate, at all, feeling supported and having friends in your academic success.
Anyway, I am willing to be told I am wrong by someone deep in your target industry. I am speaking in generalities, but I have worked in a number of different fields.
Sorry, I did misread your post. The issue with Michigan is that many third-year transfer students have to stay an extra semester or two due to stricter on-campus credit requirements, more common at public state universities. It may not be worth it. College of the Holy Cross has a stellar reputation. You can always take a few additional courses at a local city college post-graduation or even online in publishing or something related or pursue a second bachelor’s degree (in a college that allows it) or a graduate degree program, perhaps at U. Mich.
This is your answer. I actually can’t imagine any reason why you would leave a place where you are clearly thriving. When you are in a place where you feel happy and supported, you will find success.
U Michigan is not a magic passport to a secret world of career opportunities. Everything you say points to staying at HC.
Chalk this up to “seemed like a good idea at the time.” Then let it go.
The first thing that comes to my mind is to stay where you are, get your bachelor’s degree, then consider U.Michigan for a master’s degree (or some other graduate degree) if you want to go that far.
It sounds to me as if everything is going great for you at Holy Cross.
And this is going to help you quite a bit, and may very well help you for multiple years after graduation.
This is not a weakness at all. This is a strength. The connections that you make and the people you know and the letters of reference you can get are important, and can help you a LOT over time. The world is run by people.
You have founds friends and a community at Holy Cross, and you even say you really really like it there. How do you know you will love University of Michigan as much? I think you have found your dream school in Holy Cross.
Perhaps you can go to Michigan for grad school.
From what you have written, it sounds like Holy Cross is a win!
I’m going to agree with everyone else here and say there is no meaningful reason for you to leave Holy Cross. By your own description, you are absolutely thriving there, and your current happiness and success is going to translate into happiness and success in your job searches and career, more so than a prestigious name on a diploma. Not to imply that Holy Cross is not prestigious; it is a very fine school and highly respected. And as has been mentioned, sometimes having something different on your resume helps you stand out in a crowd.
As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it!
You sound like a hard working, thoughtful and delightful young person. I wish you all the best for your education and future career endeavors!
It would literally be insane to transfer to Michigan under these circumstances. Did you know that Holy Cross has also served as a launching pad for numerous people in the publishing business? Michigan will have bigger numbers but that’s because it’s a bigger school. But alums of many small liberal arts college make their way into publishing and related fields because they provide exactly the kind of education you need for that industry. Get on the school newspaper, literary magazine, etc. Ask the college for help networking with alums for internships. There are no guarantees at Michigan or anywhere else. Hard work is what will pay off.
I agree with others that you should stay at HC. I’m also a little confused on the timing of this post as mid July seems to be after the deadline to accept most transfer offers.
You would moving from a school with a 17% acceptance rate for first-year applicants (HC) to one with a 35% acceptance rate for transfer applicants (Michigan).
Holy Cross is a superb school for the study of English literature.
Holy Cross graduated 9 first majors in classics / Ancient Greek / Latin in a recent year. Michigan graduated 2.
At over 34,000 undergraduates, Michigan wouldn’t seem to offer a pipeline into publishing in the same way that some smaller, purely undergraduate-focused schools might.
With respect to creative writing, Michigan is not quite Iowa, at least when compared by their graduate departments.
You have the satisfaction of knowing you got into UMichigan! Congratulations and well done. Having said that, you hit the academic and social jackpot at HC and are doing well. Carry on and enjoy the next few years at HC. All the best to you.
Just joining the chorus. Based on what you’ve posted here, I would definitely encourage you stay where you’re thriving. You did not mention any cost considerations, so assume that is not a factor. Enjoy your community, continue to work hard and realize there is no one path.