<p>I’m currently a freshman at SFSU and am looking to transfer for fall 2013. I already got into Syracuseand am going to apply to VCU but i’m super torn between the two schools. I’m looking for a really diverse campus with great academics that gives good financial aid. To my knowledge based on 1 or 2 testimonies VCU is extremely diverse and gives good financial aid but since it’s a public school the classes are not as rigorous and are also difficult to get into due to the number of students. As for Syracuse I hear that it’s not at all as diverse as it claims in that almost everyone there is rich and white and the student body self segregates, but the classes are engaging and the financial aid is decent. Can anyone attest to or deny these or provide just your general experience with these schools and the campus based on those aspects?</p>
<p>Find the Common Data Sets for both schools and you will find out exactly how diverse the student body and faculty are. Real numbers, not hearsay!</p>
<p>What is your major? </p>
<p>I know nothing about VCU, but Syracuse is a pretty highly regarded school. We visited with my son and really liked it. The campus was much nicer than I expected and everyone was very friendly and helpful. We walked into the engineering building and a grad student stopped to ask if we needed help and then she gave us a half hour tour of the engineering building.
The winters can be brutal though, much harsher climate than SF.
Why did you target those two school specifically?</p>
<p>These 3 schools seem so different (San Francisco I assume, VCU, Syracuse). Seems pretty random- California, Virginia, New York. VCU is very urban. Why do you want to transfer and how did you get focused on these schools? If you provide more info, that might help with responses.</p>
<p>My major is English. Both schools were recommended by two different friends, I did a lot of research on both and ended up being torn between the two. VCU is on my list because it’s supposed to be super diverse, something like 50% minority. I chose SF state because I thought it would be as diverse but it’s really not. Syracuse is there because I heard it’s academically challenging without being unmanageable.</p>
<p>Also I’m transferring because I really don’t like the CSU system or this school overall. The GE requirements are really not to my taste and the classes are so easy that I’m slacking off constantly. There’s also the fact that it’s not really all that diverse because most of the students here simply migrated from outer parts of the bay area and from LA.</p>
<p>So by diversity are you talking about where the people come from statewide or internationally? Or do you mean diverse as ethnicity, culture, and religion? If anything it would seem that being in a big city like San Fran there would be tons of diversity. VCU being a public school in Virginia will be predominately made up of students from that state and VCU may be more diverse simply because it has a larger student population than SFSU. From what I have heard from a friend that went to VCU and transferred out is that it is not academically rigorous besides pre-med and the medical school and just from looking it up the 4 year graduation rates are horrible. Not to mention are you going to be able to afford the around 32 grand a year as an oos student? They may give good financial aid but it usually is much less for transfers at most schools. Syracuse is definitely more academically established than VCU and your current school but it is going to cost over 50 grand a year and although you may get some financial aid It won’t be much so hopefully you can afford that. If I were you i would focus on keeping my grades up for the first year and research more colleges that are feasible cost wise and are an academic upgrade especially for your major since neither of these have a stand out English program but Cuse would probably give you the edge.</p>