Transfer versus Stay at Current Institution?

Transfer Students
1

Hi, everyone!

As of right now, I am in a dilemma and I am really looking for guidance and advice.

Currently, I am studying English/Film Studies at Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA. As of now, I am doing well academically, holding a 3.91 GPA and multiple leadership roles across campus. This summer I will be taking a course in London, England, furthering my understanding of creative writing and film. My experience at Dickinson has been very good. To say the least, I am incredibly grateful - for the people that I have had the pleasure of meeting, for what I have learned, and the incredibly generous financial aid package to which I have received (nearly a full-ride).

Recently, I have been worried about my future prospects of finding a career. To give you more information, I plan on entering the entertainment industry after college. I am really interested in the realms of entertainment marketing and producing for film/television. Although Dickinson is a terrific liberal arts school, it is relatively unknown within the world of entertainment, particularly film and television.

As a result, I applied to Emerson College in Boston, MA, as a transfer student - an institution renowned for its programs in communication and the arts. I am very happy to say that I was accepted into their Communication Studies program, with a generous merit/financial aid scholarship, albeit I would have to pay more than I would at Dickinson. Because I will be a junior, if I chose to transfer to Emerson, I would owe approximately $60,000 by the time I graduate. On the other hand, at Dickinson, I would owe $0.

Here is the dilemma: should I transfer to Emerson, an institution with incredible connections and ties to the entertainment industry and owe around $60,000 by the time I graduate, or should I stay at Dickinson, a liberal arts school not as known within the entertainment realm, and not be in debt by the time I graduate? While I do agree with the statement that “it is not about what the college degree can do for you, but what you can do with your college degree,” I also know that Emerson could really help me with getting into the film/production industry right away.

Either way, I will [hopefully] have an internship next summer in production (summer 2018), so that will help with future job prospects. Additionally, if I choose to stay at Dickinson, I will probably go to graduate school down the road to study film and television production at a deeper level.

What do you all think? Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am really grateful for any of your feedback.

2

Your dilemma is difficult, I can understand why. However, I would have to say $60K debt is A LOT of debt and since you know you will end up in grad school, and the prospect of high earning job straight out of the BA is not typical in this field, I would stay at Dickinson and smile all the way to graduation knowing this.
Do the internship for sure, and make good connections and keep up with them.

Even if you had to intern without pay after graduating, you would still be in better shape without that debt.

But this is just my personal two cents : )
Best of luck!

3

Stay at Dickinson. If you want to work in the entertainment industry, which is brutal, you probably will struggle financially for a while. Only thing worse than debt is debt you can’t pay.

Also, I see Emerson had some notable alumni, but it is by no means necessary to make it in the entertainment industry. Like 99.9% of people in the entertainment industry did not go to Emerson. If you are talented and build an impressive resume while at Dickinson, you can build your own connections and experience.

4

Stay at Dickinson. That level of debt is too much for a degree in your field.