how difficult is it to transfer after freshman year? 3.8 at a top 30 school and 4.2 weighted in highschool
Depends on from where and to where.
Also important to state your reasons for wanting or needing to transfer (such as your desired major is not offered at your current school but is at the target school).
Do you mean a top-30 school generally (e.g., https://amp.businessinsider.com/the-610-smartest-colleges-in-america-2015-9), or from a particular category?
Where were you accepted last year, and why did you choose your current college/university?
It’s not difficult to transfer, though some schools are generally more welcoming to transfer students, in terms of admissions, than others, and not necessarily in a way that corresponds to undergrad acceptance rates.
I know a student well who transferred from a USNWR Top 30 University to a similarly ranked school last year. Their grades were slightly lower than yours. They had a very successful transfer and are loving their new school.
So explore transferring. Think about why you want to transfer and what schools will help you accomplish your goals. In applying, be positive and focus on what you’ve learned, how you’ve grown, and how that school may provide a better environment for you.
Good luck!
Be aware that many schools do not give great aid to transfers. Will your parents pay full freight?
It is not too hard to transfer. My daughter left her LAC after first semester of Freshman year, went to Community College second semester while doing applications for Sophomore year. Some things to consider- merit is not generally offered to transfers and you want to see how many of your classes will transfer so you don’t end up adding an extra semester or 2 at the end.