When applying to schools senior year of HS, i applied to 10 schools, with loyola New Orleans being my last choice… fast forward one year later and that is where i completed my freshman year of college. Now i am about to enter my soph year, but am thinking i want to transfer. Main reason being that my hometown friends LOVEEEE their colleges and i want to love the school as much as they do. I would like a bigger school, with a different vibe than New Orleans. I want a school where nature is appreciated and preferably by the coast. I would like to stay at a private school, i am a science major, so somewhere that has a good science program is ideal. I finished fresh yr of college with a 3.85 GPA and was involved in some clubs and did a lot of volunteer work
Also i would like to transfer so i can start at my new school spring of this coming school year f
I am looking for advice on schools to transfer to---- and also any advice on those who have transferred!
What can you afford? Merit aid is unlikely as a transfer student.
I transferred years ago. It was a good move for me as it was to the top academic school in my field (it was the only school I applied to transfer to – if I didn’t get in there I would have stayed where I was), Transferring can be difficult so you should think long and hard about it. The grass is not always greener on the other side. Most friend groups are formed freshman year. I was extremely fortunate as two of the random suite-mates I got when I transferred to the new school turned into good friends and I met other friends through classes. But I know that I would have had more choices socially had I started at the school freshman year. Academically I did well, but there was one class in particular where I really struggled because the prerequisite which I took at my first school did not cover all of the material I needed for the upper level course at the new college. All in all my transfer was the right call. But don’t do it lightly as you are doing very well at a good school. Another option might be to take a junior year abroad to get a new experience and break things up.
If you’re looking for a coastal school with great science programs, look no further than UNC Wilmington. One of the top marine bio schools in the nation, strong in the sciences all around as well. It’s not a private school, but it is almost four times bigger than your current school. Incredibly laid-back and chill vibe on campus, with some of the friendliest people around. Great D1 sports also.
Also look into College of Charleston, very similar to UNCW.
What sort of science? Also @happy1 is correct when referring to the lack of aid for transfer students BUT with one caveat. If you set your sights a bit lower (think 75-150 ranking area) then you are more likely to get merit aid. I had a 3.76 and I got some pretty significant merit aid from: Bryant U and Drexel when we’re talking about the east coast.