Transferring from Dartmouth to Pomona

enkephalon
Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:15:54 +0000

I agree with NJ Mom of 2. Attending college is a bit like entering an intimate new relationship. Yes, there is a chance one might make a hasty initial estimation and be pleasantly surprised later, but it is more likely that one’s first impressions are the most valid.

As she wisely notes, if you were happy and comfortable at Dartmouth you wouldn’t be as homesick and regretful as you are at present. Fauxnom rightly adds: why settle for suboptimal 4-yr college experience when you can have a joyous and fulfilling one?

Nelson Mandela once said: "“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” In the end, it is you – not other people that must live with your life decisions. Who cares what is “frowned upon” or not?

Just like people, every college has a personality of its own: a vibe, an ambience, and a distinct social and educational offering to its attendees. Any suggestion that you are the problem (and not the school) avoids that obvious fact and unfairly undercuts your honest judgement. Why second-guess and punish yourself? College shouldn’t be a “hair-shirt” experience. If you are not getting what you want and need where you are, you should look for it elsewhere. There is plenty of choice in California, and lots of elite schools that have personalities and offerings closer to or more synchronous with your own.