My Life as a College Transfer
By Kristen, age 19, Massachusetts
Sweet Designs Staff Intern
During the college application sequence, one is inclined to tour campuses with an open mind, honing in on the positives of the campuses instead of the negatives. The colleges put up a front as well, only focusing on the good aspects of campus life, and not focusing on the homework or possibly mundane living conditions. At first glance, you may decide there is one college or university that stands out from the rest. You return your acceptance forms and you're excited for an entire summer before moving into a completely new atmosphere.
But when you arrive, what if it's nothing like you had imagined, and you're stuck? What do you do when the "college of your dreams" turns into a nightmare?
This scenario is exactly what happened to me. I am going to be a college junior this fall. Two years ago, as a new high school graduate and incoming freshman, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had been accepted by two other colleges, but I did not even give them a chance.
A college four hours away from my house? In the middle of nowhere? I simply was not looking that far ahead when I picked this college. I also did not factor in the distance or the town in which the college resided. Basically, it was a farm town in the middle of the woods.
My advice to anyone not satisfied with their college is to first take a deep breath and talk to your parents. My parents were not thrilled that I wanted to leave a college I had not been attending for even a year, but eventually they saw that I was unhappy. Your parents have your best interests at heart and are there for you every step of the way. My mom helped me to apply to a new school and even brought me to the campus to tour it.
My second piece of advice: apply as early as possible if you want to transfer schools. If you know that you want to go to a different school, applying as early as possible gives you a better chance of getting accepted to the next school of your choice. The admissions office will also be very happy with you because if you apply earlier than the rush, it's one less application they have to look at amongst thousands.
Also, try to meet in person with the admissions people. Getting your face out there and showing how much you want to be part of this college makes you well remembered. This is applicable to anyone applying to a college, transfer or not.
Lastly, transferring colleges does not mean you can slack off on your grades. The opposite is true. Transfer students do get their present college grades reviewed as well as their high school transcripts. College is about meeting new people and socializing, but it's also about achieving high grades and obtaining a career.
Luckily, my story has a happy ending. I transferred my sophomore year, and I couldn't be happier with my current college. Though I may have to work a little harder to make up the core classes I missed, which means summer classes and taking extra classes each semester, I love my new college. I have made a great circle of friends, the campus is the perfect location for me, and I even made Dean's List my first semester. Most of all, I love my classes. I'm going to college to be an English teacher, and I feel like this college will help me be the best teacher I can be.
Good luck to anyone who needs to transfer colleges, and remember, you're not alone!
