Speaking from experience, I am here to say that it is OK to decide to transfer schools. It is OK to change your mind, and it is OK to want something different than what you thought you wanted in high school or when you were initially applying to colleges.
Make sure you consider all aspects of transferring.
Deciding to transfer is not a decision one should make lightly or hastily, by any means. Take your time and think about if another university could honestly be a better fit for you. There are a lot of things to consider: location, majors, weather, finances, housing, social life, etc. I found it helpful to make a pro-and-con list between the university I was currently at and the one I wanted to transfer to.
Transferring can help you find your career path.
For many years, I thought I wanted to be a high school English teacher. Lucky for me, there was a college five minutes away from home that had an excellent teaching program, and they offered me a scholarship – the best of both worlds, right? Upon attending this university, I realized that I needed to expand my horizons beyond the town where I had grown up, to explore the world and become more independent. I wanted to study journalism instead of teaching, but that was not a major offered at my school. After transferring, I am studying advertising, learning skills that will help me in a real-life job after graduation.
Tough it out for a short while before you commit to transferring.
Everyone has a bad term now and then, but that does not necessarily mean the whole university is a bad fit for you. However, if you are still feeling unhappy at your current university after a few semesters or terms, it is worthwhile to leave to attend a university where you can thrive and succeed.
You’re not the same person you were straight out of high school, or when you were applying.
Young adults grow a lot in the first few years of college, and throughout the whole journey really; and therefore your wants and needs can change. That is one of the beautiful things about being in college and in your twenties – that it is all right to be selfish. You get to make choices and take chances based on what is best for you, so that you can learn and grow as a person.
Transferring does not mean everything about your home university is bad.
I don’t regret the time I spent at my first university. I made great friends that I still keep in contact with, I learned a lot in my classes, and I got to take advantage of the amazing study abroad program my school offered. However, during my sophomore year, I hit a wall. I wanted different things than this university could give me. We grew apart. Neither party did anything wrong, I just could not continue on the career path I desired while staying at this university.
Transferring was something I had not given much thought to my freshman year. I figured after all the work that applications took during senior year, and all the stress of picking a school and a major, it wasn’t worth the hassle to try and change anything. One night in passing, my roommate brought up the topic; “Have you considered transferring since you are this unhappy here?” Honestly, I had not considered it. I did not even think it was a possibility, I thought my choice of college was good enough, and I’d just tough it out for four years. I am so grateful for her nudge of encouragement because now I am at a university that I truly love. I hope this article can provide you with the strength and encouragement that my roommate provided me, so that you can find the motivation and determination to go out and better your college experience.
Some people get it right on the first try, and that’s great. They get a four-year experience at the school of their dreams, and all is well. For the rest of us struggling to figure out what it is that we want – that’s OK too. It is never too late to consider transferring; it might end up being one of the best decisions of your college career.