Transferring Out of "T20" Ugrad School

[fizz_scientist]

Deleted for privacy. Thank you all for offering your viewpoints!

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[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Private undergrads outside the Ivy's and a few others aren't worth it imo, unless your family has $50k/yr to burn on the same education you'd get at a top tier state school.

 

[chilly_md]

If the stress of loans and being away from family is going to hamper your college years, you should look into transferring to a state school closer to home. I'm not sure how much cheaper your state school is since you did not mention where you were living before college.

Do keep in mind that the med school is expensive and you will likely have to attend someplace away from home as well. The fact about starting premed later than 18 year old freshmen is going to stay the same no matter where you go, so it will be up to you to change the way you interpret that.

 

[fizz_scientist]

Private undergrads outside the Ivy's and a few others aren't worth it imo, unless your family has $50k/yr to burn on the same education you'd get at a top tier state school.

Is it worth trying to transfer to an Ivy career-wise (regardless of personal considerations)? I've been feeling depressed about college, and I was thinking it might be a fresh start, but I understand that idea could be hopeful thinking from my being in a suboptimal place. For example, I would be locked into paying two more years of tuition when transferring (40k more) vs. just attempting to graduate a year early. In addition, I fear that I won't be able to get med school bias for my school nor the Ivy, since I would have only completed half of my degree at either place.

I came to this school over an Ivy with the idea that I would have 40k less in loans and have access to a better social environment. But now that the year is over, and I have nothing to show for it other than good chem grades (since I started my bio degree "later") -- I'm fighting with myself everyday whether I made the right decision(s) and spiraling into hopelessness, especially now that I find out that my financial aid decreased and there's now only a 5k differential between here and Ivies.

My alternative thought was to just suck it up, graduate early to make up for the high cost of my college and make the cost on par w/ state school, take a couple of gap years, and take advantage of my school's med school bias. Thoughts?

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Is it worth trying to transfer to an Ivy career-wise (regardless of personal considerations)? I've been feeling depressed about college, and I was thinking it might be a fresh start, but I understand that idea could be hopeful thinking from my being in a suboptimal place. For example, I would be locked into paying two more years of tuition when transferring (40k more) vs. just attempting to graduate a year early. In addition, I fear that I won't be able to get med school bias for my school nor the Ivy, since I would have only completed half of my degree at either place.

I came to this school over an Ivy with the idea that I would have 40k less in loans and have access to a better social environment. But now that the year is over, and I have nothing to show for it other than good chem grades (since I started my bio degree "later") -- I'm fighting with myself everyday whether I made the right decision(s) and spiraling into hopelessness, especially now that I find out that my financial aid decreased and there's now only a 5k differential between here and Ivies.

My alternative thought was to just suck it up, graduate early to make up for the high cost of my college and make the cost on par w/ state school, take a couple of gap years, and take advantage of my school's med school bias. Thoughts?

You are way too worried about this tbh. People get in who have spent most of their academic career at a community college.

Go wherever will make you feel happy and supported and less stressed so you can perform your best.

 

[wysdoc]

Is it worth trying to transfer to an Ivy career-wise (regardless of personal considerations)? I've been feeling depressed about college, and I was thinking it might be a fresh start, but I understand that idea could be hopeful thinking from my being in a suboptimal place. For example, I would be locked into paying two more years of tuition when transferring (40k more) vs. just attempting to graduate a year early. In addition, I fear that I won't be able to get med school bias for my school nor the Ivy, since I would have only completed half of my degree at either place.

I came to this school over an Ivy with the idea that I would have 40k less in loans and have access to a better social environment. But now that the year is over, and I have nothing to show for it other than good chem grades (since I started my bio degree "later") -- I'm fighting with myself everyday whether I made the right decision(s) and spiraling into hopelessness, especially now that I find out that my financial aid decreased and there's now only a 5k differential between here and Ivies.

My alternative thought was to just suck it up, graduate early to make up for the high cost of my college and make the cost on par w/ state school, take a couple of gap years, and take advantage of my school's med school bias. Thoughts?

Very few can transfer to an Ivy.
I sense your unhappiness is more important to address than the name or prestige of your college, so I hope you will take some time to reflect on what is making you feel unhappy in your current college and what you can do to improve that, whether it’s finding more friends at school or transferring to a state school closer to home

 

[Mr.Smile12]

For what it's worth, the New York Times ran a series of articles this week about college admissions. Hopefully you can take advantage.

Build Your Own College Rankings Opinion | Build Your Own College Rankings

 

[fizz_scientist]

Thank you all once again for your input! I'll reexamine my priorities and try to realistically address my unhappiness.