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It is not uncommon at this time of year to get a few calls from clients who are freshmen in college. These are usually students who have experienced the normal homesickness in the first six to eight weeks of college but have settled into campus life, have begun to make friends, and are getting a handle on the workload. Just when their parents let out a sigh of relief, winter vacation comes around, and their child comes home and sees all of their high school friends.
You've been deferred -- and no matter what anyone says to try to lessen the disappointment, it still feels lousy! Your parents are vacillating between trying to be comforting and hitting the panic button. You're staying off of Facebook to avoid all of the "Class of 2022!!!!" posts, even though you are genuinely happy for your friends. Some call it limbo; others call it purgatory. Here are five things you can do to right the ship and get cruising along once again.
Nithya Pathalam is a junior at Georgetown University and a former student of College Matters. In this Student to Student segment, Nithya talks about her decision to transfer.
When I tell people that the reason I transferred universities was because I “loved my old school too much” I often receive very puzzled looks. I decided during my sophomore year at Northeastern University to apply to transfer. Choosing to put myself out there and apply to other schools was hard, but when acceptances rolled out, and I was faced with the option of leaving my university, I had no idea what to do. In the end, I did decide to transfer to Georgetown University in Washington D.C., and I am so glad that I did.
When I say that I “loved my old school too much,” I definitely mean it. My experiences were enriching, I met some phenomenal people, and I was able to establish myself with a positive reputation. I did well in my classes, had a position as the leader of a research team, was connected with my professors, and had a part-time job. To any college student, it may seem like I had it all- but internally, that was not the case. Growing up in central Massachusetts, Boston was the big city that I knew, and it had my heart and soul. I loved being surrounded by the innovative culture and active student life. However, after interning in Washington D.C. the summer after my freshman year, I had discovered that there was so much more to the world than just the little corner that I happened to know. I was almost too comfortable with where I stood and wanted to challenge myself in a new way and continue to explore the world.
Being a transfer student is never easy, and I knew that transitioning to a new place during my junior year of college would be exhausting. I would need to make new friends, establish a new schedule, get acclimated to a new city, join new clubs, and meet completely new professors -- but somehow everything worked out in my favor. I am lucky enough to say that I am now happily surrounded by an amazing group of students and professors, a new academic environment, and a vibrant new city and I will never look back on my decision to transfer as a negative one.
Q: My high school senior applied to colleges late and did not receive any scholarships to attend. Should he consider taking a gap year and applying again as a freshman or go to community college and transfer?
A: Taking a gap year can be a wonderful way to re-energize, focus interests, and gain maturity. Some students travel the world during their year off, but I'm guessing that if you are looking for scholarship money for college, an expensive program won't be in the cards. Other students save money for college by working or bolster their resumes with internships or service opportunities. It's also not too late to retake standardized testing if you think that higher scores might translate into more merit money.
On the other hand, attending community college can be a great route for the student that wants to stay on the academic track and gain credits at a much lower cost than at a four-year institution. But do your homework! Some universities will only accept a community college transfer after they have completed the equivalent of two years of coursework. Others don't offer merit money to transfers. And always make sure that you are taking courses that are likely to transfer to a full bachelor's degree!
It is not uncommon at this time of year to get a few calls from clients who are freshmen in college. These are usually students who have experienced the normal homesickness in the first six to eight weeks of college but have settled into campus life, have begun to make friends, and are getting a handle on the workload. Just when their parents let out a sigh of relief, winter vacation comes around, and their child comes home and sees all of their high school friends.
