8 Reasons Transferring Colleges May Be Right for You

Transferring colleges doesn’t always get the best rep – Some people see switching schools as giving up or failing.

That is completely false!

I was a transfer college student myself and I have to say that it ended up being the best thing for me. Although I missed all the aspects of the university I left, I found myself enrolled in just as good a program, and for less money.

There could seriously be hundreds of reasons as to why transferring colleges may be right for you, but I figured listing eight would be a good start.

transferring colleges

1. Your Current School Costs Too Much

This is always a rough one – You enroll in a school you really enjoy going to but the tuition keeps rising and your financial aid isn’t going to cover the costs. Before you know it, your student loan bills are growing like weeds and it seems like you are going to end up thousands of dollars in the whole before you even get established in your career field.

If you’ve utilized all of your financial options and you still can’t make ends meet, transferring colleges may be right for you.

There are plenty of affordable schools out there with great programs – give them a chance! In my opinion, it’s better to graduate with as little debt as possible so that you aren’t paying off student loans for the rest of your life.

2. You Want to Go to a Bigger or Smaller College

After being at a school for a semester or two, you’ll start to get a feel for the environment and whether it’s a good fit for you or not. Some high school students enroll in larger colleges because they have hundreds of clubs, lots of facilities, and tons of other students to make friends with. This can all be very overwhelming, especially if you have to take shuttles and fight crowds just to eat lunch every day.

On the other hand, some students enroll in smaller colleges because of the intimate atmosphere. They find that smaller class sizes are more beneficial to their learning style. Although smaller campuses may have their perks, they could lack in the amount of events, organizations, and food options.

Remember, transferring colleges looks different for everyone – If you find that your current environment isn’t working for you, try finding something a little smaller, bigger, or in-between.

3. You Realize the Weather Sucks

I remember being an out-of-state college student – I had lived in Arizona for half of my childhood and moving anywhere out of Phoenix (aside from a few spots) meant I was going to experience a different climate.

You may find yourself in a similar situation. The college you chose may be in a city that gets too much rain, too much snow, or not enough sunshine. You’ll know that transferring colleges is the right thing to do if you find your mood being affected by the weather – That’s a sure sign that it’s time to move on.

By: Vinoth ChandarCC BY 2.0

4. Too Much (or Not Enough) Greek Life

Greek life was never my thing, but some college students thrive on it. Some schools are known for having a wide variety of sororities and fraternities while others only have a few, or none at all. If you notice that the Greek life at your current school isn’t working for you, try looking into schools that will better fit your needs. You may also want to look into dues for each sorority and fraternity so that you know how much money you’ll be expected to fork over after you go through Rush and get chosen to be a member.

5. You See Better Career Options Elsewhere

Although a lot of students don’t mind moving to different parts of the country (and world) after graduation, there are those students that prefer to go to school in a city where they can imagine themselves starting a career. If you fit in the description of a student who wants to stay in the same city as where you graduated, then make sure you evaluate your current situation – If you aren’t happy or don’t see your career going anywhere in the city you’re currently in, then transferring colleges is probably something to consider.

6. You Think About Transferring Colleges – A Lot

You could have a variety of reasons for thinking about transferring colleges, but if you find that your thoughts are mainly consumed with going to a different school, then it might be time to act.

Before you make any rash decisions, try writing a pros and cons list about your current school. What are some things you like? What are some things you don’t like? Do you feel happy most days? Are you too far away from family?

Think about anything and everything – Jot it down, let it simmer for a bit, and then decide how you want to move forward.

By: Klearchos KapoutsisCC BY 2.0

7. You Want to Change to a Major Not Offered at Your Current School

This one is a no brainer, in my opinion. If you truly feel passionate about changing your major to something else and your current school doesn’t offer it, then you definitely need to consider transferring colleges. What’s the point of spending four years at a school only to get a degree in something that you don’t care about?

I understand that it may be difficult to leave the friends you made and the campus life you’ve grown accustomed to, but you need to remember that college takes up such a short amount of your life when you look at the bigger picture.

8. The Academics Aren’t Meeting Your Needs

Before I dive into this one, I want you to realize that you will most likely encounter at least one or two professors that do absolutely nothing for you. What I mean by that is that you are going to sit in a class, memorize information, regurgitate it for the exams, and completely forget it once it’s over.

Now, if you are feeling this way with all of your classes, that’s a problem. You aren’t paying thousands of dollars to a school just so that you can take tests and not learn anything.

If your current school isn’t fitting your academic needs, transferring colleges is a good choice so that you can actually take in the information and apply it in your future work. There is nothing worse than having a piece of paper with some words written on it but no knowledge to back it up.

Did You Transfer?

Do you have experience with transferring colleges? What was your reason for going to a different school?

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