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| College Choices; Or, Help Nakun be less Wishy-Washy | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 5 2010, 12:19 AM (396 Views) | |
| Nakun | Aug 5 2010, 12:19 AM Post #1 |
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I've been mulling around with the idea of asking for the opinion on the temple for some time, and I've decided that it is probably best to do so, as you all are smart people, and by talking with you all about this, I'll be more likely to stick around here, which is a good thing. So, I started thinking about transferring last year, but didn't, and assumed that I'd just go through two more years and get on with my life. But, I got a tuition bill from my school that didn't list my scholarship, and my dad said, "Maybe you pissed someone off so much they took it from you." To which I thought, well, then I'll just rage-quit college. Turns out, that bill was a mistake, and I have my scholarship, but it made me realize that part of me does just want to leave my current college and go somewhere else. So, transferring schools is once again on my mind. Your opinions and ideas are much appreciated! Anyway, this is going to be long so here's the short version (tl;dr): College has not been a fun and exciting time for me, it has mostly been the equivalent to a long grind session with the majority of people at school looking at me funny for trying hard and wanting to learn or exhibit knowledge. And, so I tossed around the idea of transferring last semester. Ultimately, I didn't go through with it (I didn't really feel I had the time for entrance essays on top of my other school work and I got kind of stressed.) However, I am a little lackluster about returning to school, and was wondering if I should still try to transfer out of school being already half way through. Long Version: I'm thinking of transferring colleges. There are a lot of factors that are going into this decision, and I'm going to break it up in that way, hopefully making it easier to read. Intellectual Factors: Most of the people I go to school with are stuck in a high school mind set. They don't want to learn, they haven't learned, and they ridicule those who know things / go to college to learn more things. I like learning things, so this puts me at a disadvantage at the school, as everyone thinks being a nerd is a bad thing. The professors at the school are fine, and are willing and eager to help students learn. So, I can learn there, it just won't be the best environment to learn in. Because of my willingness to learn, a good deal of the professors are willing to do me favors / lend a hand on certain things. Time Factors: I've made it through two years, and am paying for a 3rd, that means that I will have at least 2 1/2 years done by the time of my transfer. This means I'm backtracking, which is inefficient (I don't really know how I feel about this...) Since my current school feels like a grind, and I imagine there are schools that don't, I'm not opposed to a five year plan, as the assumption is transferring will make learning more fun. Economic Factors: Low quality school + high quality student = large scholarship; So I've not accumulated that much debt. I estimate that I have less debt than the average freshman. Also, America's economy could collapse at any moment, so I'm really not worried about long term debt, although I won't bank on the economy falling apart to solve my monetary issues. Also, my younger brother will be going to college next year, which means less money I can borrow from / with my parents. Social Factors: I don't think there are people who I would call my friends at college. I tried to make friends my freshman year and did so, but the group of people I was with also befriended a total douche bag, whom I called out on being a total douche bag, which he didn't like. Things got worse, and I told him to go die, and so now, those people think I'm a homicidal maniac and are afraid to talk to me (I'm not a homicidal maniac.) Because of this, I'm reluctant to trust people at school and to try to make new friends, so I don't imagine friends will show up anytime soon. Additionally, the new group who I am talking with hangs on a couple's relationship, and I don't see that as something stable, but rather as something that will inevitably break the group apart. While I have learned, from DBZ, if nothing else, common enemies unite people over almost all differences, however, I don't see a common enemy showing up as the people who I have made enemies with seem to have common sense as their greatest enemy of all, making any kind of temporary compromise almost impossible. Also, my school is very small (<1000 people on campus) and I feel like, despite my best efforts, everyone knows my personal business which is really irritating to me. Responsibility Factors: My major responsibilities include two officer positions in student organizations that are supposed to last all year. As to these, I believe that I can accomplish my important goals in a semester. I also have volunteered to resurrect the school's philosophy club and lead that, saying so to students and faculty. And, I have two campus jobs that I am expected to return to and work, one of which was essentially an appointment for good work in class. And, I have a proposal for a major that some professors are helping me on and expecting me to go through with. Misc. Factors: *I would not be proud to graduate from this institution, as I don't feel like I'm doing real work, and it just feels like I'm grinding my way to the level cap even though I stopped learning new abilities about 20 levels ago. Frankly, I know my work on competitive Pokemon has been more impressive than anything I've done in school. *The dean of students is dumb, uneducated, and backwards thinking; which I informed her of, so no friends there. *I was warned by a wise and good professor of mine not to cut off my nose to spite my face, which is something I have a tendency to do. *I really don't want my parents to get upset or disappointed that I'm not on the fast track to success (more on this in conclusion) and start to monitor me more. They already insist on knowing all of my grades and being linked into the grade viewing website, which is irksome, when they do get upset with anything outside of the A range (A- are a little upsetting to them too.) So, I want to avoid them trying to take more control of my life. *I don't want to feel like I'm running away from a challenge, or giving up because things are too hard (ie, because I have no social life and many enemies) but at the same time, I don't want to feel like I've wasted these four years of my life. *I will have to put off certain extracurricular / resume building activities as well as give up a couple unique opportunities. Conclusion: I really don't mind a five year plan, especially if it involves me not feeling like I'm wasting my life, which I kind of do. I also feel like I'm taking on a huge responsibility of making my school more intellectually accepting, which is a large task and hard to hype myself up for. I really enjoyed high school, and was expecting not to want to forget things after it, but there are a good deal of things I'd like to forget about college. I really don't have career aspirations, and that's making me accept the fact that I don't have to be on a "fast track" to success for my whole life, which in turn is making me calmer and less competitive, which is good for my stress. The school where I would transfer to is a state school, is larger, less expensive, and has a better local reputation than the school I'm currently at (as well as having all of the same major programs I'm looking at.) At the same time, I know that in games, I have a habit of restarting frequently, and I think this is manifesting in reality, which is bad because then I'll just want to keep re-living the same things over and over. I don't want to nurture this habit. I know that's a lot of text, so thank you all who read through it. Your opinions are much anticipated. |
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| Fluff | Aug 5 2010, 11:49 PM Post #2 |
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The Temple Asshole
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Well, there are a few things you could do. One, don't ever insult the dean. That was so retarded you almost deserve to be in the shit you're in, seriously. People in positions of power are people you agree with until you don't have to put up with them any longer. Two, you may or may not be eligible for more need-based financial aid at a high-caliber university. My scholarship is entirely need-based, and (I don't mean to boast, I'm just giving you a sense of what is possible) I'm paying less than a fifth of the full cost. Then again, my mom doesn't work and I have three little sisters. If you want to add me on skype or MSN, go ahead (chapney/themightyfluffball@yahoo.com, respectively). If your parents are both doctors or something it probably won't work, but if you're lower-middle-class like me then you might have a good chance. Your brother is also going to college next year; that will raise your odds. I'm talking about places like Oberlin College, Rice University, Haverford College, Bard College, Vanderbilt University, etc. In these cases, you'll be living away from home, which gives you some of the freedom you wanted. (I have no idea where you live. I assume it's in the states.) As far as getting in is concerned, I'd ask a few of those professors who like you so much to write letters of recommendation for you. Do a little research, and try to ask the ones with the biggest credentials; nothing wrong with picking the big guns. Speaking of freedom, there's nothing wrong with your parents knowing your grades, but to be honest I wouldn't like for them to be looking at mine independently from me. That's your own personal deal, and I'd hate to tell you anything that would end up infuriating your parents and making your life harder. You might simply tell them that you want to take more responsibility for yourself, and go from there. Being confrontational won't help you at all, but a firm, polite, and confident face will generally help you out a huge amount. You'd be surprised what a difference it makes when people think they're talking to an adult instead of a child. Your parents still think of you as a child, and what you want to do is convince them that you are becoming an adult, and should be given adult responsibilities. Of course, my parents are vastly different, so I really can't speak from experience at all. Once again, need-based scholarships are an amazing thing, and top-notch schools can give them very generously. Being a transfer student with letters of recommendation means that you're very motivated, which is pretty much the number one thing these schools are looking for. Get in touch with me if you want more details about the schools I have experience with. |
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| Adnarel | Aug 14 2010, 12:26 AM Post #3 |
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I'd rather be outside.
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Are there any geographical stipulations to consider as well? (I lol'd at you insulting the dean) |
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| Nakun | Aug 15 2010, 12:29 PM Post #4 |
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Not really, but I'd prefer to be in the midwest. Well, I guess it comes down to, it needs to be in the midwest, or I'm buying plane tickets. |
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| Adnarel | Aug 16 2010, 10:25 AM Post #5 |
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I'd rather be outside.
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I can only tell you about my school, Drake University. Its undergrad enrollment is about 6,000. It is full of A-type personalities and hard workers. The male:female ratio is 2:3. There is a drinking culture, and Des Moines is the boringest and shittiest town in the world. But you can easily blend in despite it being small-ish, and nobody will look at you funny for working. Professors are mostly legit. For some reason, nerds don't exist here. I can't find nerds that aren't raging homosexual weeaboos. |
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| Kiki | Aug 18 2010, 08:09 AM Post #6 |
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Kiki Martius Chantico
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Moved to regular GD- it'll probably fit better here, and more people will see it and be able to help you out. |
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