Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I transferred. I knew by about Thanksgiving that I had made the wrong choice. It wasn't the type of school but the location and the student culture.

It's okay to come home.

My son is at a Top 25 and had a dormmate who was planning to transfer to UMD after freshman year due to a change in future plans.

I also had a job that didn't work out that lasted less than a year.

Sometimes you do know early.

President Obama transferred from Occidental to Columbia. Definitely not for the weather.

After his 2nd year at Oxy. Not after the first semester.

This is a much different scenario. Columbia is a much better school. Obama was an indifferent student in HS and got his stuff together in college, so transferred up. That’s not transferring because your friends go there. Without knowing which CA private it is, it’s hard to know whether it’s a transfer up, sideways or down; I’d be hesitant to allow the second for bad reasons or the third for any non-essential reason. Still, likely no harm in letting him apply. He may change his mind or not get in, so no need to foreclose options now.

Anonymous wrote:I think PPs telling OP to butt out are wrong. It doesn’t sound like OP is trying to sway their child’s decision; they are just trying to help them make an informed decision. This is what parents do.

Agree.

Anonymous wrote:Let him transfer.

+1

Also, in which subject area does he intend to major ?

1. Transfers are competitive. UMD requires a certain GPA but the selected candidates usually have a higher GPA than the threshold.

2. UMD takes most transfers from early applications, which means fall. Don't know if deadline has passed already. UMD also accepts transfers in second year.

3. Some credits transfer, some don't. There's a list on the UMD website. This will be important for graduating on time. It's no use paying reduced tuition if he then needs to stick around for a 5th year.