Advice needed for a lost college student (me)

[Cursive_Knives512]

If you would take a few minutes to read my ramblings and give me your thoughts, I'd really appreciate it. Besides my close friends, I don't know who else to talk to about this, and I'd like to get an adult's opinion (although if you're not an adult I'd still like to hear your opinion).

I'm a freshman at a small, private, liberal arts, Catholic, northeastern university. I'm looking to transfer next fall, as this is definitely not working out for me here. When I came here I wanted to be a social work major, and they have a good program for it, but I changed my mind and am now majoring in political science. However, the polisci department here isn't really the best, and I don't like the campus atmosphere. It's just as cliquey and shallow as high school... I don't know, maybe a lot of colleges are like this. But I don't feel like I belong.

Especially since the "Humanity Club" here is only interested in protesting the right to abortion. I don't exactly fit in there since my whole goal in life is to work at protecting women's rights, especially the right to chose.

Next fall I want to be at a college or university that can really help me with my goals, but I'm not sure where or how to start looking. Any advice would be much appreciated... I hope this wasn't too confusing or long. Again, thanks.

[Endangered Specie]

1. NCSU, (where I go), has quite a liberal political science program..

at least, relative to the rest of the college and NC, from what I understand its pretty good.

UNC also has one (its a liberal arts), but its even harder, and also more liberal, they make national news about being too liberal ;)

Look into those two.

[Maestro]

2. Really can't help you much

as I do not know universities well in your area but the early you make this change the better so good on you for that. Please investigate this but I heard that the Poli Sci Dept at George Washington University was very good.

http://my.gwu.edu/mod/deptdir/index.cfm?dept_id=169

[WindRavenX]

3. Heh, we're kinda in the same boat

I also go to a private, liberal arts, Catholic, northeastern university.
The administration is hellishly Conservative. A good part of the campus is totally of the Kool-Aid drinking Republican variety.
My freshman year was kinda difficult; it was hard to make friends beause it is so preppy and I was afraid there weren't any open minded people.
I discovered sanity with the college Democrats.
If you truly think you're not getting the education you deserve- yeah, you should seriously look into transfering. But if it's because of the social scene- and I TOTALLY feel you on that- then I would MAYBE try sticking around. Freshman year is REALLY rough.
:hug:

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. My dad got his PoliSci degree from North Eastern. Might see what

they are like these days.

------------------------------------------------------
Fight the fraud; fund the recount!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

[MidwestMomma]

5. My daughter moved back home and went to junior college for a semester

while she figured out what to do. She started out her freshman year at a small Catholic midwestern college and didn't like it. Like you, she knew she didn't want to stay where she was at but she didn't know where to go.

She just took basic courses that would transfer at the junior college and then decided where to go from there.

Not sure if that would be something you would want to consider or not. Of course, it was easy for her to move back home because I'm such a cool mom! :)

Whatever you do, don't stress yourself out about wanting to change colleges. People do it all the time and things work out fine.

[yardwork]

6. You sound thoughtful and mature. I have a feeling that your instincts

are sound. Trust your instincts. Keep looking at other schools and keep gathering advice and information, then make the decision that feels right to you.

It sounds like you might be happier at a larger school that has more of a range of opinions and interests on campus.

Good luck to you! I have a feeling that you will be very successful in finding happiness and satisfaction in both your professional and private life.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

7. If there's a poli sci. professor that you like and/or respect

ask him/her for recommendations. The job market for academics is so awful these days that many fine teachers get stuck at small schools, but they still have friends at other schools, people they knew in grad school or have met at professional conferences.

[2Design]

8. can't tell what state you are in - but

take it from someone who has had many careers and has no idea what she wants to do now and hasn't known for 15 years

but I did
drafting
computer repair, system engineer, programming
massage therapy
teacher college

that said
your state must have public colleges and community colleges
must find out if your community college courses are accepted at higher level colleges

couple of choices
go take some courses at community college level in all the areas you think you might be interested - find prof that are active in their field who are teaching
ask them lots of questions and find out from the course if you have any interest at all

don't spend all you time taking the foundations classes - although some say this is the way to go and then go onto a college for the meat

I like trying the meat out at a lower cost

Everyone I know who went to college did not get a job in the field there degree was in.

so explore what you like until you find several courses that turn you on - and use those adjuncts who are teaching the subjects you like - those part time teachers know what the real world is like

[The Astral City]

9. The Things (besides academics) I Looked For In A College:

I was looking to transfer last year, and I made up a checklist for non-academic concerns to add to my normal questions regarding majors profs and other things. What I was looking for things like :

1: Is the school urban or rural? ~ This can be VERY important, urban schools (at least in blue states) tend to be very liberal and diverse.

2: Is the school public or private ~ This is also greatly important, especially for majors like philosophy and theology.

3: How do the various clubs and service centers seem ~ Meet with all of the clubs and service centers that you are interested in, go to one of their meetings or their office. This will give you a great idea about what they work for.

4: Do the majority of the students live on or off campus ~ This is more an issue depending upon what kind of campus environment you want: do you want a close knit school with lots of people in a set area? Or do you want to live in a community where your friends live all over a more diverse metro area?

5: How much is the school known for sports and frats ~ This is a major issue regarding how liberal the student body is! Schools that are known as jock factories (with a few true exceptions, California at Berkley comes to mind here) are usually a bit more conservative, as are schools with a major party or frat influence (again there are exceptions, such as the University Of Wisconsin at Madison)

6: Does the school regularly anger the Neo-Cons ~ Bingo, if the college makes the American Family Association's negative news once in a while, or if it turns up on the Traditional Values Coalition's website when they whine about liberal bias then you know you're among friends.

I personally go to the University Of Wisconsin At Milwaukee, it's an urban school, public of course, with a great many clubs and centers working for liberal causes. The majority of the students do not live on campus, but most live within a dedicated campus community that encircles the campus and connects it with downtown. And yes, it steams quite a few Neo-Cons, especially with their philosophy department (one of the best in the nation) and the very vocal liberal organizations.

If you'd like a bit more information on it, feel free to e-mail me.

May Peace Travel With You
~Astral