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Dear Elizabeth,

I have been on the fence for months about whether to transfer schools or not. I’ve enjoyed my time here at Winona and met a lot of great people, but I discovered different opportunities have opened up for me elsewhere. What should I do?

Sincerely, Transferring Troubles

Dear Transferring,

Transferring schools is a big decision with a very detail oriented process. It is great that you are not completely rushing into the process, because you might end up wanting to stay in Winona. It’s also nice you have been able to see other places that may have different experiences which will benefit you.

The first thing I would do is make a list of pros and cons for each situation. You mentioned you met a nice group of people in Winona, so this would be considered a pro of staying. If you are more interested in a bigger campus with a fast-paced city life, then that would be one of the cons of staying in Winona. If you are drawn to the new opportunities that this new school will provide you with, then I would compare these with opportunities that Winona State could possibly provide and then see which one applies to what you want to do.

If you have been a student in Winona for a long time, it would be a good idea to check if the credits you already earned  transfer over to credits in the other school. It is possible that you could be set back a semester or two for transferring, so you want to make sure you wouldn’t have to repeat any classes to make up for lost credits.

Whatever you end up choosing to do, you are left with many benefits in each choice. If you decide to stay in Winona, you will stay connected to your group of friends. Since you would be staying in the town longer, you would have more time to find resources and jobs within the area. If you ultimately decided to transfer, you will be opening yourself up to new experiences and creating new contacts while discovering a new town. If you have truly connected with the group of people that you met in Winona, then you will make an effort to stay connected with them.

Ultimately, this decision is yours and no one eles. If you are serious about this, then you will thoroughly look over all of the options and figure out what path may suit you the best. If you are truly unhappy with your time in Winona and are desperate to find new opportunities, transferring may be a good idea for you. If you are finding yourself to be bored, it may be a good idea just to wait in Winona and see if your attitude changes.