Some Advice Would Be Nice - In Regards to College

[Morgan Lea]

Hello Nerdfighters. While I am not an active member at the time being, I am hoping to change that. Even so, I truly believe that this community is full of nice people willing to give their two cents to one seeking some third-party thoughts in my current situation.

At the present time, I am enrolled in a small, private college in a no-name town in West Virginia. When I applied to Bethany College, I was guaranteed a great liberal arts education along with many opportunities to social events and what mattered most to me as a Theatre major, the chance to be involved in the productions here on campus. I was sold on this basis, and I arrived in August, excited for the college life I had been anticipating since I was a young student in middle school. Of course, I had expected there to be plenty of things to dislike about the place, I had not expected to be disappointed by it all.

While there is plenty to complain about, my biggest disappointment is something I had known about before attending here but had not anticipated it as a problem. You see, this is a very small college, and there are only two theatre professors in the department. If any of you have ever been involved in theatre, then you know that it is an art form that requires plenty of people. Our technical theatre professor is an amazing teacher, an inspiring mentor, and a wonderful designer. I am privileged to work alongside her. However, our performance professor is a little less outstanding. While I understand that I'm always going to have that one teacher who I cannot stand, but the unfortunate thing is, should I stay here, I will be stuck taking the majority of my classes from him, since I want a concentration in performance. I am willing to tolerate as much as I need to in order to get my education, but this man is stifling the program greatly. He refuses to communicate with our designer, disrespects her quite openly, and does not allow her to have any input in the program, if he can help it. Because he is an alumni and the Chair of the department, he is capable of doing this.

It is the lack of voice that troubles me, so I am currently considering transferring, but making this decision is quite troubling for me. A couple upperclassmen have asked me to assist them in having a meeting with our Dean of Faculty in hopes of making a change to the program, and I fully intend on going, whether or not I plan to stay here or not. This problem has gone on for too long, from what I can tell, and no one has taken that step to address it to anyone that can put a change into motion. (Samuel Beckett would have a field day with this school, I'm sure.) Nevertheless, this discussion is about my decision of where to be for furthering my education.

My friends here keep telling me to wait it out another semester because of the Alpha Psi shows that will be going on in the Spring. While staying another semester is an option, I would rather that be my last resort. Bethany College, being a small, private, church-affiliated colleges, requires a bit more of their students than other colleges, and if I can save my parents just a bit more money by transferring, then I would like to. Here, it's required to attend J-Term as a Freshman, and that's over a 1000$ more to our bill. I'd also not waste our money on something that I might not commit to the remaining three years of my undergraduate life. Not to mention that if the only reason to stay is the Alpha Psi shows, then that is, in my opinion, little reason to stay. If I had come here simply to act, I would have followed through with my desired theatre major.

So anyways...tl;dr Here's the dilemma:

I think I want to transfer to a bigger, less expensive college that will offer more voice in the theatre and opportunities for classes, but if I leave, I will feel guilty for leaving the friends I have here. I can get a great education at this college, but a lot of it will be at the cost of my patience and sanity. Am I wrong in wanting to transfer?

[BSmith]

"if I can save my parents just a bit more money by transferring, then I would like to."

The answer to that desire is instate public universities.

[Stalking Sanity]

Yeah, but depending on the state you live in -cough-Nevada-cough-cough- you trade quality for affordability. People will seriously join the army and go to Iraq just to get out of Vegas.

[BSmith]

Which is why everyone should live in the great state of Texas :p

[Morgan Lea]

That's kind of what I'm considering. Bethany College (where I am now) is a private in-state college, but where I'm looking to transfer is Fairmont State University.

I just don't want to make my decision based on something that I shouldn't. As I keep telling everyone that is guilt-tripping me into staying: this is my education, and I don't want to cheat myself of it.

[spiderboenz]

Screw them, do what's best for you.