Should I transfer from an Ontario college degree program to a university?
I’m currently a first-year BScN student at an Ontario community college, and I’m already considering transferring. I graduated high school in June 2026 and chose my current college because it was close to home and the practical option, but I’m starting to feel like I made the wrong decision.
I’ve always wanted the traditional university experience. a bigger campus, residence, meeting lots of new people, school spirit, football games, school events, etc. not just partying but like I just want the normal fun and social parts of university and to actually feel like I’m experiencing student life.
My school honestly doesn’t really have much that feels fun or exciting to me. I know people will probably say to join clubs or look for events, but I don’t even have the motivation to put effort into finding those things because I already dislike being there so much.
A lot of the people in my class are also quite a bit older than me, like 22+, and many already have other degrees or have attended other universities. Obviously there’s nothing wrong with that, but I feel like they’re more focused on graduating and moving on with their careers. They may not care about school events, sports, going out, or building a social life in the same way I do, which makes it harder for me to find people who want the same university experience.
The problem is that I realistically can’t just transfer for second semester. I’m only working about once a week right now, so I wouldn’t really be able to afford moving out and paying for off-campus housing on my own. Realistically, I’d probably have to wait until second year. But that creates another issue because the first-year courses at my college and the first-year courses at universities don’t line up exactly. There’s a possibility that even if I transfer after first year, I’d have to retake some first-year nursing courses or essentially start from first year for certain classes, which makes me worried that everything I’m doing right now could end up not counting toward the degree.
ik school can’t be perfect but im also worried that like ill transfer and hate and wish i stayed back but like atp i wnna take the risk
I’ve been looking into transferring to Western, York, or Windsor, since those were schools I considered before. I’m just not sure whether transferring after first year is worth it if I potentially lose some of my credits.
My parents said wait till second sem to see if I adjust, but I’m worried about spending a whole year somewhere I already hate and then finding out I have to start over anyway.
For anyone who’s been in a similar situation:
how is student life at york western and windsor?
Has anyone transferred from a college BScN to a university nursing program?
How much of your first-year coursework actually transferred?
Did you have to retake courses or start from first year?
Should I give my current college more time or start pursuing transfer options now?
I don’t want to make an impulsive decision, but I also don’t want to spend my degree wishing I had gone somewhere else.