Long story short; on the advice of the one dean who actually met with me face-to-face and listened to what I had to say I applied to transfer to the School of Arts and Sciences (where evolutionary anthropology is based) at Rutgers. Almost exactly 24 hours later I received a rejection notification saying that my case had been "carefully reviewed." (They didn't even wait for me to submit the rest of my transcripts before the June 15th deadline.) Unfortunately I'll still be bound to this soul-sucking monster of a university for another year, but at least I did everything within my power to try and correct my academic trajectory.
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Mark Chu-Carroll
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Not that it helps your situation, but I'm sorry that you're getting such a massive hassle at my alma mater.
Brian,
Have you ever considered a change of venue? If Rutgers is giving you such a hard time you could always try applying at a different university, I for instance headed up to East Tennessee State U after encountering problems at LSU (the best decision of my life because not only did I get in on the ground floor of a burgeoning Vert Paleo but I also had the opportunity to receive an NSF Fellowship).
At any rate Good Luck!
Yow. I'm sorry about all your problems with Rutgers.
What's their freaking problem, anyway?
Ouch, I am so sorry Brian. I don't see how they can treat you like this! What do they gain from preventing you from transferring, you'd still be within the Rutgers system, I don't get it?
Seems to me you have a real case given that they gave you the "careful review" within 24 hours. Especially since you hadn't submitted all your materials. Maybe you could get them to do another review, with all your transcripts?
Of course, at this point, you're probably pretty sick of dealing with the bureaucratic crap.
Sorry this has been such a pain in the arse for you.
I see your Eric Idle and raise you a Pink Floyd.
Seriously, that blows. But on the plus side, you've now got real motivation for your Mad Scientist role. Repeat after me: "They laughed at me at the University! The fools! I'll show them! I'll show them ALL!"
Thanks for the kind words/support everyone. At least I got a final answer out of them and can deal with things.
Blake; I was thinking the same thing. One day I shall have my revenge...
Grant; I wish I could! Changing venues isn't much of an option because of my job, my wife's job, and the general fact that if I applied elsewhere I'd be back as an entering junior. I've got about a years' worth of classes left, so it's easier just for me to finish up and move on elsewhere. I would go somewhere else if it were feasible, but for at least the next year I'm stuck in this particular part of New Jersey and anywhere else I would go probably has more stringent transfer rules and is out of the range of a daily commute.
boo-urns! Can you appeal, especially since they didn't look at your transcripts?