I dropped out of my dream college because I couldn't afford to live in New York. Transferring to Florida saved me a lot of money.

• I was accepted into Barnard College, and it was a dream come true.
• I dropped out after my freshman year because New York was expensive, and I couldn't visit home.
• I transferred to the University of Miami, which saved me money; it was the best decision.

I remember the moment I opened my transfer application for the University of Miami, sobbing as I filled out a personal statement to switch colleges. It wasn't a highlight of my academic career at the time, as I was doing something completely inconceivable in higher education — leaving my dream school.

Before the pandemic, I had been accepted to Barnard College, the women's college at Columbia University. From the moment digital confetti graced my Barnard acceptance letter, I found myself in disbelief for even getting into such a prestigious institution. I didn't come from a legacy family or money, so my efforts throughout my academic and personal life felt fully realized once I was accepted to the school in New York.

But once the pandemic began to subside and my classes became in-person, I found myself in a tough predicament. I had to face the real expenses of sustaining life as a college student in New York City. I was forced to find budget-friendly places to eat and hang out. I also struggled to visit my family back home because I couldn't afford the flights.

When it came time to face the music after my freshman year, I knew continuing my education at Barnard wasn't a sustainable option.

I moved from New York to Florida

I returned home to Orlando that summer and begrudgingly filled out a transfer application with the University of Miami for the following academic year.

I chose UM as my transfer school because they offered me a substantial financial aid package. As a student there, I could also learn more about my Cuban-American roots in Miami, where I was originally born.

UM also had a major dedicated to journalism, which I fell in love with back in New York.

With all these components in mind, I finally decided Miami was worth trying.

I saved a lot of money by transferring colleges

Both schools also had a similar cost of attendance — around $80,000 a year.

However, since I had moved in-state, I was given more grants and scholarships at UM instead of loans — totaling $10,000 annually. Switching from a liberal arts college to a university also allowed me to earn merit scholarships within the School of Communication at UM, totaling an additional $5,000.

Suffice it to say I saved a lot of money on student loans.

Moving to an in-state school also saved me on trips back home, which would have been hundred of dollars roundtrip between New York and Orlando for Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks.

But at UM, I just filled up a tank of gas in my Toyota Prius for about $40 per trip and drove between the cities.

Moving back to Florida also brought me closer to my family

In my sophomore year of college, my father was diagnosed with stage 3 esophageal cancer, which quickly transitioned into terminal stage 4 cancer.

While I initially couldn't see the benefit of being closer to home in lieu of going to my dream school, that diagnosis completely changed my outlook. He would later pass away in 2022, during my junior year.

Subsequently, being closer to my mother as we both grieved this tremendous, tragic, and unexpected loss was worth its weight in gold.

Transferring out of my dream school was the best decision

As an alumna of the University of Miami, I believe leaving Barnard was the best decision I could've made.

Aside from being closer to home when I needed to be most, I've been set up for better career success by going to school in a smaller market than NYC. I was able to stand out among my peers by taking initiative in areas that were otherwise lacking or underdeveloped.

Right after graduating, I earned two job offers at major television news stations. I now work as a full-time morning news producer. Had I ultimately graduated in my field in a global market like New York, I would have been competing with the entire world for positions at some of the top media outlets for scraps.