ksr5377 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I'm trying to help my brother figure this out. He went to college his freshman year because that's what everyone else was doing. Let's just say he enjoyed the atmosphere outside of class, but didn't really spend much time in class. So it's been a few years now and he's finally all grown up. =) He's now seeing that having a Bachelor's would be helpful in his career in the next few years. He would like to return to school but everything he's looking at online says that transfer students need a 2.0 or higher. He hasn't actually called any of the schools, in part I think because he's nervous they're just going to say he won't be accepted. Does anyone know of anyone that was in this situation and was able to return to college? How did that work? I guess I should add that he wouldn't actually be returning to his original school, because of distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Yes. I was in this situation personally. I took several years off and worked full-time. Then I went to a CC part-time and got good grades for a year. Then I reapplied for admission. They asked me what happened, and I said "Well, I didn't go to class and I didn't do homework because I was a teenage moron." They laughed and approved me for admission as long as I took a study skills course (which was kinda pointless, I knew all that stuff, I just didn't do it) and everything was smooth sailing after that. 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I'm sure your brother isn't the first person to be in this situation. I'd call the person in charge of transfer students and lay it out and see what they want him to do. Maybe they will accept the courses where he earned a C or better. Alternatively, he could just make a fresh start, as if he had dropped out before getting his grades. My brother dropped out of his first semester. Decades later he went back and got his bachelor's degree. It's never too late. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ailaena Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Generally, if it happened recently, if he takes classes at the cc, they will accept those more recent grades as a sign he is serious. He can also take classes at the university as a non-degree seeking student and use those grades to show he has turned over a new leaf. If it's been more than a couple of years, they may accept him as a non-traditional student and forgive him the errors of his past. No matter what, it's totally doable and yay to him! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 When he calls, he can ask if they'd consider admitting him as a freshman as if he had never started at the other school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I have a mom friend who is doing this. She is working through some credits at a CC and will transfer after next semester. She tried to apply to the college directly but was rejected! She was 18 when she first tried, and I think she was 35/36 when she was reapplying. Super weird IMO, but it doesn't seem like it has hurt her to take the CC route and if anything I think she's in a stronger position in terms of study skills and readiness for the 4 year program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Look up "fresh start" policies (I think that's the term). It doesn't apply to federal financial aid, but you can erase the slate in terms of grades. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 His situation is common. Does he want to go back to the same school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Many places don't count grades older than ten years ago anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 My husband did and made the Dean's list his first semester back. He did have to retake a few classes but overall his second college experience was much better because he was ready. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I agree that a CC might be in order for at least one semester. And I am intrigued by the "fresh start' thing... look into that! One of the biggest challenges for 'returning non-traditional students' aka adults who are going back to school after having bombed out as a teenager is that old GPA. Non-trad students are usually LOVED by their professors b/c they are serious and do very good work. They know what is at stake. But a year of a 1.0 GPA at an old school can really drag down the following semesters of very good grades. And, at least back when I was a student, it was considered academically dishonest to pretend you never went to school before. I think there is even a thing you have to sign saying that you have disclosed all your former academic pursuits? I seem to remember that, but it could be outdated. My best friend dropped out after three semesters b/c she got married and had 2 babies. It was just too much for her. Her last two semesters were terrible. She pretty much flunked out. She returned to school after a year with a much better idea of what school with two little ones looked like. They had better plan for child care, they knew what they were getting into. Hey, they were 20 when they had kids, they didn't know a lot, lol. Her school career after that was stellar, 4.0 across the board, but her overall GPA was really held down by those bad couple of semesters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 And, at least back when I was a student, it was considered academically dishonest to pretend you never went to school before. I think there is even a thing you have to sign saying that you have disclosed all your former academic pursuits? I seem to remember that, but it could be outdated. It is not only academically dishonest, but it can result in your admission being denied or you being required to repay financial aid under the grounds that it was obtained fraudulently. I would recommend most strongly against it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bootsie Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 DH had a university administrative job at one time in which he was part of the process of making decisions on students like this. It would be easiest if he can get readmitted to the college where he started. Low grades at a school will often result in a suspension (having to sit out at least a semester) rather than an expulsion (where you can't re-enter). If he could bring his GPA up enough then transferring to another school would be easier. Many community colleges will still admit him and some four-year colleges, especially if it has been a while since he was in school and he can point to ways in which he has shown responsibility in the meantime. They may ask for new ACT or SAT scores to show that the problem on the first go round was interest/maturity not lack of ability. Perhaps none of his previous work (If he did have any passing grades) will "transfer" to a new school, but it would still be part of his overall record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 In CA, they evidently wipe your record clean after so many years. My sil played at college right after HS, then went back for a couple of classes about 10 years later and they somehow got rid of her dismal record so she could start over. A phone call to make an appt with an admission counselor may answer some questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I pretty much flunked out 1st semester of freshman year. I applied to community college as a freshman the following fall without any issues, but I didn't attempt to transfer the very, very few credits that would have been transferable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 But a year of a 1.0 GPA at an old school can really drag down the following semesters of very good grades. ... And, at least back when I was a student, it was considered academically dishonest to pretend you never went to school before. I think there is even a thing you have to sign saying that you have disclosed all your former academic pursuits? I seem to remember that, but it could be outdated. Yes, I agree this is true, but it sure isn't a good reason not to go back! Your friend did a great job! I also agree that tit is dishonest not to disclose previous academic pursuits. At the uni where ds attends, lying on an application is grounds for expulsion at any time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Just to be clear, I wasn't suggesting lying, but they might have a procedure for students in this situation. I thought that when you transfer, your GPA isn't affected by your grades in your previous school even if they were A's. I remember my mom being furious because that happened to all her transferred A's and made her one B in the new school weigh heavier. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I thought that when you transfer, your GPA isn't affected by your grades in your previous school even if they were A's. I remember my mom being furious because that happened to all her transferred A's and made her one B in the new school weigh heavier. This is dependent on school policy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 One of my BFF's in high school partied too much her freshman year at a 4 year university and was asked not to return. She got her Associate's at a local CC and then reapplied to the original university. They accepted her but only some of the CC credits. So she wound up going back with sophomore status rather than junior and it took her 6 years total to get her bachelor's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamajag Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Some schools have a one time do over they will grant if you complete the first year with a certain GPA. For mine, it was a 3.0. I was a probational student until that year was complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 I, also, agree that CC is the best solution. It is the easiest solution since they have to accept you and it is a low cost answer. HOWEVER, some universities allow you to take three credits at a time without being formally enrolled. I know someone who got a BA this way at Arizona State. She was never formally enrolled, she had no high school diploma, but she knocked out three credits at a time getting A's each semester, until they formally accepted her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 This happens all the time. My dh got kicked out mid-year the first time he tried university. He went to Rwanda with the army and tried university again not that long after he returned, and did very well. For that matter, my sister got kicked out during her first attempt. A few years later, she completed year one at another university but hated it and didn't carry on. Now, 12 years later, with no undergraduate degree she is about to finish a masters degree. Universities are well aware that time and maturity make a big difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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