I guess I’m just looking for some advice from people who have transferred as non-traditional students or people who simply have more knowledge than I do!
This is my story:
I graduated high in 2009 with a GPA of just below a 2.0, I then went to Sweet Briar College for a year in 2010-2011 and failed almost every class. I got skin cancer in the summer of 2011 and couldn’t go back to take any classes so I ended up getting a retail job. I worked in retail for about 4 years then worked in restaurants and radio for 2 years and went back to school in January of 2016 at a Virginia Community College. I currently have 27 credits with a 3.9 GPA and I’m looking to transfer. I am also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, if that makes a difference! Unfortunately, last semester I developed a condition (Recurrent Corneal Erosion) which caused me to withdraw from 2 classes because I needed too much time off to get a cornea surgery (Superficial Keratectomy/PTK). I am still healing and am not able to start my Spring Semester classes yet which I’m worried might affect my prospects.
I’ve done a lot of research about transferring but my biggest complaint is that the requirements are so broad- many schools just have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and 3.5 and it makes narrowing my application net a bit difficult. Also, with my last semester resulting in 2 W’s on my transcript I’m concerned that I’ll have to explain away not only my high school and SBC transcripts but now my CC transcript and it will look like a pile of excuses for not being able to keep up.
I would love advice on how to really boost my application and/or you think I could apply and get into those top tier universities (Columbia GS, Rice University, Pepperdine) or if I should really focus on schools with higher accep