Very inspirational thanks for posting. My question is what are some of the things you wrote on you personal statement that explained you previous grades??
I also have a similar story. very long as well.
I moved to the U.S. at 6 and have gone to public schools since the 2nd grade. My town is mostly white and suburban but only 40% of high school students go on to a 4 yr college. compared to 90% in a more affluent neighboring town. I went to the worst elementary & middle school in town… No one cared about their grades or future careers. My ambitions and aspirations were relatively far greater than my peers but when compared to kids from more affluent towns my goals came up short. My environment had a big impact on me, I never did homework or studied and got by with C’s.
I wanted to become a great person but a part of me thought those dreams were unreachable. this lowered my self esteem. My uncle asked why I wasn’t aiming for MIT and I responded “because that’s impossible” I know realize how wrong I was. When asked what I wanted to be as a grown up I said a DOCTOR (like DOC the scientist from back to the future) and my grandmother would laugh at me and tell me I would never become that or anything else that I wanted to be. At an early age of 5 my self esteem was lowered and I resent her for that. I would have the same study habits in high school and decided to go to a community college to save money and because my grades were not stellar.
Fast forward to college>> I grew up in a family business and therefore thought I didn’t need school if I was going into the family business. I knew it all I had all the tricks and school was just something to do. during my second day of school I got into a fatal car crash that almost took my life. After a few days in the ICU and two days after two surgeries I returned to school against everyone’s advice. The teachers said it was impossible to catch up and the doctors told me to take a brake but I did not want to make excuses for my self so I returned healing wounds and all. I ended up getting a B -B+ average that 1st semester. Things went south after that.\
Someone died in the accident and even though it was not my fault (I was not speeding, drinking, or driving recklessly) I was still being charged. The wight on my shoulder and the stress got to me. I developed a form of hives from the stress an allergic reaction to heat, the sun and stress. I f I had to speak in front of the class or came in late I would get a painful rash that would make me feel like I was on fire. I had to withdraw after the the withdrawal period hurting my gpa. I didn’t want to leave my room and would attempt to return to school with the same results. after a while the symptoms went away and when I returned to my CC I was working 60 hrs at two jobs. This wasn’t smart but I wasn’t getting financial aid because my parents made too much and my parents didn’t want to pay for my school.
after 2.5 years my grades were decent enough to transfer to a state college. (at that time my goals were low and I just wanted to get school over with) I was 3 classes shy of getting my associates degree. At my new school I blossomed and became very popular. I was a student athlete and had leadership positions in various school orgs. I was good looking, well spoken and the ladies grew very fond of me.(a little too much). After my success junior yr I became isolated because of jealousy. horrible rumors spread and my fan club started harassing, stalking, and bullying me. This was before the major bullying cases so I didn’t know how to react. at first I laughed it off but it just got worse.
During my second to last semester I just abandoned school all together. In completes became F’s. I was already on academic probation and when you don’t get out of probation you flunk out. I just became disillusioned. My stalkers kept harassing me online when I left school. It was the lowest point of my life. My self esteem was at it’s lowest, I was paranoid and I was a failure!!! for three yrs I worked at dead end jobs postponing my return to school. One day I hated who I had become. I had no education I was defeated!
I’ve had my share of hardships and obstacles but even without them I was not doing enough. My grades were not great because I didn’t care. I wasn’t thinking about grad school and or top tier B- schools like many of you on this great site. I was aiming low!!
I could have easily transferred to another state college that anyone could get into but I decided to go back my Community College 3 yrs later. I went back because If I finished those 3 classes and got my associates I would be able to be admitted to the state university system which is more prestigious. or (TAG) as you call it or mass transfer here in MA. The only problem was that my gpa was 2.0 and not the required 2.5.
This meant that I had to retake some classes. I started of with 1 class last summer. I originally got a D and this time I got an A-. last fall I took 3 classes and almost got straight A’s and made the deans list with a 3.4. by then my GPA was 2.49 and I thought that was easy. I boosted it up that much in one semester lets try for 3.0!! these small victories helped boost my confidence and self esteem and cause me to aim higher. Now I wasted to get into a nationally ranked more selective business program at Umass Amherst which required a 3.0. If I got strait A’s for the next two semesters I would achieve this goal.
I am taking 3 classes now which will boost my GPA a great deal Ill get a 3.4+. Ill be taking 2 in the summer and 3-4 next fall. I’m basically retaking the second half of freshman yer and sophomore year over again. and when I transfer I will be doing my junior and half of senior yr over. again. I know realize that I wasted a lot of time but It took all those things to happen for me to mature. I got D in micro before and got an A- now. I also got a D in BIO and am getting a A- now. I have made a lot of changes and I’m still improving my study habits. I am more competitive with my classmates and have the highest test scores in my BIO class, no one is even close to me. My teacher thinks I should become a DOCTOR.
If only I was interested in that field.
By the end of the summer My accumulative GPA should be 3.0 which is not bad considering where it had been. My last 40 credits should be around 3.5 but my past brings it back down to a 3.0. I hope schools notice how well I have done recently.!!! I am interested in Bently 3.3 Avg., Northeastern 3.3 Transf. Avg., Umass Amhesrt 3.0, Suffolk 3.0, and
I heave exceptional EC/jobs/ volunteer/ RECS but It still is a long shot. Sorry for the long post… this is for any one with a bad start who feels like giving up or thinks the ship has sailed. Believe in your self. anything is possible even if you go to a CC or have a GED. Even if you have failed or screwed up!
