<p>So I'm in a bit of a sticky situation, and I wanted some general advice on my plans for transferring (into Spring Semester 2010). I went to a prestigious high school where I did sub-par, well in Humanities classes, and not so well in math/science, simply because I didn't care enough in classes that didn't interest me. I was accepted at and attended at a second-tier top-25 small liberal arts college, where I did well first semester, but hit an issue my second semester, causing me to drop out. I interned at an art gallery for the fall, and am currently taking full-time courses at a community college, where I will easily pull through a 4.0. I'm taking summer classes, and attending a college abroad for a language program for 6 weeks during the summer, as well as considering studying abroad for the following fall semester. I'm not entirely sure how important the specifics of my situation are, but if they seem important, I'm willing to divulge a little.</p>
<p>I want to attend a decently good college, though I know a great college is out of reach for me. I have always had strong recommendations, strong extracurriculars, and, especially strong essays. With the college I attended for my freshman year, my academic dean knows of my situation and has written to a college (that I previously applied for transfer) explaining that my leaving the college was not a result of a punitive action, but simply a way to re-gather myself, and I am offered readmission to the school this fall. In general, I am a strong applicant, and I'm working on showing the commitment to academia that I had previously lacked before, but let's be honest, grades matter more than anything, and mine kind of suck (on average).</p>
<p>Do you think I have a chance at top-tier or second-tier schools? I am willing to tell the story of my experiences, and I am capable of telling my story well, but will my experiences and my writing skills be enough to convince schools that I'm ready to be a serious student? Will the character that I've built during this time matter, really, if I've taken all this time to build it? And while I know that I am on the path to showing future admissions officers that I'm willing to do what's necessary (via good grades at a community college), will good grades from a community college even matter that much? I realize these are rather broad and somewhat abstract questions, but, again, I don't know how important the specifics are.</p>
<p>thanks in advance, for taking the time to read this and the time to respond (if you do).</p>