advice for a failure... USC-bound

<p>so i totally 'effed up my first year in community college. what i did was enroll in a bunch of classes and just not show up because of personal issues. so my GPA is beyond repair. but this year, i'm ready to set things straight. this semester i'm taking 26 units. and so far, i am at the top of every class. we're talking about accounting, calculus, biology, spanish, english all rolled in one semester and among other classes. next semester, i plan to do the same thing over. and i have the drive to do it, too. </p>

<p>the thing is... i'm a bit concerned of how my grades from the previous year will affect my chance of getting into my schools of choice. what will they think of my GPA trend? like from a 0.5 to a 4.0 GPA this year... 60 units by the end of spring.</p>

<p>oh, and USC is at the top of my list. i know it sounds like a reach but i feel like i have so much to offer. </p>

<p>is there any other way to improve my chances because i think i've done all i can GPA-wise. should i mention that during my 'downtime', i've managed to earn a six digit income?</p>

<p>six digit income? why are you going to college ;)</p>

<p>drug dealing</p>

<p>hmm.. if your really desperate you can always enroll in another community college and not report your current one.</p>

<p>26 credits? haha -_-</p>

<p>"six digit income? why are you going to college "
seriously, i just turned 19 and really want to experience college life. and for the education, i guess... =P</p>

<p>"hmm.. if your really desperate you can always enroll in another community college and not report your current one."
i've thought about that but what about all the hard work i've put into this semester? </p>

<p>if i take my grades from last year into account, my cumulative GPA will be about 2.6. that's just pathetic. i just want to rip that part out of my transcript. with this year alone, i'll end up with 60 units and a 4.0</p>

<p>to be honest, i don't know if 26 units is that heavy a load for a semester. but i'm handling it very well. i spend at most three hours a night on homework.</p>

<p>The amount of time you spend on homework is, unfortunetly, not a good sign of the relative rigor of your school (unless you're still keeping up w/ the job). But I guess you should get as high grades as you can for a few semesters, find some activities that interest you and just apply, noting the positive change in your essay.</p>

<p>BTW: avg. transfer GPA for USC is about 3.57, so try to aim higher since you're coming from a CC, and most USC transfers are coming from 4-year schools.</p>

<p>why not apply for academic renewal? it removes the fqailed classes from your transcript as you complete them a second time.</p>

<p>man....my math hw alone eats up that much time! o.O</p>

<p>but 26 units sounds like a lot though</p>

<p>i don't know, guys. something changed about me. i feel more aware of my capabilities as a student and as a person. it's amazing what a front row seat can do to help you pay attention in class. i'm much more focused. and i pick things up real easily.</p>

<p>and i spoke with my counselor about all of this. he seems really concerned with the amount of units i'm taking. and he thinks i should put in another year into community college. BUT I NEED OUT! at first, i knew USC was out of reach, but after speaking with him, i feel like it's just impossible now despite all my efforts. so i'm just going to apply to a calState and settle with my mistakes.</p>

<p>btw. last summer, i taught myself a little calculus before taking the assessment test so i could be placed in the math class i am in now.</p>

<p>i'd also recommend academic renewal</p>

<p>Twenty8, most USC transfers do not come from 4 year schools. 63% of them come from CCC's. </p>

<p>26 credits is insane. I took 20 last semester and wanted to kill everyone half way through the semester. </p>

<p>Don't worry about your overall GPA, just aim for a 4.0 this semester and next semester. there really isnt anything more you can do</p>

<p>Academic renewal does not remove the grades from your transcript. It does however take them away from your gpa calculation. The problem with doing this is that USC does not honor academic renewal or repeated courses. So your gpa would not change in USC's eyes.</p>

<p>My mistake. I must have overlooked that one since I don't live in California anyways lol. The avg transfer GPA still stands at 3.57, however.</p>

<p>And you should still apply. Let them worry about making the admission decisions.</p>

<p>26 units??? ooff. talk about overload.</p>