<p>I’m 30 years old. Broke my leg senior year of high school playing football, became depressed, and eventually dropped out. I went to work but I got tired of working 60 hour work weeks for minimum wage and decided to get my GED in 2006 to attend college. I moved to CA from NJ in 2007, waited a year to gain residence status, and then went to a JC in Santa Clara in 2008. </p>
<p>Here it is, 2011, and I’m now attending UC Davis on a scholarship pursuing my B.S. in Statistics with definite plans to attend grad school, hopefully at either UCB or UCLA. </p>
<p>Congrats to everyone here who has worked hard to be where they are.</p>
<p>In highschool I had a 3.0 gpa. Had too many relationships and smoked too much pot. Went to a ccc and had a 4.0 gpa for all 2 years -> transferred to Haas this fall.</p>
<p>Came from another country where I was a weak student. Got trash talked by “smarter” students who told me I would end up being a janitor. Shifted to U.S as a junior H.S student. Barely graduated with a 2.0. Went to CC and got accepted to UCLA (with scholarship) and UCSD while my so called friends where in complete shock.</p>
<p>Now I finally feel confident about myself. :-)</p>
<p>Never opened a textbook in high school, but was in a highly gifted program, so… I did learn a lot hahaha… just never got the grades</p>
<p>Sat the CHSPE Junior year… had a stint at LAVC… dropped out… attended SMC with a two-three hour commute(almost 4.0 GPA :()… going to Berkeley in the Spring… taking two classes at SMC in the Fall feelsgoodman</p>
<p>Blessed with awesome parents, but no real role models/people to lead by example… mostly been shown a lot of “what not to do” lol… superficial example… don’t smoke because a parent smokes, etc. If I received a nickle every time I heard… “I don’t want you to end up like me,” but it’s much better than hearing “You’ll never amount to anything” I guess hahaha… I’m in the “You can do anything if you put your mind to it” group as far as parenting</p>
<p>I might go from ghetto philosopher to white collar philosopher? lol… society</p>
<p>Started hanging out with kids in my community around 3rd grade(now adults who are still wandering the streets or working minimum wage jobs), then my grandfather had a stroke/fell into a coma in 4th grade… supposedly I changed after that and only wanted to have “fun”; dropped my Piano lessons and the 4+ sports I was active in weekly… stopped drawing/being artistic… stopped caring about most things people care about… I was happy and fun, but numb to societal expectations… gained a “what’s the point” attitude</p>
<p>Never opened a textbook in high school, but was in a highly gifted program, so… I did learn a lot hahaha… just never got the grades… was in AP courses, but never sat the exams</p>
<p>Sat the CHSPE Junior year… had a stint at LAVC… dropped out… attended SMC with a two-three hour commute(almost 4.0 GPA :()… going to Berkeley in the Spring… taking two classes at SMC in the Fall feelsgoodman</p>
<p>Blessed with awesome parents, but no real role models/people to lead by example… mostly been shown a lot of “what not to do” lol… superficial example… don’t smoke because a parent smokes, etc. If I received a nickle every time I heard… “I don’t want you to end up like me,” but it’s much better than hearing “You’ll never amount to anything” I guess hahaha… I’m in the “You can do anything if you put your mind to it” group as far as parenting</p>
<p>I might go from ghetto philosopher to white collar philosopher? lol… society</p>
<p>I’m still having trouble getting over the “none of this really matters anymore” ideology though… I have my stints of hard work and passion, but it’s not constant like an ingrained member of society or somebody who has never achieved success…</p>
<p>So yeah man, I worked on some of my mental issues, worked hard/efficiently and will be attending Berkeley soon~</p>
<p>@Moosedog … LMAO! That’s the second time I’ve read the term “twat waffle” this week. Another person used it in the UCD Class of '13 transfer page on Facebook.</p>
<p>wow. this is really inspirational. i tip my hat off in respect for you guys and gals. i have a similar story, but mine is not a success, and is in regards to north carolina not the UC system.</p>
<p>i am, however, really trying to leave my nc transcripts behind though and assist into a UC college from SMC or San Diego Mesa.</p>
<p>To anyone who stumbles upon this, feel free to message me, as I am definitely open for advice right now.</p>
<p>You guys are an inspiration! Haha! I’m the opposite. I thought high school was everything! I had a 2.45. In cc I have a 3.67. Applying for fall 2012. Didn’t drop out.</p>
<p>But just wanted to pitch in that now that I look back, not only did the “bad eggs” drop out, but many smart kids too. Many saw how green the other side really was before everyone else. Lots of ppl are transferring super early. Congrats ppl</p>
<p>wow i just joined this site and stumbled upon this thread and i am so happy i did!! ALL of you have such amazing and inspirational stories!!! I hope…no…i WILL have one to share soon, Im currently a student at SMC.</p>
<p>HS diploma is way overrated. I self studied AP chem, AP bio, AP calc during soph and junior years and just screwed around doing nothing most of junior and senior years. I could have been getting a head start before the annual UC tuition increases.</p>
<p>During high school I was always a C student. I hung around with the bad crowd you could say. Because I received C’s all through high school, I was on track with credits. However, I dropped out at 16 during my junior year. I ended up going to a continuation school (were all my friends who had been expelled where). I got inspired to graduate early by seeing all the students at this school wasting their lives. To graduate early I took college courses at the local community college which 1 college course= 2years of high school for that subject. <em>Note college classes are free for high school students in California under the Advance Education Forms</em>. After taking college classes I ended up graduating high school at 16. Once I finished high school, I went to community college. I then started in basic algebra classes and English classes since I had went to a continuation school and did not have the knowledge provided to students at a normal high school. At my community college I received almost all As. My GPA was a 3.9. I then received my associates degree in Business Administration at 18 years old being the youngest person to graduate at my community college (2011). Following my graduation, I have now transferred to the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine to pursue my degree in Business Administration. So all in all, high school doesnt matter. =)</p>
<p>Ok, one of my TA’s in college was expelled from high school for some fairly destructive behavior. He got a GED and then applied to UC Irvine, from which he graduated and then went on to earn a PhD in neuroscience.</p>