<p>I am applying for Columbia GS this upcoming fall but do not want to get my hopes up. I graduated HS in 2010 and went to U. South Carolina, where I was put on academic suspension. I had horrible depression and relationship issues which caused me to do poorly, and I was granted a Medical Withdrawal for a semester. My withdrawal kept me from suspension that semester, but I had made a poor choice in immediately returning to school. I was not emotionally stable enough to be a student, I wasn't emotionally stable enough to do anything. I never went to class and was suspended. I am in good standing with USC and can go back, but it wouldn't be right for me. I need a rigorous environment and change of pace. My SATs are Math 670, Reading 620, Writing 630. I have signed up to retake the SAT this January because I believe that I can break 710s. I have kept a stable job and have my depression under control, do I have any chance of getting in if I had SAT 700+ with a 2.0 GPA?</p>
<p>I’m in the middle of finals, but to make it short and sweet: Take classes at your local community college, get straight A’s, or something close to it, and then apply to Columbia. They don’t necessarily “care” about your scores, so much as they want to see that you can succeed in a challenging academic environment like Columbia. Without any recent history of academic achievement, they (the admissions committee) will unable to make that assessment. </p>
<p>I got kicked out of college 10 years ago with 5 F’s and 12 W’s. I then took some time off, went back to school at my local community college, and maintained a 4.0 GPA while taking 50-something units. I then transferred to Columbia. I have since graduated with a 3.89 GPA, earning magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. I am now at Notre Dame Law School with a significant scholarship. I only relay my story to show you that a path to academic success for people who “figure it out” later in life has been paved. You can do it. </p>
<p>As a current GS student, I agree with tsar. I think your best shot is to go to a community college and take classes to boost your GPA. Don’t worry about your past. Instead, turn it into what you will write for your admissions essay. I failed out of college twice, yes twice, before I was accepted to Columbia. But I eventually went back, got close to straight A’s wrote about my experience and what I learned from my failures and voila! Not doing well is actually a very popular story here so don’t let it deter you! Good luck!</p>
<p>so the semester in community college will not count against me on the “must not have attended college for over a year” prerequisite? I was hoping to take classes at mine this spring, that way all of my applications would look better, and I would get a semester of credits out of the way, but was worried that it would eliminate GS, which is by far my first choice</p>
@tsar10027 so inspiring! Good luck at Notre Dame! I finished bachelor of law.
I agree with @tsar10027 and @Katie1384. You need more evidence to prove you’re ready for Columbia, and a semester or two of straight As at a Community College is what they’re looking for. The past won’t be unduly held against you.
You’re misinterpreting the “must not have attended college for a year” requirement. The point is that you need a break of at least one year somewhere in your educational history. That is usually not the year immediately before transferring to GS – the plurality of GSers are transferring from another institution, and usually were taking classes the semester before arriving at Columbia.
I can finally be a part of this. Im applying for the fall of 2015. Good luck everyone! But if your in my way Im stomping over you. 