<p>Is there something like a national database that'll allow them to do that? The reason I'm asking is because I briefly attended a college after high school and flunked out. I pretty much didn't even attend classes and didn't care about education.</p>
<p>Now it's years later and I want to finish my education, I got more mature. I've been attending a community college and have been doing very well. I plan to transfer to a better school but I don't want the previous college experience to haunt me (not only in the admission process, but also it'll affect my overall college GPA, which will hurt me for grad school later on too).</p>
<p>So I plan to not even mention it in my application. But I wonder if the college I apply to and find out anyway? I talked to a friend who used to be an admissions officer and she said they won't actively search for my history, nor is there a way for them to do so, but it'll be unethical for me to leave it out...</p>
<p>Yup, they can find out! Others can tell you the specific way they do so, but omitting previous transcripts can and has caused people’s degrees to be revoked. Again, others will be better able to comment, but if it has been long enough since you received the poor grades, there maybe some sort of grade forgiveness system in place. But above all, don’t omit the transcripts; doing so will likely cause you more trouble than submitting them.</p>
<p>There is a national database that colleges can use now–and it only takes a moment to do a search.</p>
<p>Note your friend “used to be” an admissions officer. The database is on the newer side and these days the colleges that have joined the database is fairly extensive.</p>
<p>Tossing morals aside, why would you want to look over your shoulder for the rest of your life, wondering when/if your degree could be revoked years or decades later?</p>
<p>Most colleges understand bad grades followed by a gap and then returning to school. Grad schools often look at the gpa in the major more seriously than the overall gpa. Etc. You can make it work.</p>
<p>There are so many students that did poorly at one time then years later they return to school with more maturity and do well. Send both school transcripts --it’s ethical (and yes, they will find out). You should mention your previous poor grades, but not spend a whole lot of time talking about your “bad years” --don’t dwell on it in your applications. If you write meaningful essays about where you are now, what you’ve learned, and your current goals, then should have some good transfer options :).</p>
<p>Universities require a transcript from all of your previous colleges before your application is considered to be complete. You can mention what you have learned from your experiences that led you to achieve terrible grades, and the steps that you have taken to recitify those issues. Illustrate how you became a more serious student. </p>
<p>Your GPA at your new school will be based on your work at the university, not on your grades from your previous school. If you earned a C or above (usually) you can get credit for the courses that you took at your previous school.</p>
<p>For grad school they are likely to look at your grades in your most recent 30-45 credit hours, and your GPA in your major. As long as those GPAs are good, then you will be eligible for admission. Other things matter for admission to graduate school as well. they need to see that you have “research potential,” meaning that you have completed some work on a research project (at your university) during your undergraduate career. You can apply for research internships to take part in during the summers, or during the school year. You also need letters of recommendation, experience in your field (volunteering, for instance), and good GRE scores.</p>