<p>So I went to community college for 2 years, and got accepted to UCSB as an econ major. The issue is that this school is literally killing me. The doctor said I am going to die if I stay here longer and it's not because of academic stress (I have an average GPA of 3.5), but because of the environment here. I was thinking of going back to community college, taking a few science classes and transferring to UC Berkeley or somewhere else as a health/nutritional science major.</p>
<p>I talked to UCB and they do take some high unit juniors... what do I need to do to stand out more and to get accepted? What other UCs accept high unit juniors (I know UCLA doesn't) and if I fail to get can I get back to UCSB (last chance desperation move)? Thanks.</p>
<p>Sounds like you need to take a medical leave and come back. Or are you saying you have some condition like COPD in high altitude? But how would that be different at Berkeley? Basically all colleges will look at the entirety of your transcripts. I don’t think going back to a CC is a good idea academically, just try for the transfer and plan B if you don’t make it. Then you haven’t formally left your university. </p>
<p>No it’s the type of people here. I am relentlessly bullied and can’t sleep at all for example. I did blood work and I am pre-diabetic - never even been close to diabetic my life. My triglycerides are insanely high (371!!!) and my total cholesterol is 280 (!!!). I am pretty much going to get all Fs this quarter cause I had to miss so many classes due to medical problems. Medical problems I never had til I came here.</p>
<p>I think going to Berkeley or another school I can just start over, and start from scratch. Go home, get my health back up and do it again. The thing is about 25 of my units from a community college aren’t UC transferable… does that factor in any? </p>
<p>Do you think college will be relevant soon? I was thinking of just saying screw it, and maybe in 5-10 years no one outside of law school or hospitals will care. After all everything you learn in college you can learn on the internet.</p>
<p>" I am pretty much going to get all Fs this quarter cause I had to miss so many classes due to medical problems. Medical problems I never had til I came here."</p>
<p>You won’t get all Fs if you march yourself into your advisor’s office right now, and start the paperwork for a medical leave of absence or medical withdrawal. If your physician thinks that the place is killing you, it should be pretty easy to get him/her to sign off on whatever the university asks him/her to sign.</p>
<p>Your health is what matters now. Get that medical leave. Go home. Get healthy. Then worry about when/where/if you want to go back to college.</p>
<p>Agree a semester of W is better than a semester of F. I’m not sure how the transcript looks when the withdraw is with full medical leave, it shouldn’t affect you. And if you get a medical leave you can have time to get healthy and consider what to do next from a little distance and perspective. Do what happymomof1 suggests now while you still have options.</p>
<p>^I third the medical leave suggestion. No impact on GPA and much better than the F’s you’re taking, plus it’ll provide you with time to get better, regroup, and find a college that fits you better.</p>
You have problems much more serious than anything a few sentences of advice on an internet forum are going to solve. You should be working with a counselor and your doctor to figure out a way to get your health back and what your next steps should be. </p>
<p>Sorry to hear that your experience at UCSB has been so stressful. As a student here myself, I know that the culture can be somewhat overwhelming—as a freshman I considered transferring because I was so unhappy here. Whether or not you decide to transfer is totally up to you, but there are some resources that may make your time here more enjoyable:
CAPS: Counseling and Psychological Services is a great place to check out. They have counseling both by appointment and on a drop-in basis (you can walk into the building and been seen by a professional the same day). They also offer group counseling. CAPS also houses the Mental Health Peer Program, a group of 10 students who are trained in peer-to-peer counseling. They are open 10am-4pm Monday through Friday and you can drop in at any time to talk to someone. They are great to talk to because they are also students, so they have a lot of the same stressors as you. You can also call their number at anytime: (805) 893-4411. After hours it will redirect you to a phone counseling line.
<a href=“http://caps.sa.ucsb.edu/”>http://caps.sa.ucsb.edu/</a>
Office of Student Life: The OSL is located in the Student Resource Building and they can help you through the process of taking a medical leave (paperwork etc.). They can also connect you with any other resources on campus you may need.
<a href=“http://osl.sa.ucsb.edu/”>http://osl.sa.ucsb.edu/</a>
These are just some of the resources that UCSB has to support you. If you’re not sure where to turn, call the Student Mental Health Coordinator’s office at (805) 893-3030 and they can help you figure out what your options are. Through getting involved on campus and counseling, I was able to make UCSB a place that I love, but I understand that it isn’t for everyone. No matter what you choose to do, know that there is support for you—you shouldn’t have to do this alone. </p>