So, here’s my situation. I’m a rising senior and I was suspended from my current institution for a full academic year (so, two semesters) on charge that is, to put it mildly, pretty bad. I’m not comfortable with sharing what I was charged with—though I would be perfectly happy with telling any curious commenters what it isn’t. I’ve been thinking about possibly transferring to another college and finishing up my senior year there.
Before I was suspended, I was active in multiple groups on campus and my GPA is pretty good (3.7). I know that besides this thing on my transcript, I would be a viable candidate for several of the places I’ve considered applying to, but again, this thing is pretty bad. I’m truly ashamed of my actions, and I can see why an admissions board would see this thing on my transcript and decide not to accept me into their school.
I have two options here—at least, I think I do. I can either wait out the suspension—which I really don’t want to do and would really only do as a last resort. Or, I can try to transfer. I’m not stupid enough to think I can just not mention my suspension on my application, but I guess I need to know if it’s even an option for me to transfer. Would a school be willing to look past something as messed up as this suspension? If I express how remorseful I feel about my actions, will they believe me? Should I even bother?
Thank you for any and all advice.
It would be up to the new school. However, many schools have 30-60 credit at the new school requirement in order to issue a diploma. Check what the graduation requirement would be.
That’s fine. If I need to overload for a both semesters or take an additional semester with that, I don’t care. I just want to know if there’s literally even a chance I could get into any kind of school after what I did.
It is really hard to predict what a new school would do without knowing what you did (and I understand not wanting to say it here). If it is a violation of an ethics code (cheating, plagiarism, etc), that is different than something of a criminal nature. Obviously, you would need to be up front with why you are leaving your current school when you are a year away from finishing. Being dishonest or trying to hide it is not exactly showing a new school you are going to make better choices. The biggest obstacle I see is getting letters of recommendation from professors at the school you’re leaving, since you can’t reuse ones from high school. Again, not knowing what you did, it’s hard to know who at the old school is aware of your situation and asking someone who doesn’t know to put their reputation on the line for you is unethical.
Let me be blunt.
Your best option is to wait out the year. You will end up with a degree from your original institution; you won’t have to retake courses or figure out how to make credits transfer. I don’t know any college that’s going to let you do two semesters and then hand you a degree, so it’s going to cost you extra time and money-- you might as well graduate from your current college since you’ll likely end up in the same place- a BA summer of 2021.
Can you complete the degree at U Phoenix or another online place? Probably. But not knowing where you are- I’d only advise that if it’s a clear step up (or at least not a huge step down) in terms of academics vs. where you are.
If you were my kid- I’d encourage you to use the year to get a job and earn some $, do some community service type volunteer work as a sign of wanting to create some good karma in the universe, and then head back to college next September.
Without knowing what you did it’s hard to advise you- but if it were a generic “drugs in the dorm; he said/she said; plagiarism or violation of the honor code”, you are getting a great deal by being allowed to return after a year off campus. Take the deal.