Will my first semester grades affect my ability to transfer for the following year? My second semester grades will be better, I’m just wondering what colleges base their decision off of.
i’m wondering the same - my first semester grades aren’t very good because i’ve been unhappy at my school and want to transfer! but i know i can get my grades up next semester…
Of course, they count but if you improve in the second semester it will help to make your case.
@Dantonucci92 It also depends on where you are going and whether on not the classes you took in the first semester are transferable. I heard that some colleges only take in account transferable classes, so for instance, if you got a C in a class that is not transferable, but is a prerequisite for a transferable class, they may see that C on your transcript, but probably would not care as much as if it was in a transferable class. Just try to focus on your academics going forward to make yourself a competitive candidate. Do not take more units than you can handle, mix “easy” classes with “hard” ones (you probably already know what comes to you easily and what requires some work, but generally a good combo is 2 humanities + 2 sciences or 2 sciences + 2 arts - balance it out). Also, make a use of resources like ratemyprofessor.com. Some colleges care about GPA (which your grades essentially reflect) more than others, so try to keep it up. Good luck!
Upward trends are good. Don’t worry about it. Just make sure you get those good second semester grades. 
Thank you so much!