Failed 4-year school, going to community college

Parents Forum
1

<p>I recently failed my third semester at a fairly prestigious 4-year school due to a number of reasons. Now I am applying to a community college as a matriculated student (yes, I am enrolling in an AS degree program) and hoping to transfer to a new 4-year school for the fall or next spring. </p>

<p>But before I do this, do I need to withdraw from my current 4-year school? I am currently on leave of absence at this school. Basically what I want to do is start over completely as a freshman (by applying to this CC as a freshman) and wipe out my bad college record, but is this OK?</p>

2

<p>You’ll never be considered a freshman again. Your academic record as it is will stand.</p>

3

<p>No matter where you go, you will have to send every transcript to each new school you apply to in the future-- both the transcripts for the four-year prestigious school and the CC.</p>

4

<p>Officially withdraw from your current college before matriculating into a new college.</p>

<p>However, your understanding of magically going back in time to become a freshman again and starting over with a blank slate is not correct. Your academic record stands for all of time.</p>

5

<p>If he goes to another university and does well, will he ever have to show his transcript from his current one to a future employer?</p>

6

<p>Yes…However, he can explain during interviews how he overcame his bad start.</p>

7

<p>Ask for help at the CC. They’ve seen this before and may have some helpful advise.</p>

8

<p>It is best to officially withdraw, which may preserve the option of returning to the same college more easily than the usual admission process.</p>

<p>However, all of your college records need to be shown when you apply to transfer to a new college.</p>

9

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<p>I’m an employer, and we NEVER ask for someone’s transcript, even if they’ve recently graduated. If taxan21 has a decent explanation for moving around to different schools, and he/she showed a good attitude and good work ethic, this will be in the past.</p>

10

<p>Thanks for the responses guys. It’s kind of unfortunate to know that my bad academic record from my current college will stay with me for the rest of life. </p>

<p>What if I apply to the community college as a non-matriculating student, and later on enroll in a degree program and get an AS, and then transfer into a new 4-year school? </p>

<p>Also, what would be the potential consequences if I do not send the transcript from my 4-year college to this CC when applying as a matriculating student?</p>

11

<p>Generally the only degree on your resume is from the final degree granting college. Some employers, like the government, will ask for a transcript with a job application. Some industries have a requirement that you provide a transcript (after you accept and start your position.) There might be possibly some companies that ask for a transcript but they are few and far between and you can avoid them if you like. But yes, your transcript is a history of all your post secondary education…the good, the bad, the ugly. It’s entirely possible you may never need to see it ever again. I actually ordered a transcript when I found out there was a clearing house and it was interesting at age 50 something to see things i simply didn’t remember (classes I took, grades i got).</p>

<p>Pull yourself together put a few semesters in at the CC and go forth.</p>

12

<p>S2 just applied to a local school to take one course as a visiting, non-degree seeking student while he’s on a LOA. School wanted a letter from his home university verifying that he is in good standing, and if he were transferring, they are explicit about requiring ALL transcripts.</p>

<p>Yes, you’ll need to disclose, but colleges understand that some kids aren’t ready to handle everything involved with college. Do well at the CC and what happened at your first college will matter a lot less.</p>

13

<p>Family member here had two very unsuccessful years of college as an 18/19 year old. Flunked out. He worked in another field for 8 years and then reapplied to get his degree. Yes, he had to send his transcripts from flunk out school, along with his transcripts (which were terrific) from our local CC. He had a job offer well before graduation, and has never had to explain his flunk out years.</p>

<p>The thing you need to do now is do well. Don’t look back…look forward.</p>

14

<p>Even though right now you feel as though you want to start over, you don’t. It sounds as though you completed some credits during the first year. Plus, you may have some AP credits. </p>

<p>Go to advising at the CC. Get your transcripts and your AP scores sent to the CC. You may be very close to graduating with an associate’s degree. The grades you get at the CC will be your transferring GPA, I am nearly certain. Your local CC may have articulation agreements with universities around the region.</p>

<p>Lots of things go wrong in life. The best thing about AMERICA is that you get more chances. Good luck.</p>

15

<p>OP, to answer your other question about consequences, if you take any federal aid you can be prosecuted for a fraudulent application. If you get a job with the gov’t you will lose it for the same reason.</p>

16

<p>Um, I actually did exactly this - withdrew from my first 4 year college and applied to a different 4 year college as an incoming freshman using SAT scores and HS transcripts (1.5 years later and without doing the CC thing). First 4 year was University of Colorado and the second was Texas A&M. I was a new freshman all over again without my CU record in tow.</p>

<p>I was a full pay kid in both places if that matters to you.</p>

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<p>Re: #16</p>

<p>But were the colleges much less selective back then, and much less strict about checking all of your previous college attendance?</p>

18

<p>RE #16. It could be that you didn’t need aid. </p>

<p>As soon as you apply for financial aid (becasue of things like aggegate loan limits), any insititution you’ve previously attended, no matter how long ago, will appear. Since the fed has become increasingly strict about SAP, I imagine, students, even those claiming not to need aid at first, will be more carefully scrutinized now than they were in the past.</p>

19

<p>it was 1984 and 1986 so maybe, but don’t see why one couldn’t do the same now if they are willing to walk away from any of the credits they had earned in favor of starting over for a fresh GPA - and don’t need FA.</p>

<p>I did not state I had attended a previous college when applying to A&M - applied as an incoming freshman. Also applied and was accepted to UT-Austin the second go round, but chose A&M.</p>

<p>If you are applying as an incoming freshman with SAT scores and HS transcripts (like all other incoming freshman) and not asking for FA, why would they bother to see if you had attended school anywhere else before - and how would that “checking” actually go down and why?</p>

20

<p>Applications (and I cannot say ALL because I certainly do not know that) ask whether you have earned credits. Often there is a statement that you sign that says that everything on the application is true. </p>

<p>In the past few years, there have been some well publicized cases of people who were less than honest about their past experiences. Therefore, more questions are asked than in the past.</p>