Had a relatively bad experience in College and require some guidance or advice.

Applying to College
1

<p>Hey all,</p>

<p>New user here, I recently just left a private university in Chicago due to escalating tuition costs and just stress overall. I am now, or should be a Senior in college, currently trying to finish up my undergraduate degree whatever it may be and am considering taking another year of college after Senior year to make things right. My GPA took a huge hit during these last three years and I am strictly to blame for it. It is as of now at a 2.329.</p>

<p>To get to the real brunt of my reasoning, I just have not had a great or fantastic time at college because of various drawbacks and just downright discouraging experiences. There was a point when I began to experience huge levels of anxiety even attending class. I found myself locked up inside my home having an irrational fear of taking tests or utilizing a pen or pencil to complete assignments. There were times when I felt empty, almost hollow where I just could not get anything done or feel for anything anymore. These times were undoubtedly the scariest because not I feared for my own life.
My financial issues with parents began to accumulate during Freshman year when they were declined for the Parent PLUS Loan during the Spring semester. I began working 2-3 jobs simultaneously within a week, which often had late hours associated with them. The lack of sleep along with the stress ultimately collapsed during class sessions and developing personal relationships with my fellow peers. My best friend, in that same year, committed suicide in his dormitory. I found myself even more isolated and disconnected. I became confused and kept swapping majors from music to business. My parents kept emphasizing a medical field or a business field, which perplexed me even more. I was unable to make my own choices and thus, I suffered the consequences of not being able to express my own freedoms to my parents. For reference, I come from a family of first-generation Asian-Americans that immigrated to the States when I was relatively still young. </p>

<p>Come Sophomore year and Junior year, the problems increased dramatically. My father and mother were trying their hardest to also pay off the loans in monthly increments, but every semester we had the same issue of a blocked registration due to remaining balances on my student account. Not only was I not able to register for classes in time, but I found myself finding more and more jobs to do rather than focusing on school work.</p>

<p>I thought college was to start anew, to forget whatever high school tribulations I had, but at the same time these obstacles came back to haunt me later.</p>

<p>In essence, I left the university in hopes of taking a Fall semester off to clear my mind. My remaining balance at the university is $0.00 after paying off the rest of the sum, and I am hoping to transfer to U of I underneath an English Major and a marketing minor. Looking at my current GPA and erratic coursework in various degrees of studies, I am even wondering if they would consider me a promising applicant. I cannot retake courses at the current university that I left due to the insane amount of costs associated with tuition alone.</p>

<p>Currently, I am taking the semester off to cool my head and collect my thoughts on WHAT I really want to do in life. I have finally come to the conclusion that I love teaching and traveling. During my first semester in my Junior year, I met many international students that were excited and eager to learn English along with the cultures associated with it. At one point in my life, I was actually felt comfortable around people I didn't know and was actually happy to teach them! </p>

<p>However, at this point I just need advice in regards to how I can appeal this to the admission counsel in the instance I am denied, or how I can raise my GPA up. I consider myself an bright person that is able to pick up things quickly when it comes to information, but at the same time I lack proper sense in caring for my emotional and physical well-being. I am willing to stay longer in college if need be. At this point, there really are no excuses left for me anymore to not be doing what I would love to do in the future as a career, and being at home working long-hours has made me realize how much I miss education and seeing people. I am trying to better myself by working out and learning new languages to keep my mind agile and my body physically well before going back into collegiate academia. I have realized the value of my education and no longer wish to waste it despite these setbacks.</p>

2

<p>Short version, please correct if I’m missing anything
-recently just left a private university in Chicago, bills all paid up.
-3 years of worth of credits, 2.329

  • I am hoping to transfer to U of I underneath an English Major and a marketing minor.
  • Want to teach ESL.
  • How I can appeal this to the admission counsel (U of I?) in the instance I am denied, or how I can raise my GPA up</p>

<p>Not sure if you’re talking about UIUC or UIC.
Have you talked to someone at the U of I admissions office for the campus you are interested in? They could probably give you some insight as to whether you will be able to transfer there with your transcript and recommend options if you can’t. Would you consider a directional university. Northern Illinois might be an option.</p>

<p>I feel your pain and wish you luck, but in your discussions, keep the psychodrama out of it. </p>

<p>You might be able to register for courses as a non-degree student to boost your GPA. There are probably options. Go visit someone in the admissions office and ask your questions. </p>

<p>On the personal side, please seek therapy under your parents medical plan. You really could benefit from it. </p>

<p>Good luck. </p>

3

<p>You might find an excellent option at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. Your story is not uncommon, so expect a new college to understand it. Discuss possible majors with an academic advisor in your desired areas (Education, English), as they’ll know a lot more than the Admissions people on how best to complete a degree. Best of luck! <a href=“http://www.neiu.edu/”>http://www.neiu.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>You also might want to just consider ‘ditching’ college for a while if you can find a job teaching ESL. Google it. There are lots of companies and non-profits that will put you in Asia (see you have a connection) teaching ESL. You’ll get money, and something quite positive to then show to an admissions counselor that you are mature beyond words (can live abroad and hold down a successful job), and that you are indeed set on that major. I would also look into a minor in ESL, or a minor in English with ESL as the major; look for programs that give you that. A major in English is a worthless degree, for the most part, so you need work experience, or an Education major, or go to grad school to make that degree work for you. A lot of times, colleges won’t count CLEP or correspondence to raise you GPA, so the suggestion above to enroll as a non-major could help your GPA. I am not familiar with the Ill state system, but housing in Chambana is just as expensive as Chicago, so you’d be better off living at home and trying a local school, or looking for one of the other state schools that is smaller. Look into working abroad; you can do it for only one year, and that should show you can ‘do it’. to schools. I agree with you parents that music is a worthless degree as well, unless you get an education major in it to teach in schools. </p>

<p>I believe, also that you are part of the Midwest Exchange program being in Illinois, so you should look at state schools in other states. Check out Southeastern Missouri State and Univ. of Central Missouri, both reputable, but take lower standardized test scores and lower GPAs for transfers, and they give out of state waivers due to the exchange program. </p>

5

<p>You are below the minimum GPA for a transfer at UIC. The absolute minimum is 2.5, but to be competitive, you need a 3.0. UIC also requires that you have at least 60 hours of credit at the school to receive a bachelors.</p>

6

<p>jobrolackey, one needs a degree to teach ESL.</p>

<p>OP: Minnesota State Moorhead has a BS in Teaching ESL, as do U Nebraska Kearney, U Wisconsin Milwaulkee, and Wichita State. See if you can take a few community college courses to boost your GPA while working, and see what their transfer admission requirements are.</p>

7

<p>If NabiNabi has the money to get him/herself overseas to a language institute that trains its own instructors, or can pay for a CELTA course in the US or overseas, then yes there may be options for teaching ESL without a bachelor’s degree. However there are serious up-front costs to that. For more information on CELTA, check out <a href=“CELTA (Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) | Cambridge English”>http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english/teaching-qualifications/celta/&lt;/a&gt; When you have enough posts to send a PM, send one to fiona_ She did a CELTA course a number of years ago while taking a gap year.</p>

<p>If NabiNabi would like practical experience in ESL, he/she should check the adult ed and community education programs near where he/she lives. Some offer their own training for staffers, and might be willing to hire a current undergrad who is interested in that career field. If there are no paid positions available, there almost certainly are volunteer positions. I know that can be hard to fit around working multiple jobs, but may be worth a try.</p>