<p>Right now, I really want to transfer colleges because I really dislike the college I'm attending(It just isn't for me). However, I failed one class and made a D in another in the same semester and the first semester I attended college, I was only a part time student.</p>
<p>Spring '10:
Biology I(4 hours)- F
Chemistry I(four hours)-D
English I(four hours)- -A
Calculus(four hours)- B</p>
<p>Summer '10:
Chemistry I(four hours)- A
Chemistry II(four hours) A+</p>
<p>How badly is the F and D going to hold me back if I apply to some place like Sweet briar, Mount Holyoke, Wellesley, or Bryn Mawr?</p>
<p>Also, my ACT was a meager 21 and my high school GPA was 3.4 with honors and a ton of volunteer service(I can list them if it helps). If I transferred, it would be for the fall of 2011 and I plan to take Organic chemistry, physics I, Calculus II, and English II.</p>
<p>Is there any way to increase my chances?</p>
<p>Thank you in advance. : ) Anything is greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>My college replaces the old grade with the current grade. So, when I send my transcript to prospective transfer schools, would they calculate my GPA their way or just look at the GPA on my transcript?</p>
<p>I mean, I know my GPA, but when you transfer to another college, do they add the two courses together and get the average of the two or replace the old grade with the new?</p>
<p>Usually, the old grade remains on the transcript but is not averaged in. The new grade will be calculated into your GPA by your orginal school. There the colleges you will be applying too will see the new GPA and not the old one.</p>
<p>I don’t think colleges add any courses together. I believe they look at both grades seperately. But if you get an F the first time you take it, then get say a B+ the second time, that shows a large improvement from the F.</p>
<p>Thank you so much. I wasn’t sure if it was similar to how medical school admission committees calculate GPA (Averaging the two grades together). I really do appreciate it.</p>
<p>Michigan is one of the schools that doesnt do this. The old grade stays and the new one just gets averaged in. It’s the only one that I know of though but i’m sure there are others.</p>
<p>Just a suggestion but your schedule seems pretty rough if you want to get a 4.0. I understand that a lot of people here believe that course rigor is important and all, but if you look at Andale’s transfer guide post he distinguishes rigor as being classes that aren’t pre-college math or cooking etc. So perhaps take 2 hard(er) classes and 2 easier classes. For instance, maybe an easier class is an upper division psych class or major class. I’m just suggesting things you don’t want to end up where you did that last full semester! </p>
<p>Evaluating the rigor of your course load is all relative: it has to do with your institution, it has to do with the student at hand.</p>
<p>In my opinion it would be harder to determine the real “rigor” of a schedule unless you take into consideration all these different factors, which, honestly, colleges don’t have time to do with all the applications they get in. Who knows, I could be wrong, but I don’t think stressing yourself out over a loaded semester will edge you that much more. </p>
<p>Very true. I was thinking that my schedule might be a little rough, but I only made an F in Biology and a D in chemistry because of my family life(everything went wrong) and I was not able to study for biology and chemistry because of it (Divorces can be nasty…). I know I’ll probably have to explain it to any one college that interviews me and I am a little worried that it’ll make me seem too immature for another college.</p>
<p>And thank you for the suggestion!</p>
<p>Oh. I’d like to add that the colleges I’m interested in transferring to are:
Sweet Briar, Wellesley, Hollins, Vanderbilt, and Bryn Mawr.</p>
<p>I don’t think it will make you seem immature. Divorces are rough; I can’t speak from personal experience but I’ve seen an ex-girlfriend be right in the middle of all that. The colleges you apply to will understand, I think, maybe because some of the committee has gone through that or (if they haven’t) they can’t comprehend the severity of it. </p>
<p>Wellesley looks awesome! I looked 'em up yesterday after I read this thread. I’m also applying to Vandy, so I wish you all the luck in the world. Their transfer rate is fairly high so don’t sweat it too much Bryn Mawr is nice…I had a friend go there and I’ve lived in that area before. She said she didn’t like the student environment (it was on the competitive side), but take that with a grain of salt (she was kinda an oddball lol). Bryn Mawr has a great reputation; same with Wellesley (so I read) and of course Vandy. As far as med, which I’m assuming you want to go into looking at your schedule, Vandy may be the best choice.</p>
<p>But I, like you, am applying to LACs despite wanting to go into med as well - I like myself a well rounded education. </p>
<p>Wellesley does look awesome! I really wanted to go there originally, but my family sort of forced me to graduate early so they wouldn’t have to deal with having to deal with child support(well, it was mainly my mom because she knew if they divorced that I would live with my dad) and such, which really screwed me over because I had the choice between community college and a state school that lives right down the road from where I live and the college environment there has also slowly made me depressed (everyone’s there because it’s easy, no one is actually interested in the classes, and everyone wants to party and there’s no sense of community). I really hope I get into at least one of my prospective colleges.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m a pre-med. : P It’s the only reason I’m taking physics, to be honest.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you as well! I heard medical school is difficult to get into. Are you a little worried about getting letters of recommendation from professors for medical school and are you applying your junior year or senior year?</p>
<p>Sounds like our institutions should be sister schools! lol. My school (in Nevada) is too easy. There’s ridiculous grade inflation and most to all of the classes, including upper division, are easy. People who graduate from here usually go on to have jobs in Nevada or continue to live in this area. There is really no culture for inspiring global citizens, if you get my drift. The frats and sororities own the school, and partying is big while academics, learning, and sharing knowledge are not. </p>
<p>A big portion of your app will be essays. It’s how you stand out. If you mold and re-mold those essays, I’m sure it will lead you to the school of your choice </p>
<p>I guess I should be a little worried about getting letters of rec for med school especially considering I’m transferring. But I kind of made a deal with myself that if I did get into where I wanted, I’d stay there three years (I’m currently a sophomore). I don’t mind if I get my degree in 5, as long as I’m happy and feel connected to the campus, students, and professors etc. I think I’ll apply my junior year, but that’s way off in the future. I’m trying to live in the moment </p>
<p>What ECs do you have going on? That’ll also be a hook on your application.</p>
<p>Ugh. Grade inflation is the only reason people pass the chemistry classes around here. It does sound like our schools should be sister schools. It’s exactly the same here. You go to school in Tennessee, you live and work in Tennessee the rest of your life and the people here usually stay in some “Tennessee bubble” that prevents them from learning anything outside of the Tennessee area!</p>
<p>I’m a little concerned about the essay. : ( Writing isn’t one of my strong points (nor is it one of my favorite subjects). I think it’ll help on the personal statement on the medical school application though.</p>
<p>If you’re staying for at least three years, then I think getting a good LoR should be less stressful. I might do what you’re doing as well since I’m sort of a semester behind because I went part time my first year in college.</p>
<p>Right now, the only college ECs I have going on are volunteering at a hospital(not so original, but I enjoy it), student government during the school year and all those committees that come with it(which I hope the school I get transferred into has a student government as well), and some tutoring. I might join this program until the spring that encourages middle school and high school women to go into science or math if the hospital volunteering doesn’t take too much time.</p>
<p>But in high school, I had a million of them. I don’t know if they’re still relevant though.</p>
<p>Well if you need help looking at those essays when you write them, I’d be more than happy to help. My schedule is fairly spread out this year so I have lots of time to do things. And don’t worry, I won’t sabotage you or anything! ;)</p>
you don’t want to end up where you did that last full semester! </p>