I am almost done with my freshman year of college and I am strongly considering transferring schools. I do not like my school and want to go back home to my state university, or another pretty well regarded private university where I have a friend that has offered to let me live with him should I transfer. Both of the schools I am applying to are schools I got into last year out of high school. However, I struggled in my first semester of college and put up a 2.52 GPA. This is due to a lot of other factors which make me feel like I can’t be successful here, and prompted my want to transfer. With that as motivation, I am doing much better this semester, and will have a 3.6 GPA if I can hold on in these classes. Unfortunately, the college won’t see that as by the time this semester ends, the colleges will already have made their desicions. I did well enough to get into these schools with a 4.0 weighted and 3.3 unweighted GPA in high school. So I assume my extra curricular activities, teacher recs (one of my professors from this semester, where I am doing better and have an A is writing a rec for me), SAT score, and more will all be good enough if I was able to get in last time. That being said, how much weight do you think the schools will put on that one semester at a university I do not like? I realize the GPA is not very competitive but at the same time, it was just one semester at a place I did not feel comfortable.
TL;DR: Does a poor GPA from one semester of college ruin my chances of transferring back into universities I was previously accepted into
I think the issue isn’t that it’s one semester. The issue is that it’s the only semester they’re going to see. It doesn’t matter whether you liked the school, though I imagine they would consider that it is common to have a rough first semester of college. Would they allow you to submit your midterm grades?
At most schools, it’s easier to get in as a transfer. Still, your high school grades matter less the further you get into college. There is a possibility you would get into these schools again; however, I would urge you to think about whether you’d be able to get merit scholarships from the school with your current GPA. Financial aid is usually slim pickings for transfer students.
Bluntly, it doesn’t look good: the supposition is that you couldn’t handle college level work.
It also matters how competitive the other 2 places are: would they normally take a student with a 2.5?
If not, do either of them do spring admits? if so, continuing in your current school for one more semester and applying in the fall (so that you apply with a 3.0 / strong improvement) will improve your chances considerably.
Are you sure that those factors will not follow you to the new college?
The plan is if I don’t get in this time to apply again for spring semester of course. I’d just prefer the sooner the better. I am more so just wondering how much damage the one semester does, which it sounds like is a lot. One of the schools lets me submit a mid grade report so I will be doing that. Fortunately, price really is not an issue. I just want to get in.
Oh and also a 2.5 is below the avearage at both of the schools, which is why I am worried.
TomSrOfBoston I believe so. They were not really academic issues, the college I was at was a difficult fit socially. If I am living with my friends at the university I am applying to, I think that I won’t be as sad and unwilling to do my schoolwork. I was really insecure and upset and haven’t made a single friend at my new college this year, and will be rooming random as a sophomore if I stay. I got shunned from some communities and activities I wanted to join, but I don’t expect these problems at other schools
Whether it’s feasible or possible, at all, also depends on space available, how much attrition they see. And then what those gaps are, that they need to fill.
I agree that not doing well can be seen as an issue of college rigor, your own maturity, etc. You’d need a darned good explanation for the grade drop. And that’s not social or bad luck of the draw in classes/profs.
You may want to go to community college if you truly dont want to stay. Then after a year at community college you can transfer to your state university.