Hi,
I used to be a regular lurker here when I was still in high school and thought I would seek advice here. I couldn’t find any other threads that covered my current predicament as my expulsion was not academically related and five years ago.
I graduated my high school class as salutatorian and had excellent test scores and attended NYU for a semester. My anxiety became a massive problem so I transferred to a private Catholic college closer to home and my then-boyfriend. No medication seemed to help and when my ex began using drugs I did as well. I took a medical leave of absence the spring of my sophomore year and checked myself into an inpatient mental health program to try to sort out my anxiety and depression. During this time off from school my drug usage increased and I was expelled for this during the fall of my junior year.
I went through a rehab program successfully after my expulsion and cut out all the negative influences in my life. I began seeing a new psychiatrist and am continuing with therapy to manage what I now know is OCD. Once I was sober for awhile I began cosmetology school and have been working full time as a hairdresser for two years now. My salon manager has been “grooming” me for a management position in another franchise location and she encouraged me to return to school and get my associates in business administration for the pay raise it would bring in. I was accepted into a community college by providing character references and agreeing to attend monthly meetings for at-risk, non-traditional students. I am the only one at these meetings without a criminal record.
I asked today how transferring to a four-year school would work given my past. I am thinking of pursuing something in the sciences because I am increasingly interested in the chemical and biological workings of the cosmetic products I use on a daily basis and really am enjoying being back in school (even if it’s only part-time right now). The faculty member leading these meetings basically said that my expulsion would follow me throughout my life and that I would need more character references down the road. When I asked about getting into a private institution rather than a state school, I was told they might not really consider me and that I shouldn’t get my heart set on it.
I am feeling discouraged right now. I am a totally different person than I was five years ago. I have learned from my mistakes, received as much help as I could, getting A’s in school, and am extremely stable in my life and in my job. Will any reputable four year schools even consider me? Also, when will my past really become my past? My reentry into college has invigorated my desire to learn and grow, however, I feel as though I am permanently tainted now for the poor decisions I made when I was 20.
tl;dr I was expelled for substance abuse five years ago and am back in community college. What is a realistic outcome when applying to transfer to a four-year school? Will this impact me getting a Master’s later on? How low should I set my expectations?