So let me explain my situation because I, like many other people, believe I am in a situation that is almost exclusive to me. In my sophomore year of high school I was recruited to attend a prep school, primarily for wrestling. I got decent grades and adequate SAT scores (610, 630, 610). I was admited to the University of Maryland as a physics major for the spring term when I applied in 2013 and was able to get admited for the fall through the influence of the wrestling coach.
When I got to Maryland I found myself exhausted by wrestling workouts (I was on the varsity NCAA Division 1 team) and sleeping through almost all my classes, only dragging myself to exams and turning in papers. I quit the team after my freshman year, hoping to take advantage of the outstanding physics program (wish my parents would have kicked my #%* then and sent me to community college). Unfortunately, all my friends were still wrestlers and athletes and I was not able to change my habits and my sophomore year was another train wreck. I was 100% disconnected from the academic community and had made almost no progress toward my physics degree. I had a 2.0 after four semesters(which was actually miraculous because like I said, I only went to exams and turned in papers), was on the bleeding edge of academic dismissal and couldn’t bring myself to change my habits at UMD.
So I decided to pack up and go to my local community college to get my life together. In the two semesters I’ve been at community college, I’ve taken 44 credits and achieved a 3.85 GPA taking the most challenging courses offered to transfer as a physics major.
Now I want to, and truly believe I have the potential to, continue to grad school for physics, and I’m wiling to do whatever it takes to get there, but those semesters at UMD will really crush my GPA. Only 12 credits have transferred to my community college and I’m willing to retake their equivalencies if I could just pretend Maryland never happened.
TLDR;
Is it possible for me to pretend I never went to the University of Maryland and start over fresh at my community college? If not how much will two very bad years at UMD hurt my chances of getting into grad school if I do everything else right from now on?
Thanks,
Rook
Also, what are my chances of getting into a top SUNY school (I live in NY) in the mean time? I’m thinking Stony Brook, Geneseo, Binghamton. I’m pretty sure I would have no problem with a 3.85 if it weren’t for my time at UMD.
No. It is not possible, and colleges will find out (there is a clearinghouse they can check). You need to finish up at a four year college and finish strong, proving that you can do the work in a four year environment – community college is good, but the proof for grad schools that you have changed your ways and have the chops for grad school will come in what you do after that. I can’t say it won’t hurt you in the grad school admission process, but if you do as well in your last couple years as you have done in community college, you have a good story to tell. Strong GREs (regular and physics) won’t hurt – honestly, your SATs originally were low for a physics major – it is one of the hardest majors. But I think grad schools will look harder at your latest accomplishments – you need to have strong grades and scores, though, to overcome those first couple of years.
Thanks for the input, intparent. Trust me when I say I know the difference between community college and a top four year school. For the first time in my life I am actually studying and I’m getting As in classes that were prefaced by the prof saying “I don’t really give As” lol
I had a similar situation at University of Maryland. PM me if you have further questions.
You cannot pretend UMD never happened. Nor should you, it’s a hook if you use it right.
I was dismissed December 2014 and spent the next 8 months working and diving into ECs (great internship, built a grassroots organization in our community, three jobs, etc.) then spent the fall and this semester working my ass off. Now I’m in Phi Theta Kappa, running two clubs, I’m actually set to graduate in the summer from this CC and I am presenting a research paper I’ve been working on independently at 2 research conferences on a topic I intend to pursue as my senior thesis (wherever I transfer), graduate work, and doctoral.
Learned my lesson, clear academic need, work and extracurricular, and incredibly compelling (I think) essays. I have guaranteed admissions to the state school (about the same level as UMD) but I want more so I’ve sought out higher tier universities and from what I gathered at the admissions office, through alumni, etc. they will look at if you actually have proven you can now thrive at their institution.