Left State College. thinking about going back to CC (to get into University)?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey guys, first post here. I'm almost 24 now and left my state college almost 4 years ago (wow, time flies!).. I have always been smart and a good student, but slacked off a bit in high school and graduated with about an average GPA, although I did get an Advanced Regents Diploma. I have always been very good with math and science, and my HS counselor always recommended I get into Electrical Engineering or Accounting.
.... But I completed HS with a focus on some business classes, and went on to my local State College (SUNY Buffalo State) as a Pre-Business Admin major.</p>

<p>I was in kind of a weird/bad place in my life when I started college, and didn't take it seriously. I'm really regretting this now. My PELL grants, TAP, FAFSA, and financial aid would have been enough to pretty much pay my tuition completely (About $3-4k/sem), but I stupidly took out Student Loans to cover most of my tuition, and received $3-4k "Refund Checks" from those grants & financial aid for "living expenses".
.... But I was living in my father's house (still am), and never needed those Refund Checks. Should have had them pay for my tuition, and not take out any student loans. I had/have a bit of a drug problem, and now I'm $11,000 in debt.</p>

<p>I lost my motivation and drive and completely slacked off in school. I attended about 5 semesters total (Fall 2008 - Fall 2010). My first year was okay, but after that I completely lost it and my grades suffered. .... My 2nd to last semester (Spring 2010) was so bad, that I took a medical leave of absence and had my grades from that withdrawn completely. I had a bad drug experience that left me mentally incapable.
..... I returned the next semester (Fall 2010) which is the last semester I completed at Buffalo State. My grades for that were 4 D's and a C. This is when I left the school completely on a medical leave of absense. A year passed, I applied for re-admission the following Fall (2011), but my anxiety was so bad that I dropped out before the 2-week Add/Drop period was over. Since I started college, I've been thinking of switching my major to "Electrical Engineering Tech", but my grades were to bad to even think about it.</p>

<p>So yeah, I completely messed up my grades, my GPA is now a 1.64. I attempted 64 credit hours total, and passed/earned 46 of those hours. I was on academic probation for every semester but one (just noticed I was on probation for my 1st semester there which doesn't make much sense?)
............. The only good thing out of all of this, is that all the classes that I did take, were mostly gen. ed classes. I didn't take any "major" classes because I was a Pre-Business Major, and knew I wanted to change my major but didn't know what to do with my life. Now I'm pretty sure I want to be an Electrical Engineer, I know the work is going to be extremely hard but I'm very good at math & science, and smart.</p>

<p>Now here's my dilemma. I'm just now finding out that my college's "Electrical Engineering Technology" program won't get me a career as an Electrical Engineer, but as a technician for an Engineer, with lower pay. Should I go to CC for a semester or 2 to try to get my grades up, and than try to get into a local University (great school), that would accredit me as an Electrical Engineer?</p>

<p>A little side note, my college councilor recommended that I retake the classes that I have low grades in (D's and E's), to get my GPA up. She also said that doing this at CC wouldn't be a bad idea, since my local CC and the state college I attended are both SUNY school's, and most credits should transfer.</p>

<p>I know this a long read but I have been really struggling. I feel I've wasted a very important time of my life, my younger brother is graduating this semester in Financing/Accounting at a great school, and already has a great job with a high pay promised when he graduates. And my best friend just moved to California and started out making $70k/yr in Audio/Visual work, right after he graduated.
.... I'm still not really sure what I want to do with my life but I have been enjoying tinkering with electronics (e-cig, guitar) more and more lately. I'm completely lost and helpless, anxious/depressed all the time, lost my social life, I don't know what to do. I think I should go back to school</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

2

<p>Tomorrow, get yourself over to the admissions office of the closest community college, and sit down with a counselor there. Find out how to get the advice you need about re-starting your life. They are expert at helping people do this.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the response!! I will go and do that. I’m just wondering if it would be best for me to go to community college for a semester or 2 to get my grades up, and than try to get into the university. Or if I should just go back to my old state college, re-do the classes I got poor grades in and up my GPA for a few semesters, than try to transfer to the university.
… I guess college advisers would know the best answer for me and my situation though, thanks!</p>

<p>I’ve wasted so much time, I feel so far behind everyone… But at least I’m not doing this at 30 I guess.</p>

4

<p>I’m also kind of upset that I missed my chance to live any sort of “college” lifestyle. Dorming was out of the question due to cost, but I could have used those refund checks to live off campus. My state college is right down on the strip, in a cool hip district, that would’ve been cool. I guess 24 isn’t too old to do that but now I need to seriously focus on building a career</p>

5

<p>You need to look at schools and their admissions policies. Some universities will allow you to make up Ds and Fs, others will average the two grades together for your GPA. The fact is with a 1.64 and so many units you will find it incredibly hard to get your gpa up to any competitive level. To reiterate recalculate your GPA with the Ds and Fs replaced and find a school willing to accept a student at that level. </p>

6

<p>Ok thanks. So it sounds like I pretty much ruined my chance to have a succesful career in Electrical Engineering. Is it even worth going back to school if I can’t get my GPA up? Who would want to hire someone with such a low GPA and no job experience. Is it worth putting in all this time and money?</p>

7

<p>bump</p>

8

<p>And bomer, I’m pretty sure my 1.6 GPA include’s all my D’s and E’s (F’s)… If that is what you meant?</p>

9

<p>I’m wondering if I should schedule an appointment with an advisor at my old state college, or with an advisor at a local CC… Probably the school I went to before, right?</p>