Life Changing Decisions from UC Davis

<p>I’m a transfer student to UC Davis majoring in Psychology and I’ve started school in Fall 2010, it took a lot of adjustments to adapt to a quarter system from a semester system. Fall quarter of 2010, I did terrible, my GPA was at 1.50. So I was placed an academic disqualification, and that placed a lot of pressure on me of course because I was placed on contract. Then I took classes the next quarter trying my best to pull my GPA up, but I fell short. It was heart-breaking, I literally teared up seeing the devastating grade that got me dismissed from the institution. </p>

<p>I’ve went to see the advisor and they’ve put me on summer contract to pull my grades up and unfortunately, I have to pay for summer tuition fees out of my own pockets let alone living a school-less quarter (3 months) without financial aid to help cover for living expenses. My girlfriend was supportive about my situation and offered to help me pay 2 months worth of rent by taking out loans since she was still in school. </p>

<p>I did not had the courage to tell my family I was kicked out from school since no child would ever want to let their family down, so I had to live a lie. My roommate from high school just graduated during that Spring quarter when I was dismissed, it was quite depressing to witness successors that I was suppose to graduate with as a class of 2011 graduate while I was not even in school. I tried to be optimistic and let myself know that this kind off success can be achieved.</p>

<p>I had to borrow around 13k just for summer tuitions and living expenses to be covered, even though I felt terrible guilty, the amount of money borrowed from my parents and siblings motivated me to give everything I got in summer. Remarkably, I pulled through and got myself back into the system, just when I thought my nightmare was over, I missed the deadline to submit re-enrolment application for fall quarter, so I had to live another 3 school-less months. I was excited and focused to get everything together as I tried to change to Human Development Major, I made sure I attended office hours, completed extra credits when offered to eliminate all excuses that will possible get me kicked out of school again.</p>

<p>In the end, I’ve failed again and my nightmare repeated once more! I was dismissed from Spring quarter AGAIN! I felt like everything was going well, I studied hard, and did everything I could. I felt completely helpless by my D letter grade and I had to see an advisor. It was the same cycle and procedure for this summer; pulling myself back up again. The advisor showed pity and understood that everyone around me is graduating and I just wanted to get everything done, she said that I’ve already maxed out on Junior College units and that I must get it done here at UC Davis. </p>

<p>This tragedy has returned on haunt me, I had planned to live with my girlfriend’s former house-mates and my current house-mates but I’m afraid I will have to back out on them. Realizing time is ticking, I’ve applied to 10 different jobs since I was completely desperate for income for summer school tuition fees and not having to back out on my buddies for leasing.</p>

<p>That’s when I had to think to myself, what must I really really do? Live a lie again and ask my family for another 14k or just take my room-mate’s advice about “davis not being the right school for me”. My girlfriend was being supportive and realistic, she notices that this is the second tragedy, she stated that it is highly possible that even if I pull through summer classes with good grades, I might not survive Fall quarter to stay in school permanently with a “good standing”. By then, everything is rock bottom since I will be banned from all UC institutions and I will be school-less for 6 months to deal with rent not being covered by financial aid, my girlfriend will not be able to back me up either since she’s done with school. </p>

<p>My high school buddies that are 5th years just graduated today as well. I am happy for their success but comparing myself to where they are just makes me unhappy, insecure, hopeless, and depressed. What I doing with my life? I’ve wasted so much time here in Davis, and disappointed myself and my family. Even though I am in definite discouragement, I feel that the right thing to do is just to move back home and look for another alternative.</p>

<p>If you have attended or currently attending UC Davis, an alumni, or have encountered the same road block that I am currently experiencing, please do not hesitate to give me some wise words of advice.</p>

<p>Go to CAPS. It’s right across the MU. Do it before it’s too late.</p>

<p>Hey man,</p>

<p>Everyone experiences some road blocks and difficulties at some point. I think it’s best if you went and talk to the CAPS people so you are able to find the root of your difficulties. Talking with the academic advisers are good from a cold, hard education standpoint, but they aren’t able to do much in terms of finding why you are having problems since they aren’t trained for that sort of thing and they have too many people to take care of. It is best if you talk to the trained professionals at CAPS so that they can help you find out what is wrong and how to get you back up to speed with all the schoolwork. Plus, they can really go to bat for you when it comes to readmission and stuff. </p>

<p>All the best!</p>

<p>what do you plan on doing with your major?
are you sure college is right for you? (not just here in davis, but anywhere)
nowadays, going to college is really pushed as being really really important. but it isn’t for everyone.</p>

<p>We all have struggles in our life and that’s what makes the achievements we earn so gratifying. The good thing is that nowadays you can go anywhere and get the help you need to persevere through those difficult times. What are some of your strengths?</p>

<p>You seem to be too focused on trying to get into UCD so much and you keep talking about how everyone around you is graduating. You also stated that, “I am happy for their success but comparing myself to where they are just makes me unhappy, insecure, hopeless, and depressed.” Like one of the posts above, I ask the same question. Is college right for you at the moment? Is UCD right for you? It is not the end of the world if you don’t graduate from UCD or any UC. Why not try other alternative schools such as CSU’s or some private university? How about focusing on an AA or working for now? In my humble opinion, you shouldn’t put yourself into massive debt to the point where your living situation is just as you described, just to get a degree from UCD. You should be honest with your family because if you keep living a lie you’ll may end up borrowing more money and you’ll be making it hard on yourself. Sure, they may be angry at first but I doubt they will hate or disown you. I know it may be scary, but you know, if you really open up to them and become honest with them, they’ll probably help you. I applaud you for your hard work and you shouldn’t put yourself down or compare yourself to others. You should do what is best for you, good luck!</p>