Low GPA, stuck at a school I hate; what do I do?

Transfer Students
1

<p>I apologize for this being long, but I'm really in a bind right now.</p>

<p>I currently attend a small, private liberal arts college. I am a freshman, but I came into the school with 32 transfer credits from AP classes. My first semester of college was very emotionally straining, and I broke down. I passed 3 of my 4 courses, failing one miserably and receiving a 1.5 GPA which barely kept me in school. </p>

<p>This semester, I feel an amazing transformation in myself. I understand what I need to do in a college environment to succeed, and I've formed wonderful relationships with my professors and my first year adviser. I see an academic counselor once a week, and it's predicted that if I continue with the excellence I've portrayed thus far this semester, I can finish my first year with a solid 3.5 GPA.</p>

<p>Here's the rub: I do not want to stay at this school. I want to be a History major, a program which is depressingly weak here. I'd initially planned on transferring to UNC Chapel Hill, which I got into last year, but declined going because I felt uncomfortable with the size of the school. I feel very stuck at this school because of my GPA.</p>

<p>The good news about my college stats: I work 15 hours per week on campus and have 26 community service hours.</p>

<p>Here are my high school stats:
4.8 weighted GPA, 3.85 unweighted
8 AP classes (three 5's, three 4's, one 3, and one 2)
1340 SAT
Excellent essays, excellent teacher recommendations, lots of extracurriculars.</p>

<p>I still want to transfer to Chapel Hill, but I feel like this is impossible due to my college GPA. They don't allow for spring transfers. Chapel Hill has a great history program, I feel very comfortable with the campus now after several visits, and it's closer to home, which is an issue for me now.</p>

<p>My academic counselor says I have no choice but to stay here or drop out. Any other options?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Try applying for transfer now. Your HS grades will still be very important.</p>

<p>If you aren’t accepted this year, stay one more year and apply for transfer then. You do not necessarily need to transfer all of those AP credits. </p>

<p>You also could plan now for a gap year. Take a leave of absence at the end of this school year, work, volunteer, travel, or whatever, and apply for transfer next year. That would also give you time to come up with a longer list of places to apply to.</p>

3

<p>How can you have a 3.5 for the year after getting a 1.5 first semester. Do you mean a 3.5 second semester?</p>

<p>Your choices are to stay where you are and do well next year and apply as a junior transfer. Second option is to go to a CC and transfer from there after a year. Does NC have agreements between their CCs and UNC-CH?</p>

4

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<p>This is the best option from a financial perspective. Why pay so much money to be miserable and do poorly?</p>

5

<p>I’ve taken on a very heavy courseload this semester, and my academic adviser told me that if I continue to do well, I could end the year with a 3.5 overall. </p>

<p>All of my professors this semester are willing to write a letter of recommendation for me, so I was going to just fill out the application and send it in anyway. I’m reluctant to transfer to a community college because I’d have to deal with getting a house, car, etc. I’m paying for college on my own and received wonderful financial aid, both need-based and merit-based. I’ve considered staying here another semester and possibly transferring out in the spring, but I’d really like to end up at UNC Chapel Hill, and feel it will look bad if I’ve transferred twice.</p>

<p>Thank you for the advice so far. I feel sort of lost lately when I think about transferring, my future plans, etc. I’m pretty well on my own with all of this.</p>

6

<p>UNC only accepts fall transfers. With your fall stats, I think you would be better off transferring as a junior. If you find the school unbearable, consider the community college option. I have known of many students who were accepted to Carolina out of high school, went somewhere else with a rough fall and were denied as sophomore transfers. UNC will want to see you succeed for a full year at the college level. Your high school stats are an asset and will help some. But you will need at least a full year of college courses to offset the rough start.</p>