<p>I am in a fairly unique situation I think. Back in 2001 I went to the University of IL. I did alright for a semester but I really didn't want to be there and after that it went downhill. What I really wanted to do was join the military so I did that, however like an idiot this resulted in me having a full slate of incompletes in my second year when I wasn't even around(couldn't withdraw). Anyway, so I did my 4 years in the Marines. I got out honorably and did summer classes this year at UIC(non-degree program) and got a pair of A's. I got a 1580 on the SAT back when it was out of 1600. How do I deal with this? I'd much rather just be accepted as a freshman and have my past wiped clean but apparently it's as easy as a google search nowadays for any college to find out what a slacker I was...even if that really doesn't reflect the way I am now(seeing as how I was fighting a war while my competitors in the application game were in 9th grade). </p>
<p>Any ideas? Do schools even care about SATs anymore?</p>
<p>unfortunately because you were enrolled, you will have to be considered a transfer student</p>
<p>also, somewhat unfortunately because your sat scores are so old, they will not be considered</p>
<p>I don't know a whole lot about this, but I believe there was a thread earlier about nontraditional transfers and transfers for older students - I'm sure Andale or others could direct you to some good resources</p>
<p>RandomGuy.... I wish I actually did know more about your situation, but as it is, in fact, unique... I can't say that I have seen your particular situation.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, I don't think you need to worry about trying to have a clean slate. You have a good story. You have turned around your academic focus and schools will see that. So just show all of your college work on your application and use your essays to explain the path you have taken.</p>
<p>What schools/type of schools are you targeting? </p>
<p>Your extremely high SAT will be a big plus, imo. However, rofflez might be correct that the scores may be too old especially because of the new SAT format. I'm not entirely sure that this is true for all schools. You may have to check school by school or wait for others to confirm his information. Still, you can use them to your advantage. You can find a place to report that score on your app even if it won't "officially" count. You can also consider re-taking... I imagine you'll still get high scores (once a good tester always a good tester?).</p>
<p>I am assuming that you were enrolled full time back in 2001. That will usually make you a transfer, but if you were part-time... it's possible (not likely) that you will apply as a freshman.</p>
<p>Let us know what schools you're thinking of. Most likely, a good plan will be for you to contact a Transfer Admissions officer at one of the schools and talk over your situation. Most of these folks see themselves as admissions counselors (helping mode) as much as or more than gatekeeper.</p>
<p>I'm applying to a variety of places. First to a small liberal arts college but if that doesn't work I'm going to try to apply to a school wherever my girlfriend gets a job(remember I'm 25, I'm not following my high school sweetheart only to be dumped after a bad toga party). She might know where she's going next week. My special concerns:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>I'd prefer a school where my old GPA wouldn't factor into my new GPA...I understand that if I tried to go to grad school I'd still have to report my old GPA but I don't think I'd be expected to report it to a potential employer. Also I'd rather not totally make it impossible to ever get any kind of honors recognition or whatever.</p></li>
<li><p>I don't care about credit for my old college work, even A's. My AP scores(have like 8 of them) will cover pre-reqs. I don't want to take(COMP 101, Calc 101, whatever). At U of I they all added up to 34 credit hours. Since I have the new GI bill to take advantage of, I have 8 semesters that I will get a good deal of money for as long as I'm in class. So I got no problem taking 12 credit hours a semester, getting good grades, taking all four years. At a state school I'll get a free ride plus 1000 for books a year and 1200-1500 or so a month for housing(I get whatever an E-5 with dependents gets in that county...but I don't have dependents so if I live like a poor college student I'll be able to cover all my expenses I think with that). </p></li>
<li><p>I don't really want to go to a community college. I'd rather go to a crappy university where I can take more useful classes based on the pre-reqs I already have with AP scores and maybe transfer again from there. </p></li>
<li><p>Some schools seem to have minimum GPA requirements of 2.5 or so. I don't even have that I don't think. Anyway, do they really want me to go to a community college and just take like 18 credit hours for a couple of semesters in like, every 101 class I can find till I have so many meaningless A's it cancels out my meaningless F's or what? Maybe find the lamest online college I can find that is accredited and do that while I do another 4 years in the military? </p></li>
</ol>
<p>My College Board report will say something like this:</p>
<p>SAT I
Math 780
Verbal 800</p>
<p>SAT II
Literature 800
Math 700
Some other scores in the high 600 low 700 range, I can't recall...I sent one school a report from them but it cost me 20 bucks since apparently back in 2000 they were using punch cards to store data and can't access it with a simple keystroke now).</p>
<p>AP's
American History 5
Calculus BC 3<br>
Everything else I got a 4 on:
Euro History
English Language
English Comp
Physics C Mechanics
Chemistry</p>
<p>Oh also, I might be able to go to a private school, provided it's not super fancy pants. I'm not one of these people that thinks just because a school is private means it's necessarily any better than the state school next door. However since I am now POOR as far FAFSA goes(since I'm not longer someone's dependent) I figure I will have a good shot at financial aid depending on how the school factors in my GI Bill or if they hold my IRA against me.</p>
<p>You seem to have your head on pretty straight about this. I think you should contact the admissions offices of the schools that you are interested in directly. They have worked with a lot of returned veterans and will know exactly how to advise you.</p>
<p>Every time you apply to an accredited college or university in the US you will have to provide transcripts (no matter how ugly) from every accredited college/university/community college in the US that you have studied at. And, even though your new school may accept some of your old credits for transfer, normally the grades you earned in those classes won't appear on the new transcript, just X credits of whatever it is they give you credit for.</p>
<p>No employer you would actually want to work for will hold your first year of college against you considering that you are a MARINE for crying out loud, and that you are going to have what I fully expect will be fantastic grades and faculty recommendations after finishing your degree. </p>
<p>As far as FAFSA is concerned, your IRA and any other retirement accounts you have, don't count as savings. Any money you deposit this year will appear as income for the 2009 FAFSA, but the old money in there won't appear as savings, and this year's deposit won't appear in future years as savings.</p>
<p>Also, check out University of Maryland University College. They have a number of on-base locations (in the US and abroad) as well as on-line courses. Active military and dependents pay in-state tuition.</p>
<p>Best wishes for much success from this Marine-Aunt and Aunt-in-law!</p>