I am in my mid 40s and have had a successful 30+ year career in IT.
I start my bachelors some 20+ years ago and left for financial reasons.
While I have wanted and tried to return to school earlier, it simply didn’t work out.
There is a fantastic four year university in my current hometown, and an equally fantastic community college (core and raise my GPA) also.
I had some great course, but also some great failures in my first foray in college.
I am not proud of where I am at, but determined to change that.
What I need guidance on is how/where to start?
Frankly, my GPA is low (1.5) because I withdrew from a bunch of classes at the end, failed one class miserably (math is not my best subject), and took a fail on the chin for being wrongly accused of plagiarism by the prof (in the past, don’t care, and plan to retake the equivalent class anyway).
Do I worry about raising my existing GPA, or do I simply start over, do my core classes at the CC (cheaper per credit hour), and finish my degree at the four year?
What can I expect for work credit? Can I test for some things to raise my GPA?
Guidance, suggestions, who to talk to would be greatly appreciated.
I’m in the same boat. And posting all over the place, but if I get replies its usually just ‘life advice’.
Anyway, its crazy, GPA follows you worse than if you had been convicted of a heinous crime 25 years ago. My GPA is shot, from some classes I blew off over 20 years ago. You need to start talking to the 4-yr you want to transfer to now. Make sure you will even have a chance of getting in. I’ve talked to some schools and each one is different. The bad, you may find out that school is going to be tough to get into and may have to find alternatives to finish up the 4-yr.
Yes you definitely need to work on getting that GPA up. Also, look into getting an ‘amnesty’ for some of those older classes. You should be able to no problem, that will help bring the GPA up. Most important, start talking to the school(s) you want to transfer to. Otherwise, if you are just going to stay at the CC and finish GPA doesn’t matter.
Go visit both institutions. Speak with the admissions officers responsible for Non-Traditional students. Ask about credit for experience. Some institutions do have systems for awarding that. Also, ask about enrolling for just one or two classes in non-degree status so that you can show them what you now are capable of before applying formally for admission as a degree candidate.
Yes, you will have to submit those old ugly transcripts, but depending on what you have been doing in the intervening years and what you want to study now, your old grades might not affect your admission at all.
Wishing you all the best!!
I am in the same boat. Graduated 20 years ago, took several college classes over the years and even failed entire semesters when life/work got in the way (not being savvy abut dropping classes, etc.)
It seems we cannot avoid the old transcripts and “start over” ---- they follow us much to my dismay.
With the old grades you may be able to explore the following options depending on what the institution you initially took the class offers / allows:
- Deletion of the entire transcript based on how old the transcript is (you will lose all classes good & bad this way)
- Academic Renewal / Academic Forgiveness
- Repeat all classes you received a subpar grade in
Where to start?
- Gather unofficial or official copies of all college transcripts (it may help to bring your HS transcripts too)
- Scheduling a meeting with a councilor at your local community college, bring copies of all your old transcripts and see if the cc councilor knows if any of the options I mentioned above (or other options) are available to you to help you either start fresh or to pull up and improve your GPA. Be sure to also ask the councilor if the institution accepts the method of "grade forgiveness"...... and in my state it seems only the public institutions honor grade forgiveness so it is best to know that from the outset and plan accordingly.
- Follow up with whatever advice the councilor gives you about grade forgiveness at each college you attended in the past.
- Get an educational plan and enroll in class so you can transfer.
This is as far as I have gotten on the path… best of luck!