Hello,
So I just want to get a bit of advice from all you out there. This semester (I’m a senior) I took 4 college classes at a local community college through the dual enrollment program. Well about halfway through the semester I got really hurt and was in and out of the doctors and recovering to prevent surgery. With that being said I missed a bunch of classes, and missed the withdraw date by a couple days. I’m finishing out my last semester with 2 F’s, a D and a C. Last semester I made the deans list at the college and did really well which shows an upward trend. I’m going to retake 1 or 2 of the classes this summer and get a way better grade. My high school gpa will be a 3.1 at the end of the semester. Should I call the college and explain my circumstances? I really don’t want them to rethink my admission. Also, do I need to send a final college transcript if I’m already sending my high school transcript?
Your admission at UA, along with any scholarships, is based on your grades from 9th - 11th grade. At this point, all you need to do is graduate, and you’ll be fine. Submit your high school transcript . . . and I guess you can call and ask if they want your community college transcript, but I’m guessing that unless you want credit for any of the classes you took (maybe the one with a “C”?), it probably won’t even matter. But I’m not an expert of dual enrollment issues, so perhaps someone else who knows more about this can chime in.
Hope you’re finally back on your feet now and feeling better! 
A call to admissions or the registrar could clear up how Alabama handles transfer dual credit coursework. Dual credit classes might not be counted as part of your UA GPA. Thus, clean slate to begin at UA. The classes you passed at the community college would be credit, but no grade. But ask if those grades would still print on an official UA transcript so if you were to apply to graduate school, you would know you would need to proffer an explanation. If you don’t want to send the community college transcript, but are still looking for credit, consider a bit of self-study and then taking CLEP tests. Alabama is generous with CLEP credit. That may be easier and cheaper way for you to cash in on the coursework you already put in.
Definitely call the registrar, but when my son was in high school he took some classes at the local CC through the high school. He was told at the time that he “better do well” as these would count on his college gpa. These classes did transfer, although they ended up being general classes that really didn’t fulfill any requirements, however they did count as credits and I believe went against his overall gpa (not 100% sure about this as he got As in the class so started with a 4.0 like most freshmen.) I had heard in past CC and facebook conversations that some freshman who took classes before entering UA started out with a lower gpa because of those classes. Again, call the registrar to get the answers for sure.
By the way, we had to send the final transcript from the Community College too (I think it was required to do this, although this could have changed also.)
Classes from a community college (including dual enrollment classes taking during HS and during summers) will count towards your overall GPA at UA (as long as they are approved to transfer in); however, those grades do NOT count as part of your “UA GPA”, which is used to assess retaining the merit admissions scholarships, among other things. // I wish there was a way to be able to send only part of your community college transcript (the good grades of course!), but I don’t believe that is allowed.
At least it used to say that UA required copies of ALL college transcripts to be submitted. If you are going to retake some of the courses you will want to submit the transcripts so that you are credited with those grades/credits and the lower grades will also appear.
At UA higher grades do not replace lower grades in courses, if it is necessary to repeat a course both grades will appear on the transcript and are used in computing the (overall) GPA (or if courses are taken on campus in the overall and UA GPAs).
Also the overall GPA is the GPA that is used to determine scholarship eligibility and has to be kept above a 3.0 to remain in good standing with the automatic scholarships. The UA GPA is used to determine eligibility for the honors program and I believe it has to be kept above a 3.3 to maintain good standing with the honors college.
@jrcsmom I just read over the scholarship and honor’s college requirements for retention:
Engineering scholarship: “Students in the Engineering Scholarship Program are required to maintain a 3.000 cumulative institutional (UA) GPA. Transfer credit averages are not considered.”
Honor’s college: “Honors students are required to earn at least eighteen hours of Honors credit, including at least six hours of Honors Foundation courses, and graduate with an overall GPA of at least 3.3.”
The general scholarship one is a little vague: “This scholarship will be renewed each year for four years of undergraduate studies if you maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher each semester”
You’re right, I had that backwards - the general scholarship uses the same GPA as the engineering scholarship, which is the overall GPA and includes all grades transferred in.
Okay, I just checked with the UA registrar, and I was mistaken. You do need to submit your community college transcript, and the grades you receive this semester will affect your GPA.
I understand that you missed the deadline to withdraw from this semester’s classes, but what the registrar’s office suggested is that you file an appeal with the community college requesting a retroactive withdrawal. Support your appeal with some documentation of your medical situation.
In other words, an appeal to UA won’t help you - once those grades are on your transcript, they’re there to stay (even if you retake one or two of the classes over the summer). But an appeal to the community college could help - so that’s the route you should take. File an appeal with the community college ASAP!
Good luck!!!
I don’t think that’s correct. I thought it specifically stated (see post #6 above) that the Engineering Scholarship requires the student maintain a 3.0 cumulative UA GPA and that transfer credit averages are not considered.
And the general scholarships require the same:
“Students must maintain a **University of Alabama GPA of “3.0” ** to maintain scholarships awarded by Undergraduate Admissions.”
9 ^^^ Lucie is correct! We have checked and double checked on this matter. "Students must maintain a University of Alabama GPA of "3.0" to maintain scholarships awarded by Undergraduate Admissions." This does NOT include grades of classes transferred in from another institution.
Just to clear some things up, I am planning on rushing this fall and I know there is a GPA requirement. Will they be looking at my high school GPA or my overall UA gpa? I know my high school gpa is a 3.1 now which I believe is right above the minimum requirement to rush. Also, I am planning on applying to med school or nursing school, will these F’s affect my chances of getting in even though they’re general education classes and none of them are apart of my major? I am very confident better grades are to come these next semesters.
Don’t know about rushing, but GPA is critically important for med school admissions, and it’s going to be difficult to recover from those F’s - they will drag down your GPA. And, yes, med schools will be looking at overall GPA, not just the GPA in your major.
Again, I’d strongly urge you to file an appeal with the community college. If they’d be willing to let you withdraw from this semester’s courses, it’ll make things a heck of a lot easier for you.
What do you think, @mom2collegekids?
I agree 100% with @dodgersmom, @brooke4998. Your situation was beyond your control; definitely try to get them to allow you to “withdraw for medical reasons” retroactively.
I’m trying to get GPA information for you with regard to sororities. That’s a good question.
@brooke4998, are you planning to rush as a sophomore or a freshman?
@brooke4998, this is from a mom of a current sorority member:
"If she were my daughter this is what I would do: First, when she registers for recruitment, there is a option for a supplemental letter that can come from a coach, a teacher, an adviser, or someone who knows her really well. I would ask that person writing that letter to mention her illness and what she overcame that semester. I would then say something about her determination with redoing the classes to bring up her GPA or something like that. She can also explain the situation to the people writing her recommendations for each house. This allows them to comment on the drop in GPA also. I would assume if her grades are really good all up until that last semester, the houses would determine that there was an explanation for the drop and could see from the recommendations written on her behalf why that happened.
“There are girls who get into houses with lower than a 3.0, but the houses just want to make sure that the girls joining aren’t going to fail out of college.”
I hope that helps!
From another sorority mom:
“Okay, then here’s the answer: the 3.1 GPA includes the dual enrollment classes. They will appear on her high school transcript. Therefore, she will rush with a 3.1 GPA–and will be cut by some sororities (about half) that have greater than 3.0 GPA requirements to be successful in rush. However, she may have a successful rush with a 3.1 if she maximizes her opportunities every selection day. Then she has a 91% chance of a match if she is not picky on her choice of sororities. If she is picky, then she could cause herself to lose out on a bid as a freshman, and could re-rush as a sophomore using a UA GPA. However, unless classes are selected carefully, and she is heads down studying all year, she could end up with a similar GPA at UA–a 3.1 is not uncommon in college. She needs excellent recommendations explaining her situation and she needs a great positive, vibrant attitude going into rush. I’d use the secondary recommendation form for her counselor or teacher to describe the challenges she has had this year.”
Another comment from Mom 1:
“I agree with [Mom 2] that she needs to keep her options open to all houses. There are some houses that will drop her automatically because of their individual house cut-off grades. But there are a lot of houses that are open as long as she has an open mind and doesn’t limit houses. I’d make sure she has a well-rounded resume with grades, philanthropy, and activities highlighting her. Then come to rush with a friendly attitude and see what happens. The other advice to give her is to clean up all social media that might be a concern.”
@LucieTheLakie Is that a weighted 3.1? How do weighted grades fit in with automatic cuts?
@stra8up, I’m no expert on Greek life, but I think it really comes down to what’s on your official transcript. (That’s how UA determines scholarship eligibility FWIW.)
If you have specific questions about rushing a sorority, it might be a good time to start a new thread if you can’t find the answers to your questions when you search. I think the requirements are pretty consistent year to year, but I’m not really up on the intricacies of all of this. Sorry!