Non Traditional Student with a unique background

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hello, I am new to the forum and I have a question about transferring to some very competitive schools as a non traditional student- UVA, Georgetown, Boston College, William and Mary, Cornell, Vanderbilt, Emory, NYU, USC, and possibly Columbia University School of General Studies. I am also open to other suggestions.</p>

<p>Previously, I attended three different colleges on a baseball scholarship from 1999 to 2002. I left college early when I was drafted in the third round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. I played for professionally fo six years in the minors with two different organizations, but I was forced to retire after suffering my third major injury. I am currently 28 years old and a resident of Virginia.</p>

<p>After retiring from baseball I enrolled at a Virginia Community College full time for over the past year. I also have some ec's at the school
- 4.0 GPA 40 completed credits- and taking 12 credits this semester
- Business Club founder and president
- Phi Theta Kappa Member
- Member of World Affairs Council- attended Great Decisions lecture series last year</p>

<ul>
<li>I have also been part owner and operator of a real estate investment company</li>
<li>I attended and passes a real estate course (Arizona School of Real Estate) but never got my license.</li>
<li>I have been a volunteer baseball coach in youth leagues.</li>
<li>I also have two baseball cards that were in circulation by Upper Deck and Bowman</li>
</ul>

<p>The problem I am having stems from my years in college when I was a baseball player. Back then I worked extremely hard at baseball, but unfortunately, my grades suffered as a result. My priority was not in the classroom, which I regret today, but I did achieve my goal of playing baseball professionally. However, my GPA was only about a 2.85 cumulative in three years of college. After playing baseball for a while and experiencing a large part of this country and playing with people from many different backgrounds, I developed a real passion for learning and decided I would like to return to college, which I never thought I would do. I have since returned to school to prove myself academically and I have some great teacher recs and good extracurriculars- </p>

<p>Once again, old academic record is:
- cumulative 2.85 GPA in old days
- 1220 SAT out of high school in 1999
- Average to Average plus high school GPA</p>

<p>I am looking for some honest feedback on my chances for admission to some of these schools or any advice. Considering my unique situation it has become very difficult for me to honestly assess my situation. I am not sure how much weight will be given to my old, less than stellar, academic record. Since starting over, I have worked extremely hard and I hope that my work experience and current academic standing will provide me with some good opportunities. I am inteseted in majoring in Business or Economics, and International Relations.</p>

<p>Thank you</p>

2

<p>Wow, you certainly have a unique background. I assume you’ll be talking about baseball during your essays?</p>

<p>Your GPA during CC is a huge improvement, make sure you somehow mentioned your transition from 2.85 to 4.0, that will help your standing tremendously.</p>

<p>It’s hard to say what your chances are since you’re nontraditional, but I’d say maybe half of them you’re in. Good luck! :)</p>

3

<p>Well to start with I would say that you have a lot to be proud of and many colleges should be proud to accept you.</p>

<p>I would say that your hs grades and SAT’s are meaningless at this point.</p>

<p>Your previous college credits will need to be sent to any college that you apply to. However, I would guess that an admissions person will weigh your community college grades of the past year way more than what you did when you were an undergraduate who was focusing more on a baseball career. </p>

<p>The fact that you achieved your dream of playing baseball, have business experience and are also involved in your school and your community is a MAJOR PLUS!</p>

<p>Good luck…and continue reaching for your dreams!</p>

4

<p>I appreciate all of the positive feedback. It has been very difficult for me to judge my situation and my chances of admission. </p>

<p>Any advice from anyone on the forum about how to approach the admissions process or about which top schools I could be a competitive applicant at will be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>Thanks again</p>

5

<p>To approach it, make sure you emphasize your improvement over the years and definitely talk about baseball in your essays.</p>

6

<p>I will definitely emphasize my baseball. Does anyone know of any top school where nontradional students are more embraced? I know at some schools it is very rare for a person in their later 20’s to be accepted. </p>

<p>Anything else that anyone has to offer will be appreciated. I’m trying to cut down on the amount of applications that I am sending in. I would like to establish some form of cut off to places that are just beyond expectations. </p>

<p>If anyone needs any advice in return I will be more than happy to take a look.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

7

<p>Wouldnt the fact that you are significantly older than your classmates play a role in this decision? I dont think campus living is going to be appropriate at your age. At this point you have been successful as an adult and your future employment will be determined by that, not the name of the college you graduate from. As most people will tell you, once you are out of your 20’s-- where you went to school rarely comes up!</p>

8

<p>The age should be a factor in the decision, hopefully a positive one. I am not considering living on campus- I will get an apartment somewhere. The one thing I am giving consideration to is getting an MBA or going to law school. I know where you get your undergraduate degree can be influential in what grad programs you can get into. Also, I really enjoy learning and being in a good academic environment, seeing that I didn’t focus on that when I was playing sports in school the first time around. I figure that if I am putting all of this effort into returning to school that I might as well go to the best school possible. Just my way of looking at things.</p>

9

<p>You are an interesting candidate as the others say, but you do have some issues.</p>

<p>First, how many credits do you have? Many colleges won’t consider you if you have more than 2 years’ worth and most insist that you spend at least 2 years there to earn their degree.</p>

<p>Age can be a negative factor. The fact that you’re looking to live as an adult off campus brings up the question of how much you’ll bring to a campus.</p>

<p>I think programs like Columbia’s and others for non traditional students (Penn, Yale) may be your best bets.</p>

10

<p>I would not be opposed to living on campus if the right situation presented itself. However, I would be concerned with the maturity gap between a teenaged student and a student the age of someone myself, especially in a living situation. If I could get university housing that was geared more towards older students like myself or graduate school housing, I would be all for it. What I hope to bring to campus is my experience as a person and a commitment to getting the most out of a college education. </p>

<p>I have previously researched nontraditional programs like Columbia’s SGS, however, I was not sure what the academic reputation of a program like that is. As far as Yale, I have heard that only a handful of applicants are accepted each year.</p>

<p>In response to the issue with my credits, I am fully prepared to spend two years at any college that I enroll in, as the majority of my courses up to this point have not been above the 200 level.</p>