<p>Hi there. I am definitely not your average CC poster. I flunked out of college last fall term, for various reasons, and I'm now reapplying for admittance for spring '09. I'm currently spending two semester at my local JUCO so raise my GPA and hopefully continue what I failed to do a year ago. I applied to a few state schools and a private school (they're generous with financial aid -- as for current status of the economy, I think they're going to be a bit stingy). Right now I'm just praying for just ONE school to accept me.</p>
<p>So far here are the results:
UIC: rejected
(I was wishing so hard for this to be my second chance, but it took them less than a week to make the decision)
EIU: status unkown
ISU: status unkown
St. Xavier: status unkown</p>
<p>I just need some words of encouragement since I just received UIC's rejection letter today. . .I'm honestly on the verge of tears. I'm not sure how will I cope if I'm rejected from the other three. I'll be at least a year late graduating, that is if I ever finish my undergraduate degree. College is definitely not the best years of MY life. I honestly feel like it's high school, just thinking about is dread and I want the nightmare to end.</p>
<p>Of course I really want to, but WHEN will I get it?!? That's the question. I don't care where, well okay I do, but I don't have that luxury. What makes it worse is that I come from a family who values education, so I'm definitely a major disappointment. Any parents have ideas on what I can do for six months if I'm not accepted anywhere? My self-esteem is crushed and these are the times I wish I can turn the clock around.</p>
<p>I hope you will be successful in your current applications. But, if not....</p>
<p>I'd suggest you complete 2 years at your junior college. This would show the 4-years, where you might transfer, that you have really turned things around. It might be just a little too soon for them to see that you will fulfill your promise. You may know it inside, but they might want to see a few semesters of the "proof." Because right now they have that one bad term to look at and one good juco term plus the beginning of this one, right?</p>
<p>I agree with thumper. It will happen. Stick with it.</p>
<p>If you haven't visited the transfer forum, take a look over there. There's even a thread or two about folks with bad hs records or bad early college records, who turned things around.</p>
<p>S3 tried to re-apply after failing and the school told him to get his 2 yr degree at the CC then come back. You should consider this option if the other does not work out. Contact UIC and ask if that would improve your odds. In our state getting your associates degree at one of the state CC's guarantees your admission to one of the state u's.</p>
<p>Coming into my JUCO I already completed half of the requirements for my chosen AA. Maybe I should I stay another two years and choose a different field? Ugh. Okay then.</p>
<p>Have you spoken with your school's academic advisors to map out a plan for your associates degree? Ideally, you should be working toward a degree that will transfer directly into a public school in your state. The articulation agreements will be extremely helpful for you. Your advisor should be able to give you some direction as to how to best handle this.</p>
<p>You sound ready to get down to business & make things work. That attitude WILL get you your degree. If it takes a couple years more than you had thought it would ... oh, well. By the time you get to be my age, you'll feel like it took no time at all.</p>
<p>Hang in there. I also had a bad start to college. Many people do. Many people do not graduate in 4 years, so do not set that as a goal that you have to achieve or you will be a failure. I believe that the experience that you are going through can make you stronger in the end, if you want it to. That has been my experience and the experience of many people I know. When I graduated, I was 2 years older than many of the other graduates in my field, and I believe the maturity and life experience was what enabled me to climb the ladder much more quickly in the first few years. I was given more responsibility than my peers, I believe because of just that much more maturity and experience. Learn from your mistakes. Think 5 years down the road. You will be 5 years older and you can choose - will I have a college degree, or be well on my way towards one? Like kelsmom said, when you are older and you look back, an extra year or two doesn't make much difference in the larger scheme of things.</p>
<p>See your adviser and map out a plan that will transfer. If you do it and graduate with your bachelors in 5 years instead of 4 so be it. Doing some in CC is cheaper and will make up for the extra time. If you do not do this you will be the same age in 5 years, you just won't have the degree. If you don't talk to the adviser about the plan, you could end up with a lot of credits that don't transfer and it will take even longer. Go talk to them. They want you to succeed, too.</p>
<p>I wish you luck. If you give them a year's track record of doing well, you will be accepted somewhere. Right now it's just too close to your first year fall out for anyone to feel confident that you are ready.</p>
<p>Singersmom07, I have met with my academic adviser and worked out a plan for my AA in which I will complete this winter. I think cptofthehouse is right, the timing of my fall out was too close. I'll have junior standing by the end of this year, so I can't earn anymore credits or else I'll be wasting money. I may have to suck it up and choose another field or wait till next year and apply as a fall transfer for '09.</p>
<p>The other thing you can do is look for a college where you can take upper level courses. Even if you cannot apply some of the credits towards graduation, at least you will be preparing yourself better and looking better to a college. Some of such schools have courses you can take as a non matriculating student. If you do well enough you can apply to become a matriculating student and get the credits for graduation.</p>
<p>UIC rejected my nephew as a transfer too. I wonder if they limit transfers? I'd be very surprised if one of those other schools doesn't accept you. Good thing you're getting your AA - more credits will transfer. Be sure to check this aspect out.</p>
<p>At UIC, they base the number of allowed transfers based off of the number of current students. Since the retention rate have reached all time highs, the number of transfers have decreased. For UIC, they like to see a GPA greater than 3.0. Some colleges have some weird transfer requirements, also.
Remember, UIC is the most selective of the schools you applied to. EIU has fairly open admissions policy.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>...but it took them less than a week to make the decision<<</p>
</blockquote>
<br>
<p>Don't get discouraged by the swiftness of one rejection. I recall when I was applying to Ph.D. programs, one school rejected me basically by return mail. I got the thin envelope back so fast it made me wonder whether they had even opened and read my application. But in the end I got accepted to a couple of other fine programs and was very successful. Results at one school do not necessarily indicate results at all your schools.</p>
<p>Based upon your choices, I'm guessing you're in the Chicago area? If so, what about Roosevelt and Chicago State? I'm not sure how Dominican is with financial aid, but it's also nearby.</p>
<p>If you have completed two years of college work, then there is also Governors State University. If you will earn an AA, then your admission to GSU is pretty much a lock.</p>