<p>I originally started out at a fairly well known (and very pricey), private liberal arts school. Long story short, I had a few personal and family issues which caused to end the year with several "Incompletes". It was only by the grace of my professors that I was allowed to take my finals where I eventually ended up with straight C's. </p>
<p>I was completely discouraged, and went back home where I started taking summer courses at the local CC. I finally got my first college 'A' and soon enough I left my school and stayed here at CC. 26+ credits later (The same amount I took last year) I'm still going strong! Keeping an almost straight A average and also balancing cross country and community service have taught me that nothing is impossible. </p>
<p>Here's my dilema:</p>
<p>I'm currently in what is supposed to be my last semester here at CC. I've already been accepted into a few decent state schools near my area, and while I am certainly glad about my acceptances, I feel like I could do so much more. It was originally my dream to transfer to an Ivy League university after 2 years at my previous college. After the whole fiasco that was my freshman year, I thought such a dream was out of reach. With all the Ivy reps that have been visiting the honors school here lately, I'm starting to feel that itch again. </p>
<p>The honors schools at the places that I've been accepted require a cumulative GPA from all institutions attended. I would obviously not qualify due to my past academic history. However, If I stay here at the honors school at CC, I feel like the doors to my dreams are open once again. I plan to retake the honors versions of the classes I nearly flunked out of last year, in addition to the other courses required to graduate with an honors associates degree.</p>
<p>Is taking another year of CC worth it?
Would turning down my acceptances to wait until next year be worth it?</p>
<p>I would greatly appreciate any input you guys have.</p>
<p>seems a bit vague and you would most likely get a better response if posted in the dream ivy league school category. Also, you can’t repeat classes you got a C in or merely call it nearly failing. The feds and ivies despise students who try to pull that crap. You had a entire year to turn your Incomplete’s (which are only for true emergencies) into something better than C’s or should have let them become I/F’s as a last resort. Maybe if you are rich or useful to them they will let you in.</p>
<p>Why focus so much on ivies? There are plenty of excellent schools out there that aren’t dripping with elitism, and having a dream to go to an ‘ivy’ rather than a specific ivy makes it seem like you want to go somewhere for the name and not the compatibility.</p>
<p>Well, I didn’t want to go into too much detail to save you guys time reading, but here goes:</p>
<p>My reasons for my poor grades and absences last year were due to health issues that caused me to be hospitalized. </p>
<p>I’m not just going to any Ivy just to say “I went to an Ivy”. The only ones I’m seriously considering are Columbia and Cornell. As an English major, I find myself attracted to those schools because of their highly ranked departments and renowned professors (Literature really is a passion of mine). I also hope to pursue a medical career, and I feel as if a pre-med course at universities with excellent medical schools and relationships with great hospitals would be greatly beneficial. Columbia is also closer to home, which is a plus.</p>
<p>I’m not completely dead set on applying only to those schools if I do. I know that there are other great alternatives, but it’s always been a dream of mine, you know?</p>
<p>Yes, but you still had an entire year to fix a bunch of I’s yet only received C’s. It makes it seem like they gave you those C’s out of the goodness of their heart to merely pass you.</p>
<p>It’s because I was focusing on getting my grades up for my spring classes. I could’ve studied a little harder for my retake finals, but seeing as I was taking a slightly more challenging courseload, I didn’t want to risk getting any more C’s. </p>
<p>I know that I can’t make the C’s go away, and In all honesty, I don’t care. I am well aware the are going to follow me around forever. When I said I would retake them, I meant that I would indeed retake the courses and actually the the time to master the material and come out on top. I know it won’t cancel out the previous grade at this point, but I am doing this for myself and my own personal gain.</p>
<p>Is there anyone else out there who would be willing to give me some of their input?</p>
<p>Spending another year of money on college for the exceedingly unlikely chance that you’ll be accepted as an Ivy transfer (have you seen the transfer acceptance rates for the Ivies?) strikes me as a big waste.</p>
<p>You clearly didn’t understand my stated intentions.</p>
<p>Anyways,polarscribe, I understand what you mean. Although I’m literally spending 1/10th per semester here at community college as opposed to other schools, I know it’s not free. I think I’ll speak with my honors advisor soon, and I’ll definitely take that into consideration.</p>
<p>It’s not just the money costs. It’s the opportunity costs. What better things could you be doing with that year of your life?</p>
<p>It is exceedingly likely that even if you do everything you think can do in that year, that you’d be rejected by the Ivies anyway. Then what? You’ve spent a year retaking classes for no gain.</p>
<p>As you surely know by now, the biggest benefits of transferring from a CC most often go to students who complete a full associates degree with an excellent GPA. Are you planning to finish that degree? If not, why not?</p>
<p>On Monday, pop by the Transfer Counselor’s office at your CC and have a heart-to-heart about your goals and the best ways of achieving them. You do not have to invent this particular wheel all on your own.</p>
<p>@polarscribe, I completely understand what you mean. I’m don’t have my head in the clouds over this whole Ivy League thing (yet, haha) and I’m trying to be realistic with myself as well. I originally thought that an extra year of CC would be a waste as well, until I realized that with my intended career paths, I’d probably end up doing 5 years of undergrad anyways. I made the mistake of taking almost completely irrelevant courses my freshman year, and In the classes I really needed I ended up getting “C’s” as you already know. As I’ve also mentioned, I’ve been accepted into a few local schools and I’m waiting to hear back from a public ivy as well. Thanks for your input though.</p>
<p>@happymomof1, I’m currently a few credits short of graduating with an associates. The honors school here has really opened up my eyes to the possibility of graduating with an honors degree (Another 18 credits more). I guess it’s the pep talk by the administrators that really got me back on track to thinking about my dream, haha. I will certainly speak with my counselor asap, and just let them know up front. Thanks!</p>