<p>I got a 5 on the Calculus BC exam back in high school, and I sent the score report to my school in hopes of being placed in a higher level math class (e.g., Calculus III). This didn't happen because of scheduling conflicts (it's a lame first-semester freshman thing), so I settled with Calculus II, which I'm fully committed to since I intend to transfer and the schools I apply to might not accept the AP credit. Plus it would be good to my course-load. Now, about 60% through my semester, I get an email saying that I was dropped from the course because I'm not allowed to take a course for which I already have credit. THE SCHOOL put me in the course because that's what they gave me when I requested a higher level course than Calc I. Now I'm only registered for 12 credits and can't take a class in place of it since it's so late in the semester.</p>
<p>I am sooooo screwed because I want to transfer and that's such a bad course-load. I've studied and done work in the class for no reason. I don't even care about the tuition. I just want to transfer so bad and the only way I can see myself making up for lost time is to take 2 classes in the winter and one or more in the summer. On top of that the school sucks academically so being behind is doubly worse. I have no idea what to do with myself. Is there anything I can do?</p>
<p>Talk to the office of the registrar and make your case that at the very least they ought to let you audit it. Last week I got added to a course I’d been attending but was never actually registered for (long story).</p>
<p>Doesn’t auditing a class mean sitting in on the class? I still wouldn’t receive credit for it, it won’t appear on my semester transcript, and my first semester will still look terrible. My main concern is how it will look to colleges evaluating my transfer application to see only four intro-level classes (at a moderate school) in my first semester. Schools don’t consider AP credits in the admissions process so the one I have is meaningless.</p>
<p>I’m planning to take 2 classes, instead of 1, during the winter session (3 weeks, 5 days a week, like 3 hours per class) to make up for this. But I feel so stupid going to this commuter school and f***ing up for no good reason. I just need an impressive extracurricular that I’m interested in to make my application pop but I haven’t found any and I don’t know where to find opportunities outside of my campus’s list of clubs. My transfer prospects aren’t looking good right now.</p>
<p>Can someone give me some advice on my situation? What would you do if you were in mine? I need a confidence booster…I’m going to stop procrastinating (when it comes to homework) for starters. But what can I do to make my application look good despite a now-weak 12-credit first semester?</p>
<p>When are you planning to transfer? Be aware that if you are looking to transfer for your sophomore year, your HS record and SAT/ACT will still play a big role in the process.</p>
<p>Do not worry about the 12 credit semester. Many college freshmen take 12 credits their first semester in order to make the academic transition to the college level easier. It’s not a big deal at all. </p>
<p>Applying as a transfer student is different than applying for college as an incoming freshman.
EC’s are not important.
Focus on your GPA and getting strong professor recommendations. Start building a relationship with at least 2 professors. Excel in the classroom. Participate in classroom discussions. </p>
<p>Stop worrying about college rigor. Most freshmen are taking the majority of their credits as general ed. requirements. </p>
<p>There are two way to make your transfer application stand out. One is to succeed in the classroom and show a strong GPA. The other is to get strong professor recommendations.
Hopefully, you have a strong HS set of stats and decent SAT/ACT scores.</p>
<p>My older son took 12 credits his first semester of college. He took 15 credits his second semester of college. He earned a solid GPA and 2 professors wrote glowing recommendations. He had a strong HS transcript and good SAT/ACT scores. He sent out 5 transfer applications for his sophomore year and was accepted into all 5 schools.
He started his sophomore year at a transfer school and has since graduated from that school. This year, he started a graduate program at another school. So, STOP WORRYING ABOUT A 12 CREDIT SEMESTER and focus on GPA.</p>