<p>My son went all the way across the country for college and just isn't happy. Over winter break he told me that he wanted to transfer to a school closer to home but I don't know what to tell him. He messed up first semester grade wise and has a 1.5. He's on academic probation and all that. He was a kid who could not study and pass tests to get B/C's in high school and didn't change much last semester. He knows exactly why he did poorly and says he will fix it.</p>
<p>He said a part of the reason he did so bad was he didn't want to be there. Going from California to cold and snow "sucked." I don't want to pay for him to be there if he isn't happy. </p>
<p>If he does well next semester, can he transfer for sophomore year or is doing time at the local CC the only option?</p>
<p>Are you looking at the California state schools? Privates? </p>
<p>Some of the state schools may not accept lower division transfers–you have to check with the ones that interest you. Privates may be a bit more lenient.</p>
<p>It depends on the individual schools, so I would start there, identify where he would like to go and find out what their transfer policies are. If nothing else he could work hard next semester to get his grades up, then take the following fall off or at CC and transfer back to a university for Spring 2012.</p>
how did he end up there? was it his choice, or did you "make " him go?</p>
<p>Even if his GPA next semester is 4.0 (and I would not count on that!..), overall GPA will be too low to transfer (unless he gets some Ds and Fs replaces). If he was my kid, I would not invest any money in another semester. I’d offer to come home and go to CC for 2 years, then transfer if he proves himself.</p>
<p>My D thought seriously about transferring after first semester ( all her friends stayed in California), but sort of resolutely went back, and felt differently by the end of freshman year, totally different by sophmore year, and can’t wait to go back now ( her junior year). Just sayin…OTOH, she didn’t do so bad academically.</p>
<p>The CCC to a CSU/UC can’t be beat in your son’s situation. The CCCs are extremely affordable and a great way to gain time management and study skills. Many CCCs have honors programs that in time he may qualify for if he applies himself. He can even take classes part-time for a semester or two until he has his college-legs (study habits, self-regulation) under him. </p>
<p>It is probably more critically important that he take 1 or 2 classes (part-time) and succeed than plow him back into a “fix-it quick” fulltime mode at CCC. Let his passions guide his first semester at CCC, not guilt or shame.</p>
<p>Not everyone succeeds at college - at first, or ever. It is a set of skills that are needed and a lot of time the super smart quick kids fall flat on their faces when in college.</p>
<p>If your son can get his act together at a CCC, he has great options for the UCs. Note for UCs there will be a unit limit that he can not exceed–since he is a combo of both 4year college and CCC transfer units, if he goes over the number he is permanently barred from even applying for transfer to the UCs. (This is a little known fact, but devastating to those who are not made aware of it ahead of time. Note that many transfer counselors are unaware of this, as the 4year plus CCC with “too many units” is not a common occurrence and thus gets overlooked.) The max number differs from UC to UC but is generally around 80 units. You will need to look these numbers up for each UC…to be safe, aim for 70 or under total.) </p>
<p>Alternately, he can apply to CSUs (no unit caps for the CSUs) or privates (almost always no unit caps) after he finishes CCC.</p>
<p>And if he does continue to flounder at the CCC, at least it was an affordable route for him to learn that lesson.</p>
<p>nngmm - It was his choice. He went there mostly for a sport and decided that the college level was too much for him. He had to withdraw from a math class (Hadn’t taken it since junior year of HS) and dropped down a level for that. He got a B/C, C, and F. Obviously the F is bad but not going to force him to go to CC because of 1 bad grade and some slightly below expected grades.</p>
<p>We will look at the transfer deadlines for colleges. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>I read on another post about kids retaking a class in order to help with an F. I’m sure others can explain, but if he is able to retake the class with the F it would greatly help his GPA if he decides to transfer.</p>
<p>Can’t retake the class Spring semester because its full. I told him to keep checking to see if kids drop it. Then he would drop a class to get in it. Hoping a spot opens.</p>
<p>Tell your son to show up to the first lecture and talk with the professor. Coming to class and sitting thru a lecture shows the professor your strong desire to be in the class and it has worked.</p>
<p>Also, at least at my college, the kids that did not show up to the first class were considered to not be interested in it and the professor would give their spots away to the unregistered ones that were there.</p>
<p>He should absolutely go to the class and make himself and his desire known to the prof. If he can show any kind of upward trend in the Spring semester, that will help him. If you can determine where he might like to transfer (especially if it is local) then maybe he can take classes there in the Fall as a visiting student. That way he doesn’t have to go through the gauntlet of admissions, will be gaining more credits and experience at handling college-level work AND showing interest in said school.</p>
<p>Transfer application deadlines vary and some are rolling, but many are in Feb or early March. Because of this timing, they really only see 1 sem/qt of college grades for a soph transfer decisions. Some schools ask for a mid-term report, at most. Unfortunately the low gpa first semester and being on academic probation is going to make transferring to a similar level school very difficult for next fall.</p>
<p>As a CCC to UC transfer myself, it really sounds like this would be a good route for the OPs S, he needs the time at a CCC to learn study and time management skills in order to be successful at a 4 year.</p>
<p>I agree that your S should attend class that he wants to retake & go & talk with the instructor. He should sit near the front & be very attentive & visit prof during office hours, showing great interest in the materials. Profs have considerable flexiblity in finding space for motivated students.</p>
<p>My D did poorly in HS due to health issues & attended CC, where her grades zoomed. She was able to successfully apply for a transfer after her 1st semester there & entered a private U after 3 semesters of CC. </p>
<p>I’d really not dismiss CCCs out of hand–my niece attends them & has found them very affordable & flexible for her schedule (she works part time). It is a good bridge while applying for a transfer and raising GPA. D had the same instructors in her CC who taught the SAME COURSES at our state flagship U. It bought her time & breathing space while she was in CC, giving her a solid foundation & lots of credits which were accepted at her transfer U.</p>
<p>Transfer apps have many different deadlines & also have different timelines about when they notify you of acceptance/rejection. I believe USC’s was Feb 1, but it may have changed. Applying to transfer will take time & resources from your S as well. D had planned to apply to several Us as a transfer but only had the time & energy to complete one app, to her dream U (she was pleasantly surprised they accepted her–was planning to apply to more transfer Us the next fall/winter if rejected).</p>
<p>OP I don’t mean this to sound cold, but you seem a little too easy going about some really bad grades. It doesn’t appear that he got these grades in something like an engineering program at a highly competitive school, so I think it’s time to really take stock of who he is as a student (which is not to be confused with who he could be, just facing reality). I agree with annikasorrensen - CCC is the best option for your son given all that you’ve written. He didn’t take math his senior year of high school - not something I would advocate for a kid on his way to college; he got B’s and C’s in high school - he just got by, barely eligible for a 4 year school; he chose his college based on a sport - no explanation necessary.</p>
<p>You don’t want to send him to CC as a “punishment” for one bad grade (the F) but everything he’s done so far indicates that CC is his academic fit. And since you didn’t demand a better academic profile from him before committing $ to send him across the country to play his sport, I suspect it is your academic comfort level for him. Please save yourself money and give him a chance to be successful given the amount of effort and preparation he is/has been willing to invest in college preparation.</p>
<p>If he truly wants to become a successful student he can do that at a CC; he doesn’t need to spend your assets on a long shot gamble at a questionable outcome, he should build his skills at CC and then transfer if a college education is what he wants.</p>