<p>Hi.
I'm currently a 1st year undergrad at state college.
As the year ends, I got a dillema that, I didn' do so well first year for various reasons however, and I was aiming for going to med school.
So, I went to my academic advisor to talk about my grades, and she said it would be her suggestion is that taking a year off at community college and transfer to a higher institution (emphasizing to get all A's at CC, and she said it would be very plausible based on my high school record), rather than worrying about your freshmen grades over the course here at this college, that I can start off at a fresh slate.</p>
<p>It sounded ridiculous at the first place, but it made sense that I can apply to another college with different major (eg. pharmacy) if I do so well in CC rather than struggling through all years here.</p>
<p>So, I pretty much decided to take a year of at CC and work so that I'm aiming for purdue pharmacy/ rutgers pharmacy/ etc. </p>
<p>My plan is that I take summer session (24 credit) and fall/winter session (another 24 credit) and apply to new colleges during Spring.</p>
<p>So, I need an advice on which will be the most efficient way to spend the time at CC?
Also, does my financial aid carry over even if I take a gap year?</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>A gap year is when you take a year off from school. If you apply to a CC, you’re not taking a gap year. You’re still in school. Your first step to transferring would be of course applying to CC, and adding your CC on your FAFSA. Since you plan on taking 2011 summer classes at your CC, you will need to add the school to your 2010-2011 FAFSA. You must also add the school to your 2011-2012 FAFSA. The CC will decide how much aid they will give you. I would also urge you to get involved in some clubs at the CC, and try to build a relationship with at least one professor. However, I think maybe doing the fall/winter and spring sessions at CC, not taking any summer classes. Instead, work this summer and volunteer. </p>
<p>BTW, don’t forget to fill out a withdrawal form from your current state school.</p>
<p>Taking 24 classes in the summer will be very challenging, because courses are generally taught in shorter time frames (6-8 weeks), so you spend a lot more time in the classroom for fewer classes. I took biology last summer, but I was in class for six hours a day three days a week, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for other classes, and certainly not 5+ more. If you plan on applying <em>during</em> the Spring, you’re better off waiting and giving yourself a lighter load anyway. Work (or volunteer, or whatever you’d like) over the summer, and enroll full-time in the fall. Take more classes if your CC offers a winter or January session. Then enroll full-time again in the Spring. A transfer counselor from my dream school told me that it isn’t just about how well you do, it’s about taking your time to get there to show that you’ve actually grown, and really getting involved at CC as much as you would at any other school.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>any school you go to after CC will ask for transcripts from every school you attended, so you’re going to have to show them the grades from the state school anyway</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the advices.
So, what I want is I want to get as much credit as possible from CC (also with good grades).
I just want to max out myself so that I get back to regular college by next year (don’t want to get too behind my peers, as it is possible that I’m aiming for 6/8year programs…).</p>
<p>BTW, if I withdraw, my advisor said I can apply to other schools without necessairly letting them know I attended my original school, what does that mean though? </p>
<p>I had so much troubles within my freshman year and grades were abyssmal taht this is also why my advisor recommended me to transfer to another school rather than struggling at this school with my grades and some people…</p>
<p>You’re counselor is wrong. If you withdraw, you must still report that you went to your current school (and send your transcript). You could get into a lot of trouble not reporting all colleges you’ve attended. So, don’t take the chance. How bad was your gpa? I believe I read something on here about someone going in front of a board asking for academic forgiveness. It meant that he/r grades from he/r previous college (before transferring to CC), would not be looked at when s/he applied to other 4-yr universities.</p>
<p>So, what I want is I want to get as much credit as possible from CC (also with good grades).</p>
<p>This strategy could backfire if you take so many credits at once that you end up earning mediocre or even worse grades. It sounds like you have not really mastered the college experience yet and signing up for too many credits is almost guaranteed to cause you even more trouble. </p>
<p>Go fulltime, but do NOT overload. You need to start putting normal, fulltime semesters with good grades on your transcript.</p>
<p>I just want to max out myself so that I get back to regular college by next year (don’t want to get too behind my peers, as it is possible that I’m aiming for 6/8year programs…).</p>
<p>One of the worst mistakes a student can make after floundering for awhile in college is to go back with the mentality of “I need to catch up schedule-wise with my peers.” The reality is that you had a bad year in college and you can’t and probably shouldn’t try to “catch up” for the reasons listed above. Go at a pace that you can succeed and do very well in classes. This isn’t a race. Stop comparing yourself to others.</p>
<p>BTW, if I withdraw, my advisor said I can apply to other schools without necessairly letting them know I attended my original school, what does that mean though?</p>
<p>What this means is that your advisor is either unethical or uninformed, and possibly both.</p>
<p>There are many terrible advisors out there. You seemed to have found a terrible one or are misinterpreting what she has said to you.</p>
<p>*I had so much troubles within my freshman year and grades were abyssmal taht this is also why my advisor recommended me to transfer to another school rather than struggling at this school with my grades and some people… *</p>
<p>CC is a place that students can cheaply pay to re-do classes or bolster their grades. Sometimes the change in environment can also be helpful. But don’t assume all the classes will be so easy that you (or almost anyone!) can manage 24 credits at a time. That is insane and unnecessary.</p>
<p>I see, I think I underestimated CC courses…
My school doesn’t have the clearance policy which lets you wipe out your record, but I’m trying to compensate it by good grades I will be earning in CC and explanations in essays…</p>