<p>I'm one of those folks with a bad high school record. The G.P.A. was about a 3.28 (6 APs) and the SAT was a 2210/2400. I started at community college, while working 30 hours a week. Later on, I started to work a little less (20-25 hours) so I was able to get more involved in the activities available.</p>
<p>I started college full-time on a spring semester. I already had three part-time college courses from beforehand (I started working 50+ hours a week right after high school and took 1 course, then 2 more). The full-time semesters at CC were 15-17 credits each. So far, I've done three full semesters of college. I've gotten all As, except for an A- in one of the beginning three college courses at another university. So I want to apply for transfer admission this coming fall. I'm really into creative writing, so I'm looking only at schools with that major (I've exhausted my CC's creative writing resources). Some of the schools I'm looking at are major reaches. My father says they are too expensive and that I probably don't stand a chance.</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm just worried that if a school only accepts 2 years of college work, I'm screwed. So if I apply shortly after my fourth semester, it's going to be for the following fall. And then there's going to be a fifth semester of work once I start at a new university, from my spring courseload. I'm not sure if it's permitted. Would I just have to take off the spring semester?</p>
<p>Any help would be appreciated. I hope I was clear, but I'm willing to elaborate as much as needed. Thanks! Jillian.</p>
<p>Credit limits exist for two reasons:
1) protect the baccalaureate academic program
2) protect the baccalaureate institution's college experience</p>
<p>Talk to your admissions counselor. I doubt one extra semester will kill your chance. Frankly they'd rather keep your mind focused on your education through spring rather than working 50 hours a week. I wouldn't expect you to be able get out of the college's academic requirements by taking classes that spring though.</p>
<p>What you really need to do is target a handful of schools (maybe 2 reaches, 2 matches, 2 safeties) and then read up on their transfer policies. Some schools will have hard upper limit of how many CC units one can have before being totally disqualified from even transfering to that school. Other schools will not have an upper limit on units, but only "accept" a certain number of units (so the stuff over that from CC generally is "wasted" but doesn't disqualify you). And some schools have no limits at all on CC units, but will have a residency requirement. Etc.</p>
<p>It is impossible to give you advice on whether or not you are taking too many classes without knowing EXACTLY what colleges you are hoping to transfer to - and even then, you should attempt to do the footwork yourself and leave the trickier questions for the board (questions that aren't found easily by just reading the transfer website of each college you are aiming to send an application to).</p>
<p>So - in short - it is a mixed bag and you'll do best once you target a few schools.</p>
<p>As for expensive colleges - some have generous financial aid in the form of grants - and once all the numbers are crunched, <em>may</em> be less expensive than a state school. I would advise you to apply to private colleges if it looks like they have any reasonable financial aid policies - but know that if you get in and the financial aid package isn't strong enough, that you may have to turn it down. I think it is worth the effort just to see. You may decide not to pile on a bunch of elite transfer schools (gets expensive applying to all of them) - but if you have almost a 4.0 at CC and interesting ECs or a unique voice in your application, you have at least as good a chance as a lot of other people of getting into a selective school - so pick a few for "reaches".</p>
<p>Good luck,</p>
<p>Annika</p>