Transfer chances: Miraculous turn around story

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi all,

My story is below. My question is: considering my dismal university past, do you think I have a good shot at being a successful transfer applicant?

I am a student enrolled in community college just finishing my second year of post secondary studies. I graduated in 2015 and went on to attend a 4-year university like many of my peers. I ended up failing miserably while I was there, getting a total of 5 Fs, 2 Cs and 1 D+ out of 10 courses attempted over two semesters. I was kicked out of university for the year (I was invited to return if I had brought up my grades and wrote them a letter on how I improved). I also was kicked out of a research team position I was given because of procrastination on assigned duties. My career seemed like it was in shambles and my lofty ambitions seemed further than ever. I ended up getting evaluated by a doctor after reluctantly agreeing to do so and I was diagnosed with ADHD. I packed up my stuff and went back home to live with my parents while enrolling in a well-ranked community college to retake the courses I had failed and to work towards my science degree of interest. Four quarters later, I miraculously managed to get all As and A plusses with heavy course loads (20+ credits per quarter in math and science courses) while getting a really good internship and cultivating my hobbies through extracurricular involvements. I initially went into community college with the intent of going back to my old university (a flagship public university in Canada) but now I have explored the possibility of transferring to a university in the states that is stronger than my previous university in terms of research, prestige and academics.

2

One of the many great things about community colleges is the opportunity to get a fresh start- congrats for making the most of it!

Of course you have a shot as a transfer student at academically strong universities- but which ones will depend on a number of variables. First and foremost: money. Financial aid is typically more limited for transfer students, so work out what you can afford. The other is prestige: more prestigious usually correlates with higher retention rates and thus fewer places for incoming juniors there will be. If you are looking at grad school, remember that your terminal degree is the one that people look at most.

3

Yes, I think you can be a successful transfer applicant but keep lots of options open since admissions decisions are particularly unpredictable for transfer students. I do think that going to a US university is a better option for you. Canadian universities, while easy to get into, are hard to stay in because the standards are so high. Even low-ranked Canadian universities generally maintain much more academic rigor than much higher ranked US universities. Once admitted, you are much more likely to experience success at a US university. Two factors will help add weight to your community college marks: they are more recent and I assume that they are from a US college. Colleges recognize that people change and can make dramatic turnarounds. Do cast your net wide, though.