want to transfer to USC... questions/story, help!

<p>ok... here's my thing.
i have a really average GPA right now and i need to fix that.</p>

<p>i started out at CSUN after HS for around 3 semesters and in the 3rd semester i flunked out of two classes going through a very rough period in my life... i then started working close to full time while still taking a couple classes part time at LACC. i've had 3 very high profile jobs working closely with top echelon people who would provide me with excellent recommendation letters...also starting a successful online business... but i don't think they accept recommendation letters for undergrad transfers anyway?
[i have been successful without finishing college but i still want to definitely get my BA and from USC, i just made some mistakes and im trying to do whatever i can to fix them.]
So I figure......before i apply to USC i need to go back to CSUN for a semester and re-take those two classes i failed, however i keep hearing mixed things on whether or not the F's will still be on my record. if i retake them and get A's.... will it replace them completely or what??</p>

<p>another question-- does anyone know if you send USC (or any college) a transcript from a LA community college (like LACC for example), does it include ALL the classes you've ever taken at the other LA community colleges? ive been getting good grades at LACC, but i took a real estate summer class at Trade Tech & got a C. I just decided never to go to Trade Tech again & no one would know about that grade (took the class for myself anyway not for transferring) but now I am hearing mixed things again-- that the LA community colleges send a transcript where all the classes from all the diff schools are on one transcript...??? That would be bad. Help!</p>

<p>last thing- is going to LACC bad? i'm thinking about taking the remainder of my classes at PCC.</p>

<p>GPA- USC does not honor Academic Forgiveness, so even if you retake the classes [which you definately SHOULD to prove you didn't blow them off and are a good student] the F's will be there and counted into your GPA. </p>

<p>Transcripts- You must go down to each community college or university that you've ever attended to ask for transcripts separately. LACC can only give you transcripts of courses that you have taken there. I know, because I've done it already and actually go to LACC right now, lol. :) So yeah, you'd have to go down to Trade Tech. Hiding bad course grades and colleges is never a good idea because in looking at your application, these universities WILL look at GPA and confirm what youhave written down, so that there are no inconsistencies. They will find out anyway but if they feel you hid it on purpose you will most likely be automatically rejected! </p>

<p>Finally, the "reputation" of a school does not really play a part in the admit process. Sure, Pasadena is better and so is SMC, but if you are able to transcend academically, you will surely stand out. That's my belief anyway, and that's what I'm going for. But no they don't 'discriminate' in a sense based on reputation because at the end of the day, community college is community college. Hope this has heped and Good luck!</p>

<p>School's reputations are VERY important in the transfer process, so I would say your chances are rather bad for USC given your two Fs from community college. (I do not mean to suggest that there is a formal cutoff and formula for determining academic rigor at community colleges, rather that their academic competition and rigor is objectively below those of a top tier university such as USC.) I spoke to an admissions officer here and he said precisely the same thing regarding school reputation. </p>

<p>That said, if you have clear and compelling mitigating circumstances that explain your grades as well as stellar recommendations, essays, and extracurriculars, you could very well be in the ballpark.</p>

<p>I still say community college is community college. I'm going to look into this. And not like someone with a 3.0 from SMC has an advantage over someone with a 3.9 or 4.0 from elsewhere.</p>

<p>Don't mean to hijack this thread but, I'm looking to transfer from UCLA. I read somewhere on USC's admissions website that the vigor of an applicants college is not a big factor. Is that true or not? I currently have a 3.5, which is below the average accepted GPA. Should I be ok or no? I'm really only looking to transfer to SC and I thought I'd be in fine shape to, at least before I read that.</p>