What to do after academic dismissal?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hello guys, I'm currently at a huge loss at what to do with my life after academic dismissal. Here is my story:</p>

<p>I was admitted to UC Berkeley in 2011. The first year, I did average and had a couple B's and the occasional C. My second year, my grades started to drop dramatically and I was put on academic probation the second semester of my sophomore year. My third/junior year, I failed to get out of academic probation and was officially dismissed. My current overall GPA is 2.276 (it's just that my semester GPA fell below 2.0 that I was dismissed). In my official transcript, I have retaken about 4 classes, and my "retake" grades were still ranging from D+ to C-. The remaining two F grades I have yet to retake at all.</p>

<p>Now the semester immediately after being dismissed, I agreed to a readmission contract. I took 3 lower division / general ed classes to finish my remaining requirements at a community college (getting 2 B's and an A). I then returned this past summer 2014 to Berkeley to continue my readmission contract and retook a class, of which I got a C+. This grade of C+ voided my readmission contract because I was supposed to get at least a B- in each class. </p>

<p>Here is where I get loss. If my academic adviser and dean allows me to continue taking classes via concurrent enrollment and if proven I am ready to return and get readmitted finally, then I am happy. BUT in the case that since I failed my readmission contract and CAN NOT return to UC Berkeley, is it possible that I can transfer to another UC by doing the following:</p>

<p>[] Taking all lower division classes possible that are relevant to the major at the UC I want to transfer too</p>

<p>[] Retaking classes to meet all general requirements at a community college and obtain a very high GPA</p>

<p>[] After doing so, apply for transfer/admission to a different UC?</p>

<p>Would I not be able to be accepted to another UC because I have already attended UC Berkeley and am not in good standing? That's what I don't understand. If I try to transfer OUT from a community college after going on a clean slate and retaking everything, would that work? I know my transcript from UC Berkeley and credits would still have to be factored in.</p>

<p>This may sound insanely dumb and a waste of time but I just want to restart my life and get everything back together. I've made poor decisions and just finally took the time to look back at everything and get it all sorted out.</p>

<p>I know if I can't get accepted to any college from here on, I have come to accept the fact that I will just have to find a job and pay my student loans (which isn't that bad because I had some financial aid), then move on from there.</p>

<p>P.S. I do have a friend who has been in the same situation as me. In 2009 he was dismissed from UC Berkeley but that was as a freshman. He had the time to take classes at a nearby community college and was accepted to UC Davis despite his dismissed status. I, on the other hand, am a junior at UC Berkeley and have finished all lower division and general requirements, with only upper division classes for my major left. This means I do not have anything to take at a community college at all, unless I start over from scratch as I previously said for a high GPA. Guys I am so confused on what to do, sorry if I do not make any sense. Can anyone help clear up my situation for me? I'm tired of being so loss and floating along, sending emails here and there and not getting replies.</p>

2

<p>Why do you think that unaccountable, anonymous strangers on the Internet are better qualified to answer your questions than the registrar or Dean at UC Berkeley? This is a matter you need to address in person, by walking in and speaking to a live human at your college. </p>

3

<p>^ Agreed. They will have seen this many times before and can help map out a strategy.</p>

4

Can you please update me on what has happened to you since? Please.

5

Hello, my counselor denied me the possibility of continuing to take classes at UCB until she deemed me ready again. I felt that it was by then a useless hope I was clinging to. I am now finishing up 3 AA degrees at a community college and got my Networking CompTIA certificate. I now have a great job/intern with decent 16/hr starting pay that will increase to 20+ with time. Remember, it’s not all over if you are dismissed from a 4 year university. There are many paths you can take to obtain a good job. A friend of mine is making 70k a year, 3 years after he himself got dismissed. Goodluck

6

Feel free to ask me some more specific questions and I will try my best to answer

7

Thanks you.
Why did your counselor not allow you to continue taking classes? Did they give you the option to apply for re admission if you took a year of and went to another school?

8

Because I failed my readmission contract and did not attain the minimum grades I was supposed to. But yes for all UCs that I know of, if you take a year off and take all your required classes at a community college and do well then you are ready for a readmission contract.

9

I believe by now with my current success they will probably give me a chance again but I don’t feel like returning atm. Just back then when I failed the readmission contract I guess they viewed me as a troubles student and I still needed time off. You really need to make sure that you are ready to return and not ask for a readmission contract right away because you feel too bad about getting dismissed. It’ll just waste more of your time and decrease your chances of readmission.

10

I was also dismissed, but I hope to go back after I finish up a year somewhere else.
My first semester at a CC I got 5 A’s and a B. This summer I took my last required English class and got an A. I’ve talked to my advisor there and he told me that re admission after dismissal is possible if I do well while I’m away.
Since you have expirence, is this what your advisor told you also? Do you think they will re admit me?

11

I just got dismissed from university of washington after finishing my junior year. But I’ve completed all lower-division classes, then cc doesn’t work in my case. As you mentioned, you also finished all your lower-division courses, may I know how did you get the 3 AA degrees in this case, since community college doesn’t work? I’m trying to transfer and preparing materials, but few colleges accept dismissed students…Any advice is appreciated!

12

What did you mean community college doesn’t work? I was able to transfer ALL of my lower division courses previously taken at my university to the comunity college, effectively only having to take about a year’s worth of classes for each of the 3 AAS (at the same time). In my state, as I have visited multiple counselors and done countless hours of research, once you get to the point of being a dismissed junior, you have way too many units to be able to transfer by then. You would have to take time off, come back to your home college, and get back into good standing before being able to transfer. I still think it’s best to just finish where you left off.

13

Thanks for your reply, it’s really helpful! Did you change your major in cc, or you added two other majors besides the original one? I’m contacting with counselors in colleges I want to transfer in, but worried about the last two quarters with major courses that I screwed up… Anyway, thanks for your sharing!

14

Thanks for your reply, it’s really helpful! Did you change your major in cc, or you added two other majors besides your original major?I’m contacting with counselors in some colleges I plan to transfer in, but still worried about my last two quarters with major classes which i screwed up. Anyway, thanks for your sharing!

15

Nope, just added two majors! I now work at Tesla as customer support

16

I took some classes at Ohlone College and the counselors there really helped me out. I decided to prioritize work over school since I have a family to take care of but if you find out exactly what is holding you back and fix it before working to get readmitted, you’ll be fine. I just made the mistake of simply rushing everything at once.