As the title stated, I’m all out of options. I found out today I was expelled from my university for poor grades. The most disapointing part is that I’m 1 semester away from graduating. I was scheduled to graduate in the Fall. Apparently, I was on academic probation, but wasn’t aware of this. It was imperative that I pass all my classes this past semester. I had to complete 67%, unfortunately, I only completed 55%. I’m not sure what to do at this point. I’ve communicated to my advisor I wasn’t aware I was on academic probation, especially since she never mentioned it in all the times we met this semester. I haven’t received a response from her yet. I will admit, I’ve screwed up on more than one occasion when it comes to my grades, and been given chances. But I’ve retaken and passed all those classes. I’m literally 3 classes away from getting my degree. The last 8 months have been difficult, as I’ve had 6 family members die. This includes my grandfather, my aunt (which I was her primary caregiver), and a grandmother. I’m hoping I can speak with someone to appeal this decision, especially since I’m so close to completing my degree. But I don’t know how likely an appeal is at this point. I’m not sure what to do now. What school will accept me after being expelled? I’m currently majoring in Pre-med, even if I did find a school to accept me, my options are limited because I would have to attend ground classes. Plus, I’ll have to retake so many classes just to have enough credits from that school. I’ll be in school another 2 years at this rate. And lucky me, I’m running out of student loans. I only have enough for 1 semester. I feel like the biggest failure on earth. I now have to tell everyone that was expecting a December graduation, there won’t be one. In an ideal world, I would continue my education, and finish as quickly as possible, but I don’t see how that is possible. Advice on any of the aforementioned issues would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. not sure if this is relevant, but I go to school in Arizona
Thanks in advance!
You are premed? With what GPA?
Contact your academic advisor. There is likely an appeals process…find out what it is.
What was your GPA THIS term? Did you drop courses? Fail any?
I’m not sure what my GPA was this term. I can’t view any of that information anymore. Unfortunately, I did drop 1 class and failed 2 more. I passed the others.
If you dropped one class and failed two others…basically you have a GPA below 2.0.
I’m going to give you some straight talk here.
- You absolutely were informed that you were on probation. It was likely in your school email or portal...and you didn't read it.
- It sounds like your grades weren't exactly terrific even before this term.
- Schools don't expel students for no reason. This usually happens after MULTIPLE terms of poor progress, and probation.
- Take time off from college. Get a job....maybe take an EMT course or something like that.
- Understand that getting accepted to medical school with a bunch of failed courses on your transcript...VERY unlikely.
- You need to explore career options right now that do not involve getting a college degree. You have demonstrated to your college that you are not able to maintain satisfactory grades.
Really…I hope you land on your feet…but you need to realistically reevaluate what you are doing.
I’m sorry for the family losses you has this term.
The formal letter or email announcing your expulsion might have info in it about when you can reapply for re-admission. I agree that you can’t really be pre-med with such poor grades and failed classes.
There are many degree completion programs and even universities that will take you- in time. Community college can be helpful too.
Your GPPA will start over at a new school, but of course your transcript follows you.
But for now, I hope you have a home to go home too, at least in the short term, and look into vocational counseling perhaps. Working will be good for you and will be honored by colleges when you apply.
If you were expelled, your relationship,with this university is likely terminated.
Family member here had his relationship,with a college terminated…because he has basically flunked out…twice. He was not given an option to return…but really…after two flunk outs…he didn’t need to return there!
You need to find out exactly what your status is. Have you been permanently expelled…with no option of returning…ever. Or what?
You mention you were given a chance other times…did you appeal dismissal another time?
Thank you for the advice. The last year and a half, my grades weren’t the best. But I did make up and retake the classes to improve my grades during the summer semesters. Maybe it didn’t make a difference beucase I didn’t retake them at that school. At this point, I know medical school is not an option. I just wanted the degree. So at least, when I began job searching I could say I had one. I was only 3 classes away from accomplishing that goal and I’ve worked hard with trying to make up for past mistakes. It’s just very disappointing to be that close after everything that’s happened. And in all honesty, I don’t have anything informing me of being on probation. I double checked my school email to see if I missed anything before I emailed my advisor, but there’s nothing there. Even when I initially asked her, why I wasn’t notified or why didn’t she tell me beforehand, she couldn’t give me a response. She basically said, I don’t know. I asked if I was supposed to be sent a letter in the mail or something and she just said you should’ve been notified. I save every letter I get from my school and not one of them states I’m on probation. My status is AW. I assume that’s academically withdrawn. At any rate, I again thank you for the advice. I can return to that school in 2 years, maybe by then I’ll be ready to successfully obtain the degree.
So…you know you can return in two years.
Correct me if I’m wrong…but you dropped a course…and failed two this term. Does this mean that if youmhad passed those THREE courses, you would have graduated…now? You say…you have only 3 courses left.
You can ask about an appeal…and see what they say.
Or get a job…and pay off those student loans…and then return and finish your degree. You may find something that really piques your interest in this two years…that will make returning worthwhile.
Initially, there was a total of 6 classes. 3 in the spring and 3 in the fall. Once I’d passed those spring classes, I had 3 left for the fall semester. However, I’m retaking them (as usual) over the summer. I’m passing the summer classes, so I hoped to transfer them in and finish the 3 remaining classes in the fall. This was the plan of course before I was expelled.
Yes! I’d definitely recommend that. If you can move in with a family member, you can probably accumulate some cash to elevate your debt and potentially save up some with a nice job. With that, you will be able to attend college in 2 years with less worries about monetary struggles weighing you down. As mentioned earlier, try for a certification of interest or apply for a job that interests you; you can still work at a hospital or therapeutic service provider without a full degree in many categories. Just don’t forget about college and wind up like the bunch who bail on college and never go back; you do not want to be like that.
Best of luck to you, and hope everything gets better.
These are fourth year courses. Does your college really allow upper division courses to be transferred in from other schools?
How many courses have you taken at other schools…to apply towards your degree.
Many schools won’t alllow this.
Did you take the ‘retakes’ from the same school every summer? You may have enough credits at that school to transfer your credits from your college and graduate in one or two semesters. Many schools have a requirement that a certain number of credits, like 30 or 60, have to be taken at that campus. Ask at the school where you take your summer/make-up classes.
Before you go back - anywhere - you need to have a talk with yourself about why you failed/dropped so many courses. If it truly is because of the deaths of so many family members (and I believe it certainly could be due to this) then it might be realistic to ask yourself if you are ready to go back. I don’t want to accuse you of hiding behind excuses, but I have mentored/advised so many people in my volunteer work who are quick to make excuses, then they convince themselves that they have an excuse and should be given special privileges - when in reality they probably weren’t all that serious about their education to begin with. I don’t want to project any of the experiences of some of my - clients - on you.
Many times, a person needs to step back from the situation. A student flunks out because she doesn’t have a reliable transportation, or because she likes to party instead of doing her homework. Or homework is done with minimal effort and she doesn’t master the material, then is surprised that her professor is just mean and has it out for her.
I feel bad for your situation - and I know how some people have much harder things to overcome than others.
I hope you don’t take this as a personal attack - but as a legit wake-up call. Pretend you are the college dean who had to expel you - and try to understand how they did what they had to do, because the school has to have higher standards, else their degrees mean nothing. Sometimes pretending you are on the other side helps you to understand what they see,
I am hopeful for a positive outcome, even if it takes time.
It seems you have your answer – you can return in 2 years and finish your degree. And that is something you do – even if you take one course at a time while you are working. And you know that med school is not an option given your grades. So it comes down to what should your next step be. IMO it makes sense to work for a while, clear your head and mature to a point where you understand the effort that has to go into finishing school. I like the suggestion above about getting your EMT training and doing – it could lead to a nice career in a medically related field.
Perhaps this goes to the core of your problem.
OP- getting a college degree isn’t like putting together an outfit where you can buy a top from Target to match a pair of pants from J Crew. Every university has its own rules about which credits can be applied to your program and which can’t. If you’ve been grinding along retaking classes over the summer at a different institution, you likely haven’t been communicating very well with your “home” university about how to graduate.
You are being handed a gift- two years off. But before you take the gift, sit down with someone (likely not your current advisor- you need the Dean of Students or someone who understands the big picture academically) and review your transcript, your financial aid status (how much you’ve borrowed, how much aid you’ve taken, what you owe-- from every single college you’ve been enrolled in since the day you finished HS). Then get IN WRITING the plan for finishing your degree-- not just how many courses or credits, but which ones you need to take. You could end up with too many credits (i.e. lots of Gen Ed courses but no completed major) or credits from another college which won’t count, etc. So get it in writing which exact classes at this college you need to pass in order to get a Bachelor’s degree.
Then go find a job which allows you to support yourself, move along in your grieving process (condolences to you- what a rough patch you’ve had) and come up with a plan which is not medical school. There are many ways to work in the health care field which do not involve the massive debt and time required to become a doctor and you need to learn what those are.
Hugs- you can do this.
So you failed classes a College A (the school you want to graduate from) and retook them during the summer at College B?
Grades from College B most likely don’t count in your College A GPA hence the probation - the F’s are still pulling your GPA down big time.
And schools do have limits on how many hours can be transferred in and qualify for progress towards a degree, which classes can be transferred in (often not upper level courses in your major), things like that. So mixing and matching classes and college is fraught with peril, especially when you’re close to graduating. IF you do eventually go back to this or another school, make sure you get a full accounting of WHICH classes can be used towards a degree - and get.it.in.writing.
Just for clarification some colleges will use your GPA as part of the admissions process if you transfer. Where I work, your GPA from previous work would be included as part of decision – especially for Nursing.
So much here doesn’t make sense… by the time you’re a junior or senior, most schools won’t give credit for core classes taken at other schools. A degree from school X means you took classes at school X. Not at school Y or Z.
In addition to the advice you’ve been given, I will add this: should you be able to continue your education – at your current school or anywhere else – the FIRST THING you need to do is read all of your school’s policies. Your department’s policies. Keep track of your grades – figuring out your GPA is not brain surgery. It’s basic math, and you should ALWAYS KNOW what your GPA is.
Besides being a poor student it appears you’re very bad at knowing what the rules at your school are. This is not a good way to live. All institutions have their regulations and expectations. You can’t claim ignorance of the basic facts, it wont work. I don’t know of ANY school that doesn’t notify its students very, very clearly that they’re on academic probation.