Late Intellectual Blooming/Second Bach Degree.

Applying to College
1

Here’s my story:

I’m currently 20 years old, attending a small state school in Connecticut… I’ve recently had a huge intellectual blooming in me that I never knew I had the potential for.

I transferred into the this place from Champlain in VT. (left due to lack of programs/social issues)

I tried to transfer into Warren Wilson, was accepted, but couldn’t afford a fifth year for their new teaching program.

I’m an English Secondary Ed major. In the past year I’ve:

Been admitted to to the English National Honor Society (Sigma Tau Delta)
Been appointed to the Student Government as a Senator
Serve as a Staff Writer for the newspaper
Serves as an editing member of the literary magazine
Obtained an internship at the Capitol as a Legislative Intern.
Been published in both Lit Journals.
and I’m a founding member of or Socialist Club. (Secretary)

I currently have a 3.14 GPA because I failed a class last year. If I retake it, my GPA should be somewhere around 3.5.

I had the chance to go to Ithaca as a senior in HS, but denied it because I didn’t want to place a large economic burden on my family.

Here’s the deal: I want out. I’ve taken every opportunity I can out of this place, and it’s just not enough. I know I need to finish what I started, but I have an intense interest in literature that can’t be met here, or with my current major. (I’m only learning enough to teach Lord of the Flies to 15 year olds.) I’m also facing an extra year to complete my degree due to our college’s difficult and poorly designed class aggregation.

Should I cut my losses and call mulligan on the previous college years, apply and start anew? I’m willing to claim financial dependency/attain any and all scholarships.

Should I finish what I started? I don’t think I’ll be personally fulfilled if I don’t commit myself to a better place.

Due to my recent “blooming” I know I don’t feel qualified enough to preach literature to any crowd; I’ve begun to view my time here as going through high-school again. Being a 22 graduate for me would essentially place at the point I feel should have been at when I was 18.

Thanks for your consideration, CC.

2

Why not finish your English Ed degree and then pool your money and time resources into a solid MA in English Lit? If you still are on fire, you can aim for your PHD.

I’d suggest not transferring unless A) you would graduate as fast as you would staying at your current college and B) it would cost the same or less as your current college.

Aim for your MA… look at your current college degree in Eng Ed as the stepping stone toward your MA. If you have a nice grade trend upwards you should be able to get into an MA program.

Also, while you may feel ancient and “behind the curve” at age 22… realize that the average age of grad-school students is usually 25+. You are actually doing just fine! Congrats on finding your passion so early in life (yes, 22 is early!).

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A few more technical notes. You can not claim financial independence until age 24, ex-military, have a dependent child of your own or are married. No amount of wrangling outside of those rules will do you any good. Secondly, transfer scholarships are few and transfer aid often a bit weak so don’t assume you will have better money/scholarship situation at a transfer school (it can happen but ASSUME and plan otherwise). And lastly, any GPA and grades that you have follow to the new school so you can’t actually start over as a “freshman” if that is what you are referencing above.

3

Thanks for the advice.

On a side note, I have a few friends who are in similar positions and would not mind proposing for our mutual benefit…

4

I think you should just go ahead with Graduate School also.

Heck if you want to you could even do the GRE Subject test for Literature in addition to the plain old GRE.

Stay on the course you are on now. You have already transferred and all. You also never know what the future has in store and a background in teaching might come in handy for you with regards to working.

Hang tough, OP.

5

So, if I understand correctly, you are near completion of a Bachelor’s in Secondary Education English and you have decided you are more interested in studying literature. But you haven’t said what you want to do? Do you still want to teach?

6

I would second the graduate school option. It seems that your current state is not that of a complete change of paradigm but that of a necessary addendum and graduate school is the place for that. I am unsure what the requirements are for such degree, but I wouldn’t doubt that your current preparation is adequate and truly, if what you want is an intellectual pursue and you can prove this through your actions and current achievements, I think you have a good chance of getting accepted to a graduate program.