<p>Hi there CC parents! I need some guidance and clarification about how to handle my commonapp and other applications for 2011’s fall semester.</p>
<p>I was rescinded from Reed after I informed them of a legal incident (see: the Reed forum).
Obviously, this derailed my plans for the upcoming year. I’m not too upset, mostly just anxious that I have to wait another year before I head out to college, because I am excited about the plans I have:
-I am doing independent study in the library; tearing through books and taking notes
-I plan to take BYU independent study courses, or some other courses - any recommendations?
-In the spring I am volunteering on an organic farm (wwoofing)</p>
<p>so I think I will be keeping myself busy and have excellent material to write about for the essay portions. However I have a few questions regarding applying as a gap student:</p>
<p>1) Teacher recommendations. What am I supposed to do here? I got two, plus one from my guidance counselor last year. is it kosher to use these again?
2) If I take BYU independent study courses am I technically a transfer student?
3) Now that I’m out of high school is it possible for me to take online AP courses anywhere?</p>
<p>Online AP courses are generally pointless from my experience. You’re just paying for glorified self study.</p>
<p>It’s not very honest to reuse year-old recommendation, unless the recommender tells you that their opinions have not changed. </p>
<p>You’re not a transfer student until you’ve amassed enough college credits, I believe. And why independent study? That’s boring. Go takes some real classes.</p>
<p>online AP courses are quite nice in my experience. they are suitable to my style of learning. I got 5’s on psych, microecon, and macroecon with minimal time spent. I can see how it would depend on the instructor though</p>
<p>the prospect of independent study isn’t boring to me. that’s how I learn things. I like to be able to immerse myself. I could take classes at NVCC, the community college here, but am put off by the commute. I would rather take this opportunity to do my own thing. independent study is something i’ve always wanted to try</p>
<p>The since you were rescinded for, as you put it on the other thread, " legal trouble.
on some hallucinogens I ended up causing mischief in my neighborhood. I already got 2 misdemeanor charges for indecent exposure and destruction of private property, colleges will be far more concerned about your character than whether you are able to write interesting essays.</p>
<p>Doing things during your gap year that demonstrate that you have learned from your prior experiences, and have become mature and responsible will be important.</p>
<p>Consequently, I strongly suggest that you work a full time job of any legal kind. That would demonstrate maturity particularly if you’re using part of your earnings to help support yourself such as paying rent to your parents and buying your own clothing.</p>
<p>It also would be good if you became involved in some kind of activity such as a community service activity that allowed you to give back to others so as to continue to work on your maturity/responsibility while proving that you are now a productive, not a destructive, member of society.</p>
<p>The essay that will be most important will be the explanations that colleges require of legal problems.</p>
<p>And, no, you can’t reuse those recommendations unless the teachers give you permission to do so.</p>
<p>I got 5’s on all of those too. Without spending money on classes, just a book for each. </p>
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<p>The point isn’t just learning, it’s going out to meet other students and professors, and also go outside your comfort zone. You can easily just stay home and learn without spending money on the credits (which won’t amount much in Reed, anyway). I’ve done a year of independent study with my project team, and there’s no difference between it and just another extracurricular activity (plus a little bit more push by the professor).</p>
<p>I’ve spent quite a bit of time self studying. Half of that time was probably spent on wishing I had somebody nearby I could discuss my knowledge with.</p>
<p>I can’t see the point of online AP courses. Why not study some subjects using podcasts/videocasts of actual university classes? If you buy earlier versions of the textbooks and solution manuals being used by the class from someplace like betterworld.com, the cost can be very low.</p>
<p>I like videocasts rather than podcasts. I’ve had some experience using videocasts of chemistry classes from UCSD and UC Berkeley and found them excellent.</p>
<p>You need to look carefully at each college’s definition of a “transfer student” so that you don’t run afoul of its rules if you want to apply this fall as a freshman.</p>
<p>I agree with NSM that showing maturity and responsibility with a job would be a great idea.</p>
<p>See also MIT Open Courseware. I found the Computer Science courses very helpful, at every level. These are also videocasts. There is homework you can do. Basically, if you are motivated, this is a great resource.</p>
<p>I knew it was a good idea to ask you guys. I’m soaking all this advice up like a sponge. also, I forgot to mention in the OP that I am looking for good volunteering opportunities. I’ll make sure to check out those UC courses.
i’m doing my best to change and I want to do whatever I can to show this to colleges :)</p>
<p>Best thing you can do is not get into MORE legal trouble. Seriously, stay away from booze,drugs, underage girls and anything else that could get you into trouble for the next year!!</p>
<p>Why on-line courses if you want to learn? Why not take a couple of interesting courses at your local community college? If you do this, just make sure not to take so many that you’d have to apply to college as a transfer. Usually that’s taking more than 4 courses.</p>
<p>Given the fact that you got into Reed, it’s not likely that colleges are going to be concerned about your academics. What they will be concerned about is your maturity and level of responsibility. That’s what you need to focus on – doing things that will help you improve your character. That even may include going to therapy or counseling to help you make better decisions.</p>
<p>Whether or not you are a transfer student depends on the institution. Some colleges consider you a freshman if you have not matriculated anywhere and just have some college credits taken as a student-at-large. Other colleges will consider you a transfer student if you have taken even one credit (on-line or otherwise) of college credit after you have graduated from high school.</p>
<p>Please do your homework and check with the colleges that you are applying to and make sure that you understand exactly how you should classify your application.</p>
<p>Good luck in your “gap” year! Hopefully you will be able to do the right things to demonstrate your maturity and responsibility.</p>
<p>AP courses are not needed to take AP tests. If you are into independent studying you don’t need to pay money for an online course. All you have to do is learn the material- something you can do on your own. Buy books and practice tests, read and study them.</p>
<p>You need to concern yourself more with digging yourself out of the hole you put yourself in. Use this year to prove you are the kind of person they want on a campus. It may be getting involved in volunteering for an organization. Colleges need to see a change from the person who had trouble with the law. Your character, not your academics, are the critical issue although I suspect you need to challenge your brain as well to help you stay out of trouble.</p>
<p>Addenda- just read some of the Reed thread posts. Sounds like you can reapply and be accepted again. Also- you have probation requirements, counseling that should make a difference for you. Listen to your mentors and do the activities to keep yourself out of further trouble. Lesson learned and still potential for a rosy future. Good luck, you will earn any future collge acceptance.</p>
<p>cogent advice; this seems to be the overwhelming sentiment from the CC parents. Especially when it comes to Reed, it should come down to a demonstration of reformed character more than anything else. The dean told me that the committee is still convinced of my academic passion and ability, so I need to be able to show them concrete changes to my lifestyle. before I read the advice in this thread that thought wasn’t drilled in nearly enough</p>
<p>to NSM - The closest NVCC campus is a quick bus ride away but they offer no worthwhile courses for me (it’s really small). The other one is about 6 or 7 miles away and I don’t drive. I heard good things about the BYU IS courses…does anyone here have experience with them?</p>
<p>Frankly, unless there are courses you need to take to be prepared for your future major (for instance, if you plan to major in anything related to math or science, it would be important to take a math course both semesters), you don’t need to worry about your academics. In fact, it probably would be far better for you to work full time – any legal job – or do volunteer work full time – while also getting counseling/therapy so as to continue to develop and prove your maturity.</p>
<p>Do what NSM says. Get a full time job, do some volunteer work and do your counseling to show that you have matured. If you are not going to do that, then start at your local CC and take full time classes so you can transfer later. In either case, you are showing, not telling, the admissions committee that you are a responsible, mature individual. Spending a year self studying sounds like you are trying to take the easy way out.</p>
<p>Don’t take CC classes – it will change your status to “transfer student” at far too many colleges. It will mean a LOT less financial aid/scholarships. It just isn’t worth the risk and would limit your options.</p>
<p>Given the fact that you got into Reed, it’s not likely that colleges are going to be concerned about your academics. What they will be concerned about is your maturity and level of responsibility. That’s what you need to focus on – doing things that will help you improve your character. That even may include going to therapy or counseling to help you make better decisions.</p>
<p>Very succinct and good advice.
Reed accepts * very few* AP credits anyway. You don’t need to improve your intelligence, you need to improve your * thinking* skills.
Show you can make a positive contribution to the community , rather than the opposite.</p>
<p>Taking community college or other colleges courses wouldn’t necessarily limit his option. What matters is the policies of the colleges he may be applying to. He needs to check with such colleges. If he plans to be a math or science major, it may be important for him to take at least some math classes if that’s possible.</p>
<p>When it comes to applying to colleges, BTW, due to your recent legal problems, your reach, match and safety schools should all be a tier below what they were when you applied before. Your legal history will keep you from getting into some colleges that would have accepted you before.</p>
<p>I noticed that you don’t drive. If the reason is that you haven’t yet earned your license, I strongly suggest that you get your license during your gap year. Otherwise, not being able to drive may prevent you from partaking of many opportunities.</p>
<p>You are not a high school student anymore so AP classes will do nothing to you. Are you trying to look rigorous to Reed? </p>
<p>Get a job, get some responsibility, go talk to a counsellor, and make good choices. If you want those old teacher LORs tell them about your situation and see if they will let you send them again. Do some community service and see what people who do drugs and make bad choices happen to be like now.</p>
<p>Get out and engage in the world. College is full of opportunities to engage, both in positive and destructive ways. Even the positive distractions can become a problem. You need to demonstrate that you can get out and function as a productive member of society. If sitting at home and self-studying is the only way you can maintain your sobriety and good behavior, this suggests to me that you have more growth to accomplish than you might think.</p>
<p>Doing this is not just for the sake of getting into Reed; it’s your life and long-term well-being I am talking about. Learn FROM this experience. Do not learn DURING this experience. Can you see the difference?</p>
<p>You might even decide after this process that another school or career path might better fit your needs.</p>