<p>So, I’m still trying to transfer to either a UC or maybe some of the CSUs, and I’ve been taking classes at community college since 2004. My early academic performance wasn’t as good as it is now, and I want to know if there is a point which UCs (or other schools) begin to ignore certain course grades because they date back so far. </p>
<p>I’ve learned I have ADD, and my grades over the years have improved. I took community college courses in high school, and I got straight C’s in them. Of course, I had no idea how much this would negatively affect me in the future. </p>
<p>All grades count unless you receive academic renewal. Most CC’S allow academic renewal after a certain amount of time has passed or you’ve taken a certain amount of units. I’m not sure if they have to be failing grades or if they can be C’s, but you have good grounds to argue for academic renewal. I’d definitely look into that.</p>
<p>A C is a perfectly acceptable passing grade so I doubt you would be able to use academic renewal. That being said, the universities are going to be more interested in what kind of a student you are now and will be more influenced in their decisions by the grades you have received recently than grades that are seven years old.</p>
<p>I am fairly positive it depends on what you’re doing and how you’re doing it. </p>
<p>For example, you apply for biosci. You have straight As for bio and chem and ochem (required right? I dunno). But 5 years ago you took art history, and some poli sci class and got 2 Cs. </p>
<p>You’d still be good for pretty much any program out there. </p>
<p>Now if you had straight As in polisci, art history, charcoal drawing, survey of ancient aborigine artifacts, and then nothing but Cs in calculus and physics and tried to get into an engineering program you’d probably run into issues regardless of your GPA.</p>
<p>Many schools have a “border line” defined by your GPA in “required courses” (what these classes actually are depends on the school).</p>
<p>A rising grade trend looks very good to an admissions committee. You should also include the ADD diagnosis in your personal statement as an obstacle you were able to overcome to become a better, more focused student. However, don’t blame the condition for your poor previous performance. Acknowledge that you weren’t able to cope with the problem until you received your diagnosis and treatment (i.e., you didn’t know what your problem with schooling was prior to your ADD testing).</p>