Hello, College student transferring in CALIFORNIA… so I’m pretty much in at a private 4 year Art college to study Industrial design. (You ALREADY know where this is going).
Problem is, one school GPA is a cumulative 2.5, the other is a 1.1 (more on this later), combined, with a hopefully approved academic renewal petition, which will bring my GPA down to a 2.3 instead of the 2.06 I calculated.
Now the academic renewal killed my chances of going to SFSU which was a 2.5 and you’re in kind of deal…I’d have to retake multiple classes for 2-3 years and get straight A’s just to bring that to a 2.5 (That is, 3-4 classes).
That being said, assuming I retain a 2.3 GPA.
The merit scholarship at CCA (California college of arts) is a 3.0 requirement, which covers pretty much 80%, and considering I got 8k from Pell Grant (which I haven’t used a single penny), and not taking into account an additional from Cal Grant which will probably give me 3-4k, I have all 4 years at CCA covered.
“Okay, where are you going with this?”
My GPA is a 2.5 (2.3 cumulative) because I started school in 2009(!!!), in 2015 I was finally diagnosed with ADHD, at the ripe age of 24 (27 now)…Since then, and various treatments/therapies, my C’s/D’s rose to B’s, A’s, with the last 3 semesters being straight A’s (Fall, winter, summer). I brought my school GPA from a 0.8, to a 2.5 in 2 years, my counselors are surprised at that one.
Speaking about “merit”, had I been treated earlier, my GPA likely WOULD have been a 3.0.
So, when schools say “you need a 3.0 blah blah”, should I simply apply, argue why I deserve the merit scholarship, and try to use logical arguments to prove I would have had a 3.0 had I been diagnosed sooner, and joined the DESP program at my school?
Considering I had lousy grades for nearly 6 years, then all of a sudden, my grades have shot up after my revelation.
My friend told me “the school might say you won’t get it because you don’t have a 3.0, but apply anyways, and make a good written statement”…
What are your thoughts?
TL;Dr- I have a 2.3 cumulative from 2 schools, I was diagnosed with ADHD at 25, back in 2015, started school in 2009, grades went from 0.8 at one school, to a 2.5 (2.3 cumulative). Considering applying for merit scholarship, regardless of the 3.0 requirement and making a good argument in my written statement. I’m not only “suffering” from ADHD, I’m also pretty low income (12k/year income, working part time, in the bay area), and an immigrant from Germany (apparently, that helps).
“Why not do 1 year at the other school, bring up your GPA and apply to SFSU?”
I considered that, however, I would have to do 2 years of schooling, then Apply in the fall of 2020, then get accepted in for the 2021 fall year, then do 2 years…At this point, I’m too dang old for all that mess. Though I may be able to pull it off and still graduate within 4 years…I dunno 
I’m torn.
No debt, or bachelors degree in industrial design at 32, with starbucks as my work experience?
ugh.