As the title says, I’m looking to transfer for a second time, but I’m in a pickle.
After feeling discouraged socially and academically at my first school, I transferred to a very small ‘experimental’ college last winter. I found that I was even unhappier there than before, I didn’t finish my coursework, and ended up with a bunch of ‘incomplete’ grades that have since turned into Fs. I left after that one term, and I’ve spent the past year working, reading a lot, and thinking about what I really want to get out of school.
I know now that I want to go back, but I didn’t fully realize that until pretty recently, and fall transfer deadlines have either come and gone or they’re fast approaching. I’ve been in contact with my professors at school #2, and they’re all willing to adjust my grades after I submit the unfinished work. I should have everything turned in over the next couple weeks, but not in time to be reflected on a couple applications that I really want to go for.
So this is the pinch: is it even feasible for me to transfer under these circumstances, or should I not even bother?
A little more background, stats:
Before transferring, I spent three semesters at a ‘top-30’ school, kept a 3.8 gpa, and was part of the honors program (top 10% of students). I had my own radio show, helped edit the lit mag, and volunteered as a tutor at the local elementary school and as a little league umpire. Before that, I had a 4.0 in high school, 2160 SAT (800CR/660M/700W), solid AP scores, team captain of 2 varsity sports, band, class president - y’all know the deal. I’ve been working summers for a painting business since I was in high school, and that’s what I’ve been doing full time for the past year.
I’m confident in my writing and my ability to explain things in my application, and I have a strong letter of recommendation from the chair of the English department at my first school.
But do you think colleges would be sympathetic to any of this? Will they see that I can and have done very well in school before, or will they see those grades as they are and toss my application outright?
I went through a hard time in my life, and I had some serious doubts about the course my life was taking - but I want to get my education back on track. What do y’all think?