Withdrawing, Taking the Semester Off, and going to another college

College Life
1

<p>This first semester of freshman year has been horrible. All I do is constantly complain. I also constantly study just to get a passing grade (might also be caused by unhappiness). I leaning towards withdrawing and possibly applying to some other colleges.</p>

<p>Should I do this?</p>

<p>Will my transcript say a W for the semester? How does this affect grad school admissions?</p>

<p>Are there any productive programs and activities to do during a semester off? I was thinking of volunteer work?</p>

<p>Am I allowed to apply to a different college for freshman admission after I withdraw?</p>

<p>I already have 34 units that I earned during high school, so I won’t necessarily be behind.</p>

2

<p>I don’t think you are considered a freshman if you have attended school. I took the semester off (medical reasons) and I just worked, but of course I was too sick to leave my bed until mid-October so that is 2 months blown right there. Maybe a semester in Washington, DC? For that you would have to pay though.</p>

3

<p>I read an article on the Daily Princetonian that said that reapplying for freshman admission after withdrawing is possible:</p>

<p>[High</a> hurdles for those hoping to transfer to Princeton, Harvard - The Daily Princetonian](<a href=“http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2008/04/01/20645/]High”>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2008/04/01/20645/)</p>

4

<p>It depends on which school you’re applying to and your credits that you have. Some colleges will let you apply as a freshman if you’ve been in college less than a full year, others specify that you’re only allotted a semester and x-credits.
Most colleges will state which to apply as if you look under their transfer admission guidelines.</p>

5

<p>nhsharvard, </p>

<p>Let’s just say I’m in the same position as you and I go to Berkeley too</p>

6

<p>No offense, but just judging by your screenname, info, and this post, I feel like you’re a little… too… “set on” the “higher Ivies.”</p>

7

<p>Well, actually, I’m considering NYU, USC, Bard, etc., too. I have to be realistic here, too.</p>

8

<p>It depends on where you’re applying. You need to read the rules carefully. For the UC system in CA, for example, you are not allowed to apply as a frosh if you’ve even enrolled in another college (except for a summer session after HS graduation). And I’d strongly advise against “forgetting” in order to qualify; there are companies that track where students have enrolled so you’re pretty certain to be caught.</p>

9

<p>I withdrew. I called some colleges and some of them said that they would let me apply.</p>

10

<p>You just made a big mistake. First semester is rough, no matter what. You seem to have been on CC long enough and hopefully you’ve read enough of posts on Parents and College Life to know that nobody really has a perfect first semester. A lot of people struggle. It’s normal to be unhappy for the time being. You have to figure out what’s making you miserable about… Berkeley. You need to stick it out for the rest of the year and see what happens.</p>

<p>What makes you think that the grass is actually greener on the other side?</p>

11

<p>I’m not really enthusiastic at Berkeley. I didn’t feel happy actually the first time I visited the campus. It’s environment doesn’t fit me. Also, if I decide to do this, I am able to reapply for next fall anyway considering my good standing. L&S told me that it shouldn’t be a problem.</p>

12

<p>so you have good standing at Berkley but you’re worried about withdrawing? i’m not exactly sure what kind of situation you’re in. but if you’re in good standing, might as well just finish it out the rest of the semester.</p>

13

<p>I’m a first semester freshman, so the advisor said that I shouldn’t have a problem in the readmittance process in Fall. I think a major factor in my low grades this semester was my happiness. I still had doubts about my college choice. Also, considering my 34 units (not all AP), I have sophomore status already.</p>

14

<p>I suggest getting help from the counseling center before deciding to withdraw and transfer. It may be that you’re clinically depressed, and once that’s treated you’ll be able to do fine and be happy at your current school. If you’ve got a mental health problem, transferring won’t help you.</p>

15

<p>If you have poor grades and are transferring after a single semester, you do run the risk of appearing to admissions that you simply cannot handle college as this stage in your life, especially if you blame psychological reasons for your downfall.</p>

16

<p>This is pretty common to a some of students on CC(the ones I’ve read over the years). Rejected from their dream school or some pretigious college, go to one of the UCs that admitted them and ended up with D/Fs.
If a student goes somewhere where a student is not too enthusiastic to begin with, this student might intensify every flaw he/she sees in the school - this could lead to be miserable mindset or psychological reason and therefore not paying attention to grades(not saying this is what happened to OP).</p>

17

<p>"(not saying this is what happened to OP). "</p>

<p>why bring it up if it doesn’t relate to the OP?</p>

18

<p>im basically in the same situation as you, nhsharvard. except that im a freshman @ UCSB & there are other personal/home issues. & im pretty much set on withdrawing already.
does anyone know if i can apply to other UCs for fall 2010?</p>

19

<p>Are you sure you weren’t unhappy because Berkley wasn’t your “dream school” (which, from your posts, I assume is one of the Ivies)? Make sure to at least give your school a chance. It sounds like you went in with a neg. attitude toward it, and that could be one of the reasons you’re unhappy. Def. speak with a counselor before you make any final decisions. </p>

<p>What did your parents say?</p>

20

<p>This is why you don’t apply to safety schools where you can’t see yourself as a student for 4 years.</p>