• LAVA Moderator: Shinji Ikari

URGENT: Good Academic Standing at Last Institution Attended

Puntr

Bluelighter
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Messages
87
Location
Los Angeles
Hey guys,

Urgent matter here and would appreciate input greatly. I was attending a JC and let's just say I didn't exactly take it seriously. I completed 20 units there and was academically dismissed for having a GPA < 1.75. After that, I enrolled at another JC where I am up to 20 units again, this time with a 3.75 GPA. I'm starting to apply for Cal States and noticed that one of the requirements is to be in good standing. I never bothered readmitting myself to my first JC, and only have 1 more month to apply for Cal State, so my question is do Cal States require me to be in good standing at the time of application, or will I be able to take care of this in the time between now and when I plan on attending (Fall 2012)?
 
It all depends, sometimes if you don't disclose information they will never find out.
I'd say take your chances, it might turn out all-right man.
 
Hmmm. On the one hand you definitely were not in good standing with your first JC. On the other hand, you're doing great now. I'd say you have a few options.

1) Since many colleges say you must provide transcripts of ALL previous academic institutions attended, it would be my duty as an E&C mod to urge you to be honest by disclosing that info and telling the people in admissions that you are sorry for your past sins and that you have been reborn as a good student as demonstrated by your new set of transcripts.

2) You may wish to just "forget" to send in the transcripts from your first JC when you apply. However, once again it is my duty to say that if they do find out about your old school, you might be screwed. You prolly filled out a FAFSA at your old JC so with a little investigating, the Cal school might be able to find a paper trail. I really don't know.

3) What I would do is call the admissions office of the school you want to apply to and just ask what the protocol is. Believe it or not, a lot of people fuck up their first couple of years in college, so they may be understanding of your situation. You don't have to tell them your name. Since you technically started over, they might say that you don't have to include your old transcripts. I would plead my case anonymously and see where that got me.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do and how it turns out.
 
If there is some essay/cover letter component to the application, you can even use it to your advantage, saying that back then you didn't have focus, but now you have focused your life goals, learned to adjust and change your studying styles, and priorities and are now focused on the future. Triumphing over adversity (even if it is self-inflicted adversity) is good.
 
^ There is usually a supplemental application which has a place that says something like "if you have previously done bad at a school, list the reasons why and how you will change them." I am not sure how many schools have this, but you can certainly use that to explain your turn-around.

I omitted a poor transcript in the past. I don't recall reading anything that said I had to include all transcripts, and everything worked out fine for me.
 
Top