Transfer student to UTK+ sorority - Page 2

jamw90 · #16 01-11-2010, 09:59 AM

When my friends and family mail recs, would it be a good idea to mail my high school and college transcripts along with the letter? I saw that idea on Auburn's greek website.

ree-Xi · #17 01-11-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamw90

ughh a 2.3, because I made a D in Spanish, and since I took only 13 hours, I couldn't drop the class, because then I would lose my state lottery scholarship. Luckily this semester I am taking 18 hours, and can drop down to 12 if I have to. Last semester, my grandmother died unexpectedly and we were very close, I had a very bad break up with a borderline emotionally abusive boyfriend, and I had thyroid problems and had to miss class a lot to make doctor's appointments (they were with specialists who were booked at least a month ahead, I had to take what times they gave me). This semester I am basically going to give up my social life and study study study!

If I finish this coming semester with all A's (if I drop down to 15 hours), I can finish with a 3.36 because I am retaking Spanish, and UT will only count what I make retaking it when they calculate my transfer GPA. IF I drop down to 12 hours (I'm going to try to clep out of a class), I can make a 3.71 gpa

If you got a 2.3 with 13 credits, what possessed you to take 18 credits this semester? What's the business with dropping classes (or having it as a backup plan)? What is the point? Are you considered full-time at 12 or 13 credits? I thought that dropping classes was a big deal, to be done infrequently. At some point, it ends up on your transcript if you drop a class after a certain point (which may or may not matter). Why not just plan to take 12-13 credits and do your best that way, if you are already planning to drop courses? If that is what you are capable of (and mind you, it's going to take you longer to graduate), then stick to the 12 and leave it at that. JMO

jamw90 · #18 01-11-2010, 02:45 PM

So that way I can have a full selection of what classes I can drop. It will either be college algebra or econ. In tennessee, you are considered full time if you are taking 12 classes. And I have actually 19 credit hours, 6 being from dual enrollment.

ree-Xi · #19 01-12-2010, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamw90

So that way I can have a full selection of what classes I can drop. It will either be college algebra or econ. In tennessee, you are considered full time if you are taking 12 classes. And I have actually 19 credit hours, 6 being from dual enrollment.

Is it common these days to do this? Take 6 courses, expect that you'll be doing poorly in at least one of them, and drop it? What about all the wasted time and energy spent in class and on homework? You could use that towards the fewer classes you planned to take in the first place.

Can someone tell me if this is the norm now? I was in school in the early 90s, and people only dropped if it was an emergency. And from what I remember, dropping after the deadline required a signature from the professor and your academic advisor, along with a legitimate excuse (to them, at least) as to why you were dropping.

agzg · #20 01-12-2010, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Is it common these days to do this? Take 6 courses, expect that you'll be doing poorly in at least one of them, and drop it? What about all the wasted time and energy spent in class and on homework? You could use that towards the fewer classes you planned to take in the first place.

Can someone tell me if this is the norm now? I was in school in the early 90s, and people only dropped if it was an emergency. And from what I remember, dropping after the deadline required a signature from the professor and your academic advisor, along with a legitimate excuse (to them, at least) as to why you were dropping.

When I was in grad school I would always register for an extra course and then decide during add/drop period which ones I liked best. I never did it with required courses, though, because that would be stupid. If I liked them all I would bust my butt and take all of them.

I don't think this is the same situation, though.

33girl · #21 01-12-2010, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Is it common these days to do this? Take 6 courses, expect that you'll be doing poorly in at least one of them, and drop it? What about all the wasted time and energy spent in class and on homework? You could use that towards the fewer classes you planned to take in the first place.

It's January. Her semester hasn't even started yet. Colleges have a drop/add period at the beginning of the semester where you aren't penalized if you drop the class. I can understand the concept of signing up and then seeing how things work out after a week or so as some classes are a giant pain to get into.

ree-Xi · #22 01-12-2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

It's January. Her semester hasn't even started yet. Colleges have a drop/add period at the beginning of the semester where you aren't penalized if you drop the class. I can understand the concept of signing up and then seeing how things work out after a week or so as some classes are a giant pain to get into.

Yes, I know that. The way the OP describes it just seemed to me as it being the "norm", taking several extra classes at the outset with the intent to drop a few. I just never experienced the drop option this way.

SydneyK · #23 01-12-2010, 02:43 PM

Dropping late in the semester has become far too commonplace, IMO.

Students consistently sign up for (and attend) more classes than they intend to complete. With withdraw dates being after mid-term grades are released, students habitually wait until they know their mid-term grades to determine whether to drop. I couldn't tell you how many transcripts I see that include at least one W grade each semester. In fact, department chairs frequently override the maximum number of students allowed in classes because they know such a high percentage of students will drop. It's crazy. (And it's a campus-wide problem, not departmental.)

So, from that POV, having one W on your transcript shouldn't be an issue at all. Especially if you dropped the course because you CLEPed out. But, my POV is far removed from that of an active collegian. (In other words, don't listen to me. It was good to vent, though.)

ETA: I just realized that this wasn't the "will 1 W look bad" thread! Ooops!

jamw90 · #24 01-12-2010, 03:35 PM

Well, I'm not saying I'll have a 2.0 by the end of this semester. Heck no, I will absolutely not let it happen. One of the problems I had my first semester of college was I did not know how to study (my friends who went away to school agree with me that high school did not teach us good study skills) By the end of the semester I finally started to but it was too late. This semester I will be participating in study groups, tutoring labs, etc. My gpa will definitely be at least a 2.75 by the end of this semester, especially since I decided not to take econ this semester. And I will be taking classes this Summer that should hopefully boost it to at least a 3.0 if not higher. I was just saying I shouldn't have a problem being accepted to the university itself, because unlike other schools like UF and UGA, where they will only accept transfer students if they have room (says so on their websites), UTK does not have that problem.

VandalSquirrel · #25 01-12-2010, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamw90

Well, I'm not saying I'll have a 2.0 by the end of this semester. Heck no, I will absolutely not let it happen. One of the problems I had my first semester of college was I did not know how to study (my friends who went away to school agree with me that high school did not teach us good study skills) By the end of the semester I finally started to but it was too late. This semester I will be participating in study groups, tutoring labs, etc. My gpa will definitely be at least a 2.75 by the end of this semester, especially since I decided not to take econ this semester. And I will be taking classes this Summer that should hopefully boost it to at least a 3.0 if not higher. I was just saying I shouldn't have a problem being accepted to the university itself, because unlike other schools like UF and UGA, where they will only accept transfer students if they have room (says so on their websites), UTK does not have that problem.

Be aware that your summer school classes may not have official grades posted in time for recruitment in the fall. Especially with being a transfer student the grades have to officially post, and the transcript be sent to your new school and processed. For example my school has summer grades as official after recruitment starts and you'd be out of luck.

In regards to W grades, my school only allows you twenty credits total of W ad then you have reached the limit unless you have extraordinary circumstances. I only have three and it was from last semester, our drop period is after midterms.

AnotherKD · #26 01-13-2010, 10:10 AM

And 2.75 is not great, either. In fact, it's pretty much the opposite of great. Focus on getting that up before you focus on joining a sorority at a school with a competitive recruitment. You know, do what you're at school to do in the first place.

jamw90 · #27 01-13-2010, 10:21 AM

I should hopefully have a 3.09 if I finish with all A's this semester, 3.0 if I finish with all A's and one B. If I take six credit hours in the Summer (the classes would be over before July), and make an A in both (I know I'll be taking some easy intro to music, not sure what my other class will be yet), I'll have a 3.23. Which I would probably not have that updated GPA in enough time to give to sororities. Worst case scenario, I'll rush in the Spring.

jamw90 · #28 01-13-2010, 10:31 AM

And about that D in Spanish, UT will figure that into my transfer GPA when deciding whether to admit me, but only what I make the second time (fingers crossed it will be a A!) will be recorded on my permanent record. So I don't know if the sororities will see that or not? So if they don't count the D in my GPA, I could finish the Spring with a 3.26, the Summer with a 3.38.

ree-Xi · #29 01-13-2010, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamw90

And about that D in Spanish, UT will figure that into my transfer GPA when deciding whether to admit me, but only what I make the second time (fingers crossed it will be a A!) will be recorded on my permanent record. So I don't know if the sororities will see that or not? So if they don't count the D in my GPA, I could finish the Spring with a 3.26, the Summer with a 3.38.

Stop. Obsessing. I am saying this to be nice. Just buckle down and do what you need to do.

kddani · #30 01-13-2010, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

Stop. Obsessing. I am saying this to be nice. Just buckle down and do what you need to do.

Seriously. If OP would've spent half as much time studying, she wouldn't be trying to get out of this grade predicament to begin with. A "D" in Spanish at a community college is unbelievable- did you not ever show up for class? Then assuming you could actually get an A this semester? Even under the best of scenarios, your possible transfer GPA from a community college is nothing impressive or noteworthy.

Worry more about how your grades will affect actually getting INTO college and your future job prospects, and less how they will affect your chances at joining a sorority. Get your priorities in line.