About 5-6 years ago, I went to a trade school to work in the IT field. I didn't even particularly want to be there but the people that I was staying with at the time told me that they were going to kick me out if I didn't go (I just finished high school at this time) plus I had a scholarship for a free year to go to this trade school. While I learned a lot about myself and some things about computers there, I currently have a problem.

I was enrolled in an academic alliance program back then that worked with the college that I am currently enrolled in that helped trade school students obtain associates degrees by allowing the trade school credit hours be combined with general education credits at the college that I'm at to complete an associates degree. I did alright back when I went to the trade school, up until I got to the last part of the program where things got hard. Because of my overwhelming anxiety issues that I was struggling with at the time, combined with all of the problems I was having at home with my mother's antics, I ended up getting an F in one of the courses.

Because I have an F on my transcript at the college that I am now attending, my GPA has gone to hell. I am about 0.2 points above the cutoff score for my financial aid that I'm dependent upon. I tried contacting the trade school to redo the course, but they said that they no longer participate in the academic program that I was attending which makes it impossible for me to retake the classes and boost my score.

If I can't find a way to do something about this, I am just going to focus on my online business instead at the expense of my education and drop out the moment I am no longer dependent on my work study job. If I can't get a high GPA, why waste my time with college? Associates degrees don't mean jack to anybody anymore and I wouldn't be able to transfer into a decent 4 year college because of my screwed up grades and get the degree that people actually care about.

The only reasons why I've been caring at this point about college is because of the job that I have, the resources that I am provided for being a student, and to have a backup plan in case my business fails for whatever reason. At this point though, if I can't find a solution to my problem, I will just remain a student just to pay the bills and focus on my dropshipping side business until I can make a stable income with it and then drop out and focus on it full time and if I fail, just get on disability and live out of a van or something until I can find something better to do with my life.

[Crypts_Of_The_Mind]

2 options come to mind

1 - Do they have that course there? If so maybe you can speak to your academic counselor about removing that grade from your records and allowing you to retake the course.

2. Find an elective course to take that would be easier for you to get a high grade in and therefore boost your GPA. You can continue to do this each semester.

Originally Posted by Crypts_Of_The_Mind

2 options come to mind

1 - Do they have that course there? If so maybe you can speak to your academic counselor about removing that grade from your records and allowing you to retake the course.

2. Find an elective course to take that would be easier for you to get a high grade in and therefore boost your GPA. You can continue to do this each semester.

No, the program that I took was exclusive to the trade school, and even if they had it, I have no real interest in doing that kind of work.

How would boosting my GPA by taking other classes even work? My GPA is about 2.2 or 2.3 right now (I would have to verify it this week since I did boost it by getting an A in English Comp) but beings that I have an F and a number of Cs, I don't see how I could boost it to where it would be good enough. 2. anything is utter garbage and unless there is some kind of way to magically boost it past 3.2-3.5, I don't see a point in even trying.

[Crypts_Of_The_Mind]

An A in an elective is adding a 4.0 into the mix when your grades are averaged. If you select an elective each semester, and get that A, and from next semester on, pull As and B's mostly on your other courses, those 4.0 and 3.0 will bring the averages up.

Originally Posted by Crypts_Of_The_Mind

An A in an elective is adding a 4.0 into the mix when your grades are averaged. If you select an elective each semester, and get that A, and from next semester on, pull As and B's mostly on your other courses, those 4.0 and 3.0 will bring the averages up.

I guess I am a n00b when it comes to college. I am still unfamiliar to how the GPA metric works.

I don't know if this college will allow me to take an elective but I can check tomorrow in between my job. If it doesn't, I think I have to take 61 credit hours in total anyways. Would it be possible, perhaps, to boost it above 3.3-3.5 if I get mostly As and Bs from here on out you think?

[Crypts_Of_The_Mind]

I believe so, yes. That's why I said, give yourself some "easy" courses along with your mandatory ones.

Originally Posted by Crypts_Of_The_Mind

I believe so, yes. That's why I said, give yourself some "easy" courses along with your mandatory ones.

You're right. I honestly wish I could do something about the F though. I was a completely different person then compared to now. I no longer have to deal with my mother trying to control me, going without food, or family drama and the shame and anxiety that came with it like I dealt with then. I was in no position to attend any kind of higher education at that point because I couldn't even take care of myself properly.

I don't want to be reminded of that shame and dishonor every time I look at my transcript or have to show my transcript to somebody for a professional reason. Plus, if I ever apply to a 4 year university or submit it for a job if I still need a regular job, then I don't want them to see how much of an utter pathetic failure I was back then.

I'm still going to try to stick college out for now and I will check into doing what you said at least, but I am becoming increasingly more convinced that I should just focus more on expanding my dropshipping store so I can make a full time income off it and enhancing my business and technical knowledge then stress out about my grades.

[Crypts_Of_The_Mind]

Talk to your academic counselor too. Tell him or her what you just did me about that grade, ask if there is any way to get it taken off your record, or if not maybe they have more suggestions than I did. It's worth a try though.

Don't give up. Just look at it as one more challenge to overcome. You are good at doing that and each one you overcome, the stronger you become.

*hugs*

Update:

I spoke with an academic advisor today and I was told that if I get all passing grades this Fall, I can apply for something called academic reprieve next spring which will allow me to have all of the classes that I took that semester wiped off my record which includes that F. They said that I can do it since their only requirements are for it to have been at least 3 years since the semester you want wiped and that you have made at least a C in every class that you took since then.

[Crypts_Of_The_Mind]

Yay! So happy for you!

[alicetailor]

Originally Posted by DarknessIsMyFriend

About 5-6 years ago, I went to a trade school to work in the IT field. I didn't even particularly want to be there but the people that I was staying with at the time told me that they were going to kick me out if I didn't go (I just finished high school at this time) plus I had a scholarship for a free year to go to this trade school. While I learned a lot about myself and some things about computers there, I currently have a problem.

I was enrolled in an academic alliance program back then that worked with the college that I am currently enrolled in that helped trade school students obtain associates degrees by allowing the trade school credit hours be combined with general education credits at the college that I'm at to complete an associates degree. I did alright back when I went to the trade school, up until I got to the last part of the program where things got hard. Because of my overwhelming anxiety issues that I was struggling with at the time, combined with all of the problems I was having at home with my mother's antics, I ended up getting an F in one of the courses.

Because I have an F on my transcript at the college that I am now attending, my GPA has gone to hell. I am about 0.2 points above the cutoff score for my financial aid that I'm dependent upon. I tried contacting the trade school to redo the course, but they said that they no longer participate in the academic program that I was attending which makes it impossible for me to retake the classes and boost my score.

If I can't find a way to do something about this, I am just going to focus on my online business instead at the expense of my education and drop out the moment I am no longer dependent on my work study job. If I can't get a high GPA, why waste my time with college? Associates degrees don't mean jack to anybody anymore and I wouldn't be able to transfer into a decent 4 year college because of my screwed up grades and get the degree that people actually care about.

The only reasons why I've been caring at this point about college is because of the job that I have, the resources that I am provided for being a student, and to have a backup plan in case my business fails for whatever reason. At this point though, if I can't find a solution to my problem, I will just remain a student just to pay the bills and focus on my dropshipping side business until I can make a stable income with it and then drop out and focus on it full time and if I fail, just get on disability and live out of a van or something until I can find something better to do with my life.

Completing your education is important. Isn’t there any other way to improve your grades.

[TishaBuv]

My son failed Chemistry only one semester as a freshman and it hurt his GPA. But he graduated doing well on everything else, and hopefully grad schools will consider that.

I'm glad they will work with you to fix it. Good luck!