Few College/University questions?
Hi, I have a few questions regarding College and University.
I'm 17 years old, and I just graduated from my last year of high school.
I'm going to be going on vacation for a month in summer then will be returning to start Community college. (www.rcc.edu) How will my high-school grades affect my admission to community college?
I will admit I slacked a lot in high school, my GPA was only about 2.9-3.0.
Second question, what are the general courses I will need to take for General Ed in my first 2 years of college? Example, science, math, history, in detail.
Third question, do college instructors generally explain the material to subjects more thoroughly then in High School? (Is it generally easier to understand the material in college then in High School)
Fourth Question: I didn't quite understand science as well as I should of in High School, and barely breezed by test wise, how will this affect me in the Science General Ed courses I take in College?
And last but not least: Similar to the first question, my admission to a 4 year university is mostly dependent on how well I do in my 2 years of college, correct? Not so much my high school grades?
I'm asking this because I slacked off too much in high school and I REALLY want to give it my all in college/university, but was hoping that it wasn't already too late because of my not so good GPA in High School.
All answers are greatly appreciated, thanks a lot!
Update:Thanks a lot for all the great feedback!
Will choose best answer in 4 hours when it allows me to :)
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
First question: They wont as long as you got your HS diploma.
Second Question: The general courses you need to take will depend entirely on what 4 year school you wish to transfer to and what you want to major in. Have a few schools and majors in mind before you make your subject selection. IMHO it is best to be in constant contact with th 4 year schools you are interested in to ensure you are on the right track
Third Question: No. You have to do a lot more work yourself.
Fourth question: Naturally the better preparation you have the easier it will be for you and conversely. That said provided you are willing to do the work you will have no problems.
Last Question: Yes - it is based on how well you do in the 2 year college. Best however to go to a 4 year school that had a guaranteed admission policy with the 2 year school. That why you should be sorting out now what 4 year schools you want to go to.
Thanks
Bill
congrats on graduating high scool! Now to answer your questions:
1. Your HS grades will not effect your admission to a CC.
2. I would sit down with your college advisor at rcc and ask them what the basic classes you should take are?
3. The style of learning varies from class to class, instructor to instructor...Generally, you can expect less homework than high school, but more weight on tests/reading/participation/attendance...Each class will have a syllabus that is handed out the first day and it will explain in full detail the grading system and it will also give a class schedule for the entire semester.
4. Depends, just work as hard as you can and you might need a tutor
5. Your admission to a four year UNI is all about your college performance. Actually, you can transfer after your first year, you only need 30 credits to transfer.
Let me say this though: That is great that you know you want to buckle down with school right now and transfer! Dont worry, a lot of people slacked off or whatever during high school but the key is that you have matured now and are ready to move in the right direction. Colleges understand this and that is why they have the transfer program in the first place. Just work hard from day 1, and make sure you check the web sites of the colleges you plan on transfering to and see the deadlines/what they want. Best of luck!
1) You should be able to get into community college with that GPA.
2) It will vary by school somewhat, but things like English Comp, a science, a social science, a humanity, public speaking, foreign language, a math class. Stuff like that.
3) Sometimes. Sometimes not. It depends on the professor's ability to teach, as well as your ability to listen. Either way, you will be required to do the accompanying textbook readings. In lecture, your professor will either:
a) Summarize the most important parts of the text and go over important concepts, while leaving out some material.
b) Talk about things that aren't covered or aren't covered well enough in the textbook. You'll be expected to know both the lecture material and the text material.
4) It will have a negative effect, obviously. Get a tutor if you need one.
5) Your high school grades will be dead and gone. Community college is a fresh start for your GPA.
Well, first of all, weighted GPA's are pointless, the first thing that a school does when they get your application and transcripts is to re-work the math and un-weight it, in order to fairly and accurately compare you to the other applicants. And there in lies the problem: admissions is not about how good you are, it is about how good you are in comparison to the others in that batch of applicants. Medical researchers are usually doctors, so the same and intense requirements apply. Or you could go into chemistry and to lab pharmaceutical research, but that is just not the same. You can go to a community college and really get your grades up. You have to do English, history, etc no matter where you go, so if you cannot get into the program at Rutgers. Or you can apply there undecided and then work your pre-reqs up really well, then apply into the pharmacy program internally.