Academic Fresh Start?

[sloozy8]

Hi, I have a really unusual question. I started college in 1985. I goofed around for 3 years (I mean I seriously goofed around) and then in 1989, I got really serious and graduated with great grades. Fast forward to 2000. I graduated with a Masters degree again great grades.


I have been teaching for 13 years and it's ok but it's not what I want to do when I grow up. I teach special education but I am ready to take the jump to complete what I feel I should do. I have been looking at pharmacy or the dental programs.

Anyway getting to my question. In Texas, there is a program called Academic Fresh start. It basically wipes out everything you did in college that is older than 10 years. This would basically mean I would be starting over on pre req's and I guess it would mean that my Grad degree would be treated just as 48 hours of classes.

Crazy you say? There is a program for UTHSCA for the dental school. It basically would be 3 years of undergrad and make the minimum required grades, pass the DAT and you are guaranteed a seat to the dental school.
In addition, you would finish the whole program in 7 years and I would have picked up my B.S. and the DDS at the same time.

I am thinking about this because the first school I had a 2.4 and quite a few F's (due to never coming to class) and at the second school. I literally flunked almost every semester I went (attendance again)

When I graduated with my BA I had a 3.769 gpa and for my masters I had a 3.84 gpa. I Have no science pre-req's and I just took a college algebra and made an A. I was going to take a bio class to get my feet wet.

Does anybody have any advice for me? And before anybody flames me for my poor grammar and typo. I am holding a sleeping 2 year old and I am typing with one hand.

I just feel that my horrible start in college could serously hinder me but I am also much more mature than I was when I was 16. Being 16 in college is not a good recipe for success.

I'm sorry for my long post but I have never been able to see anybody else with this type of question. And frankly I toyed with never even mentioning the second school since I either dropped everything or got F's in every class that I was signed up for. I think my gpa there is a .75.

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[brainfreeze]

I'm not sure if you mean a 3.769 total from all the schools you attended or just from one school. If the .75 from the other school is already calculated into that then you're in good shape. If not, recalculate your entire undergrad GPA and post your question again.

If your actual GPA is 3.769 I wouldn't even think about having your record erased. Even with those F's (which can be explained away by youth) you've accomplished a lot. If anything, I think your transcript will read as a steady increase in maturity and level of dedication. Admissions people realize that who you were then and who you have become in your mid-thirties can be completely different.

Keep in mind, however, that it's a lot harder to get an interview with a low GPA. You won't have a chance to explain anything if they don't read your essay or grant you an interview. So, look at your total GPA before you decide what to do because ADSAAS will calculate the whole thing whether you like it or not. Don't forget to include your future classes in that calculation (assuming A's or B's in all of them).

I'm not sure leaving out a transcript from a school is a good idea. I don't remember exactly but I think ADSAAS asks for transcrips from all schools attended so if you exclude one, you're as good as lying to them. That could get ugly if you're caught.

I'm 37 and starting dental school in fall. I can tell you for sure from my experiences interviewing that the ups and downs I've made it through since I was 18 have only helped me.

Good luck to you.

 

[dr.buck]

I'm not sure leaving out a transcript from a school is a good idea. I don't remember exactly but I think ADSAAS asks for transcrips from all schools attended so if you exclude one, you're as good as lying to them. That could get ugly if you're caught.

Yeah, the only way you could have left your bad transcript out of the picture is to not have reported it if you went to a new undergraduate school if you would have started over. I knew someone who did that and took an early start at an "Academic Fresh Start" even though it wasn't official.

 

[jr8047]

I'm not sure if you mean a 3.769 total from all the schools you attended or just from one school. If the .75 from the other school is already calculated into that then you're in good shape. If not, recalculate your entire undergrad GPA and post your question again.

If your actual GPA is 3.769 I wouldn't even think about having your record erased. Even with those F's (which can be explained away by youth) you've accomplished a lot. If anything, I think your transcript will read as a steady increase in maturity and level of dedication. Admissions people realize that who you were then and who you have become in your mid-thirties can be completely different.

Keep in mind, however, that it's a lot harder to get an interview with a low GPA. You won't have a chance to explain anything if they don't read your essay or grant you an interview. So, look at your total GPA before you decide what to do because ADSAAS will calculate the whole thing whether you like it or not. Don't forget to include your future classes in that calculation (assuming A's or B's in all of them).

I'm not sure leaving out a transcript from a school is a good idea. I don't remember exactly but I think ADSAAS asks for transcrips from all schools attended so if you exclude one, you're as good as lying to them. That could get ugly if you're caught.

I'm 37 and starting dental school in fall. I can tell you for sure from my experiences interviewing that the ups and downs I've made it through since I was 18 have only helped me.

Good luck to you.

Agreed 100%. I participated in Academic Fresh Start myself, and it was truely a life saver for my chances into D-school. I was able to erase a 1.9 gpa totally and have just been accepted into San Antonio. It's a great program but I think the advice given above is the best advice one could give you.
If you clarify your post by giving the gpa after the old grades from schools 1 and 2 are calculated in we could probably be of more help.