Crappy hideous school got accredited after I left.

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ofthebest

ofthebest

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So, I spent my freshman year at a dismal facist religious college in Michigan run by a certain insane Pizza Millionaire, back in 2001. I hated it so much I can't even remember what grades I got the first semester. I think As and a C. The second semester I had a nervous breakdown and got engaged to the biggest mistake of my life and left school before finals, in about that order. I hadn't worried much about this escapade before because the school wasn't properly accredited, so I figured I wouldn't have to include it in lists of schools I attended. The school closed last year and moved to Florida under a slightly different name, and out of curiousity I checked out the website and found that my branch went legit before it folded. So, to make it short: somewhere I have a junky transcript from a college that wasn't accredited in 2001, then got accredited in 2004, and then shut down in 2006. Do you think I have to tie this reeking corpse onto my applications? I'm trying to find an official answer but I figured I'd also throw it out here for you guys to chew on.

I guess, worst case scenario, it will make an interesting personal statement: "How I Lost my Soul, my GPA, and $8,000 at The Catholic Bob Jones University."
 
ofthebest said:
So, I spent my freshman year at a dismal facist religious college in Michigan run by a certain insane Pizza Millionaire, back in 2001. I hated it so much I can't even remember what grades I got the first semester. I think As and a C. The second semester I had a nervous breakdown and got engaged to the biggest mistake of my life and left school before finals, in about that order. I hadn't worried much about this escapade before because the school wasn't properly accredited, so I figured I wouldn't have to include it in lists of schools I attended. The school closed last year and moved to Florida under a slightly different name, and out of curiousity I checked out the website and found that my branch went legit before it folded. So, to make it short: somewhere I have a junky transcript from a college that wasn't accredited in 2001, then got accredited in 2004, and then shut down in 2006. Do you think I have to tie this reeking corpse onto my applications? I'm trying to find an official answer but I figured I'd also throw it out here for you guys to chew on.

I guess, worst case scenario, it will make an interesting personal statement: "How I Lost my Soul, my GPA, and $8,000 at The Catholic Bob Jones University."
Click to expand...

Where would you even get a transcript from this school?
 
Well, they still have a website and a number up and their voicemail still works, though I haven't gotten any responses yet. I called the Florida version and left a message there as well. 😡
 
ofthebest said:
Well, they still have a website and a number up and their voicemail still works, though I haven't gotten any responses yet. I called the Florida version and left a message there as well. 😡
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I'm from MI. Where exactly is this school? I've never heard of such a thing.
 
Yes, I will ask them soon, I'm just scared they'll say yes. Sigh.

This school was is Ypsilanti, not far from the Brick Dick. We ate at the EMU caf. It was the worst year of my life. The WSJ had some things to say about the whole thing a while back.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110008818

ETA: I will stand firm on my position that My School is Worse than Your School. 🙄
 
ofthebest said:
Yes, I will ask them soon, I'm just scared they'll say yes. Sigh.

This school was is Ypsilanti, not far from the Brick Dick. We ate at the EMU caf. It was the worst year of my life. The WSJ had some things to say about the whole thing a while back.

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110008818

ETA: I will stand firm on my position that My School is Worse than Your School. 🙄
Click to expand...

Sounds like a good school. You should petition them to change your grade. I doubt it will hurt the school's reputation...

Did they have any classes on pizza making?
 
No but we did have free Domino's pizza every friday. *gag*
 
Amen. Hey, did you know the computer lab had 10 minute "checks" to make sure the Internet was not for Porn?
 
Wow. I have no advice to offer, but I just wanted to say: no matter what you ultimately choose to write your personal statement about, it's sure to be good. From the looks of your post, you have an uncanny ability at writing about an awful situation in such a way that it sounds hilarious. I mean, I'm really sorry that you had to go through what you went through, what with the breakdown and all, but I still couldn't help guffawing at your post (sorry). Seriously, this is the funniest thread I've read in quite a while. You should consider being a professional writer or comedian as well as a doctor.

In any case, good luck with the AMCAS thing, and thanks for giving us that reeking corpse to chew on.
 
Well, gee, thanks. It's okay to laugh -- I have to laugh too, or perish. I spent the intervening years from then till now being an actress and working in an English department, so I'm glad this time might have been good for something. :laugh:

Oh my aching alma mater.
 
You attended a post-secondary school for one year. Fail to mention it at your own peril. No one cares about a grade of C and some funky religious college as long as you grew up, got well (after the breakdown) and made a fresh start. Good luck.
 
Thank you, Lizzie--I am sure that is good advice. I'm more worried about what happened the semester I left (i.e. I wonder if I got 4/5 incompletes or 4/5 Fs. At this point I have no idea.) than I am about the C. I know I would certainly mention it . . . it was a tremendous catalyst in my life. I was more wondering if it would be official enough to count as far as GPA and/or have offical status as a transcript. My sad little gut is guessing yes.

But I've overcome bigger things than a semester of Fs, so I won't let myself get too worked up. Thanks again.
 
ofthebest said:
So, I spent my freshman year at a dismal facist religious college in Michigan run by a certain insane Pizza Millionaire, back in 2001. I hated it so much I can't even remember what grades I got the first semester. I think As and a C. The second semester I had a nervous breakdown and got engaged to the biggest mistake of my life and left school before finals, in about that order. I hadn't worried much about this escapade before because the school wasn't properly accredited, so I figured I wouldn't have to include it in lists of schools I attended. The school closed last year and moved to Florida under a slightly different name, and out of curiousity I checked out the website and found that my branch went legit before it folded. So, to make it short: somewhere I have a junky transcript from a college that wasn't accredited in 2001, then got accredited in 2004, and then shut down in 2006. Do you think I have to tie this reeking corpse onto my applications? I'm trying to find an official answer but I figured I'd also throw it out here for you guys to chew on.

I guess, worst case scenario, it will make an interesting personal statement: "How I Lost my Soul, my GPA, and $8,000 at The Catholic Bob Jones University."
Click to expand...

Oh wow. I thought you went to THE Bob Jones University, which has an interesting premed track.

"our premed program provides a high-quality program and is well-balanced."
 
"The great differences between atheistic evolution and Biblical creation will also be explained."

Oh man. In my 10th grade homeschool biology text book there was a picture of man and dinosaur walking peacefully across the landscape together and a "scientific" exposition of why the earth was really only 6000 years old. In the one great act of individuality and rebellion I ever mustered in my youth, I slammed the book on the kitchen table and declared it Not Science. :laugh:
 
ofthebest said:
"The great differences between atheistic evolution and Biblical creation will also be explained."

Oh man. In my 10th grade homeschool biology text book there was a picture of man and dinosaur walking peacefully across the landscape together and a "scientific" exposition of why the earth was really only 6000 years old. In the one great act of individuality and rebellion I ever mustered in my youth, I slammed the book on the kitchen table and declared it Not Science. :laugh:
Click to expand...

Nice.

"Not Science!
All the stuff that's, well, not science."

sounds like a great book idea.
 
I wouldn't ask AMCAS your question, because you're right, they'll probably say yes. Instead, I'd get a report from the National Student Clearinghouse to see what schools they show you as having attended. I imagine if med schools or AMCAS do check up on you, they're not going to look much further than that.
 
This must really stuck for you, hopefully the marks don't count because the stupid school wasn't acceredited when you actually took the courses.
 
Check your other transcripts; I often see transcripts that will list schools previously attended. This is the case, in particular, if you transferred any grades.

Just remember that if it is ever discovered that you falsified your application (and did not report one of your post-secondary schools) you could be out on your butt - even as an M4.
 
ofthebest said:
"The great differences between atheistic evolution and Biblical creation will also be explained."

Oh man. In my 10th grade homeschool biology text book there was a picture of man and dinosaur walking peacefully across the landscape together and a "scientific" exposition of why the earth was really only 6000 years old. In the one great act of individuality and rebellion I ever mustered in my youth, I slammed the book on the kitchen table and declared it Not Science. :laugh:
Click to expand...

i sadly use to vehemently defend filth like this. then i went to a school of higher education, at which point i was labeled by most in my father's church as "brainwashed by city liberals", and became an anthropology major. Now the thought of creationism/intelligent design being taught in public schools, or schools period for that matter, is as repugnant as being a premed at Bob Jones University.
 
sfnix said:
i sadly use to vehemently defend filth like this. then i went to a school of higher education, at which point i was labeled by most in my father's church as "brainwashed by city liberals", and became an anthropology major. Now the thought of creationism/intelligent design being taught in public schools, or schools period for that matter, is as repugnant as being a premed at Bob Jones University.
Click to expand...

What bothers me is not that they teach the subject...because they can teach it in religion classes or other such things. But to try to pass if off as science is ridiculous.

Also, if we are going to teach Christian creationism, it follows we must also teach Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Native American, etc, etc, creationism accounts. Let's make it well rounded.
 
Just remember that if it is ever discovered that you falsified your application (and did not report one of your post-secondary schools) you could be out on your butt - even as an M4.
Click to expand...

I would never falsify an application, and I'm sorry if this thread gave that impression. I was just wondering if a school like this would "count". If it does (and it probably does) on the applications it will go. And maybe even if it doesn't. The fact that my next school would not accept any grades from Ave because of their shady credentials had put the bug in my ear that maybe they counted like going to summer camp in Sibera counts. But "educational" history is educational history. Thanks again for the warning.

Evolution: the first clas I took after reentering the arena of college was evolutionary anthropology. I can kind of extend my sympathy to the bible-as-infallible people, because they are just trying to maintain their religion by any means, and I've been there. What drives me nuts are the Catholics (like my family) who persist in believing in a literal biblical genesis account even when the Vatican released a document years back saying something to the extent of "it is not contrary to our faith to believe in evolution as long as we agree that God started it, and that God was being truthful when he said 6 days, only God's idea of a day is probably longer than ours (say, millions of years = 1 day)" Intelligent design before the term was damn ubiquitous. (disclaimer...no longer identify as a Catholic. Now a happy Quaker)

""I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use."
- Galileo Galilei"

QFT
 
It is not common but a small fraction (0.5%) of the applications the average adcom member seens in a year will be from someone who, at first glance, has a gpa significantly below the school's avg.. This is usually coupled with a very sweet MCAT score and the person reading the application says "What's going on here?" Unless the school uses a cutpoint, the application is read and the situation is often someone who had a breakdown or other illness and flunked an entire semester (or had a bad year of Cs and Ds before crashing and burning). Generally, (and these are common enough that I've seen a dozen of them over the years) the applicant takes a few years off, gets well, finds the motivation to pursue medicine and has a great gpa from there out but, because everything counts, the bad year drags things down. The adcom sees the trend and discounts or doesn't hold the bad year against the applicant. By definition these applicants are motivated, often non-trad, and have made a mature decision to pursue medicine.

So, it goes on the AMCAS but as far as the application readers are concerned it may not "count" against you.
 
"Wow that's pretty bad. Glad we have the ACLU..."

I hope this is a joke. If not, it's about the scariest thing I've ever read on this website.
 
enerally, (and these are common enough that I've seen a dozen of them over the years) the applicant takes a few years off, gets well, finds the motivation to pursue medicine and has a great gpa from there out but, because everything counts, the bad year drags things down. The adcom sees the trend and discounts or doesn't hold the bad year against the applicant. By definition these applicants are motivated, often non-trad, and have made a mature decision to pursue medicine.
Click to expand...

Wow, thank you very much. That's the most hopeful thing I've read since I started this thing, and is (or will be) pretty much my story exactly. Just have to get that sweet MCAT.

Re: ACLU . . . they can be scary/goofy, but often they are looking out in important and underobserved places and can raise a very helpful stink. As in "Uh! It's not legal to do ________ ! Sue! Sue! Sue!" and then the maniac who wanted to do _________ steps back.
 
I'm sorry that you had such an awful experience and hope that things work out for you...On the other hand, what did you think would happen if you went to some random unaccredited university? Particularly if you had plans of attending graduate/professional school...
 
I thought I would work on my Aquinas and Latin and then become a nun, and that accreditation didn't really matter in heaven.

Now I know a little better. 🙄
 
Strange thread.
I want pizza.
 
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