Reader Question: I’m Ready To Transfer Colleges, But Do I Have To Submit My Old (Not Great) Grades?

An LAist reader who is preparing to relaunch their university studies recently wrote in and asked:

The answer:

Yes. Prospective students "must report all institutions they attended and all grades[,] regardless of how long ago they attended," a CSU spokesperson told LAist via email.

What if I'm interested in transferring to a UC?

In a separate email, a UC spokesperson said: “Although UC campuses pay closer attention to a student's more recent academic record, UC requires students to report all collegiate institutions attended, and all coursework attempted, even if they don't think the coursework will transfer and don't want it to count, and regardless of how long ago they attended.”

“If students have repeated D or F grades at the community college,” she added, “UC will use the better grade to calculate their GPA. It is also important to note that not all CSU coursework is transferable to UC. A student's CSU record may be less detrimental than they may think – UC campuses will review and evaluate this once they apply for admission.”

When selecting transfer students, the spokesperson said, UC campuses “consider several factors.” This includes the Additional Comments and Personal Insight Questions sections of the application, which “allow students to provide context about their previous college experiences and accomplishments. This is their opportunity to highlight progress since their first attempt at CSU and demonstrate why they are good candidates for UC.”

What if my old grades are not great?

If you fear that your old grades could negatively affect your chances of being admitted, you may want to look into the academic renewal process, sometimes referred to as “grade forgiveness.”

In an email to LAist, a spokesperson for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Strategic Enrollment Management division noted that “[A]cademic renewal may give students a chance to petition to have D’s and F’s removed from their GPAs.”

Each campus handles things a little differently, so, “It is recommended that you reach out to an academic advisor at your first CSU to inquire about the academic renewal process,” the spokesperson added.

Colleges and universities generally require students to petition to have Ds and Fs removed from their records. For the most part, students can request to have a handful of classes scrubbed all at once, instead of filing a separate petition for each course.

To qualify for academic renewal, students must demonstrate that they have since kept better grades. This eligibility requirement varies by campus, but, typically, students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA.

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