Expert: Susie Watts - 7/16/2007

Question
I dropped out of school at 16, and I never made it past my freshman year. Last summer I enrolled in Penn Foster High School, and I expect to graduate in the next few months. My grades there are all high 80's and up.

I am really wanting to go to college in the spring. However I am worried about not getting accepted to any college. I have found a local college, Georgia Perimter College, thats a 2 year school. According to Penn Foster several of there graduates have been accepted there. I am really wanting to go there, and then transfer elsewhere to a 4 year school.

In middle school I was always exceleld in my classes, I attended Duke TIP for 4 years, and I am a small business owner with plenty of news articles, and knowledge or running a business.

I was stupid to dropout, but now I want to go to college. I have signed up to take the SAT in December, and I have found a physics student to tutor me. Is there anything you think that could improve my chances of getting into college?

Answer
It sounds to me as though you are on the right track.  Don't concern yourself with the fact that you dropped out of school.  You sound like you have things turned around and you are obviously a bright student.  I would suggest you take both the SAT and ACT test and that you write a good essay to explain your situation.  Also make the best grades you can this year before you hope to transfer.  Do well at a two year college and you should be able to transfer to many good four year schools.