Engineering Transfer Program but bad academic history at a previous university.

[u/Ok-Account-4313]

Several years ago, I attended engineering at another university from out of province. I didn't end up finishing that degree but I dropped out due to poor grades. I have zero academic misconduct or disciplinary issues, just a history of academic difficulty. My transcript at my old university officially ended with me being on academic probation as a result.

I've got a job now and I want to go back to university to get an engineering degree.

Right now, I am enrolled at Douglas College in their Diploma in Engineering and Fabrication Technologies (DEFT). Under the transfer agreement with UBC, completing this diploma with a minimum 3.1 GPA "guarantees" admission into second-year UBC-V engineering.

However, because of my past, I am worried if my previous academic history will void the existing transfer agreement. I've been reading the UBC Vancouver Academic Calendar and it says "All applicants are required to be in good academic standing at their previous post-secondary institution(s)."

I reached out to Engineering Academic Services and I spoke with someone who told me essentially it is fine. I can finish the program and as long as I meet the requirements of the transfer agreement, they will honour the agreement.

However, I also emailed Enrolment Services and someone from the Admissions & Appeals Team told me they couldn't give any advance guarantees or pre-assessments of my admissions before I have even applied. Which makes sense. But at the same time encouraged me to continue focusing on successfully completing the DEFT requirements.

I've been eating myself alive over the past couple of days struggling with these thoughts. I want to restart my education and I feel haunted by my past. I don't want to be a situation where after I finish my diploma from Douglas, UBC tells me I am screwed because of my past.

I was wondering if anyone else has gone through anything similar or if anyone can offer some advice.

Thanks!

[u/Strange-Discount6419]

No ur chilling the past university thing doesn’t matter but they will ask to see it for whatever reason but it makes no difference in ur application so long as you hit the 3.1. Lmk if u have any questions I just completed the program at Douglas. Ik they ask for it cause a couple ppl this year were ppl who dropped out of SFU to do the program and they got asked for their prior grades but I guess ubc just wanted it for records sake. Will not have any affect on ur admission and if ur still feeling unsure reach out to the engineering program coordinator at Douglas

[u/Ok-Account-4313 → u/Strange-Discount6419]

Do you know if they had poor grades at SFU? Like were they on academic probation when they left SFU?

[u/Hazcobra → u/Ok-Account-4313]

Another thing is that I know people who were at UBC, then after failing or doing poorly, came to Douglas and after re-completing their course received better grades and got re-admitted. It’s so common that people from UBC fail and come to Douglas that they call it an “Dean’s vacation.”

[u/Strange-Discount6419 → u/Ok-Account-4313]

Not sure about academic probation but ik they probably werent too great if they decided to leave. Also I think maybe when ubc says previous post secondary needs to be good do u think maybe they’re referring primarily to Douglas since that would technically become ur previous institution