I'm returning to college after several failed attempts, Will I have to start all over even if I failed most classes and passed some?

So, for the past decade I have been trying to get a degree but I always drop out of my classes because I haven't had a stable place to live and I had to quit everything else and focus on working. Recently, I've had a chance to get my sh*t together and now I am able to continue going to school. I have attended a total of 3 Community Colleges. I have passed some general Ed courses such as College level English (that satisfies the requirements for transfer) and a couple of electives. Also, I have just as many Withdrawals and Failed classes. If I gather my transcripts and apply them to my current school, will they count my passed classes towards graduation? How will my Failed classes impact my transfer eligibility? Will I still be able to graduate? I am in California and I'm trying to transfer into any Cal State. Ive been too embarrassed to share this with any college councilor, they all seem over-it.
Answers

Laurie

I went through pretty much the same thing. As with any transfer, some of your "passed" classes will count, but some may not. ALL classes that you attempted will be reflected on your transcript at the new school, whether you get credit for them or not, and whether you passed them, withdrew from them, or failed them. If I were you, I would return to community college to establish one year of good grades. Most community colleges allow up to 60 credits or so, so I would work on two things: repeating the classes you failed, or from which you withdrew, and taking as many classes as you can that are required by the four-year school you plan to attend. THEN transfer. If you have established a pattern of good grades at community college, THAT is what the four-year school will look at. You can overcome this. When I started college at age 18, I failed several classes, then transferred to another four-year school where I did the same thing. 15 years later, I started over in community college, and transferred AGAIN... finally getting my degree when was 40!

ocularnervosa

Depends on how long you were gone. Some schools have a time limit on how long a credit will stay on your record without graduating.

drip

You will apply as a transfer student. All of your transcripts will need to be sent to the universities you want to apply to. All those Fialed classes will bring down your cumulative gpa. That will affect your application. What classes and credits will be accepted is up to each university.

CarolOklaNola

Very likely the passed classes will not transfer because the are more than 5 or 6 years old. You may be to test out of freshman English for the same reason. I had to retake calculus 3 after taking and passing calculus 4 and 5 at the same university. I had to test out of both semesters of freshman English because it had been more than 20 years at a different university and college. Calculus 4 and 5, Engineering math 1 and 2 are not being taught anymore. I took them in the 1980s. You may gave to start all over again. Don't be afraid of placement tests. You cannot fail a placement test. Over it how? Those are admission counselors, not academic counselors.