<p>My daughter is 24 and in her fifth year of college. Her FAFSA is at its limit. Of all things, she decided to be a physics major and has been struggling with this for three years. She wants to graduate but it looks as if she will be shown the door at the end of this year. She got no credits in the fall and has dropped most classes this spring. We are downhearted. I am too embarrassed to call the school or her counselor for obvious reasons. My heart is in my throat. There is a college in her hometown but there is no way she would get in with her current record. What to do? She needs and wants her degree and has accumulated about 115 credits towards it. She needs 20 credits in this ridiculous (for her) major. She stuggles with learning issues (severe dyslexia and ADD). Her school just recently acknowledged these issues and has given her extra time for tests. Finals are coming up and without a miracle, she will be out owing much and with nothing to show for all her pain and suffering. What can I do?? I am nearly 60 with a heart condition and an unemployed partner.</p>
<p>At 24, your D is certainly old enough to march into her adviser or a Dean’s office with her transcript to say, “Ok, I need a college degree. I need you to collaborate with me on the best and cheapest and fastest way to get there”.</p>
<p>My sympathies to you-- this is no doubt a very stressful situation. But someone inside her U is in the best position to look at her academic record and advise her on the fastest way to get out. If the U has a “General Liberal Arts” degree or something of that nature- or a program for adult/nontraditional learners, perhaps she can switch tracks into that program, stack up the credits she already has, and get out with a minimal investment of more money.</p>
<p>Why physics, why this university, and what did she plan to do when she finished??? And what was her backup plan the first time she hit a speed bump with physics?</p>
<p>If she has no credits for fall or spring it really sounds like her field of study is a terrible fit. Can she transfer her 115 credits toward something or somewhere else? There’s no magic wand to make someone succeed in a subject or to turn back time. What is the reason she doesn’t have any credits to show for over the past year? It’s not your responsibility and no need to feel anxiety or guilt. Just be there for moral support. Be careful about pouring more $$ into this. Based on the limited information, it doesn’t sound like this is a good path for her.</p>
<p>Yes, you both need to talk to a college advisor to find out what is a reasonable degree without too much more money or time. In advance, do some research on the university’s website to find degree programs that are the closest fit to what she has completed. You might get a pass on academic probation and a second chance if you offer to do a summer class - some colleges have a hard time filling their summer classes.</p>
<p>As noted above, some colleges have “Adult Evening Colleges” or “General Studies” programs or “Schools of Continuing Education” that have less strict academic requirements than their traditional day classes.</p>
<p>She has far too many credits to transfer. SHE needs to discuss the easiest way to graduate with her advisor. It could be a general degree or another major.</p>
<p>Tough love : Instead of using college as a springboard to life, it sounds like that at age 24 , D is using college as a closet to hide from life. </p>
<p>Positive love: College is not life. Just because she did not excel at University that doesn’t mean that she can’t find her niche and set the world on fire. But the time has come to try.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>When I went to college, there was the first 90, last 60 rule. If you earned your first 90 credits (out of 120), or the last 60 credits, you could get a degree from the university. She has earned her first 115, and could possibly earn her last credits anywhere where her current college would accept the transfer credits. Much easier to be a non-degree student at the new college taking courses for credit.</p>
<p>20 credits is almost another entire year. Is there no combination of classes that can combine to make a major of almost a major with only 1 or 2 classes out of the 115 credits? (What charlieschm is getting at). I agree with Wis75, she needs to figure out how to get herself graduated with whatever major can be salvaged our of the compilaton of classes attempted. If you have access, I would look at all the classes she has taken and see if you can fathom any suggestions and if you can’t then she needs to get herself to her adviser pronto and ask for help getting a qucik path to completion in something. At the very worse I fear, she will need to take a leave and work to earn/save a year’s worth of tuition, etc. and finish the degree up with a plan in place.</p>
<p>It’s a tough situation. But I am really glad she is talking to you about it, not “hiding from home” as student often do when overwhelmed. My you stay calm and healthy supporting her as she sorts through the options.</p>
<p>The next question is whether the U. will let her take a couple classes over again if needed to avoid academic suspension and to meet the requirements of a major. Many colleges will let you take a class twice.</p>
<p>I am sorry this is happening, and I hope I don’t come off as uncaring. Your D seems to have issues, maybe beyond the learning issues. Something has kept her from earning more than a few credits all year. If she can somehow arrange to pull out a degree, these may still need to be adressed. She won’t earn the degree and then suddenly everything will be ok. Are you sure you want to direct your energy at wrapping up the degree, which at 20 hours left is a little over a semester away? Or does your d need something else?</p>
<p>My nephew dropped out of college 8 credits shy of graduation. He has no intention (at this time) of going back. He is now happily driving a long-haul truck. Life doesn’t always work out as planned, and sometimes people just have to reconsider & regroup. Let her figure this out on her own - she is more than old enough to do so.</p>
<p>There are a number of colleges and universities that will accept up to 90 semester hours of transfer credit. Many have extensive distance ed. programs. Check out [UMUC</a> - Homepage](<a href=“http://www.umuc.edu%5DUMUC”>http://www.umuc.edu) for one example.</p>
<p>Thank you all!</p>
<p>I know a number of “kids” like Kelsmom’s nephew. That may be where your DD will be and it may take the running out of funds for her to just stop taking courses she can’t complete or pass, sit back and think it over. I know it’s painful as the mom to see this sort of thing. It would hurt me terrilby, and my kids have hurt me in many such ways. But they are really adults at this stage and they do not have to do as you say.</p>
<p>I would try to get a conference with those at her school, the academic dean, and see what can be salvaged here and if she can get some degree in the next semester. I had to give my “you are majoring in getting out of college with a degree this year” talk to a number of mine who might have stretched out the process had I not. Some schools have areas majors that don’t require many specific courses, and if you DD’s school has such majors, and if she can get thorugh something this term and finish up credits next term, it would be terrific. </p>
<p>Good luck and hugs.</p>
<p>Wow, my Ds have disabilities as well, not as severe as your Ds however.
Were the services she used in high school available to her in college?</p>
<p>Dont have any advice, but I hope that others in similar circumstances will take heed and insure that the resources their child needs to succeed will be in place every single year, and will encourage them to find additional resources if necessary, as well as keeping a closer eye on them throughout their college years so that they dont reach the 5th year of loans without a degree in sight.</p>
<p>Children with disabilites need MUCH more structure and support sometimes, to the point of us stepping in when we see them drowning even when they are waving us off.</p>
<p>Suggest her to get BS in anything (anything!) and apply to MS in Physics. Hopefully, she would accept.</p>
<p>BS in anything… Yes. But I’d not suggest grad school. DD has some of the same tendencies and also had college snafus. Now that she finallllly has a degree, I think workplace is best place for her.</p>