So I was an undergraduate before I went to work. I want to return back to college, but want to pursue a different degree (engineering to business) in a different school. By my past college policy anyway, I cannot transfer.
But many colleges seem to block applying as a freshman when you were in US college for more than two years or even a year - in my case, my time in college count as 2.5 years plus summer semester, which complicates year calculations, plus the fact that degree hour-wise, I was considered a senior.
Again, I have no intention to return to my college, and I cannot transfer to a different major, or cannot pursue a double degree in my past university.
In such a case, am I in a bad luck situation where I cannot apply as a freshman? Should I consider transferring to a different university? But even there, most colleges block access. MIT allows for 2.5 years, but since I have an additional summer semester, I do not know how my case would be considered.
edit:
I kinda wonder how college admission checks which university I went to, as in order to enforce the rule, they would need to know that. If I don’t provide that information, how are they going to know?
There’s a database. They know.
Your past college’s policy has nothing to do with whether a different college will accept your credits.
You are required to list all post secondary education. If you leave it out the colleges will know through the database and you will be denied.
What do you mean by “by my past college policy I cannot transfer”? I don’t see how a college can require you to finish a degree and refuse to allow you to transfer? Do they enforce this by not giving you a transcript or what exactly is the policy?
How long have you been out of college?
As others have said, you must disclose on your new college application the previous institutions you attended.
Well, I am considered a senior by credit hour, so they require me to finish the degree. That’s why I cannot transfer to a different program. It’s hard-set policy. You may ask why I don’t want to complete the program, but then there is no way I can graduate, because of my engineering ability problems, as completing a project is required to graduate. And given this situation, my university refused (I asked this) to go for a double major.
My grade minus the project part is decent, so I am in a weird position. I’ve been out of university for three years. So I think it’s better to start new anyway too.
Anyway, after working for these years, I realized I need to pursue a different dream too.
It sounds like you hit a maximum credit policy at a state university and you can only take the credits necessary to finish your major there? This may affect you if you try to transfer your credits elsewhere in the state university system. Your credits would transfer, and you’d hit the maximum credit policy again.
However, you could transfer to a private university and study your new major there. Can you afford a private university? Which state did you go to school in and which state do you live in? What is your desired major?
But most US private universities also disallow transfers for students having taken like two years in US college. Yes, I was in a state university, so I don’t know if the transfer policy of a private university doesn’t apply for state university students, but my reading was that it’s for all US university students.
The US universities that disallow transfers with too many credits are the highly selective colleges. It’s more of a defensive move because some people get so obsessed with those schools that they will keep trying and trying to transfer otherwise.
Your new university will almost certainly disallow some of your credits – most universities will require you to take two years of classes to be eligible to receive a degree from your new institution and will only accept transfer credit sfor about half your degree. But, there are schools that will welcome your tuition dollars and some even specialize in helping adult learners finish degrees.
You didn’t answer what state are you in, what state are your credits in, and what is your desired major? Are you going to move to attend college, or do you need a college in your current city?
Private universities don’t typically disallow transfers for students with more than 2 years of college credit- they just require you to attend for the equivalent of 2 years of upper level classes in order to give you a degree with their name on it. As you would be starting a new major (and there is little overlap between engineering and business) you may well need that much to finish the major anyway.
So you look for affordable private (and out of state public) universities, applying as a transfer student. In your ‘why’ essay you note that your work experience has taken you from engineering to business. Be aware that most of them will not evaluate your transcript to see how many / which credits they will accept until after you have been accepted. Then compare your offers, weighing how many credits they will accept, how long it would take you to complete your degree, and how much it will cost.
Frankly, though, if you can finish 3.5 years of an engineering degree with decent grades, and the only thing between you and the degree is the project, I think that you are actually capable of finishing the degree. Clearly your confidence has taken a hit, and perhaps the longer you are away the worse going back looks, but imo your best bet would be to take a deep breath and go back to your favorite professor and ask what sort of project could be designed so that you can get the degree. In theory, you should be able to do that in 6 months or less (you may be surprised to find that school doesn’t seem as hard after working, btw). Then, take your newly minted engineering degree and your 3 years of work experience and apply for an MBA. Engineering undergrad + MBA will open many, many doors for you- in all fields, not just engineering.
@collegemom3717 is making a good point. In addition to finding a project to finish, there may be a “general studies” degree with no major at all that is an option for students hitting the maximum credit wall.
Finishing where you started would get you an undergrad degree more quickly and then you could do a graduate program like an MBA with your tuition dollars.
If you are in Washington (state), Evergreen State offers a BA degree that requires 180 quarter credit units (= 120 semester credit units) with no subject requirements: http://www.evergreen.edu/registration/degrees
Up to 135 quarter credit units (3 academic years’ worth), including up to 90 lower division quarter credit units (2 academic years’ worth) may be transferred in: http://www.evergreen.edu/admissions/requirements/transfercredit
Admission information is at http://www.evergreen.edu/admissions/requirements/transfer .
However, I agree with @AroundHere that it is probably best to complete your engineering degree at your previous school.
You are not a freshman and can no longer be a freshman. If you misrepresent yourself, they will find out and will not just deny you, but they will flag you, in their clearing house, and you won’t get in anywhere.
There are a number of reputable distance education programs that will accept up to three years of transfer credits. They are designed primarily for working professionals who study part-time, so you wouldn’t need to quit your job. Here are two that have solid histories and that also offer live classes in some locations:
Penn State World Campus
University of Maryland University College
Here is one that is only online:
Western Governors University
If you dig around a bit, there may be a similar program in your own state public system that could save you a bit of money.