Benefit of earning Asociate's degree prior to transfer?

<p>I am applying to University of Michigan. In the Common Application, it asks if I expect to earn a degree prior to enrolling at the college. Currently, I complete all prerequisite courses for Associate's degree at my community college by this semester, except 1 credit health course. If I take the health course, I would earn Associate's degree. I wonder if earning associate's degree will give me more chance to get into university of michigan or other state universities? I don't need AA degree but if adcom prefer the applicants who earned AA degree, I will earn it.</p>

<p>I don’t know anything about Michigan specifically but at some state universities it does make a difference. At University of Florida they say they will give preference to AA applicants. </p>

<p>You might want to check with UofM to see if they have a policy or preference. You could just take the class just to be safe. </p>

<p>The CA does sort of make you feel inferior for not getting AA. I, too, am in a position where I would need to take 1 annoying and pointless class to complete my AA. I am trying to get by without it since most of the schools I am applying to don’t give an advantage to AA earners.</p>

<p>Thanks for comment NotAClue</p>

<p>Would you mind if I ask what schools are you applying to?</p>

<p>Mostly privates:
University of Rochester
Lehigh University
Clarkson University
Northeastern University
Drexel University
Florida State University.</p>

<p>My plan is that if I don’t get into one of the privates or don’t get enough financial aid, I will wait an extra semester, get my AA and go to University of Florida for the spring. I am instate for Florida.</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

<p>I don’t apply to any schools you are applying to. I guess I should contact all the schools I am applying to. But I doubt that they would tell me whether they prefer AA or not.</p>

<p>One more question,</p>

<p>This sounds stupid, but can I say on my application that I expect to earn my AA prior to transfer, and later when I admitted, avoid earning AA? It looks like a lie, but ‘expect’ doesn’t mean ‘assure’…</p>

<p>I suppose you could, but I wouldn’t. Something crazy could happen like them making it a condition of your acceptance. I think you would have to notify them that you weren’t going to get your AA. It just seems prone to backfiring.</p>