Hello I am new to this forum, I was in search of a place to discuss a roadblock i hit in my college career. Getting straight to the point, I am enrolled in a community college and get enough financial aid to buy books and generally afford the classes and other materials for the classes. However I was recently employed at the business I work at to be a part-time programmer and the only other IT member. My major is computer programming in various fields but specializing in web development . I am not sure if I should get 4 associate degrees and 4 certifications or 1 bachelors degree from a 2 year college. MY main problem is throughout all the local and state colleges of my area it seems most require me to take 2 years of high educational second language. I have never been able to learn a second language, i have taken 5 different classes while in high school and my first year in college and I cant learn any language. I tired Spanish (i was grown up with), Japanese, Germany, Russian, and French. It would take me the same time to get 4 associates and 4 certifications as it would be to try to get a bachelors. That is my main logic as well as money, I can’t afford a 4 year university. When i was a senior of high school last year I was accepted to every university I applied to, that is not a problem, it’s mainly money and the fact i haven’t been able to learn another human language. In fact for work I learn 5 more computer languages within a month. Im just not sure what would help me later in life. Another reason i’m leaning away from a bachelors is because the Lead programmer from my work is 70 and is getting ready to retired and im being eyeballed to take his place.
@DemonAir This is a tough one. My husband wouldn’t have been able to learn one either. He majored in engineering. Any chance that computer science falls into a different set of requirements?
If you grew up speaking spanish I wonder if you could do well enough on a placement test that would get you out of this. Check the requirements at the lowest ranked 4 year college in your area. My niece’s does not require a language.
My brother in law is in tech without a 4 year degree. It has worked well so far BUT… now he is 50 and cannot get promoted to the next level in the hierarchy. There is no job growth left for him and no salary bumps. He is frustrated and feels he is too old to go back to college.
If you take the lead programmer position, would it be possible to continue taking classes in the evening? My cousin took one class each semester until she had her BA. It took awhile but it is possible!
First off, thank you for your response.
I did look into placing out of language requirements through a test but I don’t know enough Spanish to pass. I did look into computer enginerring and the requirements for computer science and computer vary a bit. Most colleges in my area categorize computer science in a school of natural science versus engineering being in the schools of engineering. Thus the classes required vary but the language requirement is still the same. However with that said would it be wise for me to get the associates now and get a bachelor’s later once I have more money to afford it? And I’m not exactly sure but would my credits still count for transfer if I graduate with mutiple associates?
My gut says go ahead and get the associates. I don’t know if 4 year colleges cap the number of credits you can transfer in with.
In my family we say “Don’t eat the marshmallow.” Which means don’t let a short term gain cost you the long term gain. Not knowing you I don’t know if working instead of finishing the B.S. is eating the marshmallow.
I had posted this is the hispanic admissions sub forum. I think it is something that might work for you.
My husband was a member of INROADS which matches college students with businesses for paid scholarships. For him they did a terrific job of exposing him to interesting workplaces, quality internship work, and having a job offer as he graduated from college. He ended up taking a job in a different city but INROADS experiences had given him the skills he needed. Recently I know of a student from our rural area who was able to join INROADS in the city where his college was located. He is now working for the company where he interned. I am pretty sure this student was DACA but not 100%.
There is a limited program for high school students. http://collegelinks.inroads.org/about-program Here are the cities where it is: http://collegelinks.inroads.org/high-school-partners. They are currently enrolling students in a new program site in Atlanta. Here is the application page for all the cities: http://collegelinks.inroads.org/apply
COLLEGE PROGRAM
The college program is for students interested in the fields of Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, Engineering (STEM), Supply Chain Management, Computer Science/MIS, Healthcare, Retail Management and Liberal Arts
You do not need to start with them your freshmen year. It is ok to start during your junior year of college and have just one summer with them.
Links:
https://inroads.org
https://inroads.org/for-current-interns/find-your-regional-office/
and a potential source of scholarships for you:
website homepage http://shpe.org/
They have a scholarship page offering awards for students majoring in technical, scientific, and math degrees. Check back periodically to see when the next cycle opens.
http://shpe.org/scholarships
If you are going into engineering or the majors listed below see if your university has a student branch of this. Otherwise you can become a member and, if you like, start a branch on your campus. Their conferences and events are great for networking.
http://shpe.org/member-types
Undergraduate Member ($10.00)
Student membership is open to all engineering, math, physical, applied, and computer science majors. All others are invited to become associate members. Graduate students have the option to join SHPE either as a student or Professional Chapter. If you choose not to be affiliated with a chapter on your campus, you will be considered an “At-Large Member,” classified by your geographical region. Members “At-Large” receive the same benefits as those who belong to a chapter.
Scholarship applications are open http://scholarships.shpe.org. Most will accept students in any STEM field
http://scholarships.shpe.org/students/ for requirements
@DemonAir Take some time to go through this too
http://www.pathwaystoscience.org/programs.aspx
Thank you again for all your replies. I will indeed take some time go look through the various links that you provided. I am Hispanic but I don’t necessarily need help with getting in the work place or finding assets expect money for college so I thank you for the scholarship posts. Do you have any recommendations for getting scholarships? I have had negative experiences with applying as I apply and do the required material but never hear back.
Regarding scholarships: Some are super competitive so that may be a factor. Does your community college career center or department keep a list of ones that target CC students? I know that many summer research opportunites like to recruit students that are from colleges with limited research options. Perhaps it is the same for the scholarships? IDK.
I just this week read scholarship applications for a local scholarship group. Make sure you read not only in the essay instructions but illustrate why you are eligible. For example part of the eligibility for this one was “planning to give back” to this particular organization and community but the essay prompt was simply about educational and future goals. For me as a reader it was good when this point was addressed and not just about how the scholarship will make it possible to get a degree and they will go on to a lucrative career.
Plus, I was surprised at how many students just dialed it in and wrote one paragraph total - perhaps a sentence or two about each of the three things the essay was to be about. Other students wrote a comprehensive 5 paragraph essay and put a lot more time into it.
If the scholarship requires recommenders from your college: Be sure to give the prof your resume, the scholarship essay and requirement info, info on the organization, and have a sit down meeting with the prof to go over why you are a good candidate. Make it easy for them.
Inroads and SHPE offer really good networking and mentoring opportunities. Pass that info on to anyone you think could benefit from them or to your CC career center.
Good luck figuring all this out. You seem really bright and driven and it is a shame that the languages don’t work with your brain. I wonder if there is a language learning processing disorder? Wouldn’t that simplify things if you could be exempted from it!
Another thought, when you write for scholarship applications, do you run a draft past your advisor or career center? I wonder if they could help you strengthen it.
I am a part of this college completion program called college forward and i get my scholarship and grant opportunities through that there. I don’t run any of my essays by my scholarships admins or advisers as they have provided little to no insight to any of my career or academic goals. I look into the scholarships very thoroughly and research every scholarship in detail even as far to call and talk to representatives and other affiliates to ask about the ongoing or status of my application but they general say its being processed. I never get a call back or an email back from anyone which is rather weird. I think i have applied to a little over 100 of the course of my senior year of high school to current day. If you have any suggestions for scholarships please let me know.
That is really rough. I’ll look through my stuff to see if anything is applicable.
I admire your tenacity.
@DemonAir what is your college GPA?
Wpd you feel comfortable telling me which state you are in?
This one is super competitive
http://www.jkcf.org/scholarship-programs/undergraduate-transfer/
There are adults/parents on this site who help kids with essays.
When you transfer, you should aim for colleges that promise to meet need
http://www.thecollegesolution.com/list-of-colleges-that-meet-100-of-financial-need/
It will be tedious but you can go through and check the language requirements.
For example I looked at College of Wooster. They require 2 semesters of a language. Do you think you could limp through that with intensive tutoring?
GPA is about 3.4 or a little more, i’m from and in Texas.
Anything in the area of computers or technology, I can be very passionate about.
@DemonAir You probably are wrapping up your semester soon. Finish up as strongly as you can.
Do you have any ECs right now besides work? Work is a good one - I am just trying to think of ways to spin the whole leadership etc that colleges like to see.
I found a college with no foreign language requirement. They do have a full tuition scholarship for transfers but it is not guaranteed. In your life is there “service to the community”?
George Washington Carver Fellowship – This scholarship is named in honor of George Washington Carver, who attended Simpson College. It is one of the most prestigious academic awards offered by Simpson College. The Carver Fellowship ranges from 3/4 to full tuition. This scholarship is awarded to outstanding freshman and transfer students from distinctive and broadly diverse backgrounds, who exhibit potential for leadership, evidence of service and contribution to community and superior academic achievement in secondary school.
http://simpson.edu/financial-aid/transfer-student-scholarships-grants/
room and board is then $8000. Student loan plus savings from work - that might be manageable even if they don’t offer additional financial aid.
The program I volunteer for has 2 students attending now. The student population is over 40% first generation and they do a great job supporting them academically.
http://simpson.edu/admissions/
I currently don’t have time for many other EC activities, I have 140 plus hours of documented community service from high school and I would preferably like yo attend one of the following schools.
UT at Austin
Saint Edwards university
Texas state university
UNT
Or another more renown school.
I have been accepted to all the listed school and more I just don’t necessarily have the money or ability to attend due to cost of living. I prefer a university in the south area of Austin or in the general area of Austin but tution is rather high. I have taken classes from UT and Saint Edward’s in high school through co enrollment and know I can handle the work loads from either university. My main issue is money and language requirements.