Need some serious creative brainpower....

Parents Forum
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<p>Our 19 yr old DDjust finished her Freshman year at a small, very selective LAC. After a lot of thought she decided to transfer out to a big, public U because of the LAC change of curriculum in her major. She's got the transfer app--January 2013 admit- ready to go, all transcripts sent...but there's a problem, and DD doesn't know it. [I only just discovered it when I called the U to ask a question about the parent's part on the residency affy].</p>

<p>Due to a lot of dual-enrollment, AP, and CLEP credit when in h/s, DD now stands at 64 credit hours, but she does not have an AA, because the LAC doesn't offer it. Also, she had a serious accident in the spring and was in the hospital for a month and had to drop 2 classes, one of which was Stats (she did finish 3 others, though). So, despite having 60+ hours and being considered a junior, she's unable to go into the upper division at the U, as she has not fulfilled all lower division requirements: she's missing that one pesky math [Stats] class. But because she is over the 59 hours cut-off, she's not considered lower division and can't transfer in at that level. So, she's stuck. </p>

<p>Problem 1: If she stays at the LAC one semester more just to take that pesky math class, she is using up her education funds (almost 10K of scholarship money) to pay for one math and a bunch of other "filler" classes that aren't in her major. </p>

<p>Problem 2: Even if she does stay at the LAC and complete the math class (and the remaining filler classes), the semester ends in December, and the transfer application deadline is November. Which rolls her over to the next semester, Fall of 2013 admission. So, what does she do in the meantime? Stay at the LAC another semester (total of 20K from her scholarship fund) for classes not in her major? </p>

<p>Problem 3: She could leave the LAC and go back to our local comm college this fall, take the Stats class and a few others that ARE in her major (the comm college has them, but the LAC doesn't)]. However, she's still left with the deadline in Problem 2: what does she do in the meantime, i.e. from December until next fall? </p>

<p>Possible solution A: My blue-collar dad suggested DD take just the Stats class this fall at the comm coll, and also work f/t from now until next August--a year!--(and believe me, I'm not anti-work, having worked myself since age 13), but I am concerned DD will be bored, unhappy, unfulfilled and lonely, out of the loop from her peers and friends who are all in college. If it were a few weeks or a couple of months, it would be okay, but a full year is a long time to lose momentum. DD's now been out of school barely a month and she's now ready to go back! </p>

<p>Possible solution B: DD attends comm coll this fall, and in January she goes off to a cheap foreign country (like Guatemala) and does a homestay there for several months, attends a p/t language school to become more fluent in her Spanish (a plus for her major) and teaches English in exchange room/board or works at a hostel p/t, and/or takes an online class from a comm coll back here in the US. She would have to use some of her educational funds, but she would do it very cheaply, and the experience may be more beneficial than staying at the LAC and spending the 10K on unnecessary classes. Then she returns to the US and either goes to summer school or works in the summer and starts the U in the Fall 2013. </p>

<p>Possible solution C: DD moves to another, larger city where her friends are and starts attending comm coll there, takes the math class and other p/t classes in her major, also works p/t and just bides her time along until next Fall 2013. </p>

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<p>Can anyone sees any flaws in the above? Any other options that I am overlooking? I know DD will be absolutely crushed when she returns tomorrow and hears this, I want to present this as a unique opportunity instead of another huge problem in her life....she's had a really rough year with health issues and a family death. BTW, her current LAC works under a completely different credit and semester system, so DD the traditional 4 year, 2 semester system, and the upper- and lower- division thing is entirely alien to her.</p>

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<p>Have you confirmed that 64 CR is the number that will transfer? Many times, some courses won’t transfer.</p>

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<p>Can she take a math class at the local comm college this summer?</p>

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<h2>Yes–already checked. DD could omit mentioning the CLEP exams, but one of them is a Gen Ed requirement. Then I thought she could “forget” to mention a summer class she took at a local U, but that was a 4 CR foreign language course, which brings her down to 60 hours, dang it!</h2>

<p>Thanks, 3rdtimearound! </p>

<p>Our local CC started last week :frowning: But our neighbor suggested a “flex” course online at another CC, start and end when you want (within reason). Also, out-of-state colleges may offer an online course. Plus there’s a comm coll down the road near my parents home, maybe DD could live there for 7 weeks? I’m really scratching my head on this one! </p>

<p>DD was planning a trip to Panama for mid-July to mid-August, but it’s not yet booked, so she could put that on hold, do the Stats, and then go to Panama later this fall. </p>

<p>Any flaws in the above ^^^^^?</p>

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<p>Have you actually spoken to anyone at Big StateU to explain the situation? It’s not inconceivable that there could be some sort of waiver process hidden in the system somewhere, especially given the medical issues last year.</p>

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<p>Stats this summer sounds good, but you need to work fast and get her enrolled and started.</p>

<p>Additionally, I would have her get an appointment with the transfer admissions counselor at the college where she plans to attend and go in person. It is really much harder to say no to someone in person and there have been some unusual circumstances.</p>

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<p>Not clear on why she can’t apply to be a Jan 2013 upper level admit…with acceptance conditional on her passing whatever courses she needs to be upper level admit. Courses could be taken a low cost univ (CC or other) this summer or in the fall.</p>

<p>Many students who apply for a transfer haven’t completed the courses they need until after the application is due. Even Freshman admission at most schools is offered before Senior year of HS is completed and is contingent on passing 12th grade. </p>

<p>Maybe I’ve missed something in this scenario…</p>

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<p>*stradmom
Senior Member
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,798
Have you actually spoken to anyone at Big StateU to explain the situation? It’s not inconceivable that there could be some sort of waiver process hidden in the system somewhere, especially given the medical issues last year.
*</p>

<p>Yes…go up the ladder…such as to the admissions director.</p>

<p>Or find another summer program offering that could be done online…distance learning.</p>

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<p>Great idea about conditional acceptance. I didn’t know “they” could do such a thing. DD is a stellar student, with much higher SATs than the big U, and she’s on a full state scholarship. Academically the big U is a step down from the LAC, but you gotta go where you gotta go, and that’s where the program is.</p>

<p>I’ll do the preliminary searching for Stats stuff for her, so she can get into high gear as soon as she returns into town.</p>

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<p>I like Solution B - I have a feeling she’ll have a wonderful, if not life-changing, experience.</p>

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<p>In addition to the Dean of Admissions for Transfers (or some such title) there will be an academic dean of some sort who is responsible for maintaining the integrity of each degree program.</p>

<p>I bet you are making a problem where none exist. Either or both of the above mentioned administrators can meet with your D, review her transcript, and come up with a solution. For all you know, the program she wants to enter may not even accept her AP credits, may require that Stats (if it’s a requirement for her degree) cannot be taken at another institution, etc. I know many kids run into trouble taking Organic chemistry during the summer only to discover that their own U will not accept a core pre-med class from another institution.</p>

<p>So before you ship your D off to Panama, I think you need to have her reach out to an administrator with the authority to greenlight both the possibility of her transferring in as a second semester sophomore (am I right? Is that what you want?) and to verify that she’s on track to graduate in the program she wants.</p>

<p>If it were me I’d be more worried about how many more semesters she has in front of her than I would how many credits she has behind her. I don’t know if the combination of AP’s and CLEP’s are going to do much for her at a big state U, especially if they were used to get her out of required courses.</p>

<p>What program is she interested in and why can’t she patch it together at the original U?</p>

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<p>

I’m with ima, she should be able to take the Stats class in the fall someplace, wherever is more convenient, and start at the State U in January, as long is there isn’t a time overlap.</p>

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<p>Blossom, at her original college, there was a curriculum change.</p>

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<p>Is the State U close to home? Maybe she could take stats as non-matriculated (Continuing Ed) ?</p>

<p>As others have suggested, seek some help at State U. They’ll know all the relevant factors at that school.</p>