<p>hey all, i'm a senior in electrical engineering and got into a couple of graduate schools, but i'm struggling with my classes my last semester (and might end up failing one of them :( ) so I'm afraid that my admissions will be revoked. someone i took a class with once, mentioned that he was rejected from graduate school, but he ended up taking graduate classes at his undergraduate institution as a non-degree seeking student and after one semester, he ended up as an offcial graduate student.</p>
<p>has anyone else heard of something similar happening? and if so, how does it work? i hope it doesn't come down to that option for me, but i'm afraid that my bad semester might make it so.</p>
<p>If you find out that you cannot enroll as a regular student in the graduate program of your choice because of your bad grades, talk with them about this option. They may let you enroll as a non-degree student in order to demonstrate that you really do have what it takes.</p>
<p>Lots of people enroll as non-degree grad students (I’ve done it twice myself at different universities) so that they can take specific coursework that they are interested in. Not everyone continues into degree programs. Some just want to learn the material for other reasons. It usually isn’t hard to arrange provided there is room in the class(es) you want to take, and you are willing to pay for the credits.</p>
<p>hey thanks for replying. that answer certainly helps me feel a little bit better. do you know if you are still eligible for financial aid (grants or loans) as a non degree grad student?</p>
<p>and do you need to have a professor or someone vouch for you? or can you just ask them to offer you this option to prove yourself?</p>
<p>I don’t believe that there is any aid available if you are not in a degree program. In any case, you shouldn’t be taking out loans for this kind of thing. Get a job, and enroll in only one course at a time so that you can pay for it out of current income. </p>
<p>Most colleges and universities that have a system for enrolling non-degree candidates. Check the websites of the institutions that interest you. The application process may be nothing more than completing a one page form, and paying the application fee. For things like this, they may not even require a copy of your transcripts. </p>
<p>But do be sure to ask how many credits taken in that status can be used toward a degree at that university, and that you are indeed enrolled in credit status rather than in non-credit or audit status.</p>