<p>Hi. I hope this is the right forum. If it's not, feel free to redirect me to the right one to post in.</p>
<p>I'm currently about two semesters from finishing a general education associates' degree at a local community college (Mid-South Community College; AR) with about a 3.8 GPA. </p>
<p>Basically, this wasn't my initial intention. I graduated HS with a 4.0 GPA but I was home schooled from the 8th grade on. I had some family issues in my last three years of high school, which resulted in me not actually taking the SAT/ACT. I wasn't able to go to university after I graduated because of that, so I waited a year and enrolled at this CC. I got in just fine with their COMPASS test, no remedial classes required.</p>
<p>My main question is: If I get this degree, as in, I complete it and graduate from here.. can I take this and use its credits at a university?</p>
<p>If not, does this mean I -must- transfer out before I graduate? I know very little about this process. The advisors at this CC have been very unhelpful. I intend to go back and try to get as much information as possible out of them when my deadline nears, but until then I would like to get as much as I can out of the community.</p>
<p>The end game for me is Engineering at a technical school. I would like to think that my GPA in HS and here at the CC is good enough for me to get in to somewhere decent. I know I can't afford much in the way of a private university, but somewhere like Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech would be more affordable for me.</p>
<p>Essentially, what is the best route for me to take to get to this point, and what should I be doing RIGHT NOW to accelerate that process? Again, at my current pace I will be completely finished with my two year gen. ed degree in Fall 2014.</p>
<p>Your associates degree isn’t important to your transfer school if you’re wanting to do a technical major. GE stuff is only good if you’re doing liberal arts or a bachelors of arts.</p>
<p>Universities care that you have what their students took freshman and sophomore years so you will graduate in 2 years once they admit you.</p>
<p>I just looked at one of them, but if you want to do computer science you need calculus 1 and 2 freshman year, then multi-variable calculus, discrete mathmatics and differential equations sophomore year. You probably didn’t take these classes for the “math” requirement of your A.A. in General Education, right?</p>
<p>You seriously need to decide on a major and a school. Then you’ll be able to see exactly what you should be taking. Then see a counselor at your college and figure out what classes they have that are the same.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about the associates. If you can get one after you take what you need, cool. But don’t make following the associates degree plan your goal if you want to transfer in a science/technical major.</p>
<p>Associates in GE means you’ll get a dollar more when you’re a supervisor at McDonalds. If you plan on transferring to a University you need to take what they say to be admitted. They don’t care about associate degrees. </p>
<p>Also, go to the school you want to transfer to and get a meeting with their student advisors/counselors. If it’s too far away or you can’t afford the time/trip, then see if they have online advising. Email your transcript and then have them look at the classes your school offers and find out which ones they will take. Then have them make a plan for you so you’re not wasting time on U.S. history and art classes when you really should be taking differential equations.</p>
<p>I have a problem, then, in that most of the specialized courses that they want me to have taken, aside from Calc I and Calc II are not available here. I’m not entirely sure what that bodes for me; are they going to decline my transfer or simply make me take them and possibly take longer than 2 years to graduate afterwards?</p>
<p>edit: I have a major, it’s Computer Engineering. I should have clarified that before. I was probably too tired. Let’s assume CE and Virginia Tech then. I’m on their site trying to find information about online advising but I’m not sure who I should be contacting. I can get my transcript from the CC in a day or so.</p>
<p>The more specialized courses aren’t that big of a deal. The college will understand that most community colleges don’t offer them and let you do them after you transfer. And usually they’re cool if it takes 3 years if you have a hard major. But since your school has calc 1 and 2 they most likely would want those completed before they admit you. That way, junior year when you need to take a class on microprocessor design, you meet the calculus pre-requisite.</p>
<p>This is the VT Transfer Guide. They have a ton of links and information on here. I suggest you read it all. And any other school you might be interested in should have something similar on their website. It’s usually under the perspective students tab on the main page, then something like transfer admission or transfer students.</p>
<p>[Virginia</a> Tech Undergraduate Transfer Guide 2013-2014](<a href=“http://www.tranguide.registrar.vt.edu/2013/bymajor/index.html]Virginia”>http://www.tranguide.registrar.vt.edu/2013/bymajor/index.html)
This is there transfer recommendations for transfer students. Basically you tell them what major you want and it shows what classes you should take. They’re listed as what they’re called at VT. So write all these down. Also you’ll see in step 4 on that page it says to contact a transfer adviser. You should do that and make sure you’re doing the right stuff.</p>
<p><a href=“Login | Virginia Tech”>Login | Virginia Tech;
Now with the list of class you wrote down, you can go here. The transfer equivalent database. It shows what classes at a bunch of community colleges are equivalent and accepted at VT. If you school is listed then you don’t have to do any guess work. For example if you need Eng 1014 at VT it will say at your college it’s Eng 1A. So if you have taken that you know that VT will give you credit for Eng 1014 once you get in. If your school is not listed then you will need to lookup the class descriptions in the VT catalog of courses and then look at your schools catalog and see what sounds the same. Usually your schools catalog should say the class is transferable or something like that. </p>
<p>Unfortunately I didn’t see any online advising on the site. Maybe when you email one of the transfer advisers you could ask them about that and explain how you need help figuring out what classes to take at your school.</p>
<p>It seems like they’re pretty flexible. Basically you can apply if you meet the basic stuff they require of high school applicants. Will you get in when they have a bunch of other people that prepared for the major? I’m not sure. Will you be done in two years or will you transfer as a freshman and have to do 4 years of work there. Again, since I’m not familiar with the school or the Virginia college system I don’t know. You might be able to get in with freshman standing but then you’ll be paying all that tutition for 4 years instead of two. You would need to contact their transfer advisers and see how everything works.</p>
<p>Also I saw on the main page they’re having an open house for perspective students. If you can go then it would help you a lot to see the school and you could stop by their counseling offices and pick up some transfer info and talk to a transfer counselor. (call ahead and make sure the counseling will be open when you’re there)</p>
<p>Sorry I can’t give you more specific advice. I live in California and our community colleges have articulation agreements with all the California universities. You go on a website, pick your CC, and then Berkeley, or UCLA or something, then your major and it makes a whole list that you can print out saying what classes at your school you need to take.</p>
<p>We even have transfer guarantees. They basically say if you complete this stuff at your school and get your GPA to a certain value (it depends on the school and the major) Then when you apply, you will be guaranteed admission. So that makes staying here a little more attractive.</p>
<p>Going to an out of state school is more complicated. I saw on the VT site that they have some deal with Virginia Community College students who have associates and transfer in. So I guess if you were in that state, there is an AA that VT likes and will let you in based on that. But since you’re out of state your best bet is to get your info directly from the school you want to transfer to.</p>
<p>Oh, and don’t rule out your current school’s ability to help you. Check if your school has a transfer center or something like that. Drop by there and see if you can talk with someone or if they have a transfer workshop or anything coming up. They might be able to help too.</p>
<p>Oh and don’t let all the stuff I said about discrete mathematics and everything discourage you. I was just trying to give you a dose of reality.</p>
<p>I got bad advice when I started at CC and wasted time with classes that I didn’t need. I’m just trying to help you get on the right track.</p>
<p>Every school has different requirements for transfer admission. When you do some research and/or talk to them directly, you may find out you need only 1 semester of calc to get in. Depending on what classes you already took, those may be transferable and ones that you needed. Don’t think you’ve wasted all this time. With the right planning, you’ll take what you need the next couple semesters and be able to transfer.</p>
<p>Also be aware of deadlines for admission applications. Every school lists these dates on their website. For example in CA to transfer to UCSB I need to submit my application in Nov 2013 for admission in fall 2014. They notify me in March 2014 and then after spring I update them with my grades. If I bomb spring or my GPA goes too low, then they send another letter saying “uh, never mind.” Most schools require you to apply the year before. Know these dates.</p>
<p>Thanks for all of the great information. I have this thread bookmarked for referencing those links later.</p>
<p>Let’s say the worst case scenario comes around and I actually have to miss a year because of missing the deadline. I don’t imagine they would hold that against me and not accept me if that occurred?</p>
<p>That’s definitely not a problem. Some people apply when they’re 17 and some when they’re 27. It doesn’t matter as long as you are prepared with the coursework they require.</p>
<p>Also, say they admit so many people this year and those people had an average of a 3.7GPA. If you have a 3.55GPA, you get denied. Next year the applicants for the major average 3.4GPA. It’s less competitive and your 3.55GPA gets you in. In reality, they look at a lot more than GPA but I’m just trying to illustrate that the admission criteria can change year to year based on the applicant pool.</p>
<p>They will not say “wait a minute, this guy applied last year and we denied him, so don’t let him in this year.” They will treat it like any other application.</p>
<p>And if you do get delayed a year because you need say a year of calc, don’t just take one calc class per semester only. If you’re going to be delayed a year take an additional class or two that could transfer as well that you think you’ll do good in. Even if they don’t transfer because you have two years worth of credits already, typically they will be factored into your GPA. Don’t go overboard though. If you’re taking calculus don’t add on advanced physics, and linear algebra to you load. Try to make it where you have the class you need and then one or two easy A’s that are in transferable classes. The point is to increase your GPA on your application not make it lower.</p>
<p>Example, in CA two years of classes come out to 60 units. At max the University will give me credit for 70 units if I have that many. If in my last semester I have everything I need and 60 units I could just take no classes and still be able to apply. Instead though, I could have taken another 5 unit class, aced it and jacked up my GPA with 5 units of 4.0GPA. Since this would put me at 65 units I’ll even get credit for that class at my new school. If I had the max of 70 units though, I’d still take a class or two rather than just take the semester off. Being at 70, they wouldn’t transfer but they would count toward my GPA. So getting two “A’s” in a transferable English and Philosophy class could bring your GPA from 3.55 up to a 3.8.</p>
<p>And going back to my very first example. Let’s say that the second time you apply they are still looking to admit only 3.7GPA’s and above. Let’s say you take that year of calc and get an A and B that averages to a 3.5GPA in those two classes. You had a 3.55GPA before taking them and now it will be brought down. Barely any, but you might have a 3.53 now. That GPA still doesn’t meet the cutoff and you get denied again. If you had boosted it that extra year with some easy A courses then your 3.8GPA gets you in now.</p>
<p>That brings up an interesting point, actually.</p>
<p>I had to take remedial math my first two semesters. I got a B in both of those classes, which is why my GPA is 3.7 right now. I have a 4.0, otherwise. Including College Algebra, the only math course that is college level on my transcript.</p>
<p>Since obviously remedial math does not transfer, does this mean my GPA, to them, is 4.0?</p>