transfer situation

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hi, my name is David and I am in the process of going back to school starting in the Fall 2010 term. Right now I am on active duty in the Army, and currently in Iraq, so I am limited as to what I am able to do as far as the application process goes. I am wondering if anyone out there knows of any schools that will accept me, or that are highly likely to accept me, so I do not waste the little free that my father or I have. I say my father because everytime I need to send my high school transcript to a school he is the one that has to take off of work and go have it sent for me since I am not there. Also, applying to schools is not cheap (application fee, transcripts and ACT scores being sent) so any direction that you can provide would also save me valuable money for when I am a student.</p>

<pre><code> I would prefer going straight to a four-year university, rather than going for one or two years at a community college and then transfering. Also, the school needs to be a public, state-funded school so that I can use my Veteran's benefits. Here's my educational background:
</code></pre>

<p>2004-2005 University of Missouri- Columbia -- Withdrew before the end of the second semester. GPA 2.3 with one F in Econ and one D in Chem and 6 Ws</p>

<p>2007-2008 University of Maryland University College (online) -- took three classes. 1.5 GPA with one B, one F (again, in Econ), and one W</p>

<p>TOTAL College cum GPA is a 2.1 I think.</p>

<p>High School -- Strong curriculum with many Honors and AP classes. Fulfilled language requirement for just about any university (Spanish all four years of HS). Finished 191/330 students with a 3.0 GPA.</p>

<p>ACT -- took it four times with composite scores of 28, 27, 27, 27. This was before the writing portion of the test came out.</p>

<p>I realize that I will not be accepted into any great schools with a record like this, which is why I am asking for your help in locating schools that I have a chance at. I have already been declined to Missouri State University, and am waiting on decisions from University of Missouri- St. Louis and University of Missouri- Kansas City. Thanks in advance to anyone who can provide me and assistance.</p>

2

<p>You may want to check out the Veterans sub-forum under “College Admissions”. It is not as active as some of the other forums, but the people who post there are in situations very much like yours. Here is a direct link: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/veterans/[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/veterans/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Try to communicate personally with someone in the admissions offices of the universities that you are interested in. Tell them your story. They will want to know what went wrong (and what went right) in your previous university programs. For example, maybe what you learned from UMUC is that on-line classes simply aren’t for you! You need to make clear to them that you are focused on completing your degree, and that you will be able to do well.</p>

<p>Wishing you all the best.</p>

3

<p>Here are some 4 year public schools with open admission (they admit everybody) or nearly open admission, their location, and their application fee:</p>

<p>Chadron State College- Chadron, Nebraska- $15
Chipola College- Marianna, Florida- $0
Dickinson State University- Dickinson, North Dakota- $35
Dixie State College of Utah- Saint George, Utah- $35
Edison State College- Fort Myers, Florida- $25
Granite State College- Concord, New Hampshire- $45
Great Basin College- Elko, Nevada- $10
Lincoln University-Jefferson City, Missouri- $20 (historically black)
Northern Kentucky University- Highland Heights, Kentucky- $40
Northwest Florida State College- Niceville, Florida- $0
Oglala Lakota College- Kyle, South Dakota- $0 (tribal college)
Ohio State University: Lima Campus- Lima, Ohio- $40
Ohio State University: Mansfield Campus- Mansfield, Ohio- $40
Ohio State University: Marion Campus- Marion, Ohio- $40
Ohio State University: Newark Campus- Newark, Ohio- $40<br>
Ohio University: Chillicothe Campus- Chillicothe, Ohio- $20
Ohio University: Eastern Campus- St. Clairsville, OH- $20
Ohio University: Lancaster Campus- Lancaster, OH- $20
Ohio University: Southern Campus at Ironton- Ironton, OH- $20
Ohio University: Zanesville Campus- Zanesville, OH- $20
Pennsylvania College of Technology- Williamsport, Pennsylvania- $50
Shawnee State University- Portsmouth, Ohio- $0 [open admission for transfers]
Sinte Gleska University- Mission, South Dakota- $0 [open admission for transfers]
Southern University at New Orleans- New Orleans, Louisiana- $5 if online
Texas A&M University-Kingsville- Kingsville, Texas- $15
Texas Southern University- Houston, Texas- $42
Thomas Edison State College- Trenton, New Jersey- $75 [open admission for transfers]
University of Alaska Anchorage- Anchorage, Alaska- $75<br>
University of Arkansas at Fort Smith- Fort Smith, Arkansas- $0
University of Houston-Downtown- Houston, Texas- $35
University of Kansas Medical Center- Kansas City, Kansas- $60
University of Maine at Augusta- Augusta, Maine- $40
University of Maryland: University College- Adelphi, MD- $50
University of Mississippi Medical Center-Jackson, MS- $10
University of Montana: Western- Dillon, MT- $30
University of Texas at Brownsville - Texas Southmost College- Brownsville, TX-$0
University of the District of Columbia- Washington, DC- $100
University of Toledo- Toledo, OH- $40
Utah Valley University- Orem, Utah- $35
Washburn University- Topeka, KS- $20 [open admissions for transfers]
Wayne State College- Wayne, NE- $30
Weber State University- Ogden, Utah- $45
West Virginia University at Parkersburg- Parkersburg, West Virginia- $0
Western Kentucky University- Bowling Green, Kentucky- $40
Western New Mexico University- Silver City, NM- $0
Youngstown State University- Youngstown, Ohio- $30 </p>

<p>(I used the college search feature on the college board website. I selected “all high school grads accepted” which may mean open admission for people coming straight from high school only. It’s also complicated because at some schools you may be considered a freshman applicant because you’ve completed less than a year/ semester of courses, and a transfer at others because you’ve had some college). </p>

<p>If you email these schools with your situation, they may waive the admissions fee. The expensive part is submitting your ACT scores if they have been archived. Find out about Application Fee Waivers here: <a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000270.htm[/url]”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000270.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Will your school release your transcripts if you request via phone or email?</p>

4

<p>I am not sure if my high school will release transcripts over the phone. I guess it would depend on if they could somehow charge my credit card. Anyway, thanks for the list of schools. To be honest I have never heard of a lot of them. I’m concerned that their lack of publicity (or whatever word fits best) is indicative of the education that they provide. My HS transcripts are on the way to UMSL and UMKC so hopefully I will hear a decision from both of them within a couple of weeks. When I asked about schools that would consider me I was really hoping for nothing less than UMSL in terms of quality but I guess I dug my own grave on this one by getting the grades that I did.
Does anyone have anymore thoughts on schools for me? Thanks for the replies.</p>

5

<p>

I think you mean prestige. You probably haven’t heard of all the top 50 colleges. Colleges are generally known by their Grad Programs/Research and Division I Sports Teams. A lot of good schools without grad programs aren’t well-known. Olin College of Engineering, I believe, is somewhat on par with MIT and CalTech, but it’s relatively new and unknown. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is the number one undergraduate school in Engineering that doesn’t offer a PhD, but most people haven’t heard of it. The truth is, employers and grad schools know about colleges even if the general populace doesn’t.</p>

<p>I’m not sure if you could get into any of these schools, but private schools can be incredibly cheap if your family is poor to working class. Like I’m talking a few thousand a year. These private schools meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need. Here is a non-comprehensive list to get you started:
[CSLF</a> : IF : Colleges That Meet Financial Aid Need](<a href=“http://www.cslf.com/investinyourfuture/payingforcollege/collegesthatmeetneed.htm]CSLF”>http://www.cslf.com/investinyourfuture/payingforcollege/collegesthatmeetneed.htm)</p>

6

<p>Here is a list of schools that pledge to reduce student debt: [Project</a> on Student Debt: Financial Aid Pledges](<a href=“http://projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php]Project”>http://projectonstudentdebt.org/pc_institution.php)</p>

<p>Have you looked at the yellow ribbon program? [Yellow</a> Ribbon Info for Vets - (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)](<a href=“http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_BILL_Info/CH33/Yellow_ribbon.htm]Yellow”>http://www.gibill.va.gov/GI_BILL_Info/CH33/Yellow_ribbon.htm)</p>

<p>The tricky thing about schools that meet full need is that they aren’t necessarily need blind, so schools can reject you if you need too much financial aid. In addition, schools that meet full need can use whatever institutional methodology they want to in order to determine “need” and can include loans in the package. Finally, schools that meet full need for freshmen don’t necessarily meet full need for transfers. </p>

<p>You might want to consider an Ohio State regional campus (as long as you have >2.0 GPA in college) as a back up. Later, you can probably transfer to the main campus. Sports fans have certainly heard of OSU’s football team, and its academics have a good reputation too. In addition, veterans get in state tuition in Ohio (see here: <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/education/09vets.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/education/09vets.html&lt;/a&gt;).</p>

<p>Finally, here is a GPA calculator: [Calculate</a> Your GPA](<a href=“http://www.back2college.com/gpa.htm]Calculate”>http://www.back2college.com/gpa.htm)</p>

<p>Do you want to go back to school straight from Iraq, or do you want to wait a bit so that you would have more time to investigate your options?</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

7

<p>I will not be attending school right when I get back as I will still have a little less than a year left on my contract. I am shooting for going back starting with the Fall 2010 semester. I’ve looked at the schools in the yellow ribbon program, but I dont think that I will really need it since the new GI Bill covers full tuition for state funded schools.</p>

<p>I agree, just because most people have not heard of a school does not mean that it is not going to provide a great education. The problem is is that I fit into that “most people” category so even if I see a great school on some list, chances are that I am going to skip over it. I will have more time to look into some of these schools when I get back to the states, but right now my time is kind of limited. By any chance, are any of these lesser known good schools on that list a couple of posts above?</p>

<p>Ohio State/its regional campuses is actually on my list of schools that I am considering applying to so far. Do you know if schools give preference to transfers coming from one of its regional campuses? If so that would open up a lot more options for me. I am, however, trying to limit my transfers. I’m not so sure how grad schools/employers view someone who has attended four institutions.</p>

<p>If anyone could tell me what they think of the education provided by these schools and the likely-hood of me getting in that would be a tremendous help and possibly a money-saver. I am aware of the requirements that are on each of the school’s website but if anyone knows something that is not posted there, then that would be helpful.
Kansas State
Colorado State
UNC Charlotte
Ohio State or regional campus
U of Alabama
U of Utah
San Diego State University
U of Missouri (for re-admission)</p>

<p>I am looking at K State, Alabama, Utah, Colorado State because they seem to have less stringent of entrance requirements than similar schools from other states. I really like the idea of Colorado State because it requires a personal essay and letters of recommendation, which I think would give me an excellent chance to explain my situation and my goals. I remeber avoiding essays when I was applying out of high school but I think this time around they could be my savior. I really do not know anything (other than info from their website) about SDSU. One of my friends recommended that I look at it and it seems like a very military friendly school. Does anyone have any thoughts on this school? Also, is anyone familiar with re-admission policies for universities? All that is on Missouri’s website is the re-admission steps and application, but no requirements. Are schools pretty eager to re-admit former students or what considerations are given in this situation?</p>

<p>I would like to apologize about the length of this post, but I am so grateful for the feedback that I am receiving. Thank you so much, everyone, for your help!</p>

8

<p>I would send an email with your questions to the Missouri admissions office.</p>

<p>It looks like SDSU only takes transfers with 60 college units. [SDSU</a> Office of Admissions, Frequently Asked Questions](<a href=“http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/admissions/faq.html#transfer]SDSU”>http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/admissions/faq.html#transfer). You should double check the admissions requirements for the other schools. </p>

<p>All of the campuses of OSU are OSU, so your degree will be from The Ohio State University. It appears that as long as you have a minimum GPA and have taken minimum courses, you can be admitted to the main campus. Engineering example here: [Transfer</a> Students :: College of Engineering](<a href=“http://engineering.osu.edu/transfer/index.php]Transfer”>http://engineering.osu.edu/transfer/index.php). You may want to look up the requirements for your own course of study.</p>

<p>It looks like Colorado state you would apply as a freshman, since you don’t have more than 12 college units. [Admissions</a> - Colorado State University](<a href=“http://admissions.colostate.edu/Transfer/]Admissions”>Domestic Transfer Admissions | Admissions | Colorado State University)</p>

<p>For what it’s worth, US news and world report lists public university rankings here: [Best</a> Colleges - Education - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-top-public]Best”>http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/college/national-top-public)</p>