<p>Sorry to be slow, but could anyone explain exactly what University Scholars is? The website is confusing for me.
From what I’ve gathered, you apply as a junior and then you are (potentially) accepted into the graduate school on campus and can being working towards and MS degree while also working towards a bachelors?</p>
<p>I seem to remember that some departments restrict students to 4 courses that can count towards both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees. In the business school, these are often considered major-specific electives.</p>
<p>University Scholars is a way to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the same time. One doesn’t have to be invited so much as they have to request to be in the program and may need to write a statement of purpose and score high enough on the GRE/GMAT. </p>
<p>A 15 credit per semester load is standard and very doable in most programs, but many students, myself included, decided to start the program during our junior year. If I would have taken the GRE/GMAT earlier, I could have started my sophomore year as I had senior standing, but chose to wait a year.</p>
<p>I’m still surprised that something wasn’t done to circumvent the requirement that the Hollings Scholarship not pay for graduate courses. That requirement seems odd to me considering that some classes are only offered at the graduate level and that it’s not uncommon to get multiple graduate degrees during ones lifetime. Along with my MA in Econ, I’m considering eventually getting an MBA, MS in Applied Statistics, ME in Civil Engineering, and/or a DBA. </p>
<p>The official response to my inquiry to what courses were covered by my Presidential scholarship was that UA would pay for any college level course at UA that I could register for, even if it was not in my declared major/program.</p>
<p>Didn’t read you had to take the GRE. When is that normally done, before senior year? Can it be done over the summer?</p>
<p>Some departments don’t require one to take the GRE/GMAT in order to participate in University Scholars. My department seemed to prefer the GMAT, but accepted my GRE scores.</p>
<p>One can take the GRE/GMAT whenever they want before admitted into the program. Testing locations are located throughout the US and the world.</p>
<p>Oh perhaps Communications doesn’t require it?</p>
<p>This sounds like a great program. The only issue my DS will have is to sit for the CPA exam in most states 150 credits must be obtained. I guess additional classes in Finance or Real Estate may be helpful.</p>
<p>If you scroll down this page, there is a list of departments that do not require the GRE/GMAT for grad school admittance:
[Graduate</a> Catalog: Section 4.4](<a href=“http://www.graduate.ua.edu/catalog/14300.html#usp]Graduate”>http://www.graduate.ua.edu/catalog/14300.html#usp)</p>
<p>Wonderful link! Thank you.</p>
<p>Thread bump…
S2 is a propsective Civil Engineering student and is interested in the University Scholars Program and/or the STEM/MBA, but we’re trying to get a handle on what the Presidential and School of Engineering scholarships will cover in terms of the last year of studies. He should enter with a full year of AP credits and should theoretically be able to complete either program in 4 years.
He was informed by Dr. Morgan that these scholarships will not cover the graduate studies portion of the STEM/MBA program. However, it appears from previous comments on this thread that the scholarships will cover the final year of studies in the USP. Seems like those two policies contradict each other since the last year of the USP is graduate studies also.</p>
<p>Students in the University Scholars program are exempt form the requirement that undergraduate scholarships cannot cover graduate courses. The distinction is that University Scholars have not graduated with their bachelor’s degree(s), while those in the STEM MBA program will have graduated with their bachelor’s degree the year before.</p>
<p>It should be noted that University Scholars can take any graduate course(s) for which they are eligible and have the tuition covered by their undergraduate scholarship.</p>
<p>In your son’s case, even if UA decided not to fund students’ tuition for their final year of the STEM MBA program, your son may be able to not officially graduate with a bachelor’s degree until the end of his 4th year and thus remain an undergrad while taking MBA courses. The question which arises is if UA will admit him to the MBA program or otherwise allow him to graduate with an MBA if he doesn’t graduate before the year in which he takes MBA classes.</p>
<p>SEA_tide, thanks for the input. That makes sense.
Sounds like he needs to have some in depth conversation on the subject with his academic advisor at BamaBound.</p>
<p>Unless Bama Bound has changed, the advisors present for the group advising may not be as familiar with special programs as their supervisors or the program directors. If any special course accommodations need to be made in his first two semesters at UA, I would recommend getting a degree plan ready now and contacting people before Bama Bound mentioning that while he is an incoming student and will be advised at Bama Bound, he wants to make sure that the needed exception(s) can be made.</p>
<p>What SEA just said…My son who is doing Univ Sch in Finance (to get his MSF in 4 years) had emailed back and forth with Dr Billy Helms who is in charge of the US for Econ/Finance prior to his July Honors BB and knew what classes he needed. Advising at Bama Bound was very generic for B students. My son pretty much ignored their advising and signed up for what he had on his smart phone (which was a email from Dr Helms).</p>
<p>We had the same experience at BB. This is particularly true if you are entering with a large number of AP/DE credits. </p>
<p>UA does a good job of providing guidance for standard scenarios. The engineering department provided a packet of materials at BB with many pages of " if you have these credits, you should take these classes your first semester". It was very helpful for the majority of students. </p>
<p>If you fall outside of those scenarios, it would be helpful to discuss that with someone prior to BB. Particularly if your student has courses beyond AP courses. </p>
<p>Dr. Cordis was very helpful answering my sons questions about classes, and he was glad he contacted him early. It made BB much less stressful. </p>
<p>Sent from my DROID RAZR using CC</p>
<p>Thanks both for the advice.
At this point would you recommend S2 waiting until he receives his final AP test scores this summer (from next month’s tests) before making contact regarding his fall 2013 class schudule? And any suggestions as to who the appropriate person(s) would be for him to start discussions? He’ll probably start with Lensey Howton (Grad/Scholars Coordinator) in the Civil Engineering Department and go from there.
He’s an OOS and will attend BB in one of the last sessions before school starts this fall, so BB in and of itself is not a constraint per se.</p>
<p>Bama Bound registration generally assumes that students passed their AP exams as many students attend Bama Bound before AP exam scores are released.</p>
<p>I would recommend that your son contact the Grad/Scholars coordinator first and figure out who else to contact based on what questions he has after contacting the coordinator.</p>
<p>So can anyone tell me what opportunities are available in the 4th year of a presidential scholarship for a business student (in a program not covered by University Scholars) who comes in with 30 AP hours? Seems a shame to just toss a year of scholarship.</p>
<p>@SECfam
what is your student’s major? they could add a second or third major, add numerous minors within or outside of business, study abroad, take a lighter class load all the way through and consider working or playing a club sport…my son was in the same situation with 33 AP hours but in his case his major (Finance) also has the Univ Sch program set up so it was pretty much a no-brainer for him to go down that road…based on what SEA_Tide posted previously it sounds like they could also take graduate programs to count toward an MBA while still as undergrad…and just so you know other majors can be added to the Univ Sch program (with some exceptions like Accounting)</p>
<p>Any department that offers a graduate program may, with the approval of the dean of the Graduate School, participate in the University Scholars Program. The following programs are currently approved to participate in the University Scholars Program:</p>
<p>•Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics
•Applied Statistics
•Finance
•Biological Sciences
•Chemical Engineering
•Chemistry
•Civil and Environmental Engineering
•Communication Studies
•Computer Science
•Consumer Sciences
•Criminal Justice
•Economics (College of Commerce and Business Administration)
•Economics (College of Arts and Sciences)
•English
•Electrical and Computer Engineering
•Finance
•French
•Geography
•German
•Health Studies (Sports Medicine Concentration)
•Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management (Food and Nutrition Concentration)
•Mathematics
•Mechanical Engineering
•Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
•Operations Management
•Physics and Astronomy</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Thank you, CMNC. </p>
<p>Heres our situation. DS enrolled with presidential and 30 AP hrs as an MIS major. Fall semester took gen ed and business core - wonderful experience. Great grades, happy camper. This semester took more gen reqs plus CS and MIS classes (required for admission to upper division MIS). These 2 classes have turned my happy kid into a negative, miserable kid. He realized about 6 weeks into the semester that MIS is not for him. Went to the majors fair. Got excited about MKT. Went for career testing which indicated that MKT is a good choice for him. May consider double with MGT. </p>
<p>I made him stick out the CS and MIS because withdrawing would have reduced him to 7 hours. Been paying for it all semester with a very unhappy camper. We are both drained and need a positive experience as soon as possible. </p>
<p>The positives: He knows what he doesnt like and he got out without any loss (hours count as elective either way). </p>
<p>The negatives: 1) His only advising has been with MIS and hes unsure where to go for help with class planning or just for inspiration (despite the fact that he has been resourceful on his own regarding the majors fair and career counseling). Hes not sure if he will have a specific advisor now or if he will bounce around; 2) He now has 61 hrs. and will just be taking the intro level of MKT in the fall. Despite him coming in ahead with AP hours, there is this feeling of being behind in terms of knowing where he wants to go. </p>
<p>He needs a break (summer) and he needs to move on to something he really likes (fall semester) all at the same time. And I am trying to figure out how to make use of the 4th year of scholarship dollars if he pursues MKT (because he could still finish in 3 yrs). One thing that confuses me about the “University Scholars in any dept with a graduate program” comment is whether it refers to an individual interested in US or whether it means that the graduate program would have to seek to participate (as a dept) in US.</p>
<p>So grateful for help because I am really feeling like the Lone Ranger. Seems like most kids who come in with lots of hours are sure of what they want to do when they arrive.</p>
<p>Secfam, I would recommend that he contact the dean of his new major and describe his situation. Ask for guidance from the dean directly, or ask for a recommendation for someone that can provide additional guidance.</p>