So far I’m going to make a list of colleges. Universities only for now and then do some digging around what programs they offer in my range, I’ll speak to my advisor about the programs before even signing up.
That’s what I mean, in fact. I understand, from your schedule, that you’ve already taken 3 courses over the summer, and did fine. But these specific classes you’re planning for this summer (General Physics, General Chem, Calculus 2) aren’t like normal college classes. They also require much more time because they’ll have 3-hour labs twice a week (each). In addition, they kick people’s butt in the best of times. Imagine all three classes you took before, rolled into one in terms of time commitment and complexity. Doubling that is the MAX anyone can handle. Taking both General Physics and General Chemistry over the summer is already quite a feat (one I don’t normally recommend, in fact - I’d recommend ONE of these+one art/social science class and even that is hard, but I understand you need to optimize your Pell Grant so 2 of these can be attempted especially since you’ve taken 5 or 6 classes a semester before.) It’ll be even harder than this since you’ll need to get A’s.
To get a BS, 4-year universities will require half the credits be earned at their institution.
You can’t really decide on a Physics major until you’ve taken General Physics.
Perhaps, look at colleges that offer a BSN and colleges that offer a Pre-PA path. UIC is pretty good and AFAIK students who completed all the required general education courses at an Illinois CC get their first 2 years automatically transferred, so that you’d have to complete major pre-reqs at the 4-year then the upper level classes OR you can complete your major pre-reqs/RN, then transfer to the 4-year.
3 Likes
I think most cc students transfer to a 4-year school that they can commute to from home. Since finances are an issue I think you need to focus on affordability first.
If you’re graduating in May don’t take a bunch of cc courses over the summer. You’ll be burning through Pell dollars without a clear plan for finishing a degree. I think you need to explore local transfer options, see if they have majors you might like, then ask your advisor to help you figure out which courses might transfer there. Then as soon as you get to the 4-year school sit down with an advisor and create a plan so you know which courses you need to graduate on time.
5 Likes
Things I’m noting: many outside responsibilities, CC student, reference to UIC so I’m assuming Chicago area.
I see nursing as a recommendation. There are some very strong nursing programs at the CC’s. Talk to an advisor about the Nursing . General steps:
- CC Nursing Program: ADN or ACS (either is and Associate in Nursing). 2 years, Sets you up as an RN (registered nurse). You can start well paying work immediately with this. ($12K tuition total)
- RN to BSN Bridge Program (bachelor of science in nursing) - This is specifically for RN’s who want/need their bachelors. Online. Many give tuition rates w/ affiliated CC nursing programs. ($10 - $15K total). Approx. 1 yr. if fulltime, 2 yrs. if part time.
He will have a bachelors for about $25k total tuition. Living at home.
There are several options going from this point. Many routes in the nursing field for greater growth/salary.
This is a framework. Contact the NURSING dept for specifics where you are. Nursing programs have pre -reqs. (you may already have them) and an entry exam. Most CC’s have a Fall Cohort and a Spring Cohort. 2 year program.
Recently working with young man who may have had greater choice if guided sooner. Highly intelligent 35 ACT. Currently a freshman at CC finishing Calc 3, Physics2, Chem2, Geneds. First Gen, many family responsibilities, job and fragile family finances. REALLY wanted med school route. However, f/his current perspective: too much family risk weighing admittance, debt and time commitment. He is entering nursing program in the Fall. It will give the opportunity to begin working with a good salary, and he has options from there.
Just offering an option. If you decide to take the route earning your BS in Science field, a helpful tool is: Transferology for course equivalencies; CC to 4 yr. Set up a profile
Not all advisors are the same. Use the above tool, and you can contact/research requirements of schools you’re interested in yourself too. Or use the advisor from the school you want to transfer to -
*** IMPORTANT***
From my experience working with students doing the CC route, the longer you linger at CC, the less likely you will ever complete a successful transfer. There comes a point when you have to take the leap to a 4 year degree path or enter a specific program. I remind students, while CC tuition is cheaper, you are still paying for classes. Make sure they are focused or CC too becomes a waste of $$.
5 Likes
I will add…if you are a male…male nurses are very in demand in many places. So…getting an associates in nursing would likely lead to a job.
6 Likes
But the problem is if I get an associate in nursing or a BSN. I would still need to take Biology 1, Microbiology, Human Structure and Function I and II since those are special admission requirements.
1 Like
Have you discussed getting a nursing degree at the CC with your advisor there? They would be able to tell you what more you need to take and how long it will take you to do so. And map out yoir course of study.
Get talking with an advisor!
2 Likes
I can speak to my advisor and ask them if it’s possible to squeeze in those courses, they might give me a chance, since I wasted my electives all thanks to that English and math dilemma.
I think you need to make a plan.
You cannot “transfer” to the 4-year in the Fall because you haven’t taken pre-reqs for a major. Those pre-reqs are better done at your CC.
It means you need to find out if you can handle 1st year STEM courses.
A suggestion: this summer, rather than Calc 2, take General Chemistry and Biology1. Try to get A’s.
In the Fall, if you did well with your Summer courses, take Physics 1, Microbiology, Human Structure and Function 1 + co-requisites for these majors. Try to get As.
Reassess at this point: you can either take Chemistry 2, Physics 2, and Calculus 2+ an upper-level Psychology class and either Art or African American Studies or Women’s Studies (if you’re still planning on med school+ Physics major or biochemistry major or chem major) OR Chemistry 2, Biology 2, Human Structure&Function2, and 2 other classes - I’d recommend the same 2 as for Med School (this way you have the pre-reqs for Nursing AND you can pivot if need be).
An alternative:
Biology 1, Human Structure and Function1 over the summer - get A’s.
Fall: Microbiology, Human Structure and Function 2, Chemistry + 2 classes (as above) → Nursing admission requirements met, get into Nursing in the Spring.
Discuss all 3 plans with your Transfer Advisor.
The RN-> BSN pathway is a good one. It’s not “either one”, it’s ONE THEN the OTHER. Best of both worlds. It means you get a professional degree then a Bachelor’s degree part time or at least faster than the usual route. After a few years working as a nurse you’ll make a very comfortable salary and you’ll be able to decide whether you want to go back to graduate school to become a NP.
1 Like
I think he’s graduating in May. I don’t think Pell can be used at a community college after that because he won’t be working toward a degree.
2 Likes
I don’t understand how that’s possible because 1 semester seems to be remedial, and he’s completed NO major pre-req beside Precalc-Calc (ie., he’s not completed Bio 101 nor Chem 101 nor Physics 101 nor anything beside the basic Gen Eds: psych, soc, and Freshman comp1&2.) My guess is that he’s got credits but he’s not got the graduation requirements (ie., he has 60+ credits but 15 of those are remedial and they’re not organized for a proper transfer unless he wants to transfer as a sophomore and catch up on 1st year courses???)
@napnemeanix : can you clarify?
As far as I can tell, your problem isn’t with your electives, but rather with your major pre-reqs.
At that point, you should have completed 2 science courses with lab and one art/humanities/foreign language class, if you want to transfer to a 4-year university as a sophomore. To transfer as a junior, you’d need to have 4-6 courses completed that are related to your future major and are pre-reqs for it on top of that.
You should only graduate in May 2022 or December 2021 after completing all your first-year requirements at least.
@MYOS1634, OP said this in one of his threads:
I’m going to finish up my general studies degree in May 2021
It looks like all the City Colleges offer an AGS degree but I don’t know how close OP is to completing it. According to this thread he has 67 100-level+ credits but I don’t know if they all count for the Associates in General Studies degree.
But does the Associate in General Studies lead anywhere?
It would seem short-sighted to have a “general” degree that doesn’t allow a student to transfer, and OP would be better off NOT graduating with such a degree and taking appropriate classes with pre-reqs and 200-level classes?
I think the purpose of those types of degrees is so undecided students can complete their gen eds and maybe figure out what they enjoy studying in the process. I don’t think they’re very useful because those students probably need to get a bachelor’s degree more than the cc students who have a specific major. I think that’s actually the intent of general studies degrees. They’re for students who are definitely transferring to a university. But if OP is already enrolled in the courses that complete the AGS degree I’m not sure that he can stop the college from conferring the degree. If he changed his major to Nursing right away then maybe, but I don’t know if the college can/will allow a student who’s receiving federal funding to change their major after they’ve completed all the requirements so they can continue to receive need based aid for a 2nd degree.
1 Like
Assuming the student can get accepted at a four year school…they can transfer there any time.
We have a very good CC very near our home. Many students start there for a year, and then transfer. They don’t all complete a two year degree or even all of their general education requirements.
This student was presumably out of school for quite a long while. In addition, he received a GED so we don’t even know what courses he took when he was in high school. I would guess that is why the CC recommended the courses they recommended.
At this point, the student needs to find out if he has what it takes to either transfer to a four year school for his bachelors…or see if he can do some sort of more job oriented continued study at the CC.
But he doesn’t want to waste anymore time or money guessing.
1 Like
OP stated a new thread.
Closing this one.
4 Likes