Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Education > Colleges and Universities
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 09-28-2018, 08:37 AM
 
229 posts, read 210,336 times
Reputation: 352

Advertisements

Here's the dilemma:

I was attending a university for a few years. I realized I went to college at a bad time, I realized what I was studying wasn't something I truly liked, etc. I thought it would be a good idea to take some time off from school to mature a bit, get a taste of the real world, and get a better idea on what I would like to do.

However, I want to get an Associate's degree before taking time off so I can have something to show for my schooling. I'm taking courses at my local community college to obtain my Associate's.

I transferred my credits from my University to the local community college. Now I only need to take two more courses at the community college to earn the Associate's. I'm pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree. Financial aid is going to cover these courses.

Here's the thing. I have to earn at least 15 credits at the community college to earn the Associate's. After I take the two courses I need, I won't be at the 15 credit requirement.

My community college won't cover courses outside of my program of study. I asked financial aid if they could make an exception, and they said they can't. The electives I will have to take to meet the 15 institutional credit requirement I will have to pay out of pocket.

However, when I spoke to an advisor, I was told that they can make exceptions I will just have to send them an email explaining my situation and why I would like to get an exception. He said most of the time they get approved.

So, I'm being told two different things.

I just think it's bogus how I have to take 15 credits at the institution, and financial aid won't even cover the courses because they fall outside of my program of study. I just wish I could take the two classes I need and be done.

What should I do?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 09-28-2018, 10:00 AM
 
12,071 posts, read 23,146,650 times
Reputation: 27187
I guess you can ask for the exception. Why can't you take the courses within your program of study? Institutions expect you take take a minimum amount of hours at their institution if they are going to grant you a degree that has their name on it. It sounds like that is the situation you are in, correct?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 11:53 AM
 
229 posts, read 210,336 times
Reputation: 352
Quote:
Originally Posted by joe from dayton View Post
I guess you can ask for the exception. Why can't you take the courses within your program of study? Institutions expect you take take a minimum amount of hours at their institution if they are going to grant you a degree that has their name on it. It sounds like that is the situation you are in, correct?
I've completed pretty much all of the courses for the Associate's I'm working towards at my university. I only need to take two more classes for the Associate's that I'm applying for. I'm going to take them at the community college. However, I need at least 15 credits from the community college to get the Associate's. When I complete the two classes I need, I'll only be at 7-8 credits. That's why I thought I can just take some electives at the community college to get the 15 institutional credits to earn the Associate's. But when I spoke to financial aid, they told me they can't cover courses outside of your program of study. When I met with an advisor, he told me I can get an exception. I'm being told two different things.

I just think it's bogus how I have to pay out of pocket to get the amount of credits I need. I think this is a stupid policy.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 12:08 PM
 
Location: Vallejo
21,689 posts, read 24,867,337 times
Reputation: 18934
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCT2019 View Post
Here's the dilemma:

I was attending a university for a few years. I realized I went to college at a bad time, I realized what I was studying wasn't something I truly liked, etc. I thought it would be a good idea to take some time off from school to mature a bit, get a taste of the real world, and get a better idea on what I would like to do.

However, I want to get an Associate's degree before taking time off so I can have something to show for my schooling. I'm taking courses at my local community college to obtain my Associate's.

I transferred my credits from my University to the local community college. Now I only need to take two more courses at the community college to earn the Associate's. I'm pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree. Financial aid is going to cover these courses.

Here's the thing. I have to earn at least 15 credits at the community college to earn the Associate's. After I take the two courses I need, I won't be at the 15 credit requirement.

My community college won't cover courses outside of my program of study. I asked financial aid if they could make an exception, and they said they can't. The electives I will have to take to meet the 15 institutional credit requirement I will have to pay out of pocket.

However, when I spoke to an advisor, I was told that they can make exceptions I will just have to send them an email explaining my situation and why I would like to get an exception. He said most of the time they get approved.

So, I'm being told two different things.

I just think it's bogus how I have to take 15 credits at the institution, and financial aid won't even cover the courses because they fall outside of my program of study. I just wish I could take the two classes I need and be done.

What should I do?
Minimum credits is standard, so that's just the way the world is.

Pay for the courses and submit the paperwork for the exception. If it gets approved, great. If not, well, junior colleges are cheap at least, usually under $100/unit. Or just transfer without an associate's. The risk there is the time window. Associate's will sometimes lock in credits that would not transfer over. Normally there's a 5-10 year window where if you try to go back after 5-10 years without an associate's you often won't get credit whereas if you got the associate's they'd me more likely to. That and the associate's can help finding a job.

Last edited by Malloric; 09-28-2018 at 12:17 PM..
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 12:11 PM
 
Location: Wisconsin
19,480 posts, read 25,011,940 times
Reputation: 51112
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCT2019 View Post
I've completed pretty much all of the courses for the Associate's I'm working towards at my university. I only need to take two more classes for the Associate's that I'm applying for. I'm going to take them at the community college. However, I need at least 15 credits from the community college to get the Associate's. When I complete the two classes I need, I'll only be at 7-8 credits. That's why I thought I can just take some electives at the community college to get the 15 institutional credits to earn the Associate's. But when I spoke to financial aid, they told me they can't cover courses outside of your program of study. When I met with an advisor, he told me I can get an exception. I'm being told two different things.

I just think it's bogus how I have to pay out of pocket to get the amount of credits I need. I think this is a stupid policy.
Then why don't you just take the classes in your major?

I am actually surprised that you only have to take 15 credits from a specific college to be able to get a certificate/diploma from them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 12:26 PM
 
7,005 posts, read 12,430,587 times
Reputation: 5478
Community colleges normally offer far more courses than you need to complete your major.

Quote:
Originally Posted by germaine2626 View Post
Then why don't you just take the classes in your major?

I am actually surprised that you only have to take 15 credits from a specific college to be able to get a certificate/diploma from them.
A 25% residency requirement is common. Most associate's degree programs are only 60-63 credits.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 12:27 PM
 
229 posts, read 210,336 times
Reputation: 352
Quote:
Originally Posted by germaine2626 View Post
Then why don't you just take the classes in your major?

I am actually surprised that you only have to take 15 credits from a specific college to be able to get a certificate/diploma from them.
I am taking classes for the Associate's. I have to take two more classes for the requirements, but I still need 15 credits from the community college. After I take the two classes I need, I still have credits left over that I need tot take at the community college. Since I would have no other courses to take for the degree, I thought I could just take electives at the community college to get the 15 credits, but now I learned financial aid at the community college won't cover classes outside of my program. But like I said when I met with an advisor, he told me that I could get an exception for my case.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 12:40 PM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,602,600 times
Reputation: 43652
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCT2019 View Post
Here's the thing. I have to earn at least 15 (of ~60) credits at the community college to earn the Associate's.
After I take the two courses I need, I won't be at the 15 credit requirement.

What should I do?
Take a few more classes there. Get those credits.
Choose something useful.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 12:41 PM
 
229 posts, read 210,336 times
Reputation: 352
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
Take a few more classes there.
Choose something useful.
I have no problem doing that. I just don't like how financial aid won't cover them.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 09-28-2018, 01:00 PM
 
Location: Aurora Denveralis
8,712 posts, read 6,691,499 times
Reputation: 13502
Quote:
Originally Posted by DCT2019 View Post
I have no problem doing that. I just don't like how financial aid won't cover them.
I'm having trouble getting past the whine factor, here.

You are all but ignoring some very good advice and just repeating the same paragraph about your situation. We get it. You need 15 credits at this CC for your AA. You chose to move from a university to a lower-tier school to finish up quickly with a short degree instead of a full one. You are apparently being asked to take one or two extra classes to fulfill the CC's quite standard (and very relaxed) standards. But you neither want to take more classes within your field, nor have to pay for classes outside that field.

So you want them to waive a fairly standard base requirement so that you can take two classes from them (on FA) and walk away with their AA. And all reasonable suggestions you've been given (from experience, as I see it) are just too, too hard to take.

Forgive me if I predict a rough road for you out in the real world and in whatever your field is.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Education > Colleges and Universities

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top