Anyone go to a private liberal arts college but take Community College classes in the summer?

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by life time student

My nephew attends an elite private Liberal Arts University out of state for nine months during the traditional school year. This Summer he is at home sleeping till noon and watching TV and playing with the Internet. I told him if he took classes at the local Community College during his Summer tern he could graduate a year earlier.

Is this common? If you attend college out of state do you attend classes at the local community college in your home town during the summer?

It's going to depend on how the 4-year school handles transfer credits.

I graduated from an elite private liberal arts university outside my home state. I didn't waste my summers, I came home and worked a full time job at a factory every summer to pay for my books and spending money throughout the school year. But I did also take night classes during the summer at my local community college...I would go to work at 6 a.m., get off at 2, come home, study, eat dinner, go to class from 6:30-9 p.m. or so.

I didn't do it to get ahead in credits or graduate early (I had no interest in not getting my full four years' worth at my alma mater. But I was a double major working on a certification program as an undergrad, and if I didn't take a few gen eds on my own in the summer, I would have had to take a fifth year, or half of one, in order to finish my degree, finish my secondary ed certification, and student teach. My alma mater didn't have a summer session, so I had to take any classes I wanted to take over the summer at home, in my home state, and the CC was affordable. I took a few that I didn't have time for during the regular academic year. One of my lab science gen eds, a public speaking course that was required, and a couple of electives that fit gen ed requirements. Had I not done this, I had such a full schedule finishing two majors and doing a secondary ed certification program, I wouldn't have graduated on time, and my scholarships were only renewable for four years, so staying an extra semester or year wasn't an option.

My alma mater accepted transfer credits from the CC I picked up those classes at, and counted them as fulfilling my requirements, but they were not counted in my overall GPA...they were translated to either audit or pass-fail, can't remember which. But they weren't about to include As from a school whose rigor they couldn't guarantee in GPAs. They had to pre-approve the classes to ensure that the CC was accredited and legit, and I don't THINK they allowed you to do coursework in your major as transfer credits...just gen eds. They weren't bad about accepting the credits, though...they just didn't give any credence to the grade, if I recall.

[joe from dayton]

Originally Posted by burgler09

I have NEVER had a problem transferring classes. It is extremely easy to do that.




Yes, he should have a job or be taking classes. There is absolutely no excuse for anyone over the age of 17 to just be sitting around. Come on. Seriously? And we wonder why the youth today is so lazy...

I don't see how there are so many parents on here who are actually saying an ADULT should be allowed to live off of mommy and daddy's wallet and sit around for a summer. What are you teaching your kids?

At least you're not judgmental on matters that are none of your business.

[richb]

My private four year school, they were OK with transferring in general ed courses from the local CC that you took in the summer. They had to be B- or better though and you had to let them know beforehand.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by toobusytoday

Colleges are very picky about accepting other colleges classes. My three kids all attended or are currently attending small private LAC's and they will only accept gen ed classes from another school, and then only a certain very small amount. It would be easy enough to see if there is a clear on-line policy about that, and if not he (not another family member) would have to call or e-mail his adviser and the college registrar to see if what classes would be allowed.

I would say that a lot of it is that colleges don't want you to check out the competition ... and possibly see that their classes may be better.

I took a class or two many summers. I took them more for MY benefit than for the degree. Personally, I found that in business classes, that the classes at no-name places were generally taught by business professionals who real life experience as opposed to professors who had no practical experience. For example, I took an auditing class from a former manager at Arthur Andersen at the no-name university versus a graduate student at the major university. What I learned was far more useful.

[mattywo85]

Private four year schools tend to be way more picky on what credits they take in. Public universities can be picky too depending on where you go, but usually not as bad as private. You can take summer classes at your local community college without even transferring your private credits to it but just make sure your CC credits transfer to your private.