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.
Baloney. If that was true, then you'd have an awful lotta students with "bigger issues".
I agree with you...My sons friends are graduated after 5-5.5 years 2 of them are in PA School and another one changed his major Junior year so had to stay extra for classes he needs to graduate...
We don't know many kids finishing in 4 years in today's day and age...My son is in college and took off this year so he can work and apply to the Schools down in Florida we are buying a house in May/June as he will be attended PASCO State college and will be applying to the Nursing Program he already works as an EMT and works as a Patient Tech in a Hospital here he needs to finish 3-4 more classes that weren't required here in NJ that are in Florida so he decided to finish them there where he will be applying so he will be finishing college in 5 years before he graduates...It doesn't mean these kids can't do it there are alot of Circumstances and not always are Classes and times available for that student so they have to wait another semester to take that particular class, they change majors etc..
And to piggy back off of the Original Poster- My Daughter has 4 years pre-paid college as well we had lived there for 4 years and moved but we are moving back and am buying a house in May/June of this year and by next year she will have the 1 year residency that is required....We were told you have to have the residency before they can use it...My daughter graduates HS Next year...
As an aside, I too considered my child's "job" as attending college full time. No job, no working, concentrating on studies only. They were a commuter student as well, so they weren't out partying all the time, either. And knowing that their program had more than the standard 120 credit hour requirement, I didn't expect them to finish in four years, either. They would have burned out and never gone back for their masters.
Exactly, Concert D Major. Go to any of the state colleges or universities and look at their four year graduation rate compared to five or six years. Look at the percentage of students who don't make it in four years. Also a reason why state schools' programs often require students to attend a minimum number of summer classes, thereby "spreading the load" across the system.
Honors programs are a very different animal. The students in these programs are literally "shepherded" through their studies with pre-planned and reserved classes and curriculum. They don't have to deal with the masses who are trying to take the same classes hundreds of other students are trying to get into at the same time. In many programs, one of which I worked in and attended, the students had no say in their scheduling as it was done for them. They could literally look at their schedule for the next year and know what classes they were taking and when. They didn't have to meet with advisors, or wait for the classes to open and jump on them the minute they were available to enroll.
In my child's case, they had to go two semesters "long" because the school didn't offer the classes they needed to complete their degree at the time they needed them. Understand that they also weren't doing scheduling ad hoc, their "advisor" was "assisting" them with their schedule, which contributed to the problem. In one case a class was available - in Sarasota, a 100 mile round trip from home. In the advisor's mind, that didn't matter - the university *was* offering the class, so the student couldn't complain that it wasn't available. Pure semantics. No matter that the logistics were ridiculous. That's the stupid mindset many of these people have.
So this is the incompetence and lack of concern you'll be dealing with at the university. I say that as someone who was employed by and attended USF, so I'm speaking from direct experience. Understand that as a university employee, I couldn't care less if your child gets the class they need this semester or not - it has no bearing whatsoever on my employment or compensation.
You'll find the level of apathy by many employees startling, which was one of the reasons why I left. As my child told me after having a frustrating meeting with their advisor who seemed indifferent to their situation, "These people simply don't give a sh*t, do they?"
Nope. They don't.
RM
Oh don't get me started with the so called advisors...but your student has to be proactive participant...my daughter who graduated this past spring(16) had a plan a worked it after leaving in tears overwhelmed upon meeting her advisor and the **** show of trying to nail down required classes...I know she had to leave Gainseville and her local job up there in order to enroll in St. Pete (she managed to get a part time job down here(Palm Harbor for 6 weeks)...really the so called "perks" of being in honors is a joke in reality...another tip was the summer before her first semester she took some courses and got them out of the way...so is 4yrs just 8 semesters? No even back in the early 80's(SUNY) I had to take courses in summer and on winter breaks to finish my degree on time...I understand your frustration but there will always be a million reasons to not complete a goal...indeed my son was told while he was a law student..."Oh there are too many lawyers already" or " "Tampa bay is a crummy job market and you will never get a job and even if by some miracle you do it will pay cr@p"...blah blah well four years out of law school(29) he well out earns my 59 yr old husband(who is no slouch lol)...
Oh don't get me started with the so called advisors...but your student has to be proactive participant...my daughter who graduated this past spring(16) had a plan a worked it after leaving in tears overwhelmed upon meeting her advisor and the **** show of trying to nail down required classes...I know she had to leave Gainseville and her local job up there in order to enroll in St. Pete (she managed to get a part time job down here(Palm Harbor for 6 weeks)...really the so called "perks" of being in honors is a joke in reality...another tip was the summer before her first semester she took some courses and got them out of the way...so is 4yrs just 8 semesters? No even back in the early 80's(SUNY) I had to take courses in summer and on winter breaks to finish my degree on time...I understand your frustration but there will always be a million reasons to not complete a goal...indeed my son was told while he was a law student..."Oh there are too many lawyers already" or " "Tampa bay is a crummy job market and you will never get a job and even if by some miracle you do it will pay cr@p"...blah blah well four years out of law school(29) he well out earns my 59 yr old husband(who is no slouch lol)...
I so agree with you about Advisors Don't get me started....here in NJ they are horrible too, they gave him wrong information classes he shouldn't have taken and wasted money since he didnt need it for his Major..I hate to think we now have to do this all over Again at Pasco College next month so he can start in the Fall...
Oh don't get me started with the so called advisors...but your student has to be proactive participant...my daughter who graduated this past spring(16) had a plan a worked it after leaving in tears overwhelmed upon meeting her advisor and the **** show of trying to nail down required classes...I know she had to leave Gainseville and her local job up there in order to enroll in St. Pete (she managed to get a part time job down here(Palm Harbor for 6 weeks)...really the so called "perks" of being in honors is a joke in reality...another tip was the summer before her first semester she took some courses and got them out of the way...so is 4yrs just 8 semesters? No even back in the early 80's(SUNY) I had to take courses in summer and on winter breaks to finish my degree on time...I understand your frustration but there will always be a million reasons to not complete a goal...indeed my son was told while he was a law student..."Oh there are too many lawyers already" or " "Tampa bay is a crummy job market and you will never get a job and even if by some miracle you do it will pay cr@p"...blah blah well four years out of law school(29) he well out earns my 59 yr old husband(who is no slouch lol)...
No excuses here. In the last two semesters where the student got screwed over with scheduling, classes were scheduled for their home campus as well as at the main USF campus, both of which would have worked just fine - until USF cancelled both two days before enrollment closed!
Not a lot you can do about that, and at that point an advisor will just throw their hands up and say, "too bad!"
You have to go into these places eyes wide open and ready to advocate for yourself. The staff simply doesn't care for the most part. In one case early on in their academic career we got an advisor to put some things down on paper that they couldn't possibly have done. When things didn't pan out as we expected (and we had a backup plan, I might add) we filed a grievance with the provost and the advisor got demoted. I'm sure that was an unusual situation, but we made enough of a fuss over it that they really didn't have a choice.
Morton this is what happened here to my son and mind you they too cancelled the class 2 days before he was to start so that dropped a 3 credit class for him...I have to say the Advisors in the Nursing Dept at USF were wonderful and it seemed all their information was correct, the Director of Advising gave my son some great options which is more than I can say for here he wasted a year with classes he couldnt get because of the way they schedule them and or they are cancelled for lack of enrollment in that class and that particular time...which is why he has a back up plan because you always need one
College of Medicine and Nursing have their stuff together. Some of the other Sciences don't, nor does Education unless you're in a specialty such as Exceptional Ed.
Medicine and Nursing have a clearly defined curriculum that has to be taken in a sequence, so they exert a great deal of control over scheduling and class availability, as a hiccup will affect a large contingent of students at one time.
In the general studies areas, it doesn't matter and they don't care.... 100 and 200 level classes are just a mess.
College of Medicine and Nursing have their stuff together. Some of the other Sciences don't, nor does Education unless you're in a specialty such as Exceptional Ed.
Medicine and Nursing have a clearly defined curriculum that has to be taken in a sequence, so they exert a great deal of control over scheduling and class availability, as a hiccup will affect a large contingent of students at one time.
In the general studies areas, it doesn't matter and they don't care.... 100 and 200 level classes are just a mess.
RM
Agreed that was the Consensus that we had from speaking with them a dozen times lol
My son decided to attend take the Paramedic Course /Nursing Transition course 1st as he is an EMT for our local police department and a Patient Tech at one of our Hospitals here and then Transition into the RN program so he is finishing up 2 science classes and the Computer Class that is apparently required in Florida before he can apply to Nursing...he will do the Associates Degree and then apply to USF for his Bachelors Degree in Nursing...
No excuses here. In the last two semesters where the student got screwed over with scheduling, classes were scheduled for their home campus as well as at the main USF campus, both of which would have worked just fine - until USF cancelled both two days before enrollment closed!
Not a lot you can do about that, and at that point an advisor will just throw their hands up and say, "too bad!"
You have to go into these places eyes wide open and ready to advocate for yourself. The staff simply doesn't care for the most part. In one case early on in their academic career we got an advisor to put some things down on paper that they couldn't possibly have done. When things didn't pan out as we expected (and we had a backup plan, I might add) we filed a grievance with the provost and the advisor got demoted. I'm sure that was an unusual situation, but we made enough of a fuss over it that they really didn't have a choice.
RM
Very good move...they take advantage of the fact that the students won't follow-up and file grievances...or if they do it's their word against the student...smart putting it in writing... I understand situations such as yours...what grinds my gears is when students goof off and take 5-51/2 years for a poly sci degree...and then complain how much debt they are in...
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.
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.
I understand situations such as yours...what grinds my gears is when students goof off and take 5-51/2 years for a poly sci degree...and then complain how much debt they are in...
