Transferring college classes - seems a waste!

[Night Elf]

So I'm looking at the two programs I'm interested in, and out of the 90 credit hours I transferred in and adding in the 12 I've taken already, only 40 of those 102 hours count towards a degree. I'm a sophmore classified as a senior!

 

And while I need 2 years of a foreign languge for a history major, I do not need them for an early childhood education degree. I only have one semester to make a decision about a major. That seems like too much pressure. How do people go back to school in their 40s. I feel so silly!

[Twigs]

My random thoughts after reading your post.

 

First: Way to Go for going back to school!!

 

Second:

 

Think about what you want most

1. A degree (probably for a career)

2. An education

These 2 goals do not always overlap. I would make decisions based on what I wanted. If you want the education, don't worry about the degree, how many hours apply or transfer. If you need a job, make decisions based on that.

 

Best Wishes.

[kalanamak]

 

And while I need 2 years of a foreign languge for a history major, I do not need them for an early childhood education degree. I only have one semester to make a decision about a major.

 

What do you intend to do with this degree? If it is a job, what are your monetary goals and how fast after graduating? Are you willing to move for the job? I would *guess* that ECE would get you a job faster and locally, but there may be a very low glass ceiling in the field.

[Michelle O. in MO]

of the 90 credit hours I transferred in and adding in the 12 I've taken already, only 40 of those 102 hours count towards a degree.

 

Just to make sure I understand you clearly, you have a total of 102 hours/credits, and you need 124 for a four year degree. Of the 102 credits, only 40 apply to that 124? Where'd the other 62 credits go? Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to say. :blush:

 

Are you saying that 40 credits only apply to upper level coursework i.e., your junior/senior year of college?

[Renee in NC]

Just to make sure I understand you clearly, you have a total of 102 hours/credits, and you need 124 for a four year degree. Of the 102 credits, only 40 apply to that 124? Where'd the other 62 credits go? Perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you're trying to say. :blush:

 

Are you saying that 40 credits only apply to upper level coursework i.e., your junior/senior year of college?

 

That's how it was for me. I transferred twice and ended up graduating with 200 credit hours because of what would/would not transfer.

[Sandy in Indy]

Yup...transferring stinks and you ALWAYS end up losing credit hours. It's not because the other school's credits aren't good enough...it's all about the $$$$$.

 

Bravo for going back, though!

[Brigitte]

I transferred twice (from one community college to another, then to a 4 year school). I took the exact same class 3 times, once at each school, because they all called the class something different despite the course descriptions being almost verbatim the same.

 

Grrr.

 

Congratulations on going back.

[Jamee]

Did you have to transfer? Could you "go back" to the original college and see what the requirements are there, then take the classes needed where you are and transfer those credits? I was going to transfer colleges when I got married only to realize the other school required so much more--same state college system too, go figure. It was faster and easier to just take the classes I was missing from my degree at the first place and transfer those classes over. I was done in two semesters. The hardest part was not being able to participate in the graduation, but at least I got it done! (I have a degree in history too and the foreign language thing was a hold up as well, required at the second school, but not the first.) Good luck and congrats!

[Teachin'Mine]

I don't know what's available in your area, but there are colleges which will give credit for life experience and/or prior college courses. It's not as easy as it sounds to get life experience credit - a lot of documentation and writing on your part is required - but it can help make the degree happen with so many fewer courses needed.

 

Here's the link for one in New York state:

 

http://www.esc.edu/esconline/online2.nsf/ESChome.html

 

The tuition is high for out of state students, but there may be something similar near you. I wouldn't be surprised if home schooling could be translated into life experience credits, especially towards a degree in education. :)

[Pretty in Pink]

I experienced the same problem the last time I transferred. Ugh. I feel for you, I really do.

[Crimson Wife]

I never transferred but had a bunch of AP and other advanced standing credits that only counted as general electives because my major was too snotty to apply them towards my degree. Same thing happened to my DH in a different major. :thumbdown:

[asta]

Unless you are completely stuck on a particular school, I would look around at other schools. Many schools that cater to the military are regionally accredited (read: real schools, not diploma mills) that usually accept all transferred credits. They pretty much have to, as military people move around so much.

 

A few off of the top of my head:

 

UMUC-Maryland

 

Central Texas College

 

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (that's the European link - you'll have to dig around)

 

University of Oklahoma - you'll need to find the link for this one - the link I have is messed up.

 

American Public University, located in Manasas, VA

 

These all have on-line courses so it doesn't matter if you live near them.

 

Good luck,

 

 

asta

[Night Elf]

I started college 22 years ago. In 4 years, I earned 78 credits alternating between full-time school and full-time work due to first husband in school (and his schoolwork was always more important).

 

Two years later, I earned 12 credits at a different college in a different city.

 

Eight years after that, I earned 12 credits at yet another college.

 

So in 22 years, I've earned 102 credits. As others stated, transferring credits can be difficult. At my first college, I was an early childhood education major. They offered classes they specifically designed for my major such as Biology, Math and Music for Elementary Education majors. Other educational classes didn't transfer. And I also have several English and History classes that were required 20 years ago that just seem to have no place on the checklist today.

 

I have 4 acceptances right now. The first 3 are the colleges mentioned above, and the last one is a small college that was a 2-yr university until a couple of years ago. That last college only offers five 4-yr degree programs and I've changed my mind about transferring there. The remaining 3 are the colleges I attended in the past. Two of them will take over an hour of travel time, and the 3rd will take 45 minutes of travel time.

 

Those are really my options at this time. There are another couple of small universities nearby, but they don't offer different degrees from the ones I'm already accepted by and I see no point in going through the hassle of submitting all the paperwork again.

 

I fully intend to work with young children at some point in the future. If I have an education for something particular, great. If not, I would be just as happy working in a daycare center again. Right now, I really just want to be in school. I guess that means I want an education and not a job. But I definitely want to study something I really like. I just happen to like a few different things right now. ;)

 

If we pay out of pocket, I won't feel obliged to stick to one department's schedule so soon. If I get financial aid from the state, I will need to be in a department. I was thinking of bypassing financial aid, until I saw the fees attached to the per-credit fees. I talked about those in another thread.

 

From the moment I decided to go back, all these decisions have hit me fast. I guess it's just a little overwhelming. Talking it out here is helping me to process it better. :)