Where to further your education?

[DTSMAN]

In a previous thread on job titles, some got off onto the topic of colleges vs universities. 10yrs ago I got my associates degree from a technical school and now have hit a ceiling. I have chosen the University of Phoenix (a campus here in Kentucky, not online). I chose it because the Universtiy of Louisville, which offers all degree levels, would not take credits from a nationally accredited school because they are regionally accredited. My other choices were ITT, Devry, and a few misc. small local colleges.

That being said what is everyone elses feedback on non-state and\or private school bachelor programs such as the ones I mentioned. Where can I confirm the info on the differences between a college or a university? How does accreditation, national and regional, affect you if you plan to pursue a masters?

Bo

Kentucky phone support-
"Mash the Kentrol key and hit scape."

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> I chose it because the Universtiy of Louisville, which offers all degree levels, would not take credits from a nationally accredited school because they are regionally accredited.
Huh?

--------------
Good Luck
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

 

[kHz]

A university offers graduate and professional programs.

A college offers undergraduate degrees and may provide limited professional courses and graduate degrees.

 

[chiph]

Universtiy of Louisville, which offers all degree levels, would not take credits from a nationally accredited school because they are regionally accredited.

This is the usual story from a college/university. It is not in their financial interest to accept credits from anyone else. Pick the school you want, and stick with them until you graduate.

Jumping from school to school will only result in your repeating classes you've already taken. Plus -- transferred credits often show up as a "C", which does terrible things to your grade point average.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
Donate to Katrina relief:

http://s1.amazon.com/paypage/PELYGQVJ8Q7IB/103-6821258-5919825

If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[kHz]

Credits given for classes taken at another institution don't receive a letter grade.

 

[chiph]

Depends on the school. Sometimes they transfer as just a "passed" (as in pass/fail), sometimes they transfer as "credit awarded" (your example), and sometimes they show up as a "C", depending on what their policy is.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
Donate to Katrina relief:

http://s1.amazon.com/paypage/PELYGQVJ8Q7IB/103-6821258-5919825

If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[Dollie]

I'm in a college transfer program at my local community college. I'll be able to transfer 100% of my college credits to a local major univer$ity.

I'd definitely recommend the transfer program. Most CC's in areas where there are major universities (there are 4 major ones in my area), will have those programs. I live in the east now, but I know my CC in Texas had an almost identical program.

 

[LadySlinger]

My impression from ITT and Devry are they gear you towards the job functions. A college or University Bachelor's program will give you a well rounded education. For example when I earned my Bachelor's I had to have 3 different communications classes: Interpersonal (how we communicate with others), Business (how to communicate in a business setting) and intercultural (how to communicate & understand other cultures, which all were somehow incorporated into the workplace as well as personal life.

As a warning though, even nationally accredited Unis will claim that the curriculm has changed since you were in school so you have to retake certain classes.
Oh and remember too - what ever school you go to, keep in mind to keep the FIRST catalogue that they gave you. This is the curriculm you will have to take. So even if classes get added or changed (such as what my university kept trying to do to me) you can go back with the catalogue saying that this is the program you went into. The Uni I went to was FAMOUS for that...even the teachers were warning us that they would try and do that.

 

[kHz]

sometimes they show up as a "C"

How could a school assign a letter grade for a tranferred class?

What if someone starts at a community college to reduce the total cost of college before transferring to complete their bachelor's degree; in this case 60 hours are going to show as a "C" and it wouldn't matter if the remaining hours taken were all "A"s because their GPA still wouldn't reflect the actual grades at either institution. This would have consequences at a later date for graduate work too.

 

[LadySlinger]

I think the "C" stands for credit. I took a summer class at a community college, and it was marked as a C* (* Credit).
Really, the Credit is suppose to credit you for that 2-4 credit hours you were suppose to take (providing it was a C or better), but shouldn't effect your GPA at that university. If it somehow did, you would want to talk to an advisor on that.

 

[kHz]

True, transferred courses won't be included in your GPA, but I was taking the C as a letter grade which would be calculated. C as in credit makes more sense.

And a 4 credit hour class at a community college doesn't necessarily, and probably (rarely) would equal 4 credit hours at a 4-year college or university.

 

[spamly]

A university offers graduate and professional programs.

A college offers undergraduate degrees and may provide limited professional courses and graduate degrees.

A university is made up of more than one college.
i.e. College of business, College of Arts and Sciences, etc.

I'm currently transferring community college credits to a university and receive the actual letter grade. It all depends on the college or university that you're transferring to though. Most don't work that way. This can be a good thing for people that only got "fair" grades at one school and want to have a new start.

I'd also recommend that you stick with one school. I've actually finished ~120 semester hours, but because I've transferred, I only have 52. Yeah, life sucks.

Like chiph said, schools are going to deny as many transfer credits as possible, if they can. They'd rather get the money from you than transfer over the credits. The school also has a "reputation" to think of. Many times they can't verify that a particular class has been taught with their level of expertise.

 

[kHz]

From my University's transfer or credit hours - undergraduate:

Policies:

1. Only official, sealed transcript(s) from each college/university previously attended will be considered by the Registrar’s Office for the award of transfer credit. *

2. Credit hours earned with “C” or better will transfer (a "C-" does not constitute a "C").

3. All credit hours transferable are converted to semester credit hours (e.g., one-quarter hour equals 2/3 of a semester credit hour.)

4. Grades earned at another institution do not become a part of the student’s UNK cumulative grade point average. (Except those earned at another campus of the University of Nebraska UNL, UNO, UNMC.)

5. A maximum of 66 semester credit hours may be transferred from two-year/Junior or Community Colleges.

6. UNK does not issue copies of another institution’s transcript. (Exception: internal advising purposes.)

7. Applicability of courses for which credit hours are transferred to UNK is determined by:

(a) UNK Registrar’s Office - General Studies Program;

(b) UNK Academic Departments - Majors/minors/teaching endorsements.

8. Credit awarded at another college/university for course work completed in a non-traditional manner, e.g., through Advanced Placement programs (CEEB), Proficiency Tests (CLEP or comprehensive examinations administered by an academic department) or personal experience must be validated by the Registrar’s Office and/or appropriate UNK academic departments. That is, such credits do not transfer automatically and the student must furnish official score report, etc., for consideration. (CLEP score requirement: 50th percentile or better grade for UNK to award credit. Credit awarded for CLEP Subject examinations only. UNK does not award credit for CLEP General examinations.)

9. A maximum of 12 semester credit hours in correspondence courses and 6 semester credit hours in religion courses from Bible colleges may be transferred to UNK from accredited post-secondary institutions.

Please show me the policy for the university that explicitly states the letter grade(s) transfer. I would be very surprised any college/university would put another institutions letter grade on their transcripts. I would be shocked they could do that.

 

[chiph]

My mistake.

NC State's policy:

Transcripts of college course credit for new transfer students and for NC State students who have taken course work at another institution are evaluated by the dean of the appropriate college to determine how the work applies toward fulfilling the graduation requirements of each student's intended curriculum. Credit accepted for transfer from another institution is shown only as credit hours and is not included in the computation of the grade point average.

And Winthrop's policy:

The evaluation of transfer credit is conducted by the student services office of each academic area. Upon acceptance, a copy of the college transcript(s) is forwarded to the appropriate student services office as indicated by your choice of degree program on the admissions application. Information on the transfer of credit will be provided by the student services office.

In other words, don't get your hopes up that your credits will transfer.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
Donate to Katrina relief:

http://s1.amazon.com/paypage/PELYGQVJ8Q7IB/103-6821258-5919825

If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[spamly]

I can't find "the policy for the university that explicitly states the letter grade(s) transfer". I can see that they tranfer on my online "Degree Evaluation" though.

I've tried to paste the applicable part of my evaluation, but it's not looking pretty.

I'm am taking classes through a partner community college, so that probably makes a difference.

http://www.stthomas.edu/admissions/undergraduate/transfer/transferable_courses.asp

Maybe I'm just special. This University is also part of a group of local Universities/Colleges that allow some key classes to be taken at brother/sister schools. If, for instance, I wanted to take a particular business law class at Hamline instead of St. Thomas, I could.

Other CLIC schools

* Augsburg
* Bethel College
* Bethel Seminary
* Concordia
* Hamline
* Hamline Law
* Macalester
* Northwestern
* St. Catherine's