Posts Tagged ‘College Transfer’

Associate of Arts Degree: All That You Need

Friday, May 6th, 2011

Many adults returning back to school (and even students fresh out of college) are turning to an associate of arts degree. Online or on-campus, this degree can help get you working towards a bachelor degree in less time and with less money!

Thinking of obtaining an associate of arts degree? There's no better time than now!

Thinking of obtaining an associate of arts degree? There's no better time than now!

An associate’s degree is an undergraduate degree like any other except—this one only takes two years to complete! Best of all, earning this degree cuts two years from earning a bachelor’s degree!

You can find an associate of arts degree from the usual higher education institutions, like community colleges, junior colleges, technical and vocational schools, and colleges with bachelor’s degree programs.

The Purpose of an Associate of Arts Degree

An associate of arts degree (AA) helps you complete your general requirements before continuing on and snagging a bachelor’s degree. Of course, your credits may transfer differently, but as  general rule, an associate degree will reduce your time spent studying for a bachelor’s degree by two years and help you prepare for the workload involved in earning a four year degree.

You’ll need to compare programs and check out the sister college for the four year university you plan on transferring to. Some four year colleges offer an associate of arts degree so you won’t need to transfer colleges and will know that your credits will qualify toward completion of your bachelor’s degree.

What To Expect

An associate of art degree can help bulk up your resume!

An associate of art degree can help bulk up your resume!

As with any degree, associates, bachelor, or beyond, you will have specific courses that you will need to complete in order to graduate college. You won’t just get to “do art” all day.

You may be required to complete courses in math, English (like English Composition or Literature), and the humanities (like sociology or psychology) as well as other subjects. Whether you complete these courses on-campus or online, you will have certain art-related courses to complete in order to graduate. Your art classes can also vary depending on the school you are attending and what they have to offer!

What’s Next?

Your associate of arts degree can help you work toward a bachelor’s degree in quite the range of subjects! These majors include business administration, languages, social sciences, law, accounting, and the arts, of course. Your academic background will then form the basis for jobs in the same fields—and beyond!

Image #1 Courtesy of Flickr, geishaboy500 / THOR.
Image #2 Courtesy of Flickr, DailyPic / Joan M. Mas.

Who We Are: Information you can trust. For more than 20 years, My College Guide has provided information to help students discover the best college degree and career for them. Get information for associate of arts degree programs and find the right career for you!

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Posted in Choosing a College, Choosing a Major, College Campus, College Classes, College Life, College Search, Distance Learning, Online Colleges, Online Degrees, Online Education | No Comments »

HOW TO: Prevent the College Transfer

Thursday, January 13th, 2011

Let’s face it: the college search is quite the process! You make visits, speak with admissions and students and tour guides and then you fill out form after form and wait for your happy little acceptance letter in the mail. Sometimes, just sometimes, even after all your hard work – you might need a college transfer. Here are a few reasons why you may end up transferring colleges and what you can do now to avoid it!

Still dreaming about "the one that got away?" A college transfer might be the answer!

Lower Columbia College / Lower Columbia College (LCC)

Change of Major – So you thought you really wanted to be an Engineer but you didn’t realize there was all of that Math or maybe after sampling a few different types of class subjects you’ve changed your mind and your new proposed major isn’t even offered at your current college.

Transfer Fix: Before you officially decide on a college, make a list of possible career paths and see if your school offers at least a few of the college majors you might be interested in – check out the strength of those majors at the school, too, if you can. It could save you the headache of having to do the college hunt all over again in a year!

Commuter college – Everyone packs up and heads home on the weekends. That’s fine if that’s what you want to do but what if you live too far away from family and old friends? How did you miss that one?

Transfer Fix: When you visit a college, after your official college tour, make sure to talk  to actual college students. Find out if there’s anything to do on the weekend, if there are various scheduled activities or events throughout the week, and if everyone sticks around or takes off.

Not what you expected – Maybe you didn’t do your research. Maybe, for whatever reason, the campus just isn’t a good college fit for you. For whatever reason, things have changed, even you have changed in the past year, and the things that initially drew you to the campus might not be what you want right now. For example, did you think you wanted a small campus and now find yourself feeling suffocated or maybe you thought you wanted a big campus and feel more like a number than a student.

Transfer Fix: Sometimes, even after making a college campus visit and doing all the research that you are “supposed” to do, when you actually get to college you find it isn’t what you expected. Every campus is different so before you think “drop-out” you might want to think “college transfer.” Now that you are older and wiser you might be better equipped after a year of college to realize what it is you are really looking for. A college transfer might be the way to go.

You can’t get over your dream school – Still pining for your dream school and wishing you were there? Were you shot down for admission because you lacked a crucial subject like Chemistry or enough years in a foreign language? Maybe you did everything “right” but since they can’t take everyone…you didn’t make it in.

Transfer Fix: If you are still thinking about your dream school a whole year later, you might want to apply for a college transfer. Maybe now that you have been involved in college campus activities, have a great GPA, and some community service under your belt, the college that turned you away might just welcome you with open arms. Visit them again and see if you feel the same, then see what steps you have to take to make that dream school your school!

There is no magical solution to preventing a college transfer (and potential loss of college credits!). The college campus visit is very important, just like talking to actual students and trying to get a feel for a college before you dive right in. Meet with your student advisor when you need a little guidance and see what other options there are before you transfer.

Who We Are: Information you can trust. For 20 years My College Guide has produced an annual magazine chock full of free college info for high-achieving high school sophomores. Check out our participating colleges. If you’re a student, enter for a chance to win an Apple iPad or iPhone or cash!

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Campus, College Transfer | No Comments »

Before You Make The College Campus Visit: 4 Things to Know

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

Traveling isn’t exactly cheap so before you sign up for a bunch of different college campus tours, you might want to do a little research first! There are a few things that you should keep in mind when determining whether or not a college is the one for you – and while you should try to keep a variety in there, just in case you have a change of heart, you should make sure that you have a few on your “must visit” list that fit the bill!

Knowing what you want in a college can go a long way in ensuring college success!

Mr. Ducke / Matt

Location – It might seem strange for someone to accept an offer of college admission without knowing the location, but it’s happened on more than one occasion. Just because a college is in New York doesn’t mean it’s in or right next to bustling New York City, and just because a college is located in the Midwest doesn’t mean it’s teeny tiny or small town. Find out more about the area you are thinking about calling “home” to see if it fits in with your style. Don’t base your college decision on your Aunt’s neighbor’s son’s college experience. See for yourself – after you do the research.

Selectivity – If you take a look at your SAT or ACT test scores: how do they compare to incoming students? Does your GPA match up to the admission requirements? Look at the whole picture. See if there’s anything else mentioned (a year of foreign language, etc.) that is required and also lacking in your application. Don’t waste time visiting 10 hyper-selective schools when the numbers don’t match up. It’s okay to apply to one or two (we call those reach schools) but be realistic. Spend your time on college applications and visits that you can actually get into.

Majors and Minors – While you might be absolutely positive right now about your intended major, once you actually dig in and take a few classes, you may realize it isn’t the right fit for you. Instead, think about a few things that interest you – and then check to see if the related majors are even offered. This tiny bit of future planning could save you an un-needed college visit or a college transfer down the line!

Tuition and Financial Aid – How well does your intended college handle financial aid for its students? Is it hard to come by? Of course, you should fill out the FAFSA but it’s important to know how your school specifically handles aid. For example, if you are a low income student, will your college work with you? Do they have no loans packages? If you don’t qualify for need-based aid, are there merit scholarships available? If several colleges on your list aren’t known for assisting students that match your characteristics, you may want to think about replacing them with colleges that do.

Who We Are: Information you can trust. For 20 years My College Guide has produced an annual magazine chock full of free college info for high-achieving high school sophomores. Check out our participating colleges. If you’re a student, enter for a chance to win an Apple iPad or iPhone or cash!

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Posted in Choosing a College, College Admissions, College Applications, College Campus, College Transfer, Financial Aid, Paying for College, Scholarships | 2 Comments »

Rejected from Your Dream College? You Can Still Get In.

Saturday, January 9th, 2010

Door of OpportunityIf you applied early decision to your top school, you’ll have received the news by now. If it’s a yes, then congratulations are certainly in order—but if you’ve been placed on the waiting list or rejected outright, you may be feeling a bit dejected. If you’ve been dreaming about attending this particular school ever since you started kindergarten, you might even be in the midst of an existential crisis. So how can you reverse this tragic admissions decision?

Chances are, you’ll be happy wherever you end up. But if you’re really set on making it to your fantasy college, you can still find a way. Here are some tips to help you get there.

Only appeal the decision if you really have grounds to do so. All students who didn’t get into their top choice schools think that the colleges made a mistake—so if we all appealed, the poor admissions officers would never get a break. If your best friend has similar credentials and got into Dartmouth University while you didn’t, don’t bug the school about it. But if you have a legitimate reason for appealing a decision, such as discovering that the school had incorrect information about your test scores, you might stand a chance. Some schools don’t allow appeals at all; check the school’s policies before doing anything, and think carefully about it—bugging the admissions office with an unwarranted appeal could kill your chances of ever getting in.

Start somewhere else and transfer. For most students who don’t get into their first-choice school, it makes the most sense to simply attend another school, with the goal of transferring at a later date. After you start, you may not even want to switch schools anymore—but if you’re still pining away for your dream school, then research the transfer application process for your school of choice to see when you can reapply and make sure that all of the course credits you plan to take at your first school will transfer. Be sure to ace all your classes at your first school, and get to know your professors so that they can provide great recommendations for you. Though transfer admissions are more competitive than regular admissions, if you have a killer app, you’ll stand a good shot.

Consider doing a postgraduate year. Some private and boarding schools around the country offer a “13th grade” to give students the chance to improve their academic records and take more challenging courses, become more involved in athletics, and make a smoother transition to the college atmosphere. Maine’s North Bridgton Academy for boys is the only school exclusively dedicated to the postgraduate year, but it is also an option at these boarding schools. By completing this transition year, you’ll have the chance to beef up your application and get another shot at your top school.

Do a “gap year” with a purpose. It’s been a tradition in the U.K. and Australia for many years for students to take a year off before starting college, and it’s catching on here as well. If you aren’t enthusiastic about starting at another school next year, this could be a great option to gain new experiences and another shot at the college application process next year—just make sure you use your gap year well. Simply hanging out at home, working a low-wage job, or traveling abroad isn’t likely to impress colleges. But if you decide to volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary in Thailand, undergo a fascinating research project, or start your own successful business from scratch, the experience could change your life—and might help you win over the admissions officers next time around.

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Posted in College Admissions, College Transfer, Gap Year, Preparing for College | No Comments »