Pierpont BOG AAS Update (Re: Transcripts)

[DeanLewis]

So I have been fascinated by the Pierpont BOG AAS program for some time, and despite having a couple of degrees already (undergraduate and graduate) I decided to engage the process because I had some unassigned ACE credit that I wanted to get transcripted somewhere. 

To make a long story short, the degree is notoriously difficult to traverse from afar (simply because of communication and follow up issues inside the institution), but other than that, so long as you are two years out of high school, and have twelve conventional (graded) college credits, you can apply 48 ACE recommended credits (including CLEP, Sophia, Straighterline, SDC etc) to the degree with NO residency requirement or graduation fees. Also, if you have 15 credit hours in a specific discipline, you can apply for an "Area of Emphasis," otherwise "General Studies" will be noted (and it does seem like it needs to be the SAME discipline with the same course designations i.e. PSYG XXXX). 

Previously the school was having issues generating transcripts (not diplomas) for students with no earned credit at the institution, however, that has now been overcome. I was able to navigate the process, earn the degree, and receive a transcript, based only on transfer credit. While there are notes concerning the program in the annals and fine print of some of the school's material about it needing to be a first degree, it seems that so long as the student does not attempt to transfer credit from a finished degree program, it doesn't trigger a problem (or NSC review), or perhaps it's just not enforced. 




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[bjcheung77]

Oh really?! What on earth were they thinking?! That's wonderful news! They now have a change and allow people who already have a degree to get this? That's zero dollars in cost (except for transcripts I assume!) and they provide you a transcript, woo hoo! So, where do I sign up again? LOL - I know.

[ctcarl]

Dean, do I understand correctly that you got both a diploma and an official transcript without any payment to Pierpont at all?

[SweetsugarNL]

So that's great! To bad that they don't accept international students.

[DeanLewis]

Oh really?! What on earth were they thinking?! That's wonderful news! They now have a change and allow people who already have a degree to get this?  That's zero dollars in cost (except for transcripts I assume!) and they provide you a transcript, woo hoo!  So, where do I sign up again? LOL - I know.

I'm not sure if they officially allow it, but I'm saying it can be done (note: none of the transcripts I sent in were from finished degrees, ACE, CLEP and a CC that I had random earned hours at. I suspect I might not have been admitted to the AAS (it is an application after being admitted to PTCC) on that basis, had I sent, for instance a TESU BALS transcript. And otherwise, yep, $0, save for the fees spent to SEND transcripts to PTCC, they don't charge to send transcripts out. 

Dean, do I understand correctly that you got both a diploma and an official transcript without any payment to Pierpont at all?

That's exactly correct. No fee for the transcript either.

[ctcarl]

Oh really?! What on earth were they thinking?! That's wonderful news! They now have a change and allow people who already have a degree to get this?  That's zero dollars in cost (except for transcripts I assume!) and they provide you a transcript, woo hoo!  So, where do I sign up again? LOL - I know.

I'm not sure if they officially allow it, but I'm saying it can be done (note: none of the transcripts I sent in were from finished degrees, ACE, CLEP and a CC that I had random earned hours at. I suspect I might not have been admitted to the AAS (it is an application after being admitted to PTCC) on that basis, had I sent, for instance a TESU BALS transcript. And otherwise, yep, $0, save for the fees spent to SEND transcripts to PTCC, they don't charge to send transcripts out. 

Dean, do I understand correctly that you got both a diploma and an official transcript without any payment to Pierpont at all?

That's exactly correct. No fee for the transcript either.

Thanks for the prompt and informative response.

I'm sure I speak for others here when I say that any other information or tips you could share on the process would be greatly appreciated.

[ReyMysterioso]

Whoah okay hollup. Somebody walk me through how you do this again. Cause I have a bunch of RA credits that duplicate previous ACE credits used in my degree and I'd love to park them somewhere and have something to hang on the wall and show for it that also has an area of emphasis.
Could be useful to credential skills on my CV.
So how do you pull this off?

[Cofffeee]

Does anyone know if they award degrees to international students?

[rachel83az]

I think you start by emailing Nancy Parks at the email listed on the Pierpont site. Then you send in your transcript(s) and eventually get your degree.

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Does anyone know if they award degrees to international students?

The other Pierpont thread says that they do not.

[DeanLewis]

I think you start by emailing Nancy Parks at the email listed on the Pierpont site. Then you send in your transcript(s) and eventually get your degree.

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Does anyone know if they award degrees to international students?

The other Pierpont thread says that they do not.

I will say this, Nancy Parks is no longer the head of the BOG program/department. However, she and the assistant registrar, and the admissions folks are the only people who seem to reply. Nancy Parks was brought in to my application, when the current head of the program never answered a single email, even when initiated by other staff at the school. 

The first steps are simply to apply to the college and then get admitted. Reach out to admissions and let them know that you are wanting to apply to the BOG AAS, and they will send you another application to fill out and send back. From this point, or ideally, as soon as you apply to the school, start sending transcripts. Electronically the best address is admit@pierpont.edu. It takes quite a long time for their process of evaluation to take place, but you can keep track of what they have applied to your record by going to "My Pierpont" (accessible at https://www.pierpont.edu/portal ) and then accessing their student record system ROAR and navigating to Student --> Student Records --> Academic Transcript. That said, getting my credentials set up involved several emails and two phone calls with their student support center. 

When you have come close to meeting the requirements, or submitted all of your transcripts, reflecting 60 hours (with 12 regionally accredited hours) and a 21 hour division to include 6 hours in communications, 6 hours in math/science, 6 hours social sciences, and 3 hours in computer literacy (note: they don't accept the CLEP available in this area), request an application to graduate from your advisor and submit it.

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Whoah okay hollup. Somebody walk me through how you do this again. Cause I have a bunch of RA credits that duplicate previous ACE credits used in my degree and I'd love to park them somewhere and have something to hang on the wall and show for it that also has an area of emphasis.
Could be useful to credential skills on my CV.
So how do you pull this off?

See my above post. I recommend going in with a lot of patience and grace, seeing as the college will likely be making no money from you, you should be aware that kind persistence and a good dose of patience in the correct balance will get you everywhere. 

Please note that technically the college system's Board of Governors have dictated that this should only be available as a first degree (though I've only found that outside of the Pierpont site) so I suspect submitting any transcripts showing a conferred degree will render you ineligible.