Transferring from a Big 3 to a state school

[triforce828]

When my kid transferred to a small private university with a COSC AA (completed with CLEP, SL, DSST and CC) they only recognized the CC work and the CLEPs for a grand total of approximately 30 units.

After some petition paperwork, they finally accepted her AA fulfilling the general ed core.

Here are the lessons we learned:
1. The university website was really out of date. The CLEP list online changed and many CLEPs were articulated differently. AND the University's Adult Online program website had a CLEP transfer list that was different. Whenever we searched "{University Name} CLEP transfer" the top result was from the Adult Online program. It took a lot of clicking down ALL the search results to figure out something was weird.
2. ACE and SL websites had erroneous information about where the credit transferred. They seem to be cleaning this up. Don't expect the ACE stuff to transfer except at the Big 3 (and maybe WGU?).
3. With alternative credit, talk to real people. A couple of real people. Admissions counselor was not well-versed in alternative credit. The Registrar or someone in Records or Articulation have the real answers (if you can find them). Try to see an academic advisor (not just an Admissions "salesperson") before applying for a review of your coursework. We didn't know any better and the Admissions counselor was a gatekeeper. We didn't think to be more insistent on speaking to someone in the know.
4. Save any brochures or paperwork or screenshots. The petition for the AA to fulfill GE requirements was granted (I believe) because all the paperwork (application, website, brochures from tour) stated an "AA from a regionally accredited university fulfills GE core." A couple of semesters after she enrolled, the brochures now state an "AA from a regionally accredited university meeting the IGETC requirements fulfills GE core." Her COSC AA does not meet the IGETC/CSU/DTA requirements. I forget why...
5. Also, because the petition took at least 6 weeks to work through the system, it was a nail-biting waste to the start of classes. She was enrolled in a couple of basic GE classes (Intro to Psychology and English Comp 1 material AGAIN?!?) and she knew the CLEPs satisfied the GE requirement per the current CLEP transfer chart. (The CLEPs weren't articulated in the summer because we didn't send them. It took awhile to realize it. Our fault.) There was a bit of tug of war the first week trying to get out of those classes and into useful classes.

Hopefully your transfer or grad school enrollment will be less stressful!

[cookderosa]

When my kid transferred to a small private university with a COSC AA (completed with CLEP, SL, DSST and CC) they only recognized the CC work and the CLEPs for a grand total of approximately 30 units.

After some petition paperwork, they finally accepted her AA fulfilling the general ed core.

Here are the lessons we learned:
1. The university website was really out of date. The CLEP list online changed and many CLEPs were articulated differently. AND the University's Adult Online program website had a CLEP transfer list that was different. Whenever we searched "{University Name} CLEP transfer" the top result was from the Adult Online program. It took a lot of clicking down ALL the search results to figure out something was weird.
2. ACE and SL websites had erroneous information about where the credit transferred. They seem to be cleaning this up. Don't expect the ACE stuff to transfer except at the Big 3 (and maybe WGU?).
3. With alternative credit, talk to real people. A couple of real people. Admissions counselor was not well-versed in alternative credit. The Registrar or someone in Records or Articulation have the real answers (if you can find them). Try to see an academic advisor (not just an Admissions "salesperson") before applying for a review of your coursework. We didn't know any better and the Admissions counselor was a gatekeeper. We didn't think to be more insistent on speaking to someone in the know.
4. Save any brochures or paperwork or screenshots. The petition for the AA to fulfill GE requirements was granted (I believe) because all the paperwork (application, website, brochures from tour) stated an "AA from a regionally accredited university fulfills GE core." A couple of semesters after she enrolled, the brochures now state an "AA from a regionally accredited university meeting the IGETC requirements fulfills GE core." Her COSC AA does not meet the IGETC/CSU/DTA requirements. I forget why...
5. Also, because the petition took at least 6 weeks to work through the system, it was a nail-biting waste to the start of classes. She was enrolled in a couple of basic GE classes (Intro to Psychology and English Comp 1 material AGAIN?!?) and she knew the CLEPs satisfied the GE requirement per the current CLEP transfer chart. (The CLEPs weren't articulated in the summer because we didn't send them. It took awhile to realize it. Our fault.) There was a bit of tug of war the first week trying to get out of those classes and into useful classes.

Hopefully your transfer or grad school enrollment will be less stressful!

great advice!

[dfrecore]

2.  ACE and SL websites had erroneous information about where the credit transferred.  They seem to be cleaning this up.  Don't expect the ACE stuff to transfer except at the Big 3 (and maybe WGU?).

4.  Save any brochures or paperwork or screenshots.  The petition for the AA to fulfill GE requirements was granted (I believe) because all the paperwork (application, website, brochures from tour) stated an "AA from a regionally accredited university fulfills GE core."   A couple of semesters after she enrolled, the brochures now state an "AA from a regionally accredited university meeting the IGETC requirements fulfills GE core."  Her COSC AA does not meet the IGETC/CSU/DTA requirements.  I forget why...  

Re #2
step 1 - go to a school's website and search for CLEP.  If they don't take CLEP, they won't take ACE.  If they do take CLEP, they still may not take ACE, but at least you won't have to go searching for ACE, which will come up all over the place because that can stand for many things.
step 2 - next, search for the military section, and see if they take ACE through the military.  If they do, then it stands a very good chance that this is the ONLY area that will take ACE.  Just because a school takes ACE credit for the military does not mean they'll take it for anyone else.  AND, even if they do take it for military credits, it may not be a lot.  Some schools let it clear a requirement like PE, or "lifelong learning" or something like that, rather than good stuff.

Re #4 - I'm from CA, and the reason her COSC AA doesn't meet IGETC/CSU requirements is because they don't do a block transfer. IGETC is for UC system schools, and they will not take any CLEP or ACE credits.  So those wouldn't come into the degree at all.  For the CSU system schools, requirements MAY be met with SOME CLEP, but they don't take ACE.  So while you'd be better off at a CSU school, you'd still be limited to CLEP exams only (no ACE/NCCRS or DSST), and even then, they don't take all of them (like English Comp is out).

[cookderosa]

Re #4 - I'm from CA, and the reason her COSC AA doesn't meet IGETC/CSU requirements is because they don't do a block transfer. IGETC is for UC system schools, and they will not take any CLEP or ACE credits.  So those wouldn't come into the degree at all.  For the CSU system schools, requirements MAY be met with SOME CLEP, but they don't take ACE.  So while you'd be better off at a CSU school, you'd still be limited to CLEP exams only (no ACE/NCCRS or DSST), and even then, they don't take all of them (like English Comp is out).

Same for North Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, and South Carolina (the only states I know well). Block transfers are almost always in-state restricted, so the pieces of the ACE puzzle don't usually fit well into a block transfer unless you're going in through a CC that has an agreement with their state's unis and accepts ACE as a CC. I know Colorado (as a public uni system) will do this- but their participation in ACPE is the only basis for my suggestion. With the close of that program, they may *not* accept ACE credit as a state, that was a nice bridge that may no longer exist.

In short- if you want to use ACE credit, pick a partner school and be done. The game of trying to reconfigure ACE credit to fit into a non-ACE university is going to make a person crazy. Nevermind the variable that a college policy can change each year- so you're working with a lot of moving parts doing it this way, and frankly, I do believe that if there were members here that already knew of solutions, they'd have been shared in this FORUM already (not just this thread). What you're asking would be a golden road- so if you find it, I have 12,000 homeschool parents on Facebook that would like to hear about it too. So, please share.

[davewill]

For a computer science master's, plan on getting some work experience in after the bachelor's. Then you can comfortably expect to get into a decent grad program. Plus there's always the Georgia Tech online MSCS.

[cookderosa]

Would it be hard to get into a good grad school straight out of a Big 3 school? Especially if you don't have awesome letters of recommendation from well-known profs/researchers and a lot of your transcript is from CLEP? Thanks!

It really depends on what a "good grad school" is to you? Depends upon the school, the field, etc. Some grad schools (like medical field) are going to require graded b& m credits for their pre req courses. Again you'd really just have to look at individual requirements at the schools AND programs you have in mind.

If you don't mind: what kind of degree are you looking into?

Thanks so much! I'm honestly not quite sure yet (I'm in high school right now). I just want to keep my options open. I'm considering a masters in computer science or statistics. I'm also definitely interested in medicine (come from a family of 'em lol) but I'm not so sure that I'd love it so much I'd be willing to sacrifice all of my twenties. But I for sure want to keep that option open. Thanks again for your help!

Based on your post 2 weeks ago about wanting to go to Chicago Booth MBA, my advice is to do things that keep your options open and increase your exposure to many new and interesting classes. I realize that my opinion is just that of some lady on the internet, it is my opinion that you're missing out by CLEPping out of an AA/BA at an online school. You were 12 or 13 when you landed here if memory serves, what's the rush? The only reason to hurry is when you're either exceptionally focused or are running out of time- you've got neither breathing down your back. Just my two cents.

[clep3705]

Adding to what Jennifer said, at your age, you should primarily focus on actually learning something instead of just obtaining credits and a degree.

[zapproximator]

That's exactly what I'm doing I read textbooks and watch lectures and discuss stuff and go to museums and everything to study for my exams, I don't just use the REA guide and take practice exams lol. It just ends in taking the CLEP.

[dfrecore]

Adding to what Jennifer said, at your age, you should primarily focus on actually learning something instead of just obtaining credits and a degree.

I wouldn't assume that people don't learn anything just because they are earning CLEP or other alternative credits.

But, at your age, I would say that you'd be much better off on-campus, networking with students as well as teachers in your field of study.

One of the things that's underrated, especially for younger people, is networking.  For those of us who have years of work experience, many of us don't need networking that comes from a degree, we just need to check a box to progress in our careers.  For others though, without work experience, you may be putting yourself at a disadvantage by getting a degree solely via alternate credits.

[zapproximator]

Totally agree - which is why I'm getting the stuff I'd already do in high school (like math, econ, English, science, etc) and getting it over with so I don't have to do it twice so I can go to a brick-and-mortar school once I've figured out what I want to study and really go hard networking and doing all the college stuff. So I definitely agree, I just think that it doesn't make a ton of sense to spend tens and tens of thousands on your gen. eds. and two extra years when you've already done a lot of the same stuff in high school.