Credits not transferring - even tho I already have a degree ???

[Bi KaNd*E* RaVeR]

I graduated from 2 different community colleges (had to change because i moved while getting my Associates). I finished my associates and also obtained my teaching certification.

I am currently goingg to NYIT for my BS in Psychology (so i can work with the NJ early intervention team)..

All of my credits from my 2nd comm. college transferred over (even tho a lot of them were concidered electives like american history... and literature.. wtf??) But they didn't accept ANY from my first college. In this school i took all my core classes like English Comp and maths and even anatomy and phys.

My advisor said that usually when they dont transfer over, it has something to do with being nationally accredited and regionally accredited schools.

I am really angry, because i feel that if i already obtained a degree i shouldnt have to pay university prices to retake a class.. not to mention this wastes a buttload of time on 3 years of college I already did!

I want to know if anyone has any experiance with this... or if anyone knows anything about it.

Is there a way i can argue my way in? i mean if my 2nd college accepted all the classes.. they converted them into their equivalant right? so why isn't NYIT taking these classes too?? I mean i already have one completed degree.. it's not like i'm transferring just a few classes.

I am not sitting thru English comp 101 (et al) again.. especially not for $425/credit!

help!

 

[TheLoveBandit]

From my experience, schools will also deny transfer of credit based on the amount of time since the class was taken. Usually, for transfer credits to be considered towards a degree, they need to have been earned within the last 5-7 yrs. I'm not sure if this weighs into your situation, but it might be a factor.

The other problem I've seen is that the new school will want their tuition money one way or another. They aren't in business to hand out degrees to people who transfer in for their last semester or two....they want several years of tuition money in *their* pockets before they'll hand over a degree to someone. So, even if they accept transfer credits and let you skip out of some classes, they'd want you to take a bunch of electives at their school in order to earn a degree.

However, if you've GRADUATED from the CC already, you'd expect that they take those degrees as a whole. Typically, if you have an AA or AS, they let you skip ahead towards whatever upper level courses are next for your program. They will still *review* the courses from that AA or AS, but generally a degree is taken better than a transfer of credits.

Okay, TLB, you've said a lot, but what about BKR's point?
They can, and will (as you've observed) object to credits for courses that are not from an "accredited" school - even if the CC accepted them towards the AA or AS. The university doesn't want to be policed for granting degrees which contain unaccredited courses....hence they won't allow such credits to transfer. It comes back to them keeping their own accreditation, so any degree they confer on a student must be comprised of all accreddited courses

I believe foreign students face the same challenge, as a majority of their courses won't transfer when they come to the US due to the accreditation issues - unless there is an established acceptance already existing between the schools of the two countries.

Basically, you're screwed - out more money and more time. But on the plus side, you'll be able to boost the GPA with taking courses you've already passed. Small consolation, I know.

The best course of action, and I assume this is what you've already done, is *not* necessarily going thru the registrar's office, but to visit the dean of the college you are transferring into. Get an appointment with the dean or advisor for your program to review your situation - they may be better able to help you assess what can and can't count towards the degree, how to handle the registrar's verdict on credit transfers, and how best to select any 'forced electives' such that they may count for any 're-take' classes while still broadening your learning experience (different class, new knowledge, still counts as the English 101 or whatever).

Best of luck.

 

[wizekrak]

I'm a second degree student, first was a BA and here here's how it works up in the great white north.

Any credits accumulated from an accredited institution can be carried over to any other school provided they are analogous and fit the degree requirements.

The problem is that your first school was not accredited (sorry but that's a major faux pas when it comes to post secondary education). Getting a degree, diploma or even credits from a non-accredited institution is essentially worthless if you want to move on to another school or use your degree as entry into a masters or post bacheloriate program.

accredited basically means that the college or university meats a set guideline in terms of material taught, intensity of the course and expected level of competence once achieving credit in the course.

The short answer is that you're screwed and have to take those courses over again. You may have credit but the credit isn't seen as valid by the current institution, and any other accredited institution you may want to apply to.

What was your first degree? What they may be able to do is to knock off X number of credit hours of elective courses from your current program if NYIT has a "Second Degree Student" category. This way if you need to retake your core courses you can take them in place of the nullified electives so your load should remain the same. Transferable credits can also expire, I think the lifespan for transferable credit is 10 years or so, so you should be ok.

Meet with a the department head or Dean and see if you can work something out.

 

[DG]

will any other schools in your area allow you to transfer them in? or are you set in stone for this school you speak of?

definitely make an appt with a higher up (dean etc) because they can sometimes override decisions.

you might be screwed though so be prepared

xoxo!

 

[Bi KaNd*E* RaVeR]

Thanks for the help guys.

I am going to give talking to the powers that be a shot...

to answer questions..

my degree is an AA in early childhood Ed. i have a diploma for an associates degree. I should be a Junior, transferring out of a community college to obtain my bachelors. (i thought it'd be simple! lol)

I'm sure other schools will take them. I went to Monmouth for a while and they took all my courses from both community colleges. so i don't think that would be a problem. and i already told my advisor that if the credits didn't transfer there was a good chance that'd i'd drop out of NYIT. No matter what the school thinks.. .taking English comp 101 (and the likes) again for $425/credit x 3 credits each will make me angry and poor. I know how to write an essay.. i dont need to take it again!!!!!!!!!

My degree was obtained in Aug. 2004, my community college credits are from Sept 2001 - Aug 2004. So they aren't that old.

it's not that The first school i went to wans't accredited.. it was a difference between "nationally" and "regionally" accredited. It's funny because the first school is a much better school than the 2nd!

I think they are just trying to stick me for more classes... which is not fair. I've gotten my student loans down to 6grand, and now im going to be adding more.. i dont want to pay anymore than i have to!

 

[DG]

^ are you eligible for financial aid at all?

 

[wizekrak]

OK, so I assume your first community college and NYIT are in separate states?

If that's the case regional accreditation is of no consequence, and since it's not nationally accredited you're most likely out of luck.

Here's the silver lining: Challenging for credit!

For most entry level courses you can challenge for credit. Basically you write an final exam that encompasses all the material contained in the course at the difficulty level of the course. It works on a pass/fail system so you will have the credit but it won't count towards your GPA. Challenging is often used for people in your situation or kids fresh out of highschool who think they know enough to write the exam. Ask if NYIT offers this option.

 

[Bi KaNd*E* RaVeR]

^ are you eligible for financial aid at all?

No, in NJ you have to make less thank like 12K a year to be considered for it... ugh.. i hate it. I have NEVER qualified...and i have never been anything less than struggling money wise.

it really sucks. the laws about who gets and doesn't get money sucks.
i need to learn how to lie to the government i guess. .8(

 

[Bi KaNd*E* RaVeR]

OK, so I assume your first community college and NYIT are in separate states?

If that's the case regional accreditation is of no consequence, and since it's not nationally accredited you're most likely out of luck.

Here's the silver lining: Challenging for credit!

For most entry level courses you can challenge for credit. Basically you write an final exam that encompasses all the material contained in the course at the difficulty level of the course. It works on a pass/fail system so you will have the credit but it won't count towards your GPA. Challenging is often used for people in your situation or kids fresh out of highschool who think they know enough to write the exam. Ask if NYIT offers this option.

Yes, My community college(s) and NYIT are in different states. NJ & NY

Thanks for the information about challenging... i am going to explain where i am now in the next post

 

[Bi KaNd*E* RaVeR]

UPDATE!!

I got a new/updated transfer form today which transferred 61 credits total over (bascially my whole aa degree).

I have noticed lately that my bitching has gotten me far.

I called the college and explained to them that i was upset over not taking the credits and that i talked to the community college and they believe they should be accepted as well. I explained my loan/financial situation, and the fact that i was not just tranferring random credits but a degree that i've held for 2 years. I told them the classes were all gen ed courses that i could gladly test out of if they needed me to prove anything, and that i was willing to do so on their behalf.

I guess they looked it it over and figured i was right.

Thanks for all the advice guys.. i probably wouldnt' have fought it as hard if i haddn't been reassured by you.

 

[DG]

i need to learn how to lie to the government i guess. .8(

Heh thats how come I get financial aid... :D

UPDATE!!

Thanks for all the advice guys.. i probably wouldnt' have fought it as hard if i haddn't been reassured by you.

Im so glad it worked out well for you

 

[wizekrak]

Nice to hear, the squeaky wheel gets the grease (as long as you're polite about it).