Failed Out, Now What to do, PLEASE HELP.

Greets, new here, have recently been scouring the net trying to figure out what to do with my life as far as a career path goes.

Heres the situation, was going to a four year university, failed out after third year when complications made me give up and ending up failing all my classes (15 hours) that semester, have 58 credit hours, 82 attempted, under a 2.0 gpa, which was the reason for getting academic dismissal.

Have took 1 1/2 years off at this point just taking a break and working some, I feel I am fully capable of getting a degree but if at all costs do not want to have to put 4 years into it as i should have graduated in summer of 2003 already and just want to get done. i had some major complications and very poor academic advising while at university, making for a high student loan now with 4 1/2 years after graduating h.s. and not a thing to show for it. some notables are 4 f's in one single class and 3 f's in another single class... dont ask how, just me being lazy and not going, messed up time in my life. without those and my last semester my gpa would be well over a 2.0, probably over 2.5, i know thats not saying much but maybe it is something?

Coming out of high school i was accepted to all universitys applied to (florida state, central florida, south florida, university of florida, georgia tech, north carolina) and had a full ride plus extra scholarship money to spend, graduated top ten out of 500 in my h.s. class with nice sats and 9 hours or so of college credit so i do not feel incapable at all of doing the work was just lazy once in college, sidetracked with new things in life and managed to pull off what i did without hardly ever attending class, just showing up for tests and answering stuff after going over notes or screwing around on essays... all that has changed though and over the last year and a half i have learned a lot so that will not happen again. the classes i did attend i got all a's in, the ones i didn't usually b's or c's. the classes i failed over and over were calc and acg 2021 which was just b/c i never did any of the course work, would just show up for tests, passed calc though. I was majoring in MIS at the time and would like to go for that again.

Basically what I want to do is finish what I started without having to start over, I feel that would be pretty unfair to me, but if so I will just have to look other routes like getting an MCS* or CISCO certs, I feel a Bachelors would be much butter than those though as most companies will just pay for you to take them if needed. Is there any help for me out there with distance learning? or what do some of you more experienced folks suggest I should do at this point? I want to finish it as quick as possible b/c I have a gf finishing soon and she will be leaving for a job within the next year. I am on a budget though so hopefully it will not be TOO expensive, I was used to paying around 100 per credit hour (3 hour classes), 1500-2000 a semester.

I'm not trying to come off as somebody who hasn't read up on it, b/c I have...well, atleast for the last 8 hours what I can find but still don't have much direction or knowledge of what these schools will accept, how they fair, etc.

Sorry to make this so long but I would GREATLY appreciate any advice to my situation, hopefully this is the first step to getting my life back on track, I am relieved at even typing this b/c I have basically ignored this situation for the last 1 1/2 years delaying my life, once again any comments or advice will be GREATLY appreciated.

 

MasterJ wote:

> if so I will just have to look other routes like getting an MCS*
> or CISCO certs, I feel a Bachelors would be much butter than
> those though as most companies will just pay for you to take
> them if needed.

It's not either/or. Excelsior College will give you college credit for such certifications:
http://www1.excelsior.edu/itweb/certsite.htm

They will also give you transfer credit for all the courses you passed, while excluding F's and any D's you want from the transcript.

You definitely want to look at:
http://www.bain4weeks.com/introduc.html

 

I had a similar situation - only 10 years ago. I just graduated from COSC. If you can memorize things - you're golden. I passed out of 24 credits - about half upper level - in 1 month with a serious full time job. The hardest job was scheduling and going to the test.

 

Hi masterj,

Don't sweat it - many of us have been in similar positions; life circumstances forced an abbreviation of our college days and only later did we continue our education.

In your case it's only a couple of years...in mine over 15, and I'm enjoying my education much more now. My profile is similar to yours - straight A's in high school, decent start in college and then a family situation that caused me to go on hiatus.

Take a look at the "Big 3" - Excelsior, COSC, TESC. I enrolled at Excelsior at the end of October, and started my exam courseload in December - all while working full-time in a demanding career like most people do. So far I've completed nearly 30 credits in little over a month.

My planned costs for the entire Business degree, including books and exam fees (about 100 credit hours worth as I'm backfilling my C's/D's) will be around $5K over the course of a year.

If you are disciplined, and as EKflag says, good at testing, there's no reason why by Christmas time you wouldn't have completed your degree if you start now.

Cheers,
Mark

 

mmm sounds pretty good, i know this will probably sound like a newbie thing to say but how have grads of these programs done with competing in the job market with the big state and private universities? also how is getting accepted into a masters program at a big state or public university after this going for people?

 

As I'm already well-established in my career path I can't comment on how my degree will add to my prospects there, but I do look at it as a safety net (if I should lose my current job for whatever reason I will have a degree when pursuing my next opportunity). I also want to continue my education in the future.

As all of the Big 3 are Regionally Accredited, there should be nothing holding you back from applying to and getting accepted to your grad school of choice - as always, your GPA and GMAT/LSAT/GRE/etc. are of primary importance.

While I have heard people on other sites "thumb their nose" at an Excelsior degree I have yet to hear about someone who didn't get into a grad school because of it. From their site graduates have gotten into Harvard, Columbia Law and other top schools.

Note that most grad schools will want to look at your COMPLETE transcript - which will include your previous courses and failures. However, many seem to base their decisions on the last 60 credit hours taken so it's important to do well.

 

masterj,

You are describing a situation not unlike my own. Graduated top 5% in 2500 students, barely studied, scored 1455 on my SAT, went to school at a ivy league college on scolarships, got bored, flunked out. I just didnt wat to be there. I was spending too much time socializing, drinking, and just didnt apply myself.

I went on to the business world and have done quite well over the last 14 years, but now want to complete a degree for my own purpose because its one of my life's loose ends. I am now pursuing a MIS degree like yourself in lieu of the double major mechanical/civil engineering degree i started on. ( I still dont know who talked me into that one =)

I am looking at Excelsior as well because I want to study and test at my pace which is faster than traditional and online DL programs. The price is attractive as well! oh, btw, Excelsior will take Ds for lower division classes, so you do not need to retake those.

Yes distance learning students have gone on to get masters and Phds.

Good Luck!
Boomer

 

Hi MasterJ

As previously posted the Big Three are a good choice for many. You may want to explore other options before deciding. What state do you live in? What major or area of study is most interesting to you? What career field would you like to follow? What school were you previously enrolled in? With these answers it is likely we can give you some programs to check out further. In any event good luck in achieving your goals.

 

What state do you live in? Florida
What major or area of study is most interesting to you? MIS
What career field would you like to follow? IT/MIS
What school were you previously enrolled in? Florida State University

 

California
Business
MIS management focus
University of the Pacific

 

Others will probably be able to provide more info than me, but I have a few suggestions to start. Several here are doing a degree completion program in IT through AIU. The program is expensive, but allows you to complete it in 13 months. I especially like the IT program at Univ of Mass. A degree in CS would probably provide more utility. When I was looking at them the Troy State DL BS in CS looked the most flexible by far. I know there are a lot of Florida options, but don't have any in depth information. Hopefully others can chime in.

 

nice to know others out there with the same situation, i feel out of place among my peers who have already graduated with degree especially many who i think i am much more qualified than just was lazy once i got into college and concerned with other things...
as a brief plan i am looking at that option of doing certs for credit, atleast if they cost as much as clepping or doing ECE tests, wondering how much they cost, i have seen from 2000 to finish that program to 5000-6000, where is all this extra cost coming from, i figure i can atleast begin upper level course work going in and get an aa as well to possibly get a better job in the meantime to help pay for it, i currently have a stafford loan running up but not sure if they will continue it for something like this, anybody with experience with this? if you fail out of university are you cut off or can you continue to use it? just renew or something...?
I'm not sure CS would be a better route for me b/c I would one day like to move up to higher management and better salary, from what I have seen it seems MIS would allow me to move up higher in that way.
Not sure if I could afford something like AIU at this point in my life, but feel the need to get a degree before I can get a well paying job b/c I do not have many business or family connections out there for me.

 

also wondering whats up with places listed on for isntance collegehints.com ... who to trust??? they have a bunch listed but none of the big 3 so to say... seems a little odd? was wondering what the difference in the ones that they list and ones talked about so often here.

 

Regional Accreditation is the gold standard in the US. If a college is Regionally Accredited, its degrees will be accepted.

The Big 3 are Regionally Accredited, relatively cheap, and don't advertise much. Unlike most colleges, the Big 3 are "credit accumulators": you can get degrees from them based entirely on transfer credit and exam credit, without taking courses from them.

CollegeHints.com has direct advertisers, and ads through Google. The direct advertisers tend to be Regionally Accredited but expensive (like University of Phoenix and American InterContinental). At least one direct advertiser is unaccredited (Kennedy-Western). Many of the Google ads are for out-and-out diploma mills.

 

thanks for clearing that up for me, theres quite a bunch of information out there and a lot of misleading information, glad to have people who know their stuff on this board not trying to get a dollar. i actually looked at the kennedy western one but canceled it out when it said you had to have 5 years full time work experience and be 23... seemed odd. i'm also concerned whether once i enroll into say excelsior, which seems to be the best career path so far, are there actual classes there? or do you just sit down for tests once your ready, how much do the tests costs... (continuing to read read read)

 

Hi:

Here is the current graduate acceptance list for Charter Oak:

Adelphi University
Akron University
American International College
Andover Newton Theological School
Antioch-New England Graduate School
Arkansas, University of
Bangor Theological Seminary
Baruch College
Boston University School of Law
Brandeis University
Bridgeport, University of School of Law
California School of Professional Psychology
California State University
Cambridge College
Cardinal Stritch College
Central Arkansas, University of
Central Connecticut State University
Chaminade University
Citadel, The
City University
City University of London
City University of New York
Queens College Law School
Cleveland State University
Columbia University
School of Social Work
Concordia Theological Seminary
Connecticut, University of School of Law
School of Social Work
Crozer Theological Seminary, Rochester
Center for Theological Studies
Drew Theological Seminary
Eastern Connecticut State University
Fairfield University
Florida State University
Fordham University
Fort Wayne Theological Seminary
George Washington University School of Medicine
Georgetown University School of Law
Georgia, University of Institute of Technology
Goddard College
Golden Gate University
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Governors State University
Graceland College
Hartford, University of
Hartford Graduate Center
Hartford Seminary
Harvard University
School of Business Administration
School of Education
Hawaii, University of
Holy Apostles College
Hood College
Houston, University of
Bates Law School
Immaculate Conception Seminary
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Johns Hopkins University
Kent State University
Lancaster Theological Seminary
LaSalle University
London, University of
Long Island University
Lowell, University of
Maine Maritime Academy
Manhattan College
Manhattanville College
Marshall University
Massachusetts, University of

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Miami, University of School of Law
Miami University
National University
New Haven, University of
New School for Social Research
New York College of Podiatric Medicine
New York Law School
New York Medical College
New York Theological Seminary
New York University
Noreste, University of
North Carolina, University of
Northern Colorado, University of
Northwestern University
Nova Southeastern University Law School
Ohio State University
Old Dominion University
Pace University
School of Law
Pennsylvania Law School, University of
Pennsylvania State University
Phoenix, University of
Plymouth State College
Puget Sound Law School, University of
Purdue University
Quinnipiac College School of Law
Regent University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rutgers University
SABA University
Sacred Heart University
Saint Joseph College
St. Cloud University
St. Louis University
St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary
San Francisco State University
South Carolina, University of
South Eastern University
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Mississippi, University of
Strathclyde, University of
Syracuse University
Texas Christian University
Texas Women's University
Trinity Theological Seminary
Troy State University
Tufts University Tulsa School of Law, University of
Ventura College of Law
Virginia Commonwealth University
Walden University
Walsh College
Washington and Lee School of Law
Washington University School of Law
Wesleyan University
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Western Connecticut State University
Western Illinois University
Western New England School of Law
Western Wisconsin Technical College
Widener University School of Law
Wisconsin, University of
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yale University
Divinity School
School of Medicine
School of Music
School of Nursing
Yeshiva University, Cardozo School of Law

 

nice list, i would assume excelsior had almost the equivalent??? is there any list for that as well, i found the list you posted on the cosc site.

 

Excelsior says they have a Bachelors of Science in Management Information Systems which looks like my best bet, as I would like to eventually go back to a on campus university and get an MBA to put myself on the way to earlier retirement... I looked through their guide but don't see what tests i would actually take to get that degree??? can't be clep can it? b/c thats mostly for first 2 years stuff that I do not need. I can't find an outline of which tests will be needed for that degree either, has anybody here tried that route and suceeded or currently in it? would like to some how plan out a form of budget...

also would work experience as assistant manager, hosting and designing webpages, graphics, and AP class/tests took in high school (Chemistry, AP Lang) count towards anything even though my University never gave me credit for those, only statistics 3100*

how good are the "Academic advisors" at excelsior to get you on track, if somebody is currently doing the situation at excelsior and wouldnt mind talking to me live via an IM client it would be appreciatied.

for the person who said CIS would be better than MIS why do you think this is so? and if you know would it be just as easy to get into school for an MBA with a CIS over an MIS degree...sorry for all these questions guys just doing tons of brainstorming in my head and wanting to get started !

 

Requirements for the MIS degree are laid out on page 24 of the Business catalog available on Excelsior website. Excelsior website has almost all the information regarding their programs. Please look at their website extensively and you will find your answers. If not give them a call.

one reason for me to go with CIS degree is that I can get credit for all my IT certifications.

 

ahh thanks, yes the site has TONS of information and some of it you have to dig deeper for i suppose, in deciding to get CIS did you already have these certs??? or just think you could get them both at the same time? are you in a DL cis program at the moment?