My Athabasca BGS evaluation is complete

Oh dear God, I am so disapointed at the moment. I just read my evaluation fron AU and they are only awarding 15 credits toward the 90 credit BGS program.
They did not take any of the 9 U of P credits, none of the 10 FEMA credits (just took a shot!), and only 15 of the 18 USSA (RA) credits I submitted. There is a note next to the Ashworth U submission requesting detailed outlines of courses (66 NA credits) which is my A.S. Psychology. I can't reach anyone there, today is a holiday in Canada.
Do I have a prayer, or did waste my money on a stretch?

 

Doesn't sound like Athabasca deserves to be considered with the Big 3. They rarely, if ever, reject a regionally accredited or ACE evaluated course in transfer.

 

Don't be disappointed. If athabasca is requesting outlines of 66 NA credits from ashworth, then your evaluation may not be complete. Send athabasca the outline information and a copy of ashworth's catalog. You called on a bad day. I know how you feel. You want to grasp that piece of well earned paper.

 

Athabasca University readily accepts regionally accredited credit hours and based upon their request for details course outlines for the nationally accredited credit hours they might also accept those credit hours on a case-by-case basis. Remember, the Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) at Athabasca University requires actual senior-level (300 and 400 series) courses and even for the BGS the number of senior-level credit hours is relatively high.

As to your question about whether you wasted your money, I will say you probably should have contacted the institution with regards to acceptability of the credit hours already earned.

On the positive side Athabasca University might credit you with 15 courses (45 credit hours) if both the RA and NA credit hours are accepted. You would ten have 15 courses (45 credit hours) at the senior-level to complete. Did you apply under the BGS Arts & Science or BGS Applied Studies? The FEMA courses might be eligible under the applied studies option, though again most would likely be treated as lower-level credit hours.

Thomas Edison State College will only accept nationally accredited credit hours provided the institution is a candidate for regional accreditation. So, you be even worse off with Thomas Edison State College.

Southwestern College accepts nationally accredited credit hours which might be another option for you.

 

Take a deep breath.

I found Athabasca to be quite accommodating. In my case they looked at a variety of University and College credits and were very open to discussing those credits where I disagreed with their assessment.

There were one or two credits they chose not to provide equivalencies for but they certainly took the academic transcripts into account when I worked on the PLAR process.

In the end I received, in one fashion or another, recognition for all my academic efforts.

Give them a call. Happy Canada Day!

 

Athabasca did not help me when I sent my transcripts over for eval.

They did not work with me on my NA credits from CCU. They didn't even look at the ones that were ACE reviewed.

I was told that their policy was what it was and that was it.

Maybe I should go back to them to discuss this with someone else.

 

I did this before applying and was told that US Dept of Ed programs were OK with them. They even had a drop-down for CCU to chose from in their application.

After being told that my credits would be fine and waiting for the evaluation, I was very disappointed to find that they would not accept my credits.

 

Don't just take the word of an admissions counselor. There is an appeals process if you are not satisfied with a credit transfer evaluation.

Sometimes pressing the issue can pay off.

 

Absolutely. Credit transfer is not guaranteed to be a smooth process, but with some effort on the part of the student the results can be favourable. With the nationally accredited degree credit hours, having a copy of the letter from the head of the DETC along with documentation that shows both NA and RA credits hours and schools are recognized by the USDoE and/or CHEA could facilitate the credit evaluation and acceptance.

For those with credit hours earned at USA schools, does Athabasca University require a foreign credentials evaluation?

 

That should not be necessary, as Athabasca is RA via MSA. Of course, it couldn't hurt to ask.

Tom

 

I contacted AU in late March, I was told that my credits from Ashworth would be ok due to the U.S. Dept. Of education and DETC recognition. The ad counselor said that with ra credits from USSA in upper level work I should get at least 80 % of the credits needed. The program is in Applied Studies. I did not expect all of my credits to go unquestioned and I will contact the school and let the board know the outcome.

 

I found this bit from Southwestern's web site intriguing:
"We do our best to make all of your past college work for you. If your transfer hours come from an institution accredited by a regional accrediting agency (such as the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges), and are not credits awarded for participation in athletics or development courses, they will be accepted for transfer. After official copies of your transfer credits have been received from the colleges where you accumulated them, one of our advisors will help you determine exactly how many more hours you'll need."

I need to dig to see if they have any official transfer limit policies, but if they don't, that might add them to the ranks of the Big 3.

Anyone with experience transferring to Southwestern?

 

Okay, hand me the coffee.

I did a search, and found some really nice posts about Southwestern here.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of conversation about how many credits they'll accept, though.

 

Hogging the thread (but just for the moment)

It would seem Southwestern has some preferences as to credits:

. . .
3. For students transferring from two-year colleges, complete a minimum of 60 hours at a baccalaureate-degree-granting institution.
4. Accept the judgment of school administrators in substituting transfer credits for courses in the Southwestern catalog.

http://www.sckans.edu/registrar/index.php?page_ID=835

Also, from their requirements for graduation (although this may only be for on-campus students)
1. Complete the specific course requirements for a major field of study together with required cognate courses, with a minimum grade point average of 2.00 (C) in those courses required by each major, minor, or secondary certification to be granted.
2. Complete the integrative studies requirements.
3. Complete a minimum of 124 credit hours.
4. Have an overall grade point average of 2.0 (C average).
5. Have Southwestern College course credit of at least 30 credit hours.
6. Have taken 15 of the last 30 course credit hours at Southwestern.
7. Be elected to the respective degree by the faculty and by the Board of Trustees.

 

5. Have Southwestern College course credit of at least 30 credit hours.

This bit disallows Southwestern from becoming a member of the "Big 3" "Big 4?" club.

Tom

 

I mentioned Southwestern College because the original situation was a question as to whether Athabasca University would accept the nationally accredited (DETC) credit hours. Southwestern College accepts nationally accredited (DETC) credit hours and thus was mentioned as an alternative route, albeit with some academic residency required. Hopefully, Athabasca University accepts the DETC credit hours, or at least those which have been evaluated by ACE. As far as I know, none of the traditional Big 3 (COSC, EC, TESC) accept nationally accredited (DETC) credit hours yet; though there seems to be movement in a positive direction regarding acceptability.

 

It took a bit of digging to find that 30 credit requirement, but you're right.

I'm thinking about coming up with a 90+credit transfer list of colleges outside of the Big 3 for those whose needs don't fit the Big 3. A small starter list:

Upper Iowa University
Regis University
Southwestern College
Andrew Jackson University
University of Washington
Evergreen State College
University of Oregon
Towson University

 

I think 90 hours in transfer is standard.

Pug

 

Have you heard from Athabasca University about the transferability of those credit hours into their Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree?

 

Pete,

It was right there in your original list (#5).

Tom