MAKING ALTERNATIVES TO THE TRADITIONAL

COLLEGE PATH WORK

Bill DingledineMegan Rolf

GAP YEAR

Considerations Reason Location Cost Length of Time Safety Direction/Oversight

GAP YEAR

Applying to College

- students should do this along with pursuing Gap Year

GAP YEAR

Examples Dynamy Where There be Dragons Center for Interim Programs http://www.interimprograms.co

m/

NOLS Self-designed

POST-GRADUATE YEAR

Usually at a boarding school

Nice transition b/w parental oversight and no oversight at college

Reasons: Academic Maturity Personal/Social Maturity Athletic Maturity Other

MILITARY

Issues with Deployment Online programs may be helpful May not be ideal for first time

freshman that need support services

How does enlistment benefit college admission and cost? Pay for college; repay loans ROTC option

EARLY GRADUATION

Depends on actual graduation date Freshman who are admitted for the spring

(January) semester must submit a final transcript with GPA and class rank by last business day in January.

If the actual graduation date is May or June, University must also receive a letter from a high school official that the student completed all of the requirements for a high school diploma by the last day in January.

EARLY GRADUATION

A transcript with the graduation date posted should be sent to the University in May or June if applicable. If a student does not graduate until May or

June they are considered dual enrolled and a separate (non-degree) application is required.

Good article: https://chronicle.com/article/Is-Faster-Always-Better-/144781/

EARLY GRADUATION

Universities are not set up to accommodate spring/summer freshman they way they do their fall traditional freshman. Orientation Support Services Housing

Some Universities do a better job accommodating their transfer students and non-traditional students in the spring and summer sessions.

EARLY GRAD AND STATE SCHOLARSHIPS

LIFE, Palmetto, HOPE, SC Tuition Grant, etc. Spring freshman are eligible for Life only if

they satisfy the GPA and test score requirement. Class rank cannot be used to award LIFE to “early graduates.”

Students who do not have the SAT or ACT score will be awarded the HOPE scholarship for the spring semester.

EARLY GRAD AND STATE SCHOLARSHIPS

The LIFE scholarship will be awarded retroactively for spring upon receipt of a final transcript (May or June) that includes the class rank for the graduating class.

Palmetto needs to be used directly after high school- no gap, PG, etc. year allowed.

DEFERRED GRADUATION

Students can take classes in the summer after graduation (dual enrollment)

Cannot take classes in the fall All scholarships off the table Have to reapply as a transfer student

Inform University of deferment May be an application update process

TRANSFER PROCESS

Admissions and Affordability

Universities have Transfer Recruitment Events Learn about Bridge Programs USC Clemson Winthrop

Transfer Open Houses Transfer Tuesday

SCTRAC

www.sctrac.org

Students can plan their transfer

Find articulation agreements

Check on dual enrollment classes

TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP

Merit Scholarships

Transferring and State Scholarships (Life)

Once a student has attended a university they cannot start over (they have a permanent academic record)