Do I have a case against my former college?

[Brael]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I went to a local community college here in town with the intention of completing a program and then transferring to a 4 year university and finishing a Bachelors.

After graduation, I have attempted to transfer into every college in the state offering my program however none of them will accept any of my previous work. It's not a matter of accreditation as they recognize the work. It's simply not the classes they require for their program. When I look through the degree audit's it's like I have no college experience whatsoever. Of the 61 classes I've completed so far only one transfers. This essentially means that I have absolutely nothing after having completed a program that is advertised as a stepping stone to a four year degree. I'm out money, I'm out time, and I'm out years for my maximum time I can receive Pell Grants with nothing to show for it other than college courses that I was told would be accepted but aren't. So my question is like the title asked. Do I have a case against my former school?

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Nope, you are responsible for doing due diligence before incurring expenses to attend a school of higher learning.

 

[TheGeekess]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ohio

I went to a local community college here in town with the intention of completing a program and then transferring to a 4 year university and finishing a Bachelors.

After graduation, I have attempted to transfer into every college in the state offering my program however none of them will accept any of my previous work. It's not a matter of accreditation as they recognize the work. It's simply not the classes they require for their program. When I look through the degree audit's it's like I have no college experience whatsoever. Of the 61 classes I've completed so far only one transfers. This essentially means that I have absolutely nothing after having completed a program that is advertised as a stepping stone to a four year degree. I'm out money, I'm out time, and I'm out years for my maximum time I can receive Pell Grants with nothing to show for it other than college courses that I was told would be accepted but aren't. So my question is like the title asked. Do I have a case against my former school?

A local community college or a for-profit college? Most for-profit colleges do not have transferable credits, but they do offer 4 year degrees in addition to their 2 year degrees.

 

[Brael]

A local community college or a for-profit college? Most for-profit colleges do not have transferable credits, but they do offer 4 year degrees in addition to their 2 year degrees.

I attended a local community college, they only offer 2 year degrees. However they routinely advertise that you can take the classes there for cheap, then transfer to a 4 year school and have the credits apply. Saving you money. The classes aren't applying though... to any 4 year school in the state offering the relevant program, despite having ample written documentation that they would. Not even a single general education class will be accepted such as my Calculus class I took, for the other schools Calculus class.

 

[TigerD]

...Of the 61 classes I've completed so far only one transfers. ...

Wait ... 61 classes at a community college?

What did you take? You should go into the community college and get an explanation.

I am going to bet that none of those classes were at a collegiate level. They couldn't have been more than a 1 credit equivalent.

DC

 

[Brael]

Wait ... 61 classes at a community college?

What did you take? You should go into the community college and get an explanation.

I am going to bet that none of those classes were at a collegiate level. They couldn't have been more than a 1 credit equivalent.

DC

3 Associates Degrees. I completed the first (Game Design) with the intention of it transferring then the second (Web Programming) for some additional job skills as the first isn't in much demand around here and the two were related fields so some should have transferred again. The third (Computer Graphics) was pretty much a throw in because I only needed 5 classes to complete it after the other two. None of the classes are accepted at four year schools though, they instead want me to retake each of them. I'm going for a Game and Simulation Design degree. The art classes don't transfer despite being the same software, the programming classes don't transfer despite being the same languages, and even the gen ed's such as Calculus or English.

 

[ecmst12]

There should be a transfer office at the community college. What did they say?

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Here is the state TAG web site. I suggest you plug and chug a bit.

https://reports-cems.transfercredit.ohio.gov/ap:16:5979812138263::NO:16::

 

[TheGeekess]

3 Associates Degrees. I completed the first (Game Design) with the intention of it transferring then the second (Web Programming) for some additional job skills as the first isn't in much demand around here and the two were related fields so some should have transferred again. The third (Computer Graphics) was pretty much a throw in because I only needed 5 classes to complete it after the other two. None of the classes are accepted at four year schools though, they instead want me to retake each of them. I'm going for a Game and Simulation Design degree. The art classes don't transfer despite being the same software, the programming classes don't transfer despite being the same languages, and even the gen ed's such as Calculus or English.

None of those classes/degrees sound like they came out of a state-owned community college, but rather a 'for profit' college. And I've not ever seen a community college advertise that their credits transfer.

Is this ITT Tech/Virginia College? I know ITT has used space at REAL community colleges in my state.

https://www.ohiohighered.org/board-of-regents/university-system-of-ohio/independent-colleges-and-universities

 

[Mass_Shyster]

None of those classes/degrees sound like they came out of a state-owned community college, but rather a 'for profit' college.

A quick google search for "ohio community college game design" brought me to a page that states:

Terra State Community College is the largest video game design school in the state of Ohio, based on number of students. It is located in Fremont. Approximately 7 students graduated with a video game design degree from Terra State Community College in 2009, which is 70% of the total state video game design graduates for that year. In 2009, tuition at Terra State Community College, was approximately $3,712 per year.

Terra State Community College also lists Web Programming and Computer Graphics in their course catalog.

I didn't look beyond that.

 

[TheGeekess]

A quick google search for "ohio community college game design" brought me to a page that states:



Terra State Community College also lists Web Programming and Computer Graphics in their course catalog.

I didn't look beyond that.

Transfer Student Assistance


For assistance when transferring to Terra College or about transferring to a 4-year degree program, contact our Admissions Office.

http://www.terra.edu/TransferStudents.html

So, OP, did you contact the admissions office?

 

[stealth2]

From what I know in my state (not OH) and CCs? It's the GenEds that are transferable, not the other courses. SO you should have taken your general courses, and THEN looked at transferring. Technical courses will generally not transfer.

And THREE AAs? With NO GenEd courses? Yeah - you wasted your time.

And yes, it IS up to you to figure out what will transfer and what will not.

 

[RRevak]

While you had a responsibility to ensure your credits transferred, I do know exactly where you're coming from. Here in my state, a VERY common issue with community colleges is that they generally have NO idea what the REAL prerequisites for a particular degree transfer are. They have THEIR idea, but more often than not it isn't the same idea a higher university has. For example, when I was back in community college I was taking classes for a Micro-Molecular Biology transfer. They gave me a list of classes that were required and I began completing them. Come to find out when I signed up to take a class at a local higher university as a transient, a class who's only prereq at CC was Bio 1 and Bio 2, I found out the hard way that THEIR prereqs for the SAME class were Bio 1&2, Chem 1&2, and Organic Chem 1&2. I ended up having to drop the class because I hadn't taken those yet. When I showed the list of the CC prereqs for my degree, the higher university explained to me that basically it was all wrong and if I chose to follow said class line, I would be SOL when it came time to transfer. The same went for the 2 other higher universities I showed the list to. In the end, I went with a list that the higher universities gave me so I knew for sure that the classes would be moved towards my degree. I also know several others who were in the same boat so this wasn't just the CC I attended.

While I know you must be furious right now, sadly there isn't a whole lot you can do. They gave you what they saw was an acceptable course list and you followed it. It bites that said list was wrong but now it seems the only way you're going to make this right is to make-up whatever holes the higher university says you have. It isn't the community college you need to be talking to now, its finding the higher university you wish to attend, then working with both their admissions dept and advising dept to make up what you missed.

 

[Brael]

Washington State Community College actually. The game design one got renamed to "Interactive Digital Technology" 1 quarter before I completed it.

From what I know in my state (not OH) and CCs? It's the GenEds that are transferable, not the other courses. SO you should have taken your general courses, and THEN looked at transferring. Technical courses will generally not transfer.

And THREE AAs? With NO GenEd courses? Yeah - you wasted your time.

And yes, it IS up to you to figure out what will transfer and what will not.

I have plenty of gen ed's. I've taken every Math and English the school offers for example, even ones above and beyond my program requirements. I'm not too upset about the maths because the ones they want the school just doesn't offer. However other classes while accepted don't substitute for what the college I wish to attend provides despite being told in advance that they would.

As for bringing it up with my school the transfer office says it's not their problem and to bring it up with my department head. The department head says too bad, he doesn't teach those classes because he doesn't know the material.

 

[Proserpina]

Washington State Community College actually. The game design one got renamed to "Interactive Digital Technology" 1 quarter before I completed it.



I have plenty of gen ed's. I've taken every Math and English the school offers for example, even ones above and beyond my program requirements. I'm not too upset about the maths because the ones they want the school just doesn't offer. However other classes while accepted don't substitute for what the college I wish to attend provides despite being told in advance that they would.

As for bringing it up with my school the transfer office says it's not their problem and to bring it up with my department head. The department head says too bad, he doesn't teach those classes because he doesn't know the material.

Do you have anything in writing saying the courses you took would indeed satisfy the requirements of another college?