Re-application Shenanigans

[Tedium]

So, this isn't my first time around the block with COSC. This will actually be my third time going through the application process with them. I've had a bunch of you smart folks look at my degree plan, and I've gone over and over it with a fine toothed comb. I just have the Capstone left. I'm ready. 

So, I went to the open house to knock-out the application fee. Turns out you just have to use the same e-mail to apply that you used to attend the open house. To qualify for the waiver you have to apply within two weeks of attending the open house. It's a little earlier than I wanted, I would have preferred a Fall start date, but $50 is $50 like I've been saying, right? No problem. I'll apply now. 

I applied Saturday night and waited patiently until offices opened up this morning, so I could see where I stood. One thing I found out in the open house was that I might not have to send in my transcripts all over again. There was a little question as to whether my matriculation 6 years ago would qualify me for that little bonus. Wouldn't that be neat if it did? I thought. I figured I would just wait until Monday and call up there for confirmation. 

I log into the application portal yesterday and was immediately greeted by a sea of green check marks saying they had received transcripts from all of my schools, CLEP, and DSST. Now I just have to send them a new Credly/ACE transcript to show my math and all the Sophia and SDC credits I've earned since I got dismissed from COSC. Neat. 

There was one red "X" that I had already anticipated. The dreaded: "Dismissal Hold: You have to e-mail the Provost to petition for re-admission to the college." No problem. I knew that was coming, and while I had not written my petition yet, I knew it wouldn't take me long. A little mix of self-reflection and a list of all the awesome things I've accomplished in 6 years. All the projects I have done and am planning to do in Rwanda would surely let him know that I mean business this time. No problem. Neat. Boom! Pow! BA here I come!

So, I get an e-mail from my admissions counselor while I was basking in the glow of my future diploma. Perfect, I said. Let's do this! The exchange went a little something like this: 

Him - "Good afternoon Tedium.  I’m your admissions counselor.  We’re still waiting on transcripts from , but the next start date is Spring Term 2 March 21, or did you want to begin in Summer on May 23?

 

I also see you’ve chosen a customized plan.  Have you given any thought about what areas you might like to combine, or do you need me to cover what’s involved with customizing?"

Now, that little space after "waiting on transcripts from..." caught my eye. Homeslice is using some kind of form e-mail and he didn't fill it in properly. He obviously didn't look too hard at my application because he would have seen the reason it wasn't complete was not a lack of any transcript, but because I had a dismissal hold. No problem, I said. Let's just get this over with. 

Me - "I was actually wanting the Liberal Studies concentration, but there was not an option for it. I wanted to combine English and History. I should have all the required courses, including the Cornerstone. I'll just need to take the Liberal Studies Capstone, which is broken up into two courses from what I've read. 

For the Liberal Studies English/History Concentration I'll bring in: 

-27 credits in English (24 credits Upper Level, 3 credits Lower Level)
-15 credits in History (3 credits Upper Level, 12 credits Lower Level)

I also have:

-3 Upper Level credits Psychology
-3 Upper Level credits Philosophy

So, if my math is correct, I should have all the necessary requirements to graduate except for the Capstone. 

I would like to start as late as possible, so May 23 works for me. 

The student portal says that you still have all of my transcripts from my last matriculation in 2016. Could you confirm that for me please? I'll need to send in a new ACE/Credly transcript to show my completion of the math requirement. I took two new CLEP exams in the interim, but they do not apply to my degree, so I wasn't planning on sending those in unless I needed the elective credits for some reason. 

The student portal also says that I need to write the Provost for re-admission since I was dismissed. Could you please go over what information the Provost will be needing in that e-mail? I can send that later tonight, but I wanted to make sure I had all the required information to save us all some time."

And I get this in response:

Him - "Hi Tedium.  Thanks for the quick response.  There is actually one item on your checklist that I missed.  As a returning student after an academic dismissal you need to also reach out to the provost for permission to return.  The provost is Mr. Dave Ferreira dferreira@charteroak.edu."

WTF?!?!

So, I just start writing because obviously this guy is a robot and I'm not going to have any sort of meaningful dialogue with him. I am about halfway done with my petition, it's closing time on the east coast, and I get this e-mail: 

Him - "Hi Tedium.  To follow up on my last email, you will need to go through Jennifer Washington, our registrar.  I have cc’d her on this email for your convenience.  You can reach out to her and she will provide you with the petition form needed for you to seek approval to return. 

 

Let me know if I can answer anything else in the meantime."

I'm just so done right now. Off to a great start!

[rachel83az]

...At least they replied promptly?

[Tedium]

Lol yeah, I guess that’s one way to look at it. He threw me for a loop with that second e-mail, though.

I e-mailed the registrar for that form I didn’t know existed and also sent her my Credly transcript with a note that it was mostly new credits since 2016 and that it contained my math requirement.

We’ll see what wackiness today brings.

[rachel83az]

Considering some have reported waiting days or weeks for an email (even excluding that one bad advisor), you're slightly ahead. Fingers crossed that you're able to get the answer you want in the next couple of days and are able to finish your degree!

[ss20ts]

At least they responded. It seems like many people in these positions just follow through the script and checklist they're given. They're not paid to think. At least that's how it feels often times. If you weren't so far into your degree I would have recommended going to UMPI for the BA in English or History. Maybe have that as aback up in case the provost says no for whatever reason. I can't imagine they would deny a re-admission especially for someone so close to completing their degree.

[Tedium]

Yeah, I'm noticing that I seem to be lucky with getting responses. Maybe because I was a former student? They don't have to do much with me except for adding my 36 new ACE credits. I was still in the old mindset of: COSC customer service good, TESU customer service bad. I hadn't been following all the issues people were having recently.

I did get a response this morning from the registrar with the needed form, so I guess I'm batting a thousand for responses lol.

Man, if they for some reason say no, I'll probably just go after the BAAS OL from TAMUC. I qualify for the in-state $750 per term rate, which will make the whole thing incredibly cheap. Two terms will be the cost of one at UMPI. I'm probably going to do the program anyway after I graduate from COSC. I think it will help me more career-wise, since I'm working with non-profits and now a GM at my hotel.

Hey, that's something we need to be on the lookout for: Nonprofit Management. I'd love to see a competency-based degree in that area.

[bjcheung77]

Well, you're going somewhere at least... COSC has made significant changes to their degree structure, the main ones being requiring 30 RA credits and limiting approved providers for alternative credit. After their Admissions Director retired, their admissions team hasn't been the same, I guess internally there has been changes made to their application process and fee waiver, even their application page has changed...

[Tedium]

Oh, I hadn’t realized the admissions director retired. That makes a lot of sense now.

The applications page actually seems to be more streamlined from what I remember, but it’s been 7 years, so I might be a bit foggy. It was a very easy process and the dashboard gives you an accurate reading of where you stand in the process.

I guess we’ll see how the evaluation procedure goes when they add in my ACE credits. It used to be incredibly fast years ago. I’m a little worried about that, but we’ll see how it goes.

The registrar already referenced removing my ALEKS and FEMA credits, so at least she actually took a look at my records. That’s reassuring.

[Tedium]

Alright, petition and documentation has been completed, signed, and e-mailed. Fingers crossed that they say I can come back and I can actually start May 23rd!

[Tedium]

Oof, I forgot about them not taking Credly badges.

Sent transcript through SDC and gave my CSM certificate number.

When I went to Parchment to send my Sophia transcript, the payment went through and then I got an e-mail that says, "Sophia Learning LLC has placed your order on hold because:

Three transcripts need to be merged."

Anyone know what that's about? I guess maybe I had multiple Sophia accounts, maybe? I'm going to ask them tomorrow, but it was just weird because it was so immediate it was almost automated.

Oh, well. I have to wait a week to hear back about my appeal, so I have time. All-in-all, $5.25 is a lot better cost than what it could have been.

I'm just going to keep updating this thread until I graduate and make my "I'M DONE!!!1" thread. I'm probably going to be the last graduate of COSC from this forum, unless we get some Connecticut students or something. May as well give it as much love as I can now. lol