Daughter needs guidance Bachelors

[Pats20]

I’m going to step out and suggest differently. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with a check box degree, in my opinion they are more suited for people who are looking to get promoted within their current company, and probably have a lot of time invested in the company. I would think many years if you’re going to base your major strictly off of it. Check box degrees are also great for people who want to finish a degree for personal achievement. Maybe they’ve always regretted not getting a degree. So typically these kinds of degrees imo are more suited for people that have a ton of experience in a field and just need a quick degree for a promotion or just desire to finally get that degree they’ve always wanted. Either way these people have been around awhile. That’s not the case with your daughter. She’s just 24.
She has her whole life ahead of her. What’s the rush ? I would recommend for her to find something she’s really interested in and pursue that. If she doesn’t know yet what she’s interested in, then take some time off and work, that’s fine to. That’s life and that’s how we learn. She’s already figured out that she doesn’t want to be a pharmacist by working with them.

Now if she for sure wants to attend graduate school then a liberal studies degree may be just fine as well. But typically a BA in liberal studies and no relevant experience in something is gonna be a tough sell.
If I’m wrong I’m sure someone will chime in and I will stand corrected.

[GameSlinger]

I’m going to step out and suggest differently. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with a check box degree, in my opinion they are more suited for people who are looking to get promoted within their current company, and probably have a lot of time invested in the company. I would think many years if you’re going to base your major strictly off of it. Check box degrees are also great for people who want to finish a degree for personal achievement. Maybe they’ve always regretted not getting a degree. So typically these kinds of degrees imo are more suited for people that have a ton of experience in a field and just need a quick degree for a promotion or just desire to finally get that degree they’ve always wanted. Either way these people have been around awhile. That’s not the case with your daughter. She’s just 24.
She has her whole life ahead of her. What’s the rush ? I would recommend for her to find something she’s really interested in and pursue that. If she doesn’t know yet what she’s interested in, then take some time off and work, that’s fine to. That’s life and that’s how we learn. She’s already figured out that she doesn’t want to be a pharmacist by working with them.

Now if she for sure wants to attend graduate school then a liberal studies degree may be just fine as well. But typically a BA in liberal studies and no relevant experience in something is gonna be a tough sell.
If I’m wrong I’m sure someone will chime in and I will stand corrected.

I would normally agree with you. In this situation, she has already made it clear that she will continue working on classes because she knows that if she stops now, she won't get back to it. She has also already racked up 8 years of work experience. 2 years working fast food prior to graduating High School, and 6 years working fulltime while also going to school part time. Her going part time at work was not her choice and happened earlier this year, so she definitely has experience, just not in a field she can progress in until she has a degree.

[rachel83az]

Pats20 has a good point and there are plenty of degrees she can "keep going in" that aren't BALS. Perhaps a BSBA/BABA would be a better choice for her?

[bjcheung77]

@GameSlinger, The Bachelors decision can wait, she can chose the institution/major when the time comes after she has the Associates in hand... continue on with the AAS or AA at the local college until she's done. All the credits (or majority) will go into the UMPI BAS or BLS anyways. She can add a minor or two if she wanted to get into something more specific, then ladder to a different degree if she choses.

[Duneranger]

I’m going to step out and suggest differently. Although there is absolutely nothing wrong with a check box degree, in my opinion they are more suited for people who are  looking to get promoted within their current company, and probably have a lot of time invested in the company. I would think many years if you’re going to base your major strictly off of it. Check box degrees are also great for people who want to finish a degree for personal achievement. Maybe they’ve always regretted not getting a degree. So typically these kinds of degrees imo are more suited for people that have a ton of experience in a field and just need a quick degree for a promotion or just desire to finally get that degree they’ve always wanted. Either way these people have been around awhile. That’s not the case with your daughter. She’s just 24.
She has her whole life ahead of her. What’s the rush ? I would recommend for her to find something she’s really interested in and pursue that. If she doesn’t know yet what she’s interested in, then take some time off and work, that’s fine to. That’s life and that’s how we learn. She’s already figured out that she doesn’t want to be a pharmacist by working with them.

Now if she for sure wants to attend graduate school then a liberal studies degree may be just fine as well. But typically a BA in liberal studies and no relevant experience in something is gonna be a tough sell.
If I’m wrong I’m sure someone will chime in and I will stand corrected.

I would normally agree with you. In this situation, she has already made it clear that she will continue working on classes because she knows that if she stops now, she won't get back to it. She has also already racked up 8 years of work experience. 2 years working fast food prior to graduating High School, and 6 years working fulltime while also going to school part time. Her going part time at work was not her choice and happened earlier this year, so she definitely has experience, just not in a field she can progress in until she has a degree.

I understand she wants to continue taking classes, that's admirable. But maybe CC night classes or non degree seeking online programs at state schools might be a good idea. It seems like she has a lot of Ws and she doesn't want to tank her GPA even further. Just getting a degree to get a degree isn't always the right answer. These types classes I listed will keep her motivated and potentially show schools she can stick with it. Furthermore, it might spark a particular degree interest.

I get her current job (not a forever job?) might want it but a generic liberal studies degree doesn't have a ton of utility.

[GameSlinger]

Daughter came by tonight and we were able to talk things through for a while. It sounds like she has settled on the UMPI BABA Management and Leadership degree. She is still waiting on the BOG (I will post about that in the Pierpont section). I am going to start looking at what she needs to complete the BABA ML. I looked at the one in the Wiki, but that one is designed for starting from scratch, and she has a bunch of credits already, so have to sort through that.

[bjcheung77]

So, your daughter is skipping the AA from Kirkwood? And also skipping the UMPI BAS or BLS option that would take the bulk of her current credits? Is she looking forward to a specific Masters later down the road? The Pierpont BOG AAS is a good option if she's looking at a specific emphasis, it's not a requirement for the UMPI BABA for entry. If she wants, she can do the UMPI AALS and the BABA, skipping the Pierpont BOG altogether...

[rachel83az]

Even if the BABA doesn't take quite as many credits as the BAS, I think it'll be a better/more valuable degree in the long run. Don't think of the leftovers as "wasted" credits, as some students here like to think. Think of them as essential learning experiences. Without them, she might not have been able to easily continue on to the BABA.

[sarahmac]

Has she taken any more classes since? Forgive me if I am mistaken, looks like she took quite a few of chem 1 and 2, bio 1 and 2, physics 1 etc? Half the class names are cut off in the transcripts you uploaded so it isn't clear.

Something you could consider; UMPI will allow you to add minors entirely via transfer credit (including ones not normally offered via Your Pace) so long as you fulfil their 30 resident credits via the major/GEC etc.

Some minors that look like they could work include Biology (bio 1 and 2 with labs, genetics, plus two other bio or eco classses--seems the only one missing is genetics), or Physical Sciences (chem 1 and 2, geology (perhaps SDC?), physics 1 and 2). In terms of salvaging all her science credits, this could be an option.

--

Don't think anyone has tried it, but technically someone could even do the Pierpont AAS to BAS thing with one YourPace minor (e.g. MIS) and a couple non-YP sciencey minors like Bio. They'd just need to transfer in the right things.

[allvia]

Even if the BABA doesn't take quite as many credits as the BAS, I think it'll be a better/more valuable degree in the long run. Don't think of the leftovers as "wasted" credits, as some students here like to think. Think of them as essential learning experiences. Without them, she might not have been able to easily continue on to the BABA.

@GameSlinger - I agree that the UMPI BABA Management and Leadership is a great choice for your daughter. I'm glad to learn she has made her decision.