Apply COSC Degree to Elite University?

[Jonathan Whatley]

Okay, I think that helps. Since the graduate school will see all of this on my transcript anyway, can I simply ask them these questions about GPA, graded courses vs exams, etc? Or is it too early (if so, at what point would it be better)? Or would the person I speak to possibly just be confused about the whole thing (have seen some issues like that on this forum)?

The GPA would come from SDC or SL courses (or other college courses), since CLEP/DSST don't result in GPA scores, right? 

Thanks a lot.

Yes you can ask and it's not too early! Some people probably will be confused. You'll probably encounter smart people who know a lot about higher education and their field but little or nothing about nontraditional sources of credit. Many decisions will be case-by-case, and what you hear from one person today may not reflect how the committee proceeds when you apply even at the same program. But it will give you a sense of how things are perceived and how things happen.

Roughly, the graduate admissions office is like the HR department, the graduate program is like the hiring manager. The graduate admissions office may oversee steps like application form intake and transcript review and may provide general guidance, but the main center of power in admissions decisions is likely to be the graduate program.