NON-DEGREE nonsense

[elleNY]

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Anyone else taking their pre-reqs as postbac, non-degree seeking student? Turns out us unfortunate NONDEGREE seeking students are the LAST to register.. this means that after mocking up and tweaking my tenative two year pre-req schedule (which wasn't a breeze).. I am ALREADY closed out of all my chosen Fall 2009 course choices because everyone has already been able to register..

Even worse..they wont allow me to register for summer class until THREE DAYS before the class starts and so, go figure, turns out im now closed out of BOTH summer classes too.. I have spent a lot of time trying to get this prereq schedule in the right, manageable order...and I'm at my wit's end right now..Anyone else go through this? Do you think on registration day, May 27th, I can finagle them in to overrides or something?
I *hate* bureaucracies..

Elle

 

[PharmLuck168]

Have you tried looking at possibly getting some classes at a community college to get it done?

 

[confettiflyer]

Makes sense...if I were back in undergrad and nondegree students were registering in my classes that I needed to graduate, I'd be royally pissed.

This might work...I took random classes at my community college and the next semester they counted me as a "continuing student." Don't know how it works in NY.

 

[charfdorn]

Anyone else taking their pre-reqs as postbac, non-degree seeking student? Turns out us unfortunate NONDEGREE seeking students are the LAST to register.. this means that after mocking up and tweaking my tenative two year pre-req schedule (which wasn't a breeze).. I am ALREADY closed out of all my chosen Fall 2009 course choices because everyone has already been able to register..

Even worse..they wont allow me to register for summer class until THREE DAYS before the class starts and so, go figure, turns out im now closed out of BOTH summer classes too.. I have spent a lot of time trying to get this prereq schedule in the right, manageable order...and I'm at my wit's end right now..Anyone else go through this? Do you think on registration day, May 27th, I can finagle them in to overrides or something?
I *hate* bureaucracies..

Elle

Just declare a major that needs most of the classes you need. Then drop out when you get into school.

 

[Transformer]

Yeah, been there. done that.

After I got my bachelors degree, I had to retake a few classes at my old university through its extension center. As an extension student taking university classes, I was the absolute last priority. I usually didn't get into the class I want until the 3rd week of school. Sometimes, I would keep up with class material and find out I couldn't get into the class.

For the most part, I got into most of my classes since most students drop after the 3rd week.

 

[elleNY]

I should have prefaced that these ARE classes at a community college that I'm having trouble with....So..what next? Apply for an Associates..despite having a BA? Confused..I will have to go through this every semester now! Grr. And if I do get the classes, the only ones available are with the teachers from hell, which there are many of :-(
I suppose its fair for students working for a degree, but just missing even one summer semester could set me back a year in Pharm applications..

Elle

 

[Passion4Sci]

I should have prefaced that these ARE classes at a community college that I'm having trouble with....So..what next? Apply for an Associates..despite having a BA? Confused..I will have to go through this every semester now! Grr. And if I do get the classes, the only ones available are with the teachers from hell, which there are many of :-(
I suppose its fair for students working for a degree, but just missing even one summer semester could set me back a year in Pharm applications..

Elle

Even when you declare a degree, there will always be people with priority (i.e., the longer you've been there, the sooner you get your pass through the courses). It sucks, but seniority is important, and it exists even at 4 year schools!! Seniors get priority over Juniors and so on, and so on.

one of the few good things the Army has done for me is I get first registration appointments every semester, even before the DSPS (Disabled/Special Assistance) students do.

Keep your chin up and you'll be fine. It sucks, but you'll adapt and overcome.

 

[tabishis]

I changed from Non-degree to degree seeking thinking I would be able to register for courses early. Guess what? I get to register 3 days before classes start this summer. Sucks!

 

[confettiflyer]

Even when you declare a degree, there will always be people with priority (i.e., the longer you've been there, the sooner you get your pass through the courses). It sucks, but seniority is important, and it exists even at 4 year schools!! Seniors get priority over Juniors and so on, and so on.

one of the few good things the Army has done for me is I get first registration appointments every semester, even before the DSPS (Disabled/Special Assistance) students do.

Keep your chin up and you'll be fine. It sucks, but you'll adapt and overcome.

So it's settled...Elle needs to join the army, or get whacked in the knees Problem solved, let's close this thread up!

 

[Passion4Sci]

So it's settled...Elle needs to join the army, or get whacked in the knees Problem solved, let's close this thread up!

Pretty much.

Or patience...

 

[elleNY]

Trust me:
You *dont* want me in the army ;-)

Will keep my head up. Thanks for the support from everyone.

xo
Elle

 

[bluesickle]

I should have prefaced that these ARE classes at a community college that I'm having trouble with....So..what next? Apply for an Associates..despite having a BA? Confused..I will have to go through this every semester now! Grr. And if I do get the classes, the only ones available are with the teachers from hell, which there are many of :-(
I suppose its fair for students working for a degree, but just missing even one summer semester could set me back a year in Pharm applications..

Elle

Actually, your problem isn't that you're a non-degree student but that you're a NEW student. Once you have more credits completed under your belt, you'll have a better registration window.

One of the other problems that you'll encounter is that you're attempting to take classes that are HIGH in demand. If you haven't noticed, there are many people jumping onto the health care bandwagon so classes like anatomy, physiology, g-chem, and o-chem fill up relatively quickly.

My strategy for getting into these classes after they fill up is to check the class schedule religiously until the day classes start. You'll notice that many CC students aren't serious about their education so they'll frequently register for their classes and then drop some time before the semester begins.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Trust me:
You *dont* want me in the army ;-)
Elle

hmm...

Actually, your problem isn't that you're a non-degree student but that you're a NEW student. Once you have more credits completed under your belt, you'll have a better registration window.

One of the other problems that you'll encounter is that you're attempting to take classes that are HIGH in demand. If you haven't noticed, there are many people jumping onto the health care bandwagon so classes like anatomy, physiology, g-chem, and o-chem fill up relatively quickly.

My strategy for getting into these classes after they fill up is to check the class schedule religiously until the day classes start. You'll notice that many CC students aren't serious about their education so they'll frequently register for their classes and then drop some time before the semester begins.

Feel free to disregard the above quote... being classified as a non-degree seeking student is likely the problem. You could designate yourself as a Biology or Chemistry Pre-major (these are AA degree programs that are common funnel degrees for 4 yr degrees later on...). This would allow you to pursue your Pre-reqs and move you up the student "hierarchy" - but not very far.

Have you taken any classes at the CC before? If so, your designation may be higher.

Another good strategy is contacting the professor, letting them know your interest. That way, when a spot opens up on the first day, you will likely get the spot because you have already communicated your interest...

 

[onehot]

Out of curiousity where are you taking your classes? Is it BMCC? I took my classes there last semester..

 

[bluesickle]

Feel free to disregard the above quote... being classified as a non-degree seeking student is likely the problem. You could designate yourself as a Biology or Chemistry Pre-major (these are AA degree programs that are common funnel degrees for 4 yr degrees later on...). This would allow you to pursue your Pre-reqs and move you up the student "hierarchy" - but not very far.

Have you taken any classes at the CC before? If so, your designation may be higher.

Another good strategy is contacting the professor, letting them know your interest. That way, when a spot opens up on the first day, you will likely get the spot because you have already communicated your interest...

We're talking about a community college, not a 4-year University. Unless the classes themselves are locking elleNY out, the registration window is based on the credits completed and whether or not she is a returning student from the previous semester. The major has no bearing on when the registration window is available to the student because anyone can declare any major at a community college without the consent of the department -- at least from the many where I took my courses. If it was that easy to move up the queue, every non-degree students would lie.

Contacting the professor can't hurt but these professors hear these sap stories ALL the time. It's worth a shot but unless the professor knows the student, the professors are highly unlikely to show favoritism to someone with the same ol' story. I suppose familiarity can't hurt on the first day of class but I'm just too used to professors just not caring.

 

[aboveliquidice]

We're talking about a community college, not a 4-year University. Unless the classes themselves are locking elleNY out, the registration window is based on the credits completed and whether or not she is a returning student from the previous semester. The major has no bearing on when the registration window is available to the student because anyone can declare any major at a community college without the consent of the department -- at least from the many where I took my courses. If it was that easy to move up the queue, every non-degree students would lie.

Contacting the professor can't hurt but these professors hear these sap stories ALL the time. It's worth a shot but unless the professor knows the student, the professors are highly unlikely to show favoritism to someone with the same ol' story. I suppose familiarity can't hurt on the first day of class but I'm just too used to professors just not caring.

As a CC student - I completed my AA in the spring of 2006. I was accepted to UF undergrad for Fall 2006, so I signed up for Organic I, A&P I and A&P II for the summer in between. After my AA, I was classified as a Non-degree seeking student, and was relegated to the bottom of the list from the top the previous semester. After nearly 70 credits - I registered last for my classes.

This likely varies by institution - Thanks for clarifying what you stated above.

 

[FunnyHunny]

Defiantly contact the professors of the classes you need and explain your situation. The worst that can happen is that they say no. When I have asked for an override and explained my situation to a professor 9 times out of 10 they've given it to me. If you are persistent and express how badly you want in it's a sign to them that you will not be a slacker student.

Good luck to you!

 

[charfdorn]

Defiantly contact the professors of the classes you need and explain your situation. The worst that can happen is that they say no. When I have asked for an override and explained my situation to a professor 9 times out of 10 they've given it to me. If you are persistent and express how badly you want in it's a sign to them that you will not be a slacker student.

Good luck to you!

Do you mean definitely? I wouldn't recommend defiantly contacting them... 😉

This is what you need to do. It's possible that you'll still get in to the classes you want, of course. As someone else mentioned, CC students tend to change their minds often. I got locked out of a class one time but checked back daily and eventually spots opened up. The other thing you can do by talking to the instructor is get yourself "unofficially" in the class. If the instructor doesn't mind, you can sit in on the class until someone drops it (because someone surely will) and then you can snatch that spot from them.

 

[elleNY]

Yes, it's BMCC and if anyone has info about it let me know.. I've never taken any classes at any CC, and I've heard some disparaging things about the student body there, which means I probably *will* be able to snag a spot at some point..
Problem is really more about securing my spot in the summer classes, because I'll only have three days to try to get in to them after being able to register.. I have a summer back up plan taking Pre-Calc/Calc (unknown teachers) at another school which I'm setting up this week, but of course it would be preferential to take the classes at BMCC with the teachers that I've already vetted, at the school I'll be attending in the fall...Anyway I guess I'll try to remember the whole lemons --> lemonade adage! Thanks for insight..I will let you know how it goes..

Elle

 

[thephoenician88]

Anyone else taking their pre-reqs as postbac, non-degree seeking student? Turns out us unfortunate NONDEGREE seeking students are the LAST to register.. this means that after mocking up and tweaking my tenative two year pre-req schedule (which wasn't a breeze).. I am ALREADY closed out of all my chosen Fall 2009 course choices because everyone has already been able to register..

Even worse..they wont allow me to register for summer class until THREE DAYS before the class starts and so, go figure, turns out im now closed out of BOTH summer classes too.. I have spent a lot of time trying to get this prereq schedule in the right, manageable order...and I'm at my wit's end right now..Anyone else go through this? Do you think on registration day, May 27th, I can finagle them in to overrides or something?
I *hate* bureaucracies..

Elle

it's odd that your school does that. I just signed up as if i were doing a degree, but took pre-req classes that i needed....but they also ended up in line with my degree, so it all worked out.

 

[onehot]

The power of overtally is your friend..Don't be discourged you will get your classes one way or another..Check your PM..

 

[FunnyHunny]

Do you mean definitely? I wouldn't recommend defiantly contacting them... 😉

Woops! Yes I mean definitely not defiantly. Acting defiantly probably wouldn't help anyone lol.

 

[Pharmacy81]

Elle, I also did prereqs as a post-bacc in NYC at City College.

CCNY is known for having a huge post-bacc premed certificate program, and because of this, post-baccs get first priority for registration; then seniors, juniors, etc. Just make sure to register as soon as you're allowed to do it.

I was always able to register for the courses I needed in the two years I went there. And anyway, some professional schools prefer that you take science courses at a 4-year school rather than a 2-year school. If you're at BMCC, I think it's easy to transfer within CUNY.


Good luck.

 

[elleNY]

Yes, but on the CCNY premed program's site, they state: "Do Not Apply to this Program
If you are interested in fulfilling requirements for Pharmacy, Toxicology, Nursing or Physician Assistant."

So..that's why I didnt look in to that program any further.

Elle

 

[UES Girl]

I'm simply outraged 😱 than you are outraged at this issue and reminds me of my constant struggles as an undergrad to get into my much needed major classers in order to graduate while competing for spots with people who already had degrees and decided to go back to school . It makes perfect sense that you register last - you had your chance as an undergrad, you conciously chose to major in something that won't satisfy the pre-reqs - now let others graduate w/out complaining about it. If you didn't decide to pursue the pre-pharmacy path until completion of your degree, that's amazing, but then you have to learn to live with consequences of your consious decision.

My opinion may be biased because in my school it seriously takes 5-6 years graduate with a BS degree since all the classes are always cluttered by postbacs.

 

[UAMShopeful]

I feel ya. I had so many hurdles getting through my pre-reqs. Not only was my CC a complete bureaucracy, the people working there were completely incompetent. Among other things, after I had attended off and on for 5 years they made me apply for admission because they "lost" my original app. Also, around the same time they made me prove (for the 2000th time) that I had made a high enough score on the ACT that I did not need to take their entrance exam. Then, to top it off...last year, I had three classes "added" to my transcript by their faulty computer system...and one of the classes was an "F". That kept me from getting into Pharmacy School last year and all they had to say was "Sorry, we'll give you a free transcript."
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but just tell them anything (within reason and not criminal) that will get the job done. I tried it the "right" way and got screwed so do what you have to. Just my $.02 of experience.