Help! University discouraging DCP

[phoebusII]

My daughter is a freshman this year and has had her heart set on participating in the DCP in her sophomore year. She asked her advisor at the university what the school's requirements are for the DCP and was told that they don't participate in the program. If she wants to do the DCP she would have to take a leave of absence. She was also told to talk to the financial aid counselors and the school's career counselors. Basically it sounds like the advisor wants her to get her priorities straight and they don't include Disney. It all sounds very discouraging, but the advisor is just one person and probably doesn't "get Disney".

My question for those who have participated or have children who have done the DCP is what can she do to get her university to work with her. Did you have to take a leave of absence or did your college have different requirements? Ironically, her university requires her participate in a study abroad program for a semester, but is discouraging this.

Since Disney discontinued the college rep program, she doesn't have anyone at the university she could turn to for advice, so I am asking the experts here.

 

[wilkeliza]

Most colleges require a leave of absence to do the DCP very few will give credit for it and those that do require you get a job in your degree which is very very hard to guarentee.

Does her school offer online classes? If so see if she can take enough to be considered full time that way. My best friend from my DCP did online classes during our program and I knew several others as well. I had already graduated college but could have gotten credit for the entertainment production course I took through Disney. It is one of the single hardest classes to get into though.

 

[::Snow_White::]

I agree with the above. The main issue with the university is getting credit from the program whether that be the job is lined up with your daughter's field or if she enrolls in some of the offered classes that the university would count as credit. However, it's not a requirement and she can take a leave of absence BUT it might screw up your financial aids and scholarships which is important to find out.

For me, I was going to go regardless of what my university said, so I just asked around to what I could get credit for which was basically nothing but I had to be enrolled in 12 credit hours in order to keep all my financial aid and scholarships for the next semester. I just ended up taking 4 online classes (only 1 counted toward my degree) while I was on the CP. It was hard but you gotta do what you gotta do.

As for the university discouraging her I wouldn't give it a second thought, my only probablem was being pushed back one semester to graduate but I'll say that it was 100% worth it.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Most colleges require a leave of absence to do the DCP very few will give credit for it and those that do require you get a job in your degree which is very very hard to guarentee.

I agree. My daughter is doing DCP Fall Advantage now and she had to take a leave of absence from school as did the majority of those DCP'ers that she's met. Very few actually earn credit from their universities for the DCP.

 

[wilkeliza]

My college actually was worse than just a leave of absence. If you had begun your field of study classes sitting out a semester meant possibly sitting out 2 years of major studies. Basically you had to do it when you hadn't begun programs towards your major for certain fields or wait until graduation. I sadly didn't find the DCP until I was already in my major studies (Theatrical Lighting Design) and those course at my college were offered on a 2 year rotation. I had to wait until graduation because I had already take a year off between freshman and sophomore year when I transferred and didn't feel like putting my program studies on hold for another 2 years. That is another thing to consider. Some schools work similar on a 2 year or 4 year course rotation so if your daughters school is like that have her consider what the actual academic issues could be. If the course don't have to be taken in order no problem but mine had to be taken in order on the 2 year rotation so you either started your freshman year or junior year.

 

[littleblackegg]

I think part of this could be how Disney administers the program. If they were to offer a more substantive program that correlates with the majors of these students, then the universities would be more eager to participate. As it is, students studying theatre arts and structural engineering and marketing are selling soda. The students are eager and willing to do it, but the schools are not going to give them credit for it.

 

[wilkeliza]

I think part of this could be how Disney administers the program. If they were to offer a more substantive program that correlates with the majors of these students, then the universities would be more eager to participate. As it is, students studying theatre arts and structural engineering and marketing are selling soda. The students are eager and willing to do it, but the schools are not going to give them credit for it.

What would you propose then? There is another program that is more degree specific but even harder to get into. Professional Internships are meant to be degree specific and if you get accepted you would be guaranteed something in the field you applied for. I applied for 5 of them 3 of which were fields I wanted to work in and 2 which just sound fun. I got final interviews for a few and didn't get any. They are incredibly hard.

Even though I didn't use my design degree on my specific program I still was able to get into the entertainment course they offer. I learned a lot about how the entertainment at the parks and special events operate and through connections I made on the program I was offered a position at completion. I ended up not taking the position and I still kind of regret that but life moves on. Not like I'm using my theater degree anyways working in finance but my DCP program is what got this company to trust me and my work ethic enough to give me a shot in finance.

 

[littleblackegg]

What would you propose then? There is another program that is more degree specific but even harder to get into. Professional Internships are meant to be degree specific and if you get accepted you would be guaranteed something in the field you applied for. I applied for 5 of them 3 of which were fields I wanted to work in and 2 which just sound fun. I got final interviews for a few and didn't get any. They are incredibly hard.

Even though I didn't use my design degree on my specific program I still was able to get into the entertainment course they offer. I learned a lot about how the entertainment at the parks and special events operate and through connections I made on the program I was offered a position at completion. I ended up not taking the position and I still kind of regret that but life moves on. Not like I'm using my theater degree anyways working in finance but my DCP program is what got this company to trust me and my work ethic enough to give me a shot in finance.

It sounds like you came up with a solution.

 

[wilkeliza]

It sounds like you came up with a solution.

Didn't really need a solution as I didn't do the program for credit. I wanted in that hard to get class for the networking and nothing else. I couldn't do the program until after graduation (huge risk if you really have your heart set on it) and got lucky that I got in first try.

 

[::Snow_White::]

What Wilkeliza said is also true. I thought I was going to finish at my original graduation date even with the CP, but some of the classes were only offered in the Fall semester and I hadn't realized it so here I am. Have her ask the advisor about taking a leave of absence and everything that she should know or take care of beforehand.

 

[disfanforlife]

My daughter was told the same thing by her university. She is a hospitality major and they also encourage students in her major to do an internship, but Disney does not count as an internship. She didn't want to withdraw from school so she took a one credit online class just to stay enrolled. She went last spring January - May and is now currently back in school for her senior year.

 

[phoebusII]

Thank you everyone, for your replies. This gives her good guidance for how to deal with her university. It's good to know that what she needs to deal with to get into the DCP is fairly normal and not an insurmountable obstacle.

 

[lollidrop]

My school was like that, so I took some online classes over the summer and finished school a semester early in order to do the program of spring my "senior" year.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

One option is to do the DCP the semester after you graduate from college- you are still eligible and it won't mess up any of your course sequences or financial aid!

 

[theladyloki]

One option is to do the DCP the semester after you graduate from college- you are still eligible and it won't mess up any of your course sequences or financial aid!

That's when I did my program (and all 3 of my roommates as well), then was granted an extension; so my 7 month program turned into a year long one.
Just be aware, if that's what you decide, you've got basically one chance at it.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

That's when I did mine as well. I had to leave early, but still got in 4 months of joy.