College Program Discredited! HELP!

[laxplaya1346]

So I currently attend High Point University in NC and came to the school not only for the great Communications program but also because I saw the big "Disney" Corporate sticker on the Brochure when I applied. I've wanted to work for Disney since I was 14 and back in November I mapped out with a member of the Internship program here at my school how I would plan my academic career so that I could participate in the program my junior year. They game me a few contacts in the program to talk to and a friend of mine just arrived back on campus last week. Today they sat down with her and told her that she would be the LAST person they gave credit for the program and that they would only give credit for the PROFESSIONAL program. They told her instead that students would have to do the DCP on their "own time" outside of the school. So what that means for people like me is it cripples my chances of going through the program at my school. I can't take a semester off from school to do the DCP program since there would be issues with loans and insurance plans but at the same time I can't embark on the professional program until I've completed the first. So right now my only option and the only option for those who also want to do the program is to transfer schools....

Please Help!

Ryan

 

[Iris]

Would it be possible for you to take online courses and do a semester with Disney at the same time? I know that a lot of students here have continued taking classes online while working in the CP program. I know it might be difficult but it could possibly be an alternative to transferring to another school.

 

[laxplaya1346]

Would it be possible for you to take online courses and do a semester with Disney at the same time? I know that a lot of students here have continued taking classes online while working in the CP program. I know it might be difficult but it could possibly be an alternative to transferring to another school.

HPU only offers courses online during the summer months and if I participated in the program they wouldn't saction it and I would need to be enrolled somewhere else as to avoid the issues with loans and insurance since High Point would not approve it. There whole reasoning is that the program does not match their "academic standards".

 

[DOPEYLUVER]

I'm not sure what type of insurance you are referring to, but in Massachusetts (and I thought the whole country under the new health care reform) parents can carry their children up to the age of 26 regardless of their status of being a student. This is well within the last year so you may want to look into it.

Student loans begin becoming due 8 months after your status changes so you could withdraw/take a semester off/whatever you want to call it and then by the time the first payment was due, you would be a full time student again.

My daughter is taking a semester off from school because her school isn't giving credit and these are the issues that we had to research.

She starts tomorrow

 

[Frizzbird]

I see a couple of options for you. I know that on the CP website it lists schools that accept credit under the "educational opportunities" and particularly the "credit through other schools". Would it be possible for you to enroll in one of those universities for the semester you wish to do the CP and then have the credits transfer in through those schools? The credits wouldn't be coming from Disney at that point they would be coming from say Tulane University. That has the possibility to be an expensive option, but it may be an option.

If you school doesn't accept those credits from another school just because they originally came from the CP I think that would be a much bigger problem. That would be like actively seeking to harm you and that would be a really big deal. At least to me.

My school didn't support the program but they accept ACE credits since it is a nationally recognized accreditation program. Its possible that your school may recognize that accreditation and you could take one of the ACE Disney courses and get at least elective credit. It may not end up counting towards your degree, but its some credit. I don't see how they could deny you credit for taking an ACE course at Disney as compared to any other university as long as it is recognized by ACE and they accept ACE credits.

You could also wait till after you graduate to do the CP and then apply for a PI at the end of your program. As long as you apply your last semester in school you can do the CP after you graduate. Disney recognizes a College Program as a college semester so you could then apply for a PI directly after a CP and still be ok.

I really hope it works out for you. Doing the program was probably one of the most beneficial things I have done in my college career. It gave me an idea of the career path I would want to follow after I graduate. And I can honestly say I'm not sure what I would be doing right now in my last semester if I hadn't done the program. So good luck!

 

[collegejunkie]

you can do the cp the semester after you graduate. i don't know what your plans were for graduate school or employment, but i know someone who did this because she didn't want to delay graduation.

 

[spbink]

Also remember that there are many professional internships that don't require you to have done the college program beforehand. You can still apply for a professional internship, but plan to do the college program after you graduate or some of the other alternatives the other posters have mentioned.

 

[laxplaya1346]

I'm not sure what type of insurance you are referring to, but in Massachusetts (and I thought the whole country under the new health care reform) parents can carry their children up to the age of 26 regardless of their status of being a student. This is well within the last year so you may want to look into it.

Student loans begin becoming due 8 months after your status changes so you could withdraw/take a semester off/whatever you want to call it and then by the time the first payment was due, you would be a full time student again.

My daughter is taking a semester off from school because her school isn't giving credit and these are the issues that we had to research.

She starts tomorrow

So will she have to graduate a semester later correct? Also does Disney not recognize her as a full time student? I thought you had to be a full time student to participate in the program.

I see a couple of options for you. I know that on the CP website it lists schools that accept credit under the "educational opportunities" and particularly the "credit through other schools". Would it be possible for you to enroll in one of those universities for the semester you wish to do the CP and then have the credits transfer in through those schools? The credits wouldn't be coming from Disney at that point they would be coming from say Tulane University. That has the possibility to be an expensive option, but it may be an option.

The only problem with this option is that different schools have different requirements to participate in an Internship. For example here at HPU I am taking two courses this semester that are required to do an internship, another school may not accept these credits and may have other requirements.

you can do the cp the semester after you graduate. i don't know what your plans were for graduate school or employment, but i know someone who did this because she didn't want to delay graduation.

I have taken this into consideration but I'll be preparring to find a job them to pay off for school and get ready to work in the job market down there. Ideally by the time I graduated I wanted to have the advantage of either be participating in the Professional program or being about to commence it.

Also remember that there are many professional internships that don't require you to have done the college program beforehand. You can still apply for a professional internship, but plan to do the college program after you graduate or some of the other alternatives the other posters have mentioned.

I don't think I can apply for the professional internship without participating in the first Program, am I incorrect?


Thanks for all the suggestions guys, knew I could count on my DISers

 

[WDW_lover_in_SC]

You def. don't have to be a full time student. As a matter of fact you can take one credited class and you would be eligible. Not sure about the rest of your questions though.

 

[bellaDisneydncr]

So will she have to graduate a semester later correct? Also does Disney not recognize her as a full time student? I thought you had to be a full time student to participate in the program?


I don't think I can apply for the professional internship without participating in the first Program, am I incorrect?


Thanks for all the suggestions guys, knew I could count on my DISers

You only have to be taking one course to apply for the CP, not be full time. And you can apply for a PI without doing the CP. There are just a few of the PI's that you have to have done a CP first- not all.

 

[laxplaya1346]

You only have to be taking one course to apply for the CP, not be full time. And you can apply for a PI without doing the CP. There are just a few of the PI's that you have to have done a CP first- not all.

Thank you I'll have to look and see if my major requires a first program or not.

 

[Wishes Count]

I had a similar issue with Penn State University. They would not give me credit for the experience. I was also in a controlled major (meaning they only let so many students in) and the I needed to declare my major the semester while I would be at Disney.

I ended up taking a leave of absence from PSU. (You may need to discuss this with the Registrar's office at your school) During this time I was still a Penn State Student, but I was not taking any classes. I was then still able to register for my classes for the following semester and get into my major.

I needed 12 credits to stay on my parents insurance. I got mine through Central Michigan University. If you look on the College Program website there is a section about schools they partner with. I paid for the 12 credits which was around $2600 and I had to write a paper at the end of my program. I then transfered those credits to PSU as General Electives. They count toward my total credit count, but did not fill any of my major requirements.

As for paying back student loans. I had to send them a form saying that I was enrolled for 12 credits at Central Michigan University.

 

[WhiteRabbit88]

My school wouldn't give me credits either. But they still forced me to write a paper anyway.
Honestly I've heard of more schools not offering credit than the ones that do. It seems like a really uncommon thing.

 

[JerseyDisneyGirl]

I see a couple of options for you. I know that on the CP website it lists schools that accept credit under the "educational opportunities" and particularly the "credit through other schools". Would it be possible for you to enroll in one of those universities for the semester you wish to do the CP and then have the credits transfer in through those schools? The credits wouldn't be coming from Disney at that point they would be coming from say Tulane University. That has the possibility to be an expensive option, but it may be an option.

Most likely no. I used to work at a university and I evaluated transfer credits. The course work would clearly say Disney at Tulane, no schools as to accept any credit. If High Point doesn't offer the course, it is unlikely they will transfer it.

If you school doesn't accept those credits from another school just because they originally came from the CP I think that would be a much bigger problem. That would be like actively seeking to harm you and that would be a really big deal. At least to me.

They aren't seeking to harm a student. Every school has established policy for transfer credit. It is the responsibility of the student to see that they are in compliance with that policy to get credit.

My school didn't support the program but they accept ACE credits since it is a nationally recognized accreditation program. Its possible that your school may recognize that accreditation and you could take one of the ACE Disney courses and get at least elective credit. It may not end up counting towards your degree, but its some credit. I don't see how they could deny you credit for taking an ACE course at Disney as compared to any other university as long as it is recognized by ACE and they accept ACE credits.

Many schools do not take ACE credit, the school that I am working at did not. We didn't award any sort of credit for life experience, which is what ACE is.

You could also wait till after you graduate to do the CP and then apply for a PI at the end of your program. As long as you apply your last semester in school you can do the CP after you graduate. Disney recognizes a College Program as a college semester so you could then apply for a PI directly after a CP and still be ok.

I really hope it works out for you. Doing the program was probably one of the most beneficial things I have done in my college career. It gave me an idea of the career path I would want to follow after I graduate. And I can honestly say I'm not sure what I would be doing right now in my last semester if I hadn't done the program. So good luck!

To OP you are getting information from what another student said. Based on my experience in higher ed that is the WORST thing you can do. Too many students have gotten wrong information this way. Get in touch with the administration at your school and find out the whole story. You are making too many assumptions.

 

[laxplaya1346]

To OP you are getting information from what another student said. Based on my experience in higher ed that is the WORST thing you can do. Too many students have gotten wrong information this way. Get in touch with the administration at your school and find out the whole story. You are making too many assumptions.

I met with internship services today and was told that the person previous to me was a Human Relations major and they were outraged that they gave her credits for just being in the Food Service down in the parks. As I can understand this I'm still upset that they've chosen to discredit all of the work positions.

I was told to graduate in 4 years and still participate in the program I would have to take some courses during the summer and apply the 2 courses offered for me at WDW as ACE credits. Could you tell me why ACE credits are so terrible?

 

[Frizzbird]

Could you tell me why ACE credits are so terrible?

I am also curious as to why ACE credit are bad. Its an organization that is recognized by thousands of universities and represents "1,600 campus executives, as well as 200 leaders of higher education-related associations and organizations." And ACE is not just life credit. If you go look through the classes that they offer credit for you will find things that are actual classes. Its definitely true that not all universities/colleges accept ACE. But thats not becuase they are "bad" its because that is the university/college's has decided to not accept them.

 

[JerseyDisneyGirl]

ACE credits are not terrible. For many students they make sense. I have seen students who are fluent in another language who want to get ACE credit for this. If you can read and write Spanish perfectly why should you have to fulfill the foreign lanugage requirement? Some colleges are very friendly to this, they do accept ACE credits. The college I worked at wanted to see students have the full academic experience and only awarded credit for traditional college courses. Always check if your college accepts the credit before you proceed with ACE. The credits can be expensive, no point in spending the money and taking the ACE test if you aren't getting credit for it.