Daughter was accepted..NOW a major road bump with her university... :(

[Rachellee413]

I have known that I wanted to do the DCP since my sophomore year of college whenever I heard one of my former sorority sisters saying how awesome and magical her experience was. Ever since her, I've had 3 other friends go down there and live their dreams. However, I was NOT one of those lucky students who knew what she wanted to do when she first went to school, so I've had to wait since 2007 to apply.

For my major, we are required to do an internship and I asked our internship director if Disney would count. Even though I am a merchandising, apparel, & textiles major and there is a merchandise and costuming role, she said that it would not count even though it would be an "awesome experience". Needless to say, I was very frustrated that my favorite professor was not supportive of my dreams to work for the mouse. So I've waited patiently to apply and I'm finally graduating December 16. I did my required internship for my major, and now I will hopefully get accepted to this program so that I can do this for me. I've had many road blocks with having to wait, unsupportive professors, and changed majors. What I can say is if you want to do the Disney College Program, apply your final semester in college. Yes, it is not fun having to wait, but finally getting "your shot" to apply and hopefully make your dream come true is totally worth it. I've been waiting to hear back from Disney for a week and I'm trying to remain positive.

Maybe the road blocks are there because this isn't your semester to apply, but that doesn't mean you should not try again. If you feel it in your heart that you should do it, then apply. You never know. There's my optimism from a hopeful future cast member, haha

P.S. -- My professor was unsupportive mainly because she had ONE other student go down there who didn't like it. I've had 4 friends go down there and love it. One of our advisors in our career counseling center was thrilled whenever I told her my dreams. I'm done now. Sorry this was long!

 

[mariamaria]

Honestly, I would tell your daughter to wait and do it the semester after she graduates. Pretty much the same thing happened to me my freshman year, I applied, got accepted, talked to my advisor, who then told me it was not a very good idea at the moment.
I'm graduating next semester so I've waited this long to apply again for Fall 2012, that way I won't have to worry about not getting credit, or taking a semester off, etc.
This has been something I've wanted to do for so long and it really bummed me out that I had to put it off this long, but I've been able to completely focus on all of my schooling, and that's what I see as most important now. I only have one other chance now to get accepted since I'm graduating, but it's just a chance I have to take.

 

[edk35]

Awww that's a shame the college won't accept it as an internship or some type of credit. Its there any way to appeal the decision? It may be something to look into. I'm glad that she has decided to go anyway. She will learn so much in real-life situations that she can't learn from a book. congrats to your DD!

Update: Yesterday we were at her school for our son's college visit there and some of his friends.We met up with our daugter and were in one of the dining facilities. On the tables were these triangular cards that stood up on some of the tables advertising the DCP. There was a white sticker with "INTERESTED? Come to the APPLY TODAY event on Monday Oct. 24th fron 5 to 7 in the Career Center on campus. I told her to go to there this week and speak to someone. I told her that maybe that might be something to look into. Maybe since this is the first year they have truly advertised the program with posters and these things on tables, she might be able to get some type of credit.

 

[edk35]

Honestly, I would tell your daughter to wait and do it the semester after she graduates. Pretty much the same thing happened to me my freshman year, I applied, got accepted, talked to my advisor, who then told me it was not a very good idea at the moment.
I'm graduating next semester so I've waited this long to apply again for Fall 2012, that way I won't have to worry about not getting credit, or taking a semester off, etc.
This has been something I've wanted to do for so long and it really bummed me out that I had to put it off this long, but I've been able to completely focus on all of my schooling, and that's what I see as most important now. I only have one other chance now to get accepted since I'm graduating, but it's just a chance I have to take.

The reason she wants to do it now though is because she is hoping this will be stepping stone into getting into a professional internship at Disney. I know in the perfect world it would be best for her to wait like you did, but she is not the gambler in that if she didn't make it after graduation, she would have regretted not doing it before then. So, we just deal with it. She is going to do the minimester Jan. 2013 and she will still graduate on time that May. SO hopefully all will fall into place.

 

[edk35]

Our son, a college soph , had the same problem. He chose his school based on many things, one of them being the Disney internship program. He has wanted to work at WDW since he was 10 years old and hopes to work there when he graduates. Midway thru last year, the school notified him that they were no longer giving credit for the program. Messed up a lot of students hoping to do the program. Our son took summer classes and online classes to make up the credits he would miss while he took a semester off. Basically the school screwed him and the other students. So he is now at WDW, living his dream, but he went thru a lot of crap with the school to get it done. The school was ZERO help. The alternative was to transfer, and he really likes the school, so not really an option. He will return to school in Jan, all caught up with his classmates, and will graduate with his class. So it is doable, but not easy. Good luck.

That is exactly where she is at....she will do the minimester Jan. 2013 and because she has taken a full schedule, she can finish on time.

 

[Deesknee]

Update: Yesterday we were at her school for our son's college visit there and some of his friends.We met up with our daugter and were in one of the dining facilities. On the tables were these triangular cards that stood up on some of the tables advertising the DCP. There was a white sticker with "INTERESTED? Come to the APPLY TODAY event on Monday Oct. 24th fron 5 to 7 in the Career Center on campus. I told her to go to there this week and speak to someone. I told her that maybe that might be something to look into. Maybe since this is the first year they have truly advertised the program with posters and these things on tables, she might be able to get some type of credit.

Hey Denise! Hope this works out for her. ("we" still haven't heard).

 

[edk35]

Hey Denise! Hope this works out for her. ("we" still haven't heard).

She did make an appt. with the career center that handles these internships. She has an appt. today matter of fact. The girl that made the appt. for her seems to think she willl get some credit. Our fingers and toes are crossed.

 

[Deesknee]

She did make an appt. with the career center that handles these internships. She has an appt. today matter of fact. The girl that made the appt. for her seems to think she willl get some credit. Our fingers and toes are crossed.

fingers and toes crossed here for her too.

 

[edk35]

fingers and toes crossed here for her too.

Well it all boils down to her getting the same Professor to sign off on it. grrrr SO the career center person suggested that she get someone from the College Program to call the professor and explain the program to her. So that is the next step. Regardless, she is still going whether she gets credit or not.