Questions about the program.

[bkandreu]

I have a few questions for everyone. I'm a junior in highschool, going to be signing up for the College Program as soon as possible after I graduate. I know already that you must have a semester of college already completed.. The only thing I'm worried about is my school not allowing me to do the program. There's a couple things I'm still not completely clear about. Do you continue work while at Disney, and stay caught up with the work just as if you were at home working at college, or do you put it on hold while you're at Disney and finish when you come back? I guess that is mostly what I'm confused and concerned about.. I also know that you have to consult the head of the school to find out if you're college let's you do this.. but have you ever heard of a college NOT letting you go? I'm very concerned about that. :/

Also, I heard it's smarter to bring your own car with you, instead of having to ride the bus anywhere;but my dad is on the fence about that and isn't sure if he wants me to drive down there.. He'd rather me fly to Florida and then ride the bus around. However, I heard it's much more convenient to have a car. Thanks to anyone who could answer my questions

 

[newdrama12]

Do you continue work while at Disney, and stay caught up with the work just as if you were at home working at college, or do you put it on hold while you're at Disney and finish when you come back? I guess that is mostly what I'm confused and concerned about.. I also know that you have to consult the head of the school to find out if you're college let's you do this.. but have you ever heard of a college NOT letting you go? I'm very concerned about that. :/

You can do it either way. Some people will take the time off from their college and others will take some online classes to try and stay on track. It just depends on what you want to do and if your school offers the classes that you would need to take online or not.

No, I have never heard of a school not letting you go. I know of schools that recommend that people NOT go depending on their GPA and what classes they need to take to finish up.

Also, keep in mind that before you can apply to the College Program, you need to be enrolled in college at the time of applying and at some colleges have a minimum number of credit hours that have to be completed first.

 

[bkandreu]

Thank you.. Yes I know about the being enrolled.. I've heard about them having classes down there for CP people.. Am I wrong in hearing this? That's what I thought about keeping up with school work, I thought you just continued your work from where you left off.

 

[eimmi07]

I have a few questions for everyone. I'm a junior in highschool, going to be signing up for the College Program as soon as possible after I graduate. I know already that you must have a semester of college already completed.. The only thing I'm worried about is my school not allowing me to do the program. There's a couple things I'm still not completely clear about. Do you continue work while at Disney, and stay caught up with the work just as if you were at home working at college, or do you put it on hold while you're at Disney and finish when you come back? I guess that is mostly what I'm confused and concerned about.. I also know that you have to consult the head of the school to find out if you're college let's you do this.. but have you ever heard of a college NOT letting you go? I'm very concerned about that. :/

Also, I heard it's smarter to bring your own car with you, instead of having to ride the bus anywhere;but my dad is on the fence about that and isn't sure if he wants me to drive down there.. He'd rather me fly to Florida and then ride the bus around. However, I heard it's much more convenient to have a car. Thanks to anyone who could answer my questions

Hi I am a campus rep for the program at my university and I think I am able to answer your questions that you asked. Your University that you go to should be able to let you do the program if you get accepted for the program. I have not heard of a University that does not allow students to do the program. For "work" I assume you mean college work/school credits; you could also get college credit for completing the program as well; like my Campus does (up to 12) for a semester; if your University does offer credits for the program then they will have their own requirements for their students to be able to get credit. You could also take online classes from your college (if they offer any) and get credits from your University that way so you can stay a student at you respected University. Otherwise the best thing to do is to talk to your college advisor about the program when you arrive at your campus.

About the car question brining down a car can be more convenient but you would have to pay for gas (obviously), and have proof of car insurance (for a parking spot). Riding the bus can be a pain yes, but they get you to your work location on time and other places as well. Basically brining a car can be a good thing, but it is not necessary.

Hope this makes sense for the questions you asked.

 

[bellaDisneydncr]

And as newdrama12 said, I've never heard of a college not letting someone go- I've only heard of them telling someone they probably shouldn't go at that time.

I knew I couldn't skip a semester of school, so I waited and will be applying for Fall 2011- the semester after I graduate. If you are really worried about missing school- that's always an option.

 

[bkandreu]

Thank you both! I'll be calling around at the schools I'm thinking about going to and asking about it. But mostly I am just worried about the fact that they might not have even heard about the Disney College Program. Thanks for answering my question, now I'm mainly hoping that my school has online classes or I can somehow keep up because I don't like falling behind. I could also do the second suggestion of not going until after I graduate but I want to go as soon as possible! I'm very anxious to go for the experience..

 

[DOPEYLUVER]

My daughter applied during her first semester of freshman year and has been accepted. She will be participating her second semester. She cannot take any on-line classes for credit nor will she be getting credit for the program. She has been allowed to defer her scholarships, which are significant but basically as far as the school is concerned she is taking a semester off.

 

[DisneyHotDog]

my daugther has applied but did not make it in this semester.
any tips when she reapplies to help her chances?
anything would be appreiciated

 

[bkandreu]

My daughter applied during her first semester of freshman year and has been accepted. She will be participating her second semester. She cannot take any on-line classes for credit nor will she be getting credit for the program. She has been allowed to defer her scholarships, which are significant but basically as far as the school is concerned she is taking a semester off.

Thank you! That was very helpful.. Actually, that was exactly what I was looking for.. I really was curious what would happen if you couldn't do any schoolwork while you are at Disney. Thanks, greatly appreciated!

 

[Ashley Marie]

My daughter applied during her first semester of freshman year and has been accepted. She will be participating her second semester. She cannot take any on-line classes for credit nor will she be getting credit for the program. She has been allowed to defer her scholarships, which are significant but basically as far as the school is concerned she is taking a semester off.

This was exactly my situation when I first did the program, too. My college didn't have online classes and wouldn't give me credit for the classes offered down there. They basically looked at it as a leave of absence.

 

[bkandreu]

This was exactly my situation when I first did the program, too. My college didn't have online classes and wouldn't give me credit for the classes offered down there. They basically looked at it as a leave of absence.

Was it easy to catch up on the work afterward? I mean, did leaving for that semester effect your situation in college at all or was it a pretty easy thing to come back and pick right back up where you left off?

 

[MickeyMouse98]

I have a few questions for everyone. I'm a junior in highschool, going to be signing up for the College Program as soon as possible after I graduate. I know already that you must have a semester of college already completed.. The only thing I'm worried about is my school not allowing me to do the program. There's a couple things I'm still not completely clear about. Do you continue work while at Disney, and stay caught up with the work just as if you were at home working at college, or do you put it on hold while you're at Disney and finish when you come back? I guess that is mostly what I'm confused and concerned about.. I also know that you have to consult the head of the school to find out if you're college let's you do this.. but have you ever heard of a college NOT letting you go? I'm very concerned about that. :/

Also, I heard it's smarter to bring your own car with you, instead of having to ride the bus anywhere;but my dad is on the fence about that and isn't sure if he wants me to drive down there.. He'd rather me fly to Florida and then ride the bus around. However, I heard it's much more convenient to have a car. Thanks to anyone who could answer my questions

I feel the same way you do! I've been looking up tons of information on the entire program, and how to sort it all out, and I still feel like I don't understand it all. I understand the concept of the programs, just not how to fit it in with the entire college experience. I'm concerned about losing out on quality education. Not to say that the program wouldn't be just as educational.

 

[bkandreu]

I feel the same way you do! I've been looking up tons of information on the entire program, and how to sort it all out, and I still feel like I don't understand it all. I understand the concept of the programs, just not how to fit it in with the entire college experience. I'm concerned about losing out on quality education. Not to say that the program wouldn't be just as educational.

Exactly!! That is exactly how I feel.. I don't see how I can do the program without falling behind in college. It's confusing me because from what I've read there's classes there, but they're not mandatory. I don't want to miss out on college work but at the same time I don't want to miss out on the college program.. So I'm a bit bummed.

 

[Frizzbird]

Its possible to not miss out on college work and do the CP but it depends on your university and then your major and the number of hours your degree requires. I was able to pretty much stay on track and I will be graduating in May just like I would have if I hadn't done the CP. It worked out for me b/c for my major I had to do an internship and the CP counted for that. I also took one ACE class which was accepted for credit by my university and after a little fighting was even counted towards my major. So I got 6 hours for my CP semester.

But like others have said it really all depends on your university if you are able to stay on track or fall behind. Since you are still in HS, when you go to universities to check them out ask the admissions people about the program. If they don't know about it give them a quick rundown and ask if they know who might know if credit is possible. Since you know you want to do the CP, it is also possible to plan ahead. If it is possible for you to take AP classes in HS you could do that to earn college credit. You can also try to take classes over the summer, even the summer before you start college, at a community college . That way you can gain enough credits so that if you had to not take classes for a semester to do the CP you could and still stay on track.

Also if you go to this page and scroll down to the question "how can I benchmark with other schools..." there is a purple link that says "Credit Acceptance Benchmarking Report" at the beginning of the second paragraph. That lists schools and info about if they give credit for the program and how much. I know it is a bit out of date b/c it lists a contact for my school and the person doesn't even work there anymore. However it should give you some idea of what schools might give credit and people to possibly contact.

 

[TinkerMouse]

Exactly!! That is exactly how I feel.. I don't see how I can do the program without falling behind in college. It's confusing me because from what I've read there's classes there, but they're not mandatory. I don't want to miss out on college work but at the same time I don't want to miss out on the college program.. So I'm a bit bummed.

When you say miss out on college work are you referring to time? Are you saying that you want to graduate by the date that you originally estimated?

If this isn't what you are talking about then I don't understand because college isn't an on going class that you miss. College is always there and you can register for classes every semester for eternity if you want to. Academically there is nothing to be missed unless you're saying that the semester you want to do the college program is the same semester that your school is offering a special course that they only offer every three or so years. Unless you're talking about deadlines for getting a certain amount of credits or graduating by a specific date what is there to get behind on since you technically pick which semesters you take which classes?

If you are trying to talk about a time problem then you are right if you only take the courses Disney offers as there is essentially a maximum that they allow you to do, but if you will take online courses then you are wrong because you can get all your credits that way. You could do both Disney course and online courses if you figure out how to time manage it. If your school says no then you can also enroll at a community college as there is a nice chance that they will accept anything the ACE accepts so then you can transfer what the comm college accepted to your main school.

The College Program like college will be there so you won't miss out on it as long as you apply while eligible which means applying right after you graduate is your last chance unless you enroll again later for another degree. The college program puts you ahead in terms of your resume and only puts you behind in terms of graduation if you had your heart set on a specific date.

 

[bkandreu]

When you say miss out on college work are you referring to time? Are you saying that you want to graduate by the date that you originally estimated?

If this isn't what you are talking about then I don't understand because college isn't an on going class that you miss. College is always there and you can register for classes every semester for eternity if you want to. Academically there is nothing to be missed unless you're saying that the semester you want to do the college program is the same semester that your school is offering a special course that they only offer every three or so years. Unless you're talking about deadlines for getting a certain amount of credits or graduating by a specific date what is there to get behind on since you technically pick which semesters you take which classes?

If you are trying to talk about a time problem then you are right if you only take the courses Disney offers as there is essentially a maximum that they allow you to do, but if you will take online courses then you are wrong because you can get all your credits that way. You could do both Disney course and online courses if you figure out how to time manage it. If your school says no then you can also enroll at a community college as there is a nice chance that they will accept anything the ACE accepts so then you can transfer what the comm college accepted to your main school.

The College Program like college will be there so you won't miss out on it as long as you apply while eligible which means applying right after you graduate is your last chance unless you enroll again later for another degree. The college program puts you ahead in terms of your resume and only puts you behind in terms of graduation if you had your heart set on a specific date.

Basically what I'm concerned about it a) graduating at the time I preferred and b) wondering if my scholarships will still work if I take a semester off of college.

 

[TinkerMouse]

Oh, ok.
Then I repeat everything I said regarding online courses, and using comm colleges to switch credits from ACE to there and then finally to your main school in the event that your school doesn't acknowledge college program. Some schools will acknowledge everything by the ACE which I think makes sense since the ACE is supposed to be "the higher education law" but some schools are selfish and want to make it as hard as possible for you to get credits without their direct involvement. This is not bitter speculation I know that universities are selfish, greedy and try to prevent things from transferring because I was a tour guide at the office of admissions of my old school and this was explained. Other schools like to pretend that they are the best at everything and only pay attention to schools that they think are just like them so they could care less about accreditation because that's not enough for them despite the fact that our country's "educational regulation standard"(my understanding of the ACE) or whatever you want to call it does. Once you get to a school make sure to sit down with a counselor and bring the various PDF files that the CP website has regarding ACE accreditation. There is a chance that this could count as an internship towards your major but that depends.

As for financial aid and scholarships you'll have to speak to them directly. Some will defer while others may not. Sometimes money can be put on hold but whether or not it gets lost depends on where the money is coming from. I hope this helps.

 

[bkandreu]

Thank you very much! I'm definitely going to have to speak to someone from the school soon.

 

[MickeyMouse98]

When you say miss out on college work are you referring to time? Are you saying that you want to graduate by the date that you originally estimated?

If this isn't what you are talking about then I don't understand because college isn't an on going class that you miss. College is always there and you can register for classes every semester for eternity if you want to. Academically there is nothing to be missed unless you're saying that the semester you want to do the college program is the same semester that your school is offering a special course that they only offer every three or so years. Unless you're talking about deadlines for getting a certain amount of credits or graduating by a specific date what is there to get behind on since you technically pick which semesters you take which classes?

If you are trying to talk about a time problem then you are right if you only take the courses Disney offers as there is essentially a maximum that they allow you to do, but if you will take online courses then you are wrong because you can get all your credits that way. You could do both Disney course and online courses if you figure out how to time manage it. If your school says no then you can also enroll at a community college as there is a nice chance that they will accept anything the ACE accepts so then you can transfer what the comm college accepted to your main school.

The College Program like college will be there so you won't miss out on it as long as you apply while eligible which means applying right after you graduate is your last chance unless you enroll again later for another degree. The college program puts you ahead in terms of your resume and only puts you behind in terms of graduation if you had your heart set on a specific date.

That's a really good point. As high school students, it's hard to imagine graduating a semester later than we're "supposed" to, even if there is no real set date. Missing out on parts of college is kind of alarming at first, especially your first year. It's not that the program isn't an amazing program, or that I don't want it more than anything, but I just need to plan it out with a college counselor or representative. Thank you!

 

[MickeyMouse98]

Its possible to not miss out on college work and do the CP but it depends on your university and then your major and the number of hours your degree requires. I was able to pretty much stay on track and I will be graduating in May just like I would have if I hadn't done the CP. It worked out for me b/c for my major I had to do an internship and the CP counted for that. I also took one ACE class which was accepted for credit by my university and after a little fighting was even counted towards my major. So I got 6 hours for my CP semester.

But like others have said it really all depends on your university if you are able to stay on track or fall behind. Since you are still in HS, when you go to universities to check them out ask the admissions people about the program. If they don't know about it give them a quick rundown and ask if they know who might know if credit is possible. Since you know you want to do the CP, it is also possible to plan ahead. If it is possible for you to take AP classes in HS you could do that to earn college credit. You can also try to take classes over the summer, even the summer before you start college, at a community college . That way you can gain enough credits so that if you had to not take classes for a semester to do the CP you could and still stay on track.

Also if you go to this page and scroll down to the question "how can I benchmark with other schools..." there is a purple link that says "Credit Acceptance Benchmarking Report" at the beginning of the second paragraph. That lists schools and info about if they give credit for the program and how much. I know it is a bit out of date b/c it lists a contact for my school and the person doesn't even work there anymore. However it should give you some idea of what schools might give credit and people to possibly contact.

What major did you have? And is there anywhere you can go to figure out how your major could clash with the program? I'm planning on going into business, personally, but I have a few different sideroads if everything doesn't work out. I'm already in AP classes and I'm planning on taking some Dual Credit next year for guaranteed credit. So maybe it could all work itself out.