COVID-19 has probably thrown a wrench or two into your plans for the 2020-2021 school year. Travel plans may not be in the cards for you this school year. There are still so many options to make the most of your time and to prepare from your region and from your home.
Year 1 Options:
Deferment – check with your institution to see what deferment options there are. You can also read more about this in the ACPE Blog post Deferred Enrollment? Can I? Should I?
Certificate Program – Certificate programs typically take less than a year to complete. The transferrable and technical skills learned are invaluable. These skills can be used toward your additional education programming or even to earn some money to help close the cost of attendance gap in funding down the road. Build your confidence while building your resume.
Pre-REQs – Your freshman year of postsecondary education is full of pre-requisite courses: courses needed to create a foundational understanding and performance level before moving deeper into subject matter. The 100-level courses can be completed in several ways – on-ground at a local Alaskan postsecondary institution’s campus, online, or in a hybrid (part online/part on-ground) class. Some fast track schools like Charter College and Alaska Career College also offer Associate Degree programs in as little as 13 months. Find Alaska Schools near you using the School Sort at AKCIS.org.
Language Arts, Mathematics, Humanity, and Health courses are generally universal and can fit into course plans for most post-secondary institutions. Check with your school of choice to see what they have to offer and if credits can transfer.
With the end of the 2019-2020 school year, the ‘Year 1 Stay Home’ plan could be a great way for you to stay close to your support network while you work through getting caught up in your learning, adapt to college and university level coursework, plan around travel restrictions and advisories continue, and watch for infection rates to fall.
YEAR 2 OPTIONS:
Program of Study – Meet your academic advisor to set your program of study (major).
Course Plan – Work with your academic advisor to see how the credit hours you have completed apply to your program of study. The Course Planner at AKCIS.org can also help you keep track of what courses you have completed – AP courses, CLEP, online, and transferred, as well as those listed on the program of study for your school.
200 Level – The 200 level courses will be when you start to dig into the juicier parts of your program to get more of the specifics. You will start to see how those pre-REQs you took online or at a local/branch campus prepared you for more rigorous coursework.
Lab Courses – When you can get on-campus, those courses that require a lab – usually Sciences, will be waiting for you.
Any way you look at it, our safety and security beliefs have been shaken. Taking things step-by-step is a great way to work through the overwhelming amount of information and choices coming at you fast during this time.
Reminders:
Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for any academic year you think you may want to attend a postsecondary education and training program. Contact the ACPE Success Center for help planning and comparing postsecondary education choices at (800) 441-2962 Option #4 or ACPESuccessCenter@alaska.gov .