I need 2 more classes to get financial aid for this spring. Will teachers drop you if they notice you never come or turn in assignments? I know I will get a U and I don't care. I'm gonna make up the rest this summer. I'm having a baby in a week (hopefully) and I only have time for 2 distance ed classes and they took away all my financial aid so that's why I'm asking.
I was thinking something in a big lecture hall like CH 201...but I've already taken that.
MEA 101?
other suggestions please for classes that won't take attendance

1/10/2006 4:31:10 PM

why don't you enroll as an audit instead of credit only.

1/10/2006 4:35:17 PM

do you get financial aid for audits?

1/10/2006 4:40:43 PM

that is for you to investigate

1/10/2006 4:41:21 PM

I believe the answer is no

1/10/2006 4:41:46 PM

I would take a shit load of PE CR classes. I've taken a couple and never showed up after the first week but they kept me on. Also try one of those giant psych 200 classes.

1/10/2006 4:42:23 PM

Ok I have PSY 200 which is looking pretty good bc there are over 100 people in there.

I've been in PEs before where the teacher would drop you for not coming..so I'm scared to use those.


[Edited on January 10, 2006 at 4:53 PM. Reason : a]

1/10/2006 4:52:23 PM

mea 101. he wont notice you can do all hw online and just go on test days

1/10/2006 4:56:01 PM

thanks for the advice but the plan is to never go or do homework and just get a U

1/10/2006 4:59:09 PM

http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.15.php

Quote :

"C. At the end of each semester or summer session the Department of Registration and Records will indicate to each instructor on the Grade Report Roll that students who are taking the course for credit-only. The instructor will mark an S (satisfactory grade for a credit-only course which is given when course work is equivalent to C- or better) or a U (no credit grade for a credit-only course)."

If you don't get credit for the courses (read, zero credit hours), financial aid will come back and haunt you. Audits also count as zero credit hours. wolfeee might be able to explain a bit better how to get financial aid with extenuating circumstances.

My personal suggestion is to take a video course which is graded strictly on exams. I know this is true for HI207 ... probably true for others.

1/10/2006 6:43:17 PM

Did you check with Rance Jackson? If you take two classes and get a U in both it could impact your completion rate which may be used to determine future aid. Please do not proceed with this plan unless you have been told it is your only option.

1/10/2006 6:44:12 PM

ok I will check
I have 59 more credits before I reach 160 and including this semester with the extra 6 and the classes I have left to take I will only reach 146 total credits before I graduate.

^^I'm already in a cable History class

1/10/2006 7:40:03 PM

First of all, congratulations on the expected baby. That's wonderful news. Lightening your academic load while the baby is very small is a wise thing to do.

However, I agree with wolfee that you should seriously rethink your strategy. Financial aid seems to have caught on to this ploy, and sometimes they do ask students to obtain proof of attendance for classes they flagged. I personally know someone who had to repay part of his financial aid from the previous semester because of lack of expected progress, and he did NOT fail all of his classes. He was really bummed because the money was spent and gone at that point. So, I hope you can find some way to avoid registering for (taking a "seat" in, and paying tuition for) classes that you have no intention of completing. Good luck!

1/11/2006 12:00:37 AM

So how exactly am I to ask financial aid about this? It seems like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. If this plan is technically something I shouldn't do I'm basically ratting myself out if they don't have any other options for me.
What should I say/ask?

1/11/2006 8:57:01 PM

Quote :

"Ok I have PSY 200 which is looking pretty good bc there are over 100 people in there."

Be careful! Some professors still take attendance.. I took Dr. Pond for PSY 200 and it was held in a stadium-like seating classroom and the seats were numbered which he assigned to every student and his TA would have a seating chart & if you weren't in your seat, you were marked absent..

1/11/2006 9:10:14 PM

^^Here is what I suggest:

Do not involve financial aid. Register for two more classes this term to get the hours you need. If you are in Raleigh, go see each Prof. in person and explain that you are pregnant, which I'm sure is obvious, and that you know you will miss some classes after the birth but that you will try to make up the work you miss. If not in Raleigh, do this via email and tell them that you hope to attend class soon. It would be better if you can go to a class or two and see the instructors in person before the baby comes, so try to do that if you're not restricted to bedrest. After the baby arrives, if it does turn out that there is no way for you to make up the work, share your concern that you will not be able to complete the semester, and ask them if they are willing to give you a grade of INCOMPLETE. Ask for this some time after the drop date but before the last month of class. That is at their discretion, and they might prefer to give you a withdrawal, but if you tell them about your financial aid problems they might understand that an INCOMPLETE grade is reasonable.

I require documentation for incomplete requests; the doctor will write you a note stating that you are unable to work or attend school for 6-8 weeks after the baby is born if you need medical documentation. VERY IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that you will have to retake these SAME classes over the summer or next fall to resolve the incomplete grades, so don't register for classes you neither want nor need. Take something you should be taking this term for credit toward graduation, and register for a regular grade if that is what you need. You can still go with credit only if doing so moves you toward your degree, but it doesn't make sense to do that otherwise. Who knows, maybe you will actually get a class that allows you to get a real grade this spring instead?

Also, you do not need to re-register for the courses to make up the incomplete. This means that, if you actually do have to retake the classes this summer, you will not have to pay tuition for them this summer.

I only offer this advice because of your unique situation. If anyone else has other ideas, then I welcome them. Good luck!

[Edited on January 11, 2006 at 11:36 PM. Reason : .]

1/11/2006 11:34:21 PM

thank you
that sounds like much better advice

1/12/2006 1:09:54 AM

^^ while she provides an alternative that may work IF professors are willing (and they may or may not be,) I think any solution which encourages you to completely disregard the advice of those in financial aid is dangerously risky. It may be a good piece of advice, but it is just one piece of advice. And, you need to hear from Financial Aid or talk to them to find out alternatives.

What did Rance Jackson have to say? Has Financial Aid confirmed that you MUST carry 12 hours this next semester in order to have your scholarship, aid, etc? If so, then above might be a solution because it is impossible to carry a full load and take care of a newborn.

1/12/2006 5:55:23 AM

^I agree with wolfee that you probably should talk to more people about this. I rarely give students advice on tww and only did so because I knew your initial plan would backfire. I didn't mean to imply that you should ignore financial aid as you already have some information from them. Also, you should always talk to your advisor.

You need to find out what will happen to your financial aid this semester AND next semester if you have to withdraw from half your courses this term for medical reasons. I am sure if you go there is person, then they will understand why you are asking. And maybe you will luck out and they will allow you to only take the 2 distance ed courses without having dramatic impact on your package, but I am not optimistic about that.

Also, if you must have 2 more classes, definitely register for classes you should be taking and talk to the profs. It varies widely from class to class, but you might be surprised what you can complete from home. Talking to the profs. will allow you to find out of there are any options for you and will also give you some ideas what they might do if you can't complete the work. If you can get some work done for each class, then even if it does turn out that you can't finish everything, then an incomplete is perfectly reasonable.

This would just allow you to space the work from the Spring over both summer sessions or the fall, if necessary. Keep in mind that the make up of any incompletes you have from this Spring will NOT count towards your registration hours for the Summer or Fall. Also, you can't keep those incompletes on the books past end of the next term you're in school without permission of the instructor, so be sure to keep communicating with them. I don't know your exact situation, but it sounds like you will have to register for a full load in the fall to keep your aid package. If you can finish any incompletes this summer, then it will keep you from being overloaded in the fall.

Good luck with everything!

1/12/2006 8:50:59 AM

Basically any upper level class. ST311 never took attendance. Also, I know they don't in the upper level nuke classes, but you might have trouble getting into those...

1/12/2006 10:16:01 AM

Ok thanks for the advice everyone!
I went to financial aid today and got everything straightened out. I will survive this semester with 6 distance credits. I just had to take out more loans
But hey...at least I can still get aid next fall.

1/12/2006 6:07:18 PM

CONGRATS! and good luck

1/12/2006 7:44:59 PM

We want baby pics when the time comes!

1/12/2006 8:51:47 PM

Quote :

"We want baby pics when the time comes!"

YES

1/12/2006 9:20:19 PM

haha ok.....I will dress him/her up in the little State outfit I have!

1/13/2006 6:15:57 PM

I hate to be the one to post this but maybe taking a semester off would actually be the best idea.
Going into debt through loans while attempting to support a newborn is hard news and unless you have a lot of help and support to raise the baby, going to school while doing so might be tougher than you imagined.
If you find it overwhelming, please make sure you drop your classes before the date which you can't get a refund of any sort, because failing and spending money on the loan is the worst thing that could happen (in your academic career).

I hope everything works out for you and the baby! Good luck!

1/15/2006 12:16:09 AM

hmmmmm. any big class really

1/15/2006 9:02:12 AM

It's a girl folks!

I'm seriously rethinking this whole trying to take classes thing...I'm no superwoman.

1/22/2006 9:00:52 PM

CONGRATULATIONS!!! What is the doodle's name? Details please!!! Born when, weight, all that jibber jabber. How's dad and the inlaws and how are you feeling?

Oh, an taking the semester off- yes, that would be a good idea (ooh, I think I hear the voice of experience talking)

1/22/2006 10:25:22 PM

My doodle is named Sophia and she was born January 19th at 3:09 pm. She weighed in at 7lbs 10oz and measured 20.5 inches long.

I was in labor from Tuesday night until Thursday afternoon but she's worth it! I'm hanging in there but I had no idea how hard this would be. Every day gets easier, especially since my mom is helping me. Peter is a great dad by the way.

1/22/2006 10:37:07 PM

Sophia is a beautiful name! It does get easier. The more you heal and adjust and the more you figure out her schedule, the easier it is. Just try not to do too much. Pick one thing to do by lunch time (my aunt gave me this advice): whether it is brushing your teeth, combing your hair or even getting a full shower. Other than that, don't worry too much. Sleep when she sleeps so you are rested.

1/22/2006 11:24:43 PM

Thanks! That is good advice...we're slowly getting the hang of it. Pix in gallery btw!

1/23/2006 6:56:21 PM