It can be a shock to learn that your school is closing down. Panic can quickly arise with a series of questions like:
- What happens to my credits?
- Will another school accept them?
- I planned to graduate this year. What do I do now?
- What school should I transfer to?
- What about my financial aid? Can I get it back?
The one thing you should keep in mind is that there are many resources available to answer your questions. The important thing is not to panic! Yes, itâs an unfortunate situation that you didnât deserve, but panicking is not going to help your academic circumstances. While youâre perfectly entitled to be disappointed, the absolute best thing you can do is remain calm and keep a clear head so that you can execute the next reasonable steps to completing your education.
Your Education Hasnât Been Taken Away from You. Just Delayed.
While itâs perfectly expected to come across obstacles during your academic career, Florida National University (FNU) can only imagine what a devastating blow such as your own school closing down can be. Thatâs why we want to alleviate any anxiety you might have by answering some of your questions. But before we do that, itâs imperative that you take the steps toâŚ
Get Your Transcript
First things first: get your transcript! Itâs extremely important that you make the necessary phone calls to your educational institution to get an official copy of your transcript. Whether youâre just starting out as a freshman, or was planning to graduate in the Spring, itâs important to get a record of the academic courses youâve completed.
Most schools provide each student with a private account where he or she can access his or her records. In some cases, a student might even be able to access his or her transcript. While it wonât be an official one, youâll still have the information needed to determine what your next academic steps are. Although itâs worth noting that whichever school you decide to transfer to will require an official transcript.
Answering Your Questions
- What happens to my credits? Will another school accept them?
This is why you need your official transcript! Depending on the college or university you transfer to, not all of your credits will be accepted. This is true with almost any college, but when youâre transferring from a technical school to a university, youâll find that the academic curriculum differs because while some technical schools concentrate on the actual skill, a university is going to give you a more well-rounded education in regards to electives that require you to fulfill courses in humanities, social studies, and liberal arts.
FNU cannot guarantee that we will accept all or any of your academic credits, but we are more than willing to take a look at your official transcript to determine what the next best academic move is for you.
- I planned to graduate this year. What do I do now?
If youâve completed enough courses that put you on track to graduating with your degree in the following Spring, then you might want to find a school that offers a similar program. You also might want to prepare yourself to delay your graduation date as not all schools, even technical schools are the same.
You have other options though. You donât have to transfer to another technical school.
- Which school should I go to?
Now that is entirely up to you. One way to determine which school you should transfer to is just to consider what your runner-up school was before you chose the one youâre currently enrolled in. Another option is to take this as an opportunity to reassess your academic career as a college student and consider enrolling into another kind of college or university.
Another option is to consider enrolling in an online college program. Here, youâve given yourself another opportunity to explore a wide range of universities with a broader academic curriculum.
FNU offers students all over the country and even the world the opportunity to enroll in any of our online virtual degree programs that they can take 100% online. What this means for students who no longer have a college to attend is that they can now explore options outside of their region. So whether you live in the state of Florida, further up north, or on the other side of the country, all you have to do is contact our admissions department and inquire about any of our online programs listed here.
- What about my financial aid? Can I get that back?
This is a big issue, and one that needs to be carefully addressed. Many students might be stuck with student loans to pay off and with no degree to show for it. There is hope! If your college shuts down abruptly, there is a strong possibility that your federal loans could be wiped away. For students who have withdrawn in the past 120 days it might be a little different, but you can still apply for the cancellation. Now, if youâre able to continue your studies somewhere else, you probably wonât get your federal loans cancelled as youâre still actively pursuing your degree.
FNU: Helping You Evaluate Your Options
It is critical for every student to carefully evaluate his or her options. FNU is more than happy to assist you in doing this so that you can choose a quality accredited degree program that’s affordable. Contact the FNU admissions department today for more advice.
