UMN on My Mind: A Great Way to Work Toward a UMN Degree while saving $70K!

Go Gophers!  Danni had her heart set on attending the University of Minnesota with a major in computing.  The only problem is, Minnesota has not offered her a spot in the Freshman class.  There is no where else that she wants to go, and she just wants to try to get in again next year.  What should she do while she waits?

---

Gap years are not unusual.  But despite the sort of hippy-dippy connotation, how you use your gap year should help you continue on your journey in life.  You might travel, or get a job, or volunteer.  You also might continue to work on your academics so that you are able to attend your dream college down the line.

Let's look a one way to continue your academic journey, while strengthening your application for admission next year (or later).

Taking college classes will change how you will apply for admittance to Minnesota. If you are a high school student or a high school graduate who has never enrolled as a student in a college, you apply as a freshman.  In contrast, if you have taken any college-level courses, you will probably need to apply as a transfer student.  The good news, if you are applying as a transfer student, is that some or all of your college course work will apply toward your work toward graduation at Minnesota.

How can Danni choose college coursework to take while waiting to be able to apply again?  One of the best AND most economical choices is to pursue coursework toward an associates degree in the same computing concentration at the local public community college.  In our area, that college is Harper College.

This is a good opportunity to take a step back and look at what it will take to earn a bachelors in computing at University of Minnesota.  A review of the course catalog shows three potential majors at Minnesota: Computer Engineering, Computer Science, and Data Science.  You can find a four year course plan for each of those degrees on the Minnesota web pages.   The table below compares the first semester courses required for each of those degrees.

First semester requirements at U MN in computing. CE, CS, and DS degrees require: Calculus I, Physics I, English Composition, a liberal studies class, and a first year experience class.

It is notable that colleges require you to take classes that are not in your degree, to ensure that you have all the writing, analytical, and communications skills necessary to become a professional in your chosen field.  Also interesting is the fact that the first year coursework in computer engineering, computer science, and data science requires taking the same classes  Completing the first year coursework as an out-of-state student from Illinois would cost Danni $35,348 in tuition and fees.

Now to look at what we could do at Harper College.  Harper offers an Associates Degree in Computer Science, and requires many of the same non-degree classes required by Minnesota's first year curriculum for computer majors.  

By taking the identical coursework required by Minnesota's computing degrees at Harper College, you gain the flexibility of continuing your studies toward a bachelors degree at Minnesota, or potentially stopping at the AA if you have found suitable and fulfilling employment.  Additionally, because Danni is an in-district resident at Harper College, tuition and fees to complete her coursework will run  $5,298 per year.  This is a savings of $30,050 per academic year!

---

Time does not stand still, and there is always more than one way you can achieve your academic goals.  If I can help you create a similar alternate route in your educational journey, please contact me.