is it possible to transfer from LPS to CAS?

gmankiw · 10-16-2012, 03:08 PM

I recently got accepted to LPS program through transfer admission. I am 21 now, and finished my first two years at Rochester University with GPA of 3.7ish.

I originally applied to LPS because I considered myself as an untraditional student, working about 50 hours/week, and heard that LPS courses are much cheaper than CAS ones. Yet, after reading numerous articles and posts saying LPS is more like a "CASH-COW", not to mention I didn't even get the Student Handbook from Penn yet (I presume LPS do not give out student handbook in hardcopy?), I wanted to transfer to CAS so badly. I will be a junior once I get there.

Is it possible to transfer from LPS to CAS for a junior who transferred from other college? Has any1 done that b4?

Please share your experience, Thx

chrisw · 10-17-2012, 09:51 AM

I forget whether it is when you are 21 or 22, but when you hit a certain age, you can take a full set of courses as an LPS student... there is no real discernible difference except that you get lower priority for regular courses and higher priority for LPS courses during registration time, but that isn't a terribly big deal (it only matters for advance registration, which I didn't even do junior and senior year).

Also, I don't remember getting any student handbooks unless I got something during NSO. Definitely not during the admissions process.

gmankiw · 10-17-2012, 10:25 PM

There is a difference once you graduate. Doesn't it say "Liberal & Professional Studies" on your transcript? I wouldn't take it personally if it were only "Division:LPS" but, isn't "Liberal & Professional Studies" too explicit? I mean, people consider it as an continuing education program, no?

chrisw · 10-18-2012, 09:13 AM

Unless I'm terribly mistaken, the degree you receive is exactly the same...

Cnote11 · 10-18-2012, 10:26 AM

No, you can't transfer from LPS to SAS. They are considered to be the same thing by Penn. As far as I know, you get the same exact degree. I'll clear that up for you, hopefully by tomorrow. You can take any courses at SAS, however you might not receive grants for them if they are available through LPS. Most of them are not, so you will be taking the majority of your classes through SAS. You can also opt out to take more classes at SAS and they might give you an institutional grant for that. This does not apply to any of the other colleges, however. You'd have to pay out of pocket for classes not offered at LPS. As a 21 year old you will be able to take a full course load. There is a student handbook for LPS on the Penn LPS website. I suggest you read over the entire thing and talk to the LPS director and the advisers.