Cal State 180 unit cap

Paying for College
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<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I am a student at a Cal State school. I am currently at 130 units and received a warning from the financial aid department that I am nearing the 180 unit cap. I recently changed my major from marketing to geology, so I will be obtaining over 180 units (approx. 191 units) by the time I complete a BS in Geology. I am going to be speaking to a financial aid adviser to explain my situation and see what can be done. Does anyone else have experience with this as of recent? I know the CSU system has been making a lot of changes over the last few years.</p>

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<p>* I am currently at 130 units and received a warning from the financial aid department that I am nearing the 180 unit cap. I recently changed my major from marketing to geology, so I will be obtaining over 180 units (approx. 191 units) by the time I complete a BS in Geology*</p>

<p>If you’re currently at 130 credits, WHY do you have to take an additional 61 credits for a new major??? A major doesn’t require that many credits.</p>

<p>Anyway…if any of your req’d classes are 100/200 level classes, you might want to take them over the summer at a CC. </p>

<p>The reason the Calif schools had to issue these limits is so that kids won’t do what you’re doing…which is taking 4 years’ worth of classes (120-130 credits is 4 years) AND THEN changing your major and expecting continued financial aid. The system is already squeezed and situations like yours make it even worse.</p>

<p>Why do you still have to take 61 credits. HOw many are needed for the particular major? How many lower division geo classes are needed? how many upper div courses are needed?</p>

<p>What non-major classes do you still have to take?</p>

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<p>Be careful with that. Many Us don’t let you transfer credits after you have a certain number of credits. Just make sure you check with your U before you do this.</p>

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<p>^^^</p>

<p>You may be thinking of the rule where you can’t transfer more than 70 (or so) community college credits to the 4 year university that you’ll be attending. That’s a different situation - unless this student already transferred 70 credits from a CC. If not, he should be able to take summer classes at a CC and transfer them in.</p>

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<p>^ No, I’m not. It depends on the U. We cannot transfer credits to my U after reaching junior standing (56 credits). From my public U’s website:</p>

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<p>Again, I just said to check.</p>

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<p>CSUs don’t have that rule. The limit is just that you can’t transfer more than 70 credits from a CC.</p>

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<p>I changed from marketing (nonscience major) to geology (science major) so I have had to basically restart my general ed by taking chemistry, calculus and physics. Plus I am working towards a BS which is much more intense then a BA. I may consider settling with a BA if they aren’t willing to work with me. </p>

<p>I have approx. 10 worthless units - 1 unit for intro to scholarships, 1 unit for chemistry supplemental course, 1 unit for an extra PE class, etc. I am going to see if they’ll take some of those off.</p>

<p>I’m not ashamed for changing my major and believe that this situation should be taken more seriously. I feel that high school does not introduce students to enough careers or subjects for them to choose something to stick with for the rest of their lives. Not to mention general ed lets students see into so many different fields that they never knew anything about. I became very interested in geology after I took intro to geology - I had not taken a related course since I was a freshman in high school. I am ****ed that students are expected to take general ed and not change their major. I am sure that many students are sticking with a major they have become disinterested in simply because financial aid has been cut.</p>

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<p>Also, I forgot to mention that all financial aid and offers of CSU student loans will end after the 180 unit cap is met, hence why I am concerned.</p>

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<p>If you have extenuating circumstances for attempting an excessive number of units, you may wish to appeal your unit cap termination.</p>

<p>Look on your schools website for forms & instructions.</p>

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<p>*restart my general ed by taking chemistry, calculus and physics. *</p>

<p>Well, you’re not restarting your GE, you’re having to retake your sciences and math. The rest are fine.</p>

<p>Are you ready to take calculus or do you have to take pre-cal to qualify? </p>

<p>Do you only have to take Cal I, Gen Chem I, and Physics I? That’s about 12 credits (units).</p>

<p>How many credits is the major? 30? 35? 40? How many are lower division?</p>

<p>* I forgot to mention that all financial aid and offers of CSU student loans will end after the 180 unit cap is met, hence why I am concerned.*</p>

<p>Cal grants end, but I’m not sure that Pell ends. What kind of aid are you getting? How much have you gotten so far in Stafford loans? </p>

<p>If you start that last semester with 179 credits, do you still get full aid?</p>

<p>* I am ***ed that students are expected to take general ed and not change their major.</p>

<p>Well, this is only a problem when kids take the “easy” GE options and not the harder ones…and then change their major to one that’s a BS. Unless a student is 100% certain that they will never go the STEM/BS route, they shouldn’t be taking the easy GE options.</p>