Is It Acceptable to Extend Undergraduate Studies for Financial Aid Eligibility?

[Pius]

I have transferred from community college, so I am supposed to finish in two years. However, some people can petition to stay for three years I believe. I'm an undergraduate physics major thinking of staying for three years, where there is guaranteed financial aid during that time frame, to take all the classes I want.

To do this, I think I will basically have to intentionally not take one graduation requirement course so they can't kick me out if that is I do not declare a double major or minor. (I probably will just have one major. )

(The other major I am considering is computer science and then switching to a physics minor.)

Will graduate schools frown upon what I am doing?

 

[Choppy]

If I understand the question, I think in most cases the people on graduate committees aren't going to be too concerned about someone who takes an extra year to complete an undergraduate degree - particularly if you're enrolled full time and potentially completing a second major. (I don't know what you mean by "staying three years" - a typical undergraduate degree is four years - in North America at least.)

The other flag I see is switching to a CS major and physics minor. This will qualify you for graduate school in computer science, which is fine if that's where you want to go. A minor in physics is generally not considered sufficient for admission to graduate school in physics.

 

[Pius]

If I understand the question, I think in most cases the people on graduate committees aren't going to be too concerned about someone who takes an extra year to complete an undergraduate degree - particularly if you're enrolled full time and potentially completing a second major. (I don't know what you mean by "staying three years" - a typical undergraduate degree is four years - in North America at least.)

The other flag I see is switching to a CS major and physics minor. This will qualify you for graduate school in computer science, which is fine if that's where you want to go. A minor in physics is generally not considered sufficient for admission to graduate school in physics.

Sorry, my bad. I'm a transfer student, so I'm supposed to finish in two years, but I've heard you can stay for three with guaranteed financial aid. For remaining a physics major, I am waiting to see if I'll actually enjoy and excel in upper division courses. If I don't do well, I'm pretty much stuck with a B.S. degree in physics. I've heard how difficult it is to find jobs with only a B.S. in physics and how some wish they majored in C.S. rather than physics, being that is their career after graduation. It seems that C.S. majors have a much easier time finding jobs after graduation. My dream as a teenager was to become a physicist. At this point in my life, I've lost a lot of motivation and just want to chill. Graduate school in physics sounds like a rough life ahead.

So, the graduate committee really won't care if I take an extra year even though I don't need to? Is it all right/morally acceptable to use financial aid because I want to learn more?

 

[analogdesign]

Of course. That is what aid is for. Almost no one knows exactly what they are going to do from the beginning and never changes.

Besides, I think *most* people graduate in 5 years, not four. Especially in tough subjects.

 

[Pius]

Of course. That is what aid is for. Almost no one knows exactly what they are going to do from the beginning and never changes.

Besides, I think *most* people graduate in 5 years, not four. Especially in tough subjects.

So that can also apply to what field they want to do in physics, which makes it socially/morally acceptable to use aid to explore as many classes as possible in physics.

Thank you very much Choppy and analogdesign for answering my questions.

 

[analogdesign]

I think it is morally and socially acceptable to study anything you want with financial aid, unless (and I haven't heard of this) there is language in the loan/grant documents that stipulates it is only to be used for specific majors.

 

[Pius]

I think it is morally and socially acceptable to study anything you want with financial aid, unless (and I haven't heard of this) there is language in the loan/grant documents that stipulates it is only to be used for specific majors.

I haven't seen any language in the loan/grant documents that stipulates it is only to be used for specific majors. It's pretty much for any major.