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Education Best Posts in Thread: GI Bill - Silliman University

  1. Turbota

    Turbota DI Member

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    I am curious as to what the difference is between Computer Engineering and Computer Science?

    My Filipina wife has a 4 year BS degree in Computer Science from AMA in Bacolod City.
    ________________________________

    The one thing I can say is that when she was going to continue her education in Florida, they had her college transcripts from AMA sent to an organization in Miami (Josef Silny & Associates) in order to find out if all her credits she received from AMA would transfer to any accredited university in the US ... Suprisingly, her credit evaluation came back from Josef Silny as equal to the same degree from an accredited university in the US .... So, she lost no credit from previously taken subjects from AMA in the Philippines when transferring to the US.

    Moral of this story .... Make sure that whatever school / degree you are taking in the Philippines does in fact equal to the same thing as in the US.

    I was worried that when her 4 year BS degree in Computer Science was evaluated in the US, that it would come back as equal to maybe a 2 year Associates degree ... but it was evaluated as if she had earned the same 4 year degree in the US.
    ________________________________

    Same problem happens with registered nurses who received there education in the Philippines ... If these nurses did not graduate from an "Accredited" nursing school in the Philippines, the state Board of Nursing won't allow them to take the test that allows them to be licensed in whatever state they want to work in the US ... And if the Board of Nursing in the US won't alow the nurse to take the exams, she / he can never work as an RN in the US.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    Turbota, Oct 23, 2015
    #8
  2. TheDude

    TheDude DI Forum Patron Highly Rated Poster

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    That's one of the challenges of these sorts of majors. They have a tangled web of pre-reqs. Many of the classes have pre-reqs in both math and courses related to the major. The speed in which you get through the major depends on your ability to knock out these classes. If a class is full or you fail a class then you can add a semester or more as opposed to just cramming it in somewhere else.

    This generally isn't a holiday major. You have to do real work.
     
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    TheDude, Oct 23, 2015
    #7
  3. Rye83

    Rye83 with pastrami Admin Secured Account Highly Rated Poster SC Connoisseur Veteran Army

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    So I started looking into signing up for classes here in Dumaguete using the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Started with Foundation but they didn't have the courses I wanted so I went over to Silliman to check out what they were offering. Silliman seems to be the way to go for what I want.

    Took me a minute to find the right building at Silliman because the guards there didn't speak very good English and the directions they gave were confusing (one guard had no interest in answering any questions and pushed me inside the gate to get rid of me and my questions lol). To anyone looking to sign up for classes here you should start at Hibbard Hall (Room 6) which you can find by going through the first gate on the left if you are starting from Portal West. It will be on the left side of the grassy area as you are walking in the gate.

    Never used the VA education benefits myself so I found out that Silliman doesn't really help you out with this. You need to apply online to receive your VA education benefits. I've done this but I have no idea how long it's going to take for the VA to approve my form. I fudged up on the form and put in the wrong course as well so I will need to make a correction.

    As for the school requirements, here is the paper they gave me (along with a admission form that I don't have a picture of):

    Silliman.jpg
    (This is for students who have previous college education. The requirements for students who have never attended a college/university are different.)

    Here is where I stand on these requirements:
    1. Official copy of academic records: This is going to be the biggest problem for me. My mother has a general power of attorney over me but the last time I tried to get my records from my previous school they wouldn't release the official transcripts directly to me. They required the organization needing the records (which was the military the last time I needed them) to send the them a letter requesting them. Bad practice if you ask me but I don't know how that stuff normally works with other colleges. My thoughts are I already paid for the classes, if I want the records you had better d*mn well provide it when I ask for them.
    2. Statements of good moral character: That's easy...landlord and Barangay Captain can provide the two needed.
    3. Two copies of passport: Birth certificate is not needed for expats (I specifically asked for them to clarify). This one is easy as well.
    4. 2"x 2" photos. 60 pesos for 10 of those. Easy.
    5. Physical Exam: I suppose this should be easy as well and everything can be done at Silliman hospital for a couple thousand pesos.
    6. Transfer my tourist visa to a student visa: hopefully I can do this in Dumaguete...since I posted that you could in the thread linked lol. Should cost around P10k. (I think resident/retirement visas do not need to do this.)

    Not sure if I can get all this done before the 2nd semester starts. If not I will have to wait until May/June to enroll next year.

    So I decided to go with the BS in Computer Engineering since that is the only thing the college offers that fits well with my work experience. Honestly though, I'm a bit intimidated with the required classes.

    http://su.edu.ph/resources/college-of-engineering-and-design/bscpe-curriculum-final-1381394705.pdf

    First year - first semester they have Algebra I and then.....Plane and Spherical Trigonometry?! Then in the second semester they have Algebra and Analytic Geometry and Differential Calculus?! Algebra I'm fine with but trig and calculus?! :nailbiting: Also they are showing 10 classes in the first semester. That's a bit extreme isn't it? I thought 6 classes a semester was a full-time job but 10? Yikes! Maybe that's not the case, I have a lot to do before I figure out the class schedules.

    Another problem I see is that it is a 5 year gig. The GI bill only covers 4 years as far as I know. I will have to pay the last year out of pocket....which isn't a huge deal but it will cost me about a grand. IMO it would be worth it.

    Here are Silliman's course fees for last year. Estimated Tuition & Fees 2013-2014

    I'm not 100% if that is per year or per semester. Could cost me 800 or 1600. Not really a big deal, it is what it is.

    This is pretty much all that I know at this point. I'll keep this thread updated as I move further along.

    @nwlivewire I think you were planning on going to school here. I think bringing your college records is a must to avoid some serious delays in case the school does end up demanding official records from the school.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    Rye83, Oct 20, 2015
    #1