Hey Look ‘Ma I Made It!
As an associate’s student, I have gone through the process of finding out the hardest question in my college career… “What’s Next?” There are so many options. Do I find my full-time job? Do I go to another school? Do I stay here and continue my education? There are so many options! I finally settled on continuing my education here at Gulf Coast for 2 more years. However, what if Gulf Coast doesn’t have a Bachelor’s degree for you? Don’t Fret! I interviewed some of my friends who have transferred from Gulf Coast State College and are doing BIGGER and BETTER things! Here’s what they have to say:
Abigail Rosenthal (Communication Sciences)
I went to Gulf Coast and received an Associate in Early Childhood Education. Right now, I am receiving my Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the beginning of May. I will start my Master of Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders in the middle of May. Attending Gulf Coast helped me financially and academically get to where I am at today. I was able to stay at home and receive my associate’s for way less than if I went off to school. I also was able to Dual Enroll in HS at GCSC so I got to continue my associates once I graduated and got it in one year!
I would recommend looking at how your credits will transfer to a different school because sometimes it can be tricky! However, the advisors were very helpful!
Abby Lovett (Animal Sciences)
I received my General AA Degree from Gulf Coast. Now I’m getting my Animal Sciences Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Florida. Attending Gulf Coast helped me transition from high school into college. I also was able to save a lot of money by going to Gulf Coast working through school and receiving scholarships. 1) Use your time at Gulf Coast to prepare financially for moving away. 2) Take as many classes as you can at Gulf Coast that will transfer to the university of your choosing because they will be much cheaper and the student-to-teacher ratio is much better at GCSC. 3) Try to make as many connections as you can before transferring because you never know where you will end up in the future. 4) Whatever universities you are looking at attending, get in contact with an academic advisor in the major you are hoping to transfer into and make sure you are fulfilling all of their requirements well before you send in an application.
Makaela Rinehart (Communication Science)
I received my AA degree from GCSC. I will be graduating with my bachelor’s degree in communication science and disorders this semester at FSU in Tallahassee, FL. I aspire to be a pediatric speech-language pathologist (potentially working in the school system). I will be continuing my education at FSU grad school in hopes of returning to Panama City in 2 years to work. Unfortunately my time at GCSC took place during the peak of Covid so a lot of my classes were over Zoom. However, the faculty and staff still offered outreach and social networking opportunities that really supported my education and prepared me for University. I think some of the most beneficial classes towards my SLP major was anatomy and physiology, 1101, 1102, and public speaking.
As a communication major, being able to present and speak in front of others is crucial, especially when SLPs are required to create IEP and treatment plans as well as collaborate with caregivers and other professionals. My anatomy and physiology class from GCSC also provided me with background knowledge that I was able to utilize for a lot of my medically based classes (audiology, anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism, Neuro, etc). In the end I graduated GCSC with Summa Cum Laude and a few President List awards under my belt which I was able to put on my grad school resume! Well, for those who are currently attending high school and don’t know whether to transfer straight to University or not, I highly recommend taking DE courses with GCSC and attending community college after graduation! Gulf Coast personally started me on the path to success very early (10th grade) by offering me DE courses while attending A. Crawford Mosley High School. My transferable DE credits ultimately saved me time and money in college by allowing me to graduate with my AA in just a year. Their Dual-enrolled program also accustomed me to college expectations and course loads that prepared me for FSU’s SLP program. For those currently at GCSC, I would say take this time to figure out your passion and fill your school schedule with classes that support your dream career. GCSC offers so much, from counseling to networking to honors societies and clubs. Start building your resumes and experiences now so that the transition to a University is not only easy, but enjoyable! It will open up so many doors for you!
