undergraduate help

[Presbygeek]

I've sort of got the whole grad school thing figured out. I know what degree I want, I know which schools I will be applying to, I know what I need to apply and when to apply. I've got a handle on all that stuff.

I need help with undergraduate stuff. Please give me your advice!

key facts:

• My college lost it's accreditation (but another college has agreed to cover us through the appeal process)
• Faculty and staff are fleeing (the whole financial aid department is now in the hands of someone who graduated in may)
• They've give me 2 weeks to come up with $1500 in order to register
• There is another University that offers online classes
• I could finish my degree (I'm a senior) online and graduate with a fully accredited diploma.
• The online classes are a third the cost of my current college.

Everyone I know is giving me contradicting advice. I'm so stressed out it's not even funny.

ALL ADVICE IS APPRECIATED AT THIS POINT!

[fuzzylogician]

This doesn't solve your dilemma, but I thought I'd suggest it as soon as possible: contact every professor who you might want to ask for a letter of recommendation NOW, before they leave. Ask for contact information (e.g. an email address or telephone) that they will continue to check even after leaving the school. You could ask for the letter now or you can wait until later if you want to prepare a packet with grades, an SOP draft, etc, but make sure they know to expect further contact from you.

As for your question, I think a big part of the decision depends on how many strong recommendations you think you can get right now. If you can get 3 strong letters right now, I think I would take the cheaper option, if I were you. If you feel that you need to make personal connections with professors in order to secure recommendations (and there will be enough professors left at your college to do that), then maybe you should stay there even though it costs more.

Edited August 5, 2010 by fuzzylogician