College Credit

[moocow]

If you don't complete the thru-hike, would you have failed/dropped out of the class?
If you promise to finish the hike later, do you get an incomplete in the class?
Could this mean you could feasibly use college loan money to support your thru-hike?
I like the idea behind a program like this, but I wonder how school logistics would play out.

[JJJ]

There have been a few students from the local college Emory & Henry about 20 min from Damascus that have been able to get college credit whilst thru hiking. I believe the course work was geared toward various types of natural science research that would be apropos for trial life. I'm not sure that completing the trail length was as important as the gathering, processing, and synthesis of information toward some particular predesignated aims. It required not just the discipline of thru hiking but there were higher ed hoops to jump thru too. The trail is a very good learning environment in that the joy-suffering cycle is random, frequent and natural as oppose to traditional classrooms which oft times seem like full-bore, intellectually instituted suffering without relief.

[WIAPilot]

Logistically, there are so many skills involved in simply planning for a thru - not to mention resupplying in towns as well as any mail drops. Have you all seen some of the college classes offered for credit? If not, here are a few:

FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES: CONSPIRACY = They watch movies on conspiracy theories and write papers on them.
MEDIEVAL STUDIES: KNIGHTS AND HARRY POTTER = Part of class is reading all the Harry Potter books
CANINE BEHAVIOR: WHY YOUR DOG IS BARKING = Now I would probably take this class
HUMANITIES: THE DEATH OF SATAN=Why Americans no longer fear the devil
THEORY AND HISTORY OF VIDEO GAMES

I think hiking a thru would be one of the biggest Life Lessons out there.

GRADING:
A = Katahdin
B= Harper's Ferry
C=Damascus
D=Mountain Crossings
F= Doesn't make it up Springer

[Sevsa]

Another possibility for credit especially in education could involve elementary or secondary school students where the thruhiker interacts with them. Actually it could be quite interesting and would be somewhat like doing a partial practicum for teachers. With cyber schools blossoming all over the place this would be closely related to that kind of position.
As to getting PE credits for an undergraduate degree it would be much more intense than the bowling and tennis I had to take for a 3 credit semester course.

[RED-DOG]

Good luck with that idea.

[Train Wreck]

Logistically, there are so many skills involved in simply planning for a thru - not to mention resupplying in towns as well as any mail drops. Have you all seen some of the college classes offered for credit? If not, here are a few:


I think hiking a thru would be one of the biggest Life Lessons out there.

GRADING:
A = Katahdin
B= Harper's Ferry
C=Damascus
D=Mountain Crossings
F= Doesn't make it up Springer

Can you get extra credit for not slackpacking once during the whole hike?

[chief]

I'm sure there are any number of diploma mills who would add long distance hiking to their menu of crap credit courses. If you're looking for a meaningless degree in whatever, go for it.

[Drybones]

College credit for taking a 6 month vacation? I hope our education system hasn't sunk to that level.

One of the hikers this spring was writing a thesis on injuries that take thru hikers off the trail.

[Drybones]

gettin' credit for somethin' anyone can do. damn! only in America

By now you should enough credits for your B.S.....you should apply and get a depoma to hang on your pack.

[Lone Wolf]

By now you should enough credits for your B.S.....you should apply and get a depoma to hang on your pack.

your spelling and grammar is atrocious. no credits or diploma for you.

[Rasty]

gettin' credit for somethin' anyone can do. damn! only in America

By now you should enough credits for your B.S.....you should apply and get a depoma to hang on your pack.

At least a masters degree!