Nations University call

[Ideas]

Thanks, rlw, and I hope you will post more when you've completed the course. That's great if you get it done within a month!

I hope that NU will still allow me to proceed if my TESU Bachelor's gets delayed by 3 months I'm sure hoping it doesn't get delayed, but it might because of financial reasons. Hopefully the worst case is that I have 3 dead months where I'm unable to take the next course. I thought that I might already have 1 dead month due to conferral and transcripts not being instant.

I don't plan to enroll until Dec 7th or later.

[rlw74]

Ideas, are you still planning to start tomorrow - December 7? I don't think you will have any dead time. They let you take the first three courses before you submit transcripts and they might let you go ahead and submit the unofficial transcript if it shows your degree requirements are complete (although I'm only guessing on this). Regardless, even if you can't officially proceed to that fourth course, you can still access all the material and do all the work. In looking at that next course it's a doozy. Lots of reading and writing before you ever take an exam. I don't see why you couldn't just do the work ahead of time and wait to submit the assignments. I wish you luck and would love to hear your experiences if you do indeed start.

[Ideas]

I am still planning to start this month, but I'm a little worried about how much reading/memorizing would be involved. I don't mind the writing. I don't mind reading in general, but I can only handle so much when it's language I'm not used to. (I'm good with modern textbooks.) If I had not fallen behind with my TESU degree plans, I would be more motivated right now.

[Ideas]

Are you starting the first course, JB?

I plan to apply Monday/Tuesday. I'm not fully committed to doing this anymore, but I'll apply and look around, and decide in a few months based on how the first 1-3 courses go for me. It seems like that first one is harder than most of the rest, and the second seems to have more work than average too.

I have to see how demanding the other things in my life are. I think it's ok if I get off to a slow start, and then I go really fast for a few weeks here and there. That's the only way I can do it, given the other obligations. For a while I felt like it would be silly to enroll if I wasn't going to make much progress in the first 5 months, but now I think it's ok.

[jb111]

Are you starting the first course, JB?

I plan to apply Monday/Tuesday. I'm not fully committed to doing this anymore, but I'll apply and look around, and decide in a few months based on how the first 1-3 courses go for me. It seems like that first one is harder than most of the rest, and the second seems to have more work than average too.

I have to see how demanding the other things in my life are. I think it's ok if I get off to a slow start, and then I go really fast for a few weeks here and there. That's the only way I can do it, given the other obligations. For a while I felt like it would be silly to enroll if I wasn't going to make much progress in the first 5 months, but now I think it's ok.

Thanks for checking in.  My life is in flux right now so I'm not sure.  The decision will be in my thoughts this week.  I've followed your posts and know how challenging these commitments are - especially when they do not directly align with a career

[Ideas]

Thanks for checking in.  My life is in flux right now so I'm not sure.  The decision will be in my thoughts this week.  I've followed your posts and know how challenging these commitments are - especially when they do not directly align with a career

Oh, I wish you the best with coming to the right decision.

And thank you. A primary reason for me is that I previously was committed because I'd decided it was unlikely I would move abroad, but a few things are different, and now it's much more likely to be in my future.

I wrote some about my crazy decision process in my thread about computer degrees! You may have seen that already

[Thorne]

Are you starting the first course, JB?

I plan to apply Monday/Tuesday. I'm not fully committed to doing this anymore, but I'll apply and look around, and decide in a few months based on how the first 1-3 courses go for me. It seems like that first one is harder than most of the rest, and the second seems to have more work than average too.

I have to see how demanding the other things in my life are. I think it's ok if I get off to a slow start, and then I go really fast for a few weeks here and there. That's the only way I can do it, given the other obligations. For a while I felt like it would be silly to enroll if I wasn't going to make much progress in the first 5 months, but now I think it's ok.

Honestly, if you don't need the MTS for anything, I'd leave it be. Not only is there a very limited market for theological degrees, but Nations doesn't even have ATS approval IIRC, which is even more limiting.

It's your choice, but all of the paths you discuss are so far removed from theology that I'm frankly baffled.

BEWARE: What follows is an almost entirely unrelated rant.
I've been studying the Bible intermittently for twelve years. In that time, I've completely designed, researched, and written about four fairly radical ideas regarding the Bible, yet have no plan to pursue even the cheapest MTS or MA Theology. To put this in perspective, I wrote a 98 page report (almost a pseudo-thesis) on the least radical of those ideas: outlining the complete set of reasons why it is unlikely that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient according to the Bible (as understood through its original languages with a tiny nugget of human logic). A pastor friend of mine, who went to the school I originally wanted to attend for an MA Theology, read the whole thing and couldn't come up with a rebuttal of any kind. When he passed it to someone who had authority in the school (which will remain unnamed), I was told that those ideas, "maliciously undermine the sovereignty and power of God" and would result in my formal expulsion if I were to submit those ideas, in any form, as my thesis. If Christian universities are so dogmatic that ideas which are Biblical, yet question the current power base, are not tolerated, why waste the time or money?

[jb111]

My girlfriend convinced me to buy a larger house than originally planned.  Now, 3 months after we moved in, work gave her the pink slip (32 years at the same company).  Now she wants to start a yoga/wellness business.  I'm still a full time single parent of two and saving for a huge family reunion in Hawaii.  Something tells me every penny needs to be watched.  LOL - so that's my boohoo story.

[Ideas]

Honestly, if you don't need the MTS for anything, I'd leave it be. Not only is there a very limited market for theological degrees, but Nations doesn't even have ATS approval IIRC, which is even more limiting.

It's your choice, but all of the paths you discuss are so far removed from theology that I'm frankly baffled.

You aren't the only one who is 

If it helps, I don't care if the MTS gets me nowhere in a career (earning) way. I still want it because I think it will open up situations where I can help others in ways that I want to help. To me, that's more valuable that money.

However, I'll get the BA-CS, because I want a financial "back up" for myself. I'm being told that I don't need a Masters for the "back up", so I don't feel I should get Masters that's IT-related.

Additionally, I want some Masters degree, preferably one that I can do at least half of while doing the BA-CS. Or one that I can finish in 6 months after the BA-CS. This one is cheap and flexible, and I feel the professors here are fair and the curriculum is solid. I think I'd learn a lot, and that some of it would help me in a spiritual way.

However, the whole accreditation/acceptance part is a little worrisome.

---

My girlfriend convinced me to buy a larger house than originally planned.  Now, 3 months after we moved in, work gave her the pink slip (32 years at the same company).  Now she wants to start a yoga/wellness business.  I'm still a full time single parent of two and saving for a huge family reunion in Hawaii.  Something tells me every penny needs to be watched.  LOL - so that's my boohoo story.

Oh, I'm so sorry about the added expenses and her job!

That's a tough situation.

If it helps any, what I'll be doing is paying $25 next week, and then I don't have to pay the first $80 until late January at the earliest, apparently. It sounds like they would rather it be January, but that February would work. I will have to pay a little for some transcripts, but I'm thinking not in December. (I'm needing every penny for finishing the BSBA. Residency waiver, etc.) I am little less stressed knowing that the $80 can be delayed. (I want the BSBA!)

[sanantone]

Are you starting the first course, JB?

I plan to apply Monday/Tuesday. I'm not fully committed to doing this anymore, but I'll apply and look around, and decide in a few months based on how the first 1-3 courses go for me. It seems like that first one is harder than most of the rest, and the second seems to have more work than average too.

I have to see how demanding the other things in my life are. I think it's ok if I get off to a slow start, and then I go really fast for a few weeks here and there. That's the only way I can do it, given the other obligations. For a while I felt like it would be silly to enroll if I wasn't going to make much progress in the first 5 months, but now I think it's ok.

Honestly, if you don't need the MTS for anything, I'd leave it be. Not only is there a very limited market for theological degrees, but Nations doesn't even have ATS approval IIRC, which is even more limiting.

It's your choice, but all of the paths you discuss are so far removed from theology that I'm frankly baffled.

BEWARE: What follows is an almost entirely unrelated rant.
I've been studying the Bible intermittently for twelve years. In that time, I've completely designed, researched, and written about four fairly radical ideas regarding the Bible, yet have no plan to pursue even the cheapest MTS or MA Theology. To put this in perspective, I wrote a 98 page report (almost a pseudo-thesis) on the least radical of those ideas: outlining the complete set of reasons why it is unlikely that God is omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient according to the Bible (as understood through its original languages with a tiny nugget of human logic). A pastor friend of mine, who went to the school I originally wanted to attend for an MA Theology, read the whole thing and couldn't come up with a rebuttal of any kind. When he passed it to someone who had authority in the school (which will remain unnamed), I was told that those ideas, "maliciously undermine the sovereignty and power of God" and would result in my formal expulsion if I were to submit those ideas, in any form, as my thesis. If Christian universities are so dogmatic that ideas which are Biblical, yet question the current power base, are not tolerated, why waste the time or money?

There are a few seminaries that are welcoming to non-Christians who need an MDIV. I came across a list not too long ago. You should search for the best schools for humanists.