Can I get new study.com courses on a tesu transcript after I've graduated?

[camjenks]

I've already graduated from TESU, but I'm looking to apply to Georgia Tech's Online Masters in CS. To improve my chances of getting in, I need to take a few pre-reqs like Data Structures and Algorithms, Discrete Mathematics, and maybe another programming language. Study.com will be WAY cheaper than my community college, but I need them on a transcript from an accredited university. If I take these and send them to TESU, can they put them on a new transcript for me? Or would I have to enroll in one of their programs to get that to show up?

[scorpion]

TESU does have a credit banking service that can add them to your transcript. 

Are you sure that you need to do this? The OMSCS admission criteria only has the hard requirement of a regionally accredited bachelor's degree, with a preference given to majors in CS or maths. Using TESU's transcripting service won't hide the origin of your credits, and OMSCS may very well ask you for transcripts direct from the provider. If you don't feel that these will be regarded well enough to avoid retaking the foundational courses, adding them to a university transcript won't help.

[camjenks]

TESU does have a credit banking service that can add them to your transcript. 

Are you sure that you need to do this? The OMSCS admission criteria only has the hard requirement of a regionally accredited bachelor's degree, with a preference given to majors in CS or maths. Using TESU's transcripting service won't hide the origin of your credits, and OMSCS may very well ask you for transcripts direct from the provider. If you don't feel that these will be regarded well enough to avoid retaking the foundational courses, adding them to a university transcript won't help.

I’m not sure I need it. I already have a few CS classes from my CIS degree. But it seems like data structures, algorithms, and discrete math really helps people’s chances, so I figured if I could get those for a few hundred it’d be worth it.

[jsd]

when i applied for OMS Cybersec, they provided a place to upload other credentials and MOOC courses you've taken, etc.

presumably that would be a good place where you can upload your ACE transcript. I know i provided some of my industry certs there, but I didn't attempt to add in ACE. that was all on my WGU transcript at that point. But it makes sense if you're doing it after the fact, i think. You're just trying to prove your knowledge, not credit launder.

[camjenks]

when i applied for OMS Cybersec, they provided a place to upload other credentials and MOOC courses you've taken, etc.

presumably that would be a good place where you can upload your ACE transcript. I know i provided some of my industry certs there, but I didn't attempt to add in ACE. that was all on my WGU transcript at that point. But it makes sense if you're doing it after the fact, i think. You're just trying to prove your knowledge, not credit launder.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't trying to do anything shady, but I just thought the credits would have to be on a college transcript for them to consider them. That's good to know though. Maybe I'll just take a few courses and upload the ace transcript. Hopefully that + my CIS degree will be enough to get me in.

[Merlin]

I've already graduated from TESU, but I'm looking to apply to Georgia Tech's Online Masters in CS. To improve my chances of getting in, I need to take a few pre-reqs like Data Structures and Algorithms, Discrete Mathematics, and maybe another programming language. Study.com will be WAY cheaper than my community college, but I need them on a transcript from an accredited university. If I take these and send them to TESU, can they put them on a new transcript for me? Or would I have to enroll in one of their programs to get that to show up?

As a FYI, this has come up on other threads, but you will probably want to take those core CS courses at a local community college (there are cheap online options if your local options are too expensive) rather than via Study.com if you want the best chance of being accepted into the OMSCS.

From what I've seen on the acceptance threads. It doesn't look like GA Tech recognizes ACE credits or other non-college courses to meet these requirements. I know they don't recognize workshop certifications. From my understanding, they want to see graded credits (higher grades the better) from an accredited college or university. It sounds like they are now considering MOOC certifications, but I don't know how much weight those have.

As for your credit laundering questions, getting those credits on a college transcript would require a credit banking service if you've already completed a degree, unless you plan to pursue a second one. Either way, that won't work since schools always want to see the original source of credits, which will mean a Study.com or ACE transcript rather than a credit bank.

That said, if you want to get into the OMSCS you may want to consider getting a BACS before applying since it seems that they weigh applicants with CS degrees higher. If you already have a bachelor's, you only need to complete like 24 credits to get a second one. I'd still recommend getting the core CS credits from a CC or online classes somewhere rather than Study.com though to be safe.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't trying to do anything shady, but I just thought the credits would have to be on a college transcript for them to consider them. That's good to know though. Maybe I'll just take a few courses and upload the ace transcript. Hopefully that + my CIS degree will be enough to get me in.

I'm still pretty sure they don't accept ACE credits. At least it seems that way to me. I am in the same boat as you in terms of the CIS degree and I was (am) considering the OMSCS, and after doing research and checking the credit acceptance threads to see what others have applied with, I came away with the advice I gave above. That is the path I was thinking I'd have to take. Though I also have nearly 30 years of programming experience which may add some value.

It sounds like the highest factor in getting in is having a prior CS (or software development) degree with a high GPA or having a non-CS degree but having some professional experience in combination with completing the core CS courses, plus linear algebra/finite math/calculus with high grades.

[camjenks]

I've already graduated from TESU, but I'm looking to apply to Georgia Tech's Online Masters in CS. To improve my chances of getting in, I need to take a few pre-reqs like Data Structures and Algorithms, Discrete Mathematics, and maybe another programming language. Study.com will be WAY cheaper than my community college, but I need them on a transcript from an accredited university. If I take these and send them to TESU, can they put them on a new transcript for me? Or would I have to enroll in one of their programs to get that to show up?

As a FYI, this has come up on other threads, but you will probably want to take those core CS courses at a local community college (there are cheap online options if your local options are too expensive) rather than via Study.com if you want the best chance of being accepted into the OMSCS.

From what I've seen on the acceptance threads. It doesn't look like GA Tech recognizes ACE credits or other non-college courses to meet these requirements. I know they don't recognize workshop certifications. From my understanding, they want to see graded credits (higher grades the better) from an accredited college or university. It sounds like they are now considering MOOC certifications, but I don't know how much weight those have.

As for your credit laundering questions, getting those credits on a college transcript would require a credit banking service if you've already completed a degree, unless you plan to pursue a second one. Either way, that won't work since schools always want to see the original source of credits, which will mean a Study.com or ACE transcript rather than a credit bank.

That said, if you want to get into the OMSCS you may want to consider getting a BACS before applying since it seems that they weigh applicants with CS degrees higher. If you already have a bachelor's, you only need to complete like 24 credits to get a second one. I'd still recommend getting the core CS credits from a CC or online classes somewhere rather than Study.com though to be safe.

Thanks for the feedback. I wasn't trying to do anything shady, but I just thought the credits would have to be on a college transcript for them to consider them. That's good to know though. Maybe I'll just take a few courses and upload the ace transcript. Hopefully that + my CIS degree will be enough to get me in.

I'm still pretty sure they don't accept ACE credits. At least it seems that way to me. I am in the same boat as you in terms of the CIS degree and I was (am) considering the OMSCS, and after doing research and checking the credit acceptance threads to see what others have applied with, I came away with the advice I gave above. That is the path I was thinking I'd have to take. Though I also have nearly 30 years of programming experience which may add some value.

It sounds like the highest factor in getting in is having a prior CS (or software development) degree with a high GPA or having a non-CS degree but having some professional experience in combination with completing the core CS courses, plus linear algebra/finite math/calculus with high grades.

We've probably been following some of the same admission threads. I would go for a CS degree but I'm on a budget and I don't want to pay for another TESU capstone and the WGU one looked like it'd be a few thousand to get all the requirements too. My local community college is like $150/credit hour, which is not bad, but it's still going to be a lot of money to get the 2-3 courses I'd like to have. Foothill CC would be perfect but I'm out of state.

On a side note, how'd you get the WGU MBA so fast? We graduated with BSBA CIS in the same year and I just took a break after that!

[jsd]

Perhaps the CS requirements are more stringent. They accepted MOOC courses as proof of technical background for some Cybersecurity folks (of course, the rest of the application needed to look good).

[Merlin]

We've probably been following some of the same admission threads. I would go for a CS degree but I'm on a budget and I don't want to pay for another TESU capstone and the WGU one looked like it'd be a few thousand to get all the requirements too. My local community college is like $150/credit hour, which is not bad, but it's still going to be a lot of money to get the 2-3 courses I'd like to have. Foothill CC would be perfect but I'm out of state.

I get that. I am always going for the least expensive option as well. Doubly so right now since money is tight around here right now with the lack of work due to COVID. But I hate wasting time and money even more. I'd prefer to spend time and a bit more money on a sure thing than to spend time and maybe a bit less money on something that I know has a low probability of success.

In this case, I know that GA Tech recognizes classes taken at a CC or WGU, but I could try taking those courses from Study.com instead. The latter would be cheaper, but has a small chance of being accepted. If they aren't accepted, I've effectively wasted the time and money spent on Study.com.

Of course, at that point I might just try to use those credits to complete a BACS/BSCS or BSSD degree and try again in 6 months. GA Tech still might not recognize the individual courses, but if they are part of a larger degree, they might handwave the individual courses.

If I didn't have the time or money to consider a second bachelor's degree as a fallback, I'd definitely just take the courses from a CC and be done with it. You might be able to get financial assistance with those too.

On a side note, how'd you get the WGU MBA so fast? We graduated with BSBA CIS in the same year and I just took a break after that!

I had planned to move onto the MBA immediately following my degree award, so I applied to WGU in December of 2018 and had everything ready to go when the transcript dropped in March. I started on April 1st and was done in November. I would have finished in October, but I had some personal stuff come up which forced a personal break for a month or so. So, I've been done for like 5 months now and have spent the bulk of that time doing research into secondary graduate programs.

I was originally planning to jump into the OMSCS, but figured if I wanted to do that I would need to go back to complete a BSCS or BSSD as a precursor in order to get in. In the meantime, I've discovered that having a master's degree isn't really helpful for Ph.D. studies, so I've been researching Computer Science and Data Science Ph.D. programs (as well as doctorates in business, leadership, and management as backups). My MBA probably won't help with admission anywhere unless I decide on pursuing a DBA, since that is a prerequisite.

I've started putting together Ph.D. applications but I am still keeping the OMSCS open as a backup in case I don't find a Ph.D. program that works for me.