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Cheapest path, starting from scratch
#11
(04-18-2021, 04:52 PM)calliemay Wrote: I have hope that I will be able to relearn math. It was just kind of shocking that I used to find this stuff easy, and now I look at the test and can't even remember what the terms mean. Stuff I actually use, like tips and sale percentages and gallons of paint needed to cover x square footage walls, I can still manage without a calculator.  Tongue

Had not heard of CSM, thank you! 

Should be able to get the Pell Grant, I think. Single and middle aged, so expected family contribution is nil. Definitely low income. I suppose FAFSA should be my starting point.

In that case, CSM should be (relatively) easy for you. Sophia algebra might be a little tricky but I think you stand a good chance of being able to complete it.
In progress:
TESU - BA Computer Science; BSBA CIS; ASNSM Math & CS; ASBA

Completed:
Pierpont - AAS BOG
Sophia (so many), The Institutes (old), Study.com (5 courses)
ASU: Human Origins, Astronomy, Intro Health & Wellness, Western Civilization, Computer Appls & Info Technology, Intro Programming
Strayer: CIS175, CIS111, WRK100, MAT210
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#12
(04-18-2021, 04:17 PM)dfrecore Wrote: First, ask your boss for a letter of reference for you to keep, just in case anything happens to him.

Second, COSC will be your very cheapest option, even with their 24cr of RA that you have to bring in (using ONU or TEL).  I would probably skip CLEP's if you're worried about your health and go with Sophia for everything you can, then Study.com for your UL and math (there's easier options than Sophia for math at Study.com).

Also, not sure how much CC costs in GA, and if there's lottery tuition assistance programs or not, but check on that.  If you can find courses for less than $50/cr (like if you qualify for Pell and it's all free), that's where I'd start.

You need a plan, but it definitely can't hurt to go to Sophia and start going crazy on the courses there.  If you could do them ALL in a few months, that's probably your cheapest option.  Even things that won't count for credit may help you (like Foundations courses).

For math, you're going to want to take something like "College Math" or "Applied Liberal Arts Math."  Something like those that's lower than Intermediate Algebra.  Study.com has MAT 102: College Mathematics that should work.  But there's also the Liberal Arts Math DSST exam or TECEP exam (taken from home for $150).  You may as well take College Math and Bio w/Lab at the same time to get that credit, since COSC requires a lab science.

Also, you need a concentration at COSC - I think the easiest is Psych and Business, since Study.com has 5 Psych courses and tons of Business courses that COSC considers UL.

If you need more help in planning a COSC degree, I can help you if you PM me.

First you need to understand that my boss is a hilarious, 77 year old country boy.  Accent too heavy for Alexa to learn,  types in all caps with 2 fingers.  I hesitate to use the term redneck because he's not consciously racist or biased, but you get the idea. 
So any reference he wrote... well. I don't know how much good it would do with a more professional organization. 
I have asked him, he told me to write it myself and he would sign it. So of course I wrote the most  outrageously over the top letter, praising everything from my typing speed, to computer wizardry, phenomenal organizational skills, charming every customer, to how quietly I breathe.  

Then I wrote a reasonable one.  Wink
I just fear going to an interview "yes, I worked for this company 1996-2009, they no longer exist but here's the nice letter they wrote. Then I worked for this company over a decade, he's dead but here's his also lovely letter." 

You lost me at 24cr of RA for COSC using ONU or TEL. What? 

Thank you for your kind offer of COSC plan assistance, I may very well be DM'ing you. 

So it seems like I need to start with Sophia, which should help with credits, motivation, and hopefully some more self confidence. 

But first, FAFSA, to see what Pell and Georgia's HOPE scholarship say.

(04-18-2021, 04:31 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(04-18-2021, 04:29 PM)calliemay Wrote:
(04-18-2021, 03:33 PM)natshar Wrote: Question what is POAG? Is that some kind of free college program in your state? Do you think you'd qualify for pell grant (low income)?

Peace Officer Association of Georgia, for a $25 fee can join as an associate. Among the benefits, significant discounts at Excelsior.  No enrollment fee, tuition reduced from $510 per credit to $410, graduation fee reduced from $495 to $260.

https://poag.org/about-us/our-partners/

This is only the case if you take at least 12cr at EC - in which case you're already going to have that discount since you're going to take Study.com or Sophia courses (they both offer the same exact discount without paying $25).
Good to know. Somehow I was thinking it also reduced the number credits you have to earn from EC, but apparently I was confused. 

Another question. 

I don't suppose uexcel tests count towards the EC credits requirement? 
It would be so much cheaper and it's credit from the same institution, but I can't find any info on that.
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#13
COSC and TESU both require students to have "at least" 30 credits from an actual college or university (somewhere that is not Sophia, Study.com, CLEP, or other alternate credit). 6 of these credits MUST come from the school you attend in the form of a capstone and a cornerstone. 24 credits can come from anywhere else. The cheapest sources of "real" credit are https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ol...University or https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/TEL_Learning with ASU's Universal Learner courses coming in third place as more expensive but easier to complete.

Bear in mind that COSC and EC ALSO require 30 UL credits (this is separate from the RA credit requirement). TESU requires about half that. If you can get a full Pell Grant, I believe the out-of-pocket cost for both COSC and TESU are roughly similar. bjcheung77 is better at figuring out the Pell Grant costs. You can find a post about it here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ng-Courses
In progress:
TESU - BA Computer Science; BSBA CIS; ASNSM Math & CS; ASBA

Completed:
Pierpont - AAS BOG
Sophia (so many), The Institutes (old), Study.com (5 courses)
ASU: Human Origins, Astronomy, Intro Health & Wellness, Western Civilization, Computer Appls & Info Technology, Intro Programming
Strayer: CIS175, CIS111, WRK100, MAT210
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#14
Basically, If you get financial aid, I highly recommend taking courses for credit. You should decide on the degree you want and the school, for example one of the Big 3 or one of the Competency Based Education providers. It all depends on personal preference as the Big 3 allows you to transfer in 113/114 credits, but you still need to complete the capstone/cornerstone. Competency based education is great if you know the subject matter really well, you can speed through the term for a cheaper flat rate tuition, but if something in life gets in the way, it may drag on longer...
In Progress: Walden MBA | TESU BA Biology & Computer Science
Graduate Certificate: Global Management & Entrepreneurship, ASU (Freebie)

Completed: TESU ASNSM Biology, BSBA (ACBSP Accredited 2017)
Universidad Isabel I: ENEB MBA, Big Data & BI, Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
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#15
Out of the big 3, TESU seems to be the most accepting of credits earned through not traditional platforms, e.g Study.com, SL, Sophia . . . I am currently pursuing a BSBA/HR from TESU and I only have to take the business capstone class through TESU, the rest of my classes I am transferring in.
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#16
(04-21-2021, 12:34 PM)Jesus is Lord Wrote: Out of the big 3, TESU seems to be the most accepting of credits earned through not traditional platforms, e.g Study.com, SL, Sophia . . . I am currently pursuing a BSBA/HR from TESU and I only have to take the business capstone class through TESU, the rest of my classes I am transferring in.

COSC and EC will take those 2 - I don't think there's a lot of difference in the Big 3 with regards to Study.com, SL & Sophia, except that TESU will bring in many more liberal studies courses as UL.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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#17
I would definitely look into community college. A lot of CCs offer online/distance learning. You may even be able to find free summer tuition from someone this summer that's made available by federal stimulus money.
I also recommend chopping on Sophia stuff. I was in the same boat as you. Looking at the owners of my company's health declining, having zero credits, realizing if something happened to them, I would be up a creek without a degree. I started from no credits at age forty and finished a degree in under a year. It was intimidating until I started doing the work and realized I could do it no problem. I switched jobs and got MUCH better pay and better benefits that wouldn't have been possible without a degree.
You can do this. Bet on yourself.
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#18
(04-21-2021, 12:34 PM)Jesus is Lord Wrote: Out of the big 3, TESU seems to be the most accepting of credits earned through not traditional platforms, e.g Study.com, SL, Sophia . . . I am currently pursuing a BSBA/HR from TESU and I only have to take the business capstone class through TESU, the rest of my classes I am transferring in.

EC is actually slightly more accepting than TESU in that EC will also accept NA credits and not just RA ones. TESU offers more degree options than either COSC or EC, though, so it's perfectly valid if you want a degree that isn't available at either of the other schools.
In progress:
TESU - BA Computer Science; BSBA CIS; ASNSM Math & CS; ASBA

Completed:
Pierpont - AAS BOG
Sophia (so many), The Institutes (old), Study.com (5 courses)
ASU: Human Origins, Astronomy, Intro Health & Wellness, Western Civilization, Computer Appls & Info Technology, Intro Programming
Strayer: CIS175, CIS111, WRK100, MAT210
Reply
#19
(04-18-2021, 03:28 PM)calliemay Wrote:
Hello all! Long time lurker, I've really enjoyed perusing all the fantastic info here. I'm looking at starting from scratch, and I'd like advice on the absolute cheapest route to basically any degree. 
I'm 44, with severe chronic health issues. Basically, I'm too disabled to work full time, but not considered disabled enough for government assistance.
Worked for a home builder in purchasing for many years until they crashed in 2008. Finding decent part time work is hard enough, but then every job I tried to apply for had requirements of minimum bachelor's degree, they don't care what subject. It took more than 2 years for me to find a job, without kind relatives I would've been living under a bridge.
I've been at current job ever since, company is just me and my boss. I have a lot of downtime, I typically read about 200 books a year, plus coursera courses because I love to learn.
Boss is getting old, I'm worried when he dies I'll be out of work again, without even a reference. So I'd like to use my time towards earning a degree instead of other reading and non credit courses, but I'm barely making ends meet so money is a huge issue.
So. Please give me ideas on the absolute cheapest paths. I know I need to apply to fafsa. In Georgia, so I can join POAG. CLEP testing centers are open here and I'm fully vax'd, so modern states is an option, although with my health I'm still nervous.
Saylor, OnlineDegree.com, Sophia, Study.com.
Had brain surgery a few years ago and I swear they accidentally removed the math section because maths used to be easy and now I look at the CLEP practice and the algebra, trig, and calc may as well be Klingon. ? So that's going to be a challenge. Brain fog, balance issues, and tinnitus also make learning extra fun.
Looking at the big three, it gets confusing with various fees and tuition.  Or would another school be a better option?
About to begin a TESOL professional certificate course from Arizona State University, but I don't expect credit for that. I'm hoping for a TESL job online, but most will again require a bachelor's in SOMETHING. Teaching related would be great, but not vital.
Apologies for being far too wordy. Side effect of newest meds.
TLDR; zero credits, cheapest path to any degree, many thanks. 
Hi, WGU is a super affordable online university and if you pair your courses at WGU with StraighterLine courses you'll save a lot of money and time.
StraighterLine offers courses that can transfer over to several universities and they are super affordable as well.
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#20
(04-27-2021, 10:22 AM)nemokg Wrote: Hi, WGU is a super affordable online university and if you pair your courses at WGU with StraighterLine courses you'll save a lot of money and time.
StraighterLine offers courses that can transfer over to several universities and they are super affordable as well.

Yo, what's up with you and SL? They're okay but there are many other options out there as well!
In progress:
TESU - BA Computer Science; BSBA CIS; ASNSM Math & CS; ASBA

Completed:
Pierpont - AAS BOG
Sophia (so many), The Institutes (old), Study.com (5 courses)
ASU: Human Origins, Astronomy, Intro Health & Wellness, Western Civilization, Computer Appls & Info Technology, Intro Programming
Strayer: CIS175, CIS111, WRK100, MAT210
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