Cybersecurity BA - Military

[bjcheung77]

TESU has the Cybersecurity too, as do Excelsior, UMGC, SNHU, WGU, if you have tuition assistance, GI and military benefits, you may want to decide which of the options are better for you. An example is the one and done, such as the accelerated WGU BSIT/MSITM, another is the PUG BSIT/MSIT. You can always switch things around for a mix/match, something like a TESU BACS/BS Cybersecurity dual degree, plus a NAU MCIT or PUG MSIT, or something along the lines.

If you need to work on the trifecta, you can do so with the freebies from Coursera/TADA/TEEX in Cybersecurity, plus more that they offer. You'll get the 'hang' of things and will add some ACE credit towards your degree plans, absolutely free. I would sign up for that since it's going to end the end of the month, they extended it a few days ago. Good luck, have fun, onwards with the credit, knowledge/learning accumulation...

[SwiftHax]

Happy to report that I have just finished all of my Sophia courses!  
I got a late start due to my husband and I changing jobs, but I could have easily had these 5 courses finished in a month.
Now with those out of the way I am on to Study.com!


Another update- it seems that the VETTec program lost its funding, so getting the Cysa through them is no longer an option. I am still looking into using the Syracuse o2o/vmf for Cysa


I am set on going through PUG at this point, but I am still as uncertain as I was on if the Exceltrack is right for me. 


*For context on the Study.com pricing: $200/month - 20% from coupon + additional $70 fee for third course

[SwiftHax]

I read through this reddit post and contacted PUG's support chat support to lay out some information about the pros and cons to choosing the undergrad excel track vs. standard term, should it help anyone in the future-

*note the difference in terminology at PUG compared to most colleges:

Traditional colleges<-->PUG

16 week Semesters <--> 10 week 'terms'

3 credit hours = 5 'quarter credits' or 'units'

Exceltrack: 

• $2,500 flat rate per every 'term'
  
• There are start dates approximately every other month
  
• Tuition assistance does not cover the excel track
  
• $345 resource fee per term (this is not applicable for Indiana residents or military)
  
• Exceltrack is great if you are good at writing essays and already have a baseline competency of the subject, or learn things quickly. 
  
• Average 'quarter credit' completion is 15-20 per term, and high end is about 50-60.
  

Standard track/terms:

• Cost is per 'quarter credit'. 
  
• Start dates are just about every month
  
• This cost would be either the standard of $371 per 'quarter credit', 
  • Indiana Residents pay $281 per 'quarter credit'
    
  • Military pays $165 per 'quarter credit'
    
  • I am both and Indiana resident and military, and I asked if those discounts stack, and they do not. 
    
• For example, a typical college course would be 3 credit hours, but it would be 5 'quarter credits' through PUG and be charged at as $371 x 5 = $1,855 for that class.
  
• fees $1,065, $345 resource fee (this fee doesn't apply to Indiana residents or military)
  
• The standard track still uses 'terms' like semesters that are 10 weeks each
  

Comparing my time/cost since I will be transferring in 131 credit hours, & will be utilizing tuition assistance

Exceltrack:

Realistically it would probably take me 2 terms to complete 43 credits (not including the additional 10-week, 6 credit capstone for a total of 49 credits)
-cost would be 1-2 terms x $2,500 with no tuition assistance, so entirely out of pocket. (there may be some sort of federal aid, but I don't have any information on that. )
-The capstone course will need to be completed after every other course is finished, so there is no way to take this class other than in its own term, but since it is a set 10 weeks it would be at the standard rate per 'quarter credit' of 6 'quarter credits' x $165 rate for military = $990.
-fees of $300-$400/term

TOTAL:
High end if it takes me 2 terms (+ 10-week capstone): $6,390  /30 weeks 
Low end if I complete it in 1 term (+ 10-week capstone): $3,890 /20 weeks 

standard:


Would probably take me 2 terms (plus the additional capstone course of 10 weeks)
- cost would be $4,500/term, but my tuition assistance would cover up to that exact amount every fiscal year (how convenient -_-) 
-lab fee: $65/term
-Since I will be doing 3 terms, first term on this fiscal year, second on next fiscal year, my capstone will not be covered by TA and therefore I will have to pay it out of pocket if unless I want to wait for another fiscal year to pass. 
Estimated 30 weeks and $195 just in lab fees since military TA covers all tuition and book fees are waived.

TOTAL: ~$1,185

All that said and done the price difference is ~$3,000-$5,000 with only the possibility of 10 weeks shaved off for the excel track depending on my own speed.

I think that gives me my answer. I'm going to go ahead with the standard track.

[bjcheung77]

That's awesome, it's great you did the comparison and mapped things out then decided the pathway for yourself after getting most of the details...