Degree Plan -- BSBA in Accounting (TESC)

[amilitab4k9]

If you have a lot of accounting experience and are trying to finish quickly, you should consider taking courses through Adams State University instead of LSU. I am doing both right now, and ASU has about 10% of the homework LSU has (ASU Governmental Accounting vs LSU Intermediate Accounting I), and the tests are open book/notes. If you do the paper-based correspondance version it's almost as cheap as LSU. If you already know a lot of the material, you could just skim the book and take the tests pretty quickly. The tests are with a live proctor, but they are very flexible with who can proctor. My pastor/friend is my proctor and I just go take the test in his office while he works.

[AZDan]

If you have a lot of accounting experience and are trying to finish quickly, you should consider taking courses through Adams State University instead of LSU. I am doing both right now, and ASU has about 10% of the homework LSU has (ASU Governmental Accounting vs LSU Intermediate Accounting I), and the tests are open book/notes. If you do the paper-based correspondance version it's almost as cheap as LSU. If you already know a lot of the material, you could just skim the book and take the tests pretty quickly. The tests are with a live proctor, but they are very flexible with who can proctor. My pastor/friend is my proctor and I just go take the test in his office while he works.

Thanks for the idea. I haven't heard about Adams State Univ before. What I am hoping to determine is how many accounting tests (CLEP, DSST, etc) I can take before I have to actually take a class. How long are the courses at Adams State? Is it go-at-your-own-pace? I'm going to have to weigh the cost factor on this as well.

[AZDan]

I just learned while reading more of the TESC website that they will give 6 credits for my FAA Pilot Certification. Not sure if I need the additional electives for my Accounting degree but this is very cool!

[Prloko]

If you have a lot of accounting experience and are trying to finish quickly, you should consider taking courses through Adams State University instead of LSU. I am doing both right now, and ASU has about 10% of the homework LSU has (ASU Governmental Accounting vs LSU Intermediate Accounting I), and the tests are open book/notes. If you do the paper-based correspondance version it's almost as cheap as LSU. If you already know a lot of the material, you could just skim the book and take the tests pretty quickly. The tests are with a live proctor, but they are very flexible with who can proctor. My pastor/friend is my proctor and I just go take the test in his office while he works.

Posting stuff like this on a public forum has the potential for killing the courses transfer-ability. Is it likely, no. Is it possible, maybe.

[amilitab4k9]

I don't want to hurt the course's transferability. I wasn't trying to say that it is an easy course- just more flexible. It is difficult subject matter, and therefore I feel that the course is more difficult than Intermediate Accounting I. However, someone that already has the knowledge would be able to go through the course more quickly because there is less homework to turn in. There are more tests than the LSU course, and even though they are open book, they are not easy.

Business Courses - Distance Learning - Extended Studies - Adams State University
The courses are self-paced, though you can only submit up to 3 homework assignments a week. The price depends on the format. I am doing the print version, which costs $495. I email my homework to the professor, but my tests are mailed in and then mailed back to me, so that takes some time.

[LaceyLady]

Excellent advice and information. Very good degree plan, Publius, and posting it will be helpful to others. Maybe sometime I should post mine (whenever I have enough time to). I just want to add a little and hopefully answer some of the questions.

As has already been mentioned, there are several options for most parts of the degree. Within the Accounting area, exams can be taken for Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, and Federal Income Taxation. The available accounting exams are CLEP Financial Accounting, DSST Financial Accounting, TECEP Financial Accounting, TECEP Managerial Accounting, ECE Financial Accounting, ECE Managerial Accounting, and TECEP Federal Income Taxation. All the Financial Accounting exams/courses duplicate, and so do all the Managerial Accounting. Financial Accounting (Accounting I), Managerial Accounting (Accounting II), and Cost Accounting (called Managerial Accounting at SL) can be taken through Straighterline, as Publius did. Accounting courses beyond these have to be taken as courses through a college. Options include LSU, Adams State College, Penn Foster, Columbia College, Upper Iowa, Indiana Tech, Fort Hays, Colorado State U-Pueblo, and BYU (it has been a while since I researched the courses in these schools, so this list might not be up to date). Off course, the courses can be taken at TESC (or Excelsior), as well, which is what I am doing, but other options might be less expensive and quicker (TESC courses are 12 weeks long and around $700). One consideration as to whether to take any courses at TESC (or whichever school you get your degree from) is whether you want a GPA.

Yes, I forgot to mention that I did go to my state's Board of Accountancy website to check on the CPA requirements. It does state that you need 150 semester hours from an "accredited institution" and 36 semester hours of accounting courses of which 30 semester hours must be upper level. It doesn't state in detail much more regarding the type of accreditation other than that.

That sounds like my state's requirements. And with the username AZDan...
In general, it is a good idea to contact the board of Accountancy and ask for specifics about the educational requirements. I haven't asked about NA (Penn Foster) or ACE accredited (Straighterline and Penn Foster) courses because I have not taken any NA or ACE courses (not accounting anyway), so I cannot help you there.

To fulfill my 150 credit requirement I was planning to get an MBA to cover that and then take the CPA courses.

Sounds like a good plan. I am thinking about doing something similar.

What I am hoping to determine is how many accounting tests (CLEP, DSST, etc) I can take before I have to actually take a class.

You can take two, Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting, before courses (since these are foundational and most courses will want them as prerequisites). Financial Accounting can be a CLEP, DSST, ECE, or TECEP (or SL) and Managerial Accounting can be a ECE or TECEP (or SL). You can also take TECEP Federal Income Taxation, which might be easy for you if you work with tax.

Hope this helps!