First post! Please critique my TESU BSBA GM plan!

[karaloehrer]

Hello everyone! My name is Kara and this is my first post. I want to say that I have found the information on this forum extremely valuable. I am so grateful for this website! 

(I’ll include my questions at the bottom so it’ll be a bit easier to answer. Thank you so much in advance!)

Here is a little about myself so you know my situation. I am 22 and I just got back from doing a six month mission trip in Hawaii and Brazil with the Christian organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM). On my off days when I had access to wifi, I saved hundreds of these posts to my phone so I was able to read them offline. In any free time I had, I tried to put together a plan so I could hit the ground running. I am finally back home and I am able to start this process. I have saved $1,000 so far to put towards my degree and I will of course save more once I get a job. I want to get my degree the most efficient way possible and I have vowed to never take out student loans. So after reading tons of posts, it seems like Thomas Edison State University (TESU) is my best choice. I want a Bachelor’s of Science in something general that could be useful in most careers. So I have decided on a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with General Management (GM) as the area of study. (This is not the reason I want this specific degree but I was a store manager for a couple years before I left to do missionary work. I enjoyed it and I’ll hopefully be familiar with some of the degree material.) I am looking to complete the degree with as much Shmoop, CLEP, ALEKS, Saylor, Straighterline, and Study credits as I can in that order. (I understand now the Saylor and Shmoop are not an option anymore.) I’m really close to a few College Level Examination Program (CLEP) testing centers and I like the idea of using Modern States for the vouchers. (I’ll start with any free or cheap credits while I’m applying for a job.) I have been accepted at TESU and I sent all my transcripts in so I am waiting on an official evaluation. I started right after the Guardian Scholarship ended and the amazing discounts of the residency waiver, cornerstone, and capstone through Study expired, but still, getting a bachelor’s degree for under $10,000 is nothing short of amazing. I opened an American Council on Education (ACE) account and I have The Institute’s Ethics, ALEKS’s College Algebra, and ALEKS’s Introduction to Statistics completed on my transcript.

I have a few credits from before. I would love if I was able to use them but I don’t mind starting from scratch.

Advanced Placement (AP) (2013)

(If I remember correctly, these are my scores. It has been over four years since I took them so they are archived.)

Psychology (I scored a 4 out of 5.) (I assume TESU accepts this as 3 credits.) (Maybe this could count as one of my courses in the Knowledge of Human Cultures section of my degree plan?)

English Literature and Composition? (I scored a 3 out of 5?) (I assume TESU accepts this as 6 credits.) (Maybe this could count as my Written Communication section within the Intellectual and Practical Skills section of my degree plan?)

San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC) (2015) (This is my local two-year semester system community college.)

CSA 020 MS Word, Excel, and Access (I got 3 credits for an A grade.) 

H S 036 Medical Terminology and Speech (I got 3 credits for an A grade.)

(Maybe both of these could count as my Understanding the Physical and Natural World section in my degree plan? They are kind of in the computer and science world. I doubt it but I am hopeful.)

A few years ago I failed four classes at SJDC. I was indecisive about getting a degree and what to get it in so I became really unmotivated. I also crammed three of them in a short summer semester while I was planning a month long backpacking trip to Europe so I ended up giving up in the classes. I regret not dropping the classes before the grades were on my permanent transcript. I know, I made stupid decisions. I’m not proud of it but I’m really excited and hopeful about my future as a student. The classes are . . .

BUS 020 Introduction to Business

BUS 030 Supervision & Human Relations

BUS 031 Introduction to Management 

FCS 006 Nutrition 

I also have my California Phlebotomy License from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). It is valid 05/01/17-05/01/19. I was the top of my class and if my research is right, this will count for six credits through TESU. Maybe this could count as my (Free) Electives section of my degree plan?)

(Question #1) If I can use any of my previously earned credit (AP, SJDC, & NHA), where can I use them in my degree plan?

(Question #2) If I have to to retake any of my failed classes of SJDC because I can’t test out of them once I fail them, which ones would those be? (I think I read something like this in CLEP’s fine print.) (I really want to avoid taking classes at a brick-and-mortar school.)

(Question #3) If I can, could I add a second Area of Study (AOS) of Marketing to my degree? (I don’t want it to be a separate second Bachelor’s degree.) (I have also read on the forum that they don’t print minors on the degree, so does it even matter what concentration I get my BSBA in?) (I read on a post here back in 2016 that you can’t have a second concentration with General Management, is that still true?)

(Question #4) Are there any changes for the new school year in the catalogue that mess with my degree plan? (I made this spreadsheet a few months ago but I did not have wifi to check for updates.)

(Question #5.) Could I use ALEKS’s Precalculus somewhere in here?

Sorry that this was so long, I am very detail oriented and like to be thorough. I attached my spreadsheet and when you see options for classes, it is because I haven't decided what source I will use. Thank you for reading and offering any advice.

[allvia]

I haven't had a chance to look at your plan, but Saylor is still an option - it is only Shmoop right now that is not at TESU.   Also there are some new options with OnlineDegree opening up.   Did you send all your transcripts to TESU already including the AP and required documentation for the Phlebotomy License? If not you want to get them everything as soon as possible so they can add it to your official evaluation. Failed courses from you CC won't have to be retaken, unless it was in a subject your degree requires credits in (and then it is just earning credits, the failed courses don't effect you at the Big 3 unless they are used to calculate Financial Aid - which it sounds like you are not going to be using)

[cookderosa]

Hello everyone! My name is Kara and this is my first post. I want to say that I have found the information on this forum extremely valuable. I am so grateful for this website! 

(I’ll include my questions at the bottom so it’ll be a bit easier to answer. Thank you so much in advance!)

Here is a little about myself so you know my situation. I am 22 and I just got back from doing a six month mission trip in Hawaii and Brazil with the Christian organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM). On my off days when I had access to wifi, I saved hundreds of these posts to my phone so I was able to read them offline. In any free time I had, I tried to put together a plan so I could hit the ground running. I am finally back home and I am able to start this process. I have saved $1,000 so far to put towards my degree and I will of course save more once I get a job. I want to get my degree the most efficient way possible and I have vowed to never take out student loans. So after reading tons of posts, it seems like Thomas Edison State University (TESU) is my best choice. I want a Bachelor’s of Science in something general that could be useful in most careers. So I have decided on a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) with General Management (GM) as the area of study. (This is not the reason I want this specific degree but I was a store manager for a couple years before I left to do missionary work. I enjoyed it and I’ll hopefully be familiar with some of the degree material.) I am looking to complete the degree with as much Shmoop, CLEP, ALEKS, Saylor, Straighterline, and Study credits as I can in that order. (I understand now the Saylor and Shmoop are not an option anymore.) I’m really close to a few College Level Examination Program (CLEP) testing centers and I like the idea of using Modern States for the vouchers. (I’ll start with any free or cheap credits while I’m applying for a job.) I have been accepted at TESU and I sent all my transcripts in so I am waiting on an official evaluation. I started right after the Guardian Scholarship ended and the amazing discounts of the residency waiver, cornerstone, and capstone through Study expired, but still, getting a bachelor’s degree for under $10,000 is nothing short of amazing. I opened an American Council on Education (ACE) account and I have The Institute’s Ethics, ALEKS’s College Algebra, and ALEKS’s Introduction to Statistics completed on my transcript.

I have a few credits from before. I would love if I was able to use them but I don’t mind starting from scratch.

Advanced Placement (AP) (2013)

(If I remember correctly, these are my scores. It has been over four years since I took them so they are archived.)

Psychology (I scored a 4 out of 5.) (I assume TESU accepts this as 3 credits.) (Maybe this could count as one of my courses in the Knowledge of Human Cultures section of my degree plan?)

English Literature and Composition? (I scored a 3 out of 5?) (I assume TESU accepts this as 6 credits.) (Maybe this could count as my Written Communication section within the Intellectual and Practical Skills section of my degree plan?)

San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC) (2015) (This is my local two-year semester system community college.)

CSA 020 MS Word, Excel, and Access (I got 3 credits for an A grade.) 

H S 036 Medical Terminology and Speech (I got 3 credits for an A grade.)

(Maybe both of these could count as my Understanding the Physical and Natural World section in my degree plan? They are kind of in the computer and science world. I doubt it but I am hopeful.)

A few years ago I failed four classes at SJDC. I was indecisive about getting a degree and what to get it in so I became really unmotivated. I also crammed three of them in a short summer semester while I was planning a month long backpacking trip to Europe so I ended up giving up in the classes. I regret not dropping the classes before the grades were on my permanent transcript. I know, I made stupid decisions. I’m not proud of it but I’m really excited and hopeful about my future as a student. The classes are . . .

BUS 020 Introduction to Business

BUS 030 Supervision & Human Relations

BUS 031 Introduction to Management 

FCS 006 Nutrition 

I also have my California Phlebotomy License from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). It is valid 05/01/17-05/01/19. I was the top of my class and if my research is right, this will count for six credits through TESU. Maybe this could count as my (Free) Electives section of my degree plan?)

(Question #1) If I can use any of my previously earned credit (AP, SJDC, & NHA), where can I use them in my degree plan?

(Question #2) If I have to to retake any of my failed classes of SJDC because I can’t test out of them once I fail them, which ones would those be? (I think I read something like this in CLEP’s fine print.) (I really want to avoid taking classes at a brick-and-mortar school.)

(Question #3) If I can, could I add a second Area of Study (AOS) of Marketing to my degree? (I don’t want it to be a separate second Bachelor’s degree.) (I have also read on the forum that they don’t print minors on the degree, so does it even matter what concentration I get my BSBA in?) (I read on a post here back in 2016 that you can’t have a second concentration with General Management, is that still true?)

(Question #4) Are there any changes for the new school year in the catalogue that mess with my degree plan? (I made this spreadsheet a few months ago but I did not have wifi to check for updates.)

(Question #5.) Could I use ALEKS’s Precalculus somewhere in here?

Sorry that this was so long, I am very detail oriented and like to be thorough. I attached my spreadsheet and when you see options for classes, it is because I haven't decided what source I will use. Thank you for reading and offering any advice.

I'm not a degree planner, so I'll leave that to the experts but for sure your AP courses and community college credits will be worth credit at TESU. I didn't find anything in the ACE catalog for Phlebotomy, but that doesn't mean TESU doesn't award credit- it's worth submitting for evaluation.

Regarding #2- TESU does not have the policy about not testing out after a failed course. That is a common policy, so you're not wrong about that usually being the case, but you'll be able to take them however you like and send them to TESU.

[bjcheung77]

From looking at your spreadsheet, it looks great, I am impressed! You must have read the Beginners Guide, Wiki, and reviewed a few spreadsheets before you did yours... very nicely done. You may want to cross reference what's available at CLEP/Modern States with the accepted/equivalency CLEP list from TESU just in case.

There are a few recommendations, but first - Here are the three links to cross-reference.
MS: https://modernstates.org/course/
TESU: https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/c...am-program
Study.com: https://study.com/directory/school/Thoma...ransferTab

1) I hate to say this, but Skip StraighterLine, as their courses are all lower level now. Stick with the FREE CLEP/MS first.
2) Take your BSBA AOS courses at Study.com, if you want to add a Marketing concentration, it can all be done with them too.
3) Change your Comm 101 Public Speaking to Study.com's Comm 120 - Presentational Skills, it can be done in 1 day.
4) The pricing for your TESU Business Capstone hasn't reflected the Study.com discount yet, it should show $1098.

5) To salvage the ALEKS Precalculus course, you have to have completed it before the "duplicate" change that occurred a month or two ago. Otherwise, it'll duplicate College Algebra, did you take Trigonometry? That doesn't duplicate. Further to this, if you took another Stats course with ALEKS, it should now come in as UL - Intro to Stats remains LL. You can replace any of your General Education Electives or Free electives with this. Your Medical Terminology course will only work in Free Electives.

6) Since Mid 2017, you can now have a double concentration that can include General Management, previously, it was too broad and they didn't allow that option. You can double dip or "reuse" up to 6 credits for your second AOS, such as Marketing. So, if you are taking Digital Marketing & Advertising, you need 5 more courses, one being Marketing Research. My suggestion, take the remainder all at Study.com for "overlap", some content of the other courses would be completed when you start the course.

Last but not least, get a job from any one of those companies that provide tuition reimbursement, they can potentially pay for your capstone course while you work part time with them. I don't think they would pay the residency waiver or other fees. Companies can mostly be found from those fast food chains, such as McDonald's, StarBucks, and my fave - Chipotle.
Example Link: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/compan...nt-4126637

[dfrecore]

Ok, I can't read your degree plan even on my giant 27" screen, it's too small.  But I'll answer questions.

1) Saylor is still available, only Shmoop is not

2) Study.com discounts are still available, just different amounts now ($2200 for the Residency Waiver, still $1098 for the capstone, and the cornerstone isn't available to skip unless you bring in 104cr, so you may have to plan on paying $300 for that course).

3) You can do a GM and Marketing concentration, but really, there's not much point to that - I'd just do the Marketing.  Cheaper, fewer courses to take, and it's a better concentration than General Management if that's what you want to do (any specific major is better than GM, although there's nothing wrong with GM).

4) Here's where everything should go:
College Algebra can be used in the Quantitative Lit area
Stats will be used in the Mathematics area
AP Psych can go in Knowledge of Human Cultures
AP English Lit - not sure if that will fulfill the Written Comm area, since TESU doesn't publicize their AP credit policy and it's been a while since anyone posted on that (so let us know where those go)
MS Word, Excel & Access - Free Elective
Med Terminology & Speech - Free Elective
Phlebotomy courses - 6cr in Free Electives (so you're over in that area at this point, and these will go to "Other courses")

Using CLEP/Modern States, you could get almost all of your gen ed's done, and 7 out of 12 of your GM Core.  Add the free Sophia and Insurance Ethics courses, and your Gen ed will costs a max of $100 going forward (you need that speech course, I would probably suggest the Technical Comm TECEP for $75 or an add-on for a month of Study.com for $70 as your 3rd course in a month).

Saylor will get your your Managerial Accounting, Principles of Finance & Corporate Communications for $25 each.  Sign up for Study.com to get 6 more courses-your 5 Marketing courses, plus International Business (you could choose to do the Speech course through them instead of the TECEP).  You just need 1 final Marketing course - you could do a TECEP for $225 (UL TECEP's are priced higher than LL now), or a CSU-Global CBE for $250 (I might choose this because they have more options).

Finally, take the cornerstone & capstone, apply to graduate, pay the RW,  and you're done.  The entire remaining degree for $4598.  You have at least a year to save up, and if you were able to work somewhere where they'd give you tuition reimbursement, then they would pay $300 for the cornerstone and $1098 for the capstone, so you'd be down to $3200 (I'm assuming they won't pay the residency waiver, but have no idea if they will or not - if they did, you'd be down to only $1000 out of pocket).

If you are looking at companies that will pay Tuition Reimbursement, you may want to look at ones that will let you go anywhere.  Ones that have deals with specific schools won't be helpful in this case, although you could opt to take some courses instead of using ACE.  But that's up to you.  It would take longer, but at your young age and with less work experience under your belt, taking some courses, especially in the major, would be an awesome perk of your job, and be helpful to you).  The one thing you don't want to do is get sucked in and be required to enroll in that school, and have them force you to take your gen eds or something from them - you ONLY want to take UL major courses if possible.

[karaloehrer]

Thank you everyone for your responses! I have taken each piece of advice into consideration. You guys are the best!

To bjcheung77 . . .

I have not taken any other ALEKS course other than College Algebra and Introduction to Statistics. Math is my worst subject and time is running out so I was considering doing a third math to the advantage of the prices, but I think I will use my efforts somewhere else. 

To dfrecore . . .

I will update the forum about where my AP English Language and Composition and AP Psychology is placed on my official evaluation. (I apologize, I wrote down Literature instead of Language accidentally.)

When you say I could fit in the two, 1 credit courses at Sophia, are you referring to the “F. General Education Electives” section in the degree plan? If I did 15 credits of CLEP, plus 2 credits of Sophia, I will hit the 17 credit minimum. But do I have to makeup the 1 lost credit point because of the 2 credit Ethics course from The Institute that fills in the Ethics section which needs 3 credits? So I would actually need 18 credits in this section?

Here my spreadsheet now in Excel form instead of a PDF. I’m sorry, I hope it will be easier to see now.

[dfrecore]

To dfrecore . . .

I will update the forum about where my AP English Language and Composition and AP Psychology is placed on my official evaluation. (I apologize, I wrote down Literature instead of Language accidentally.)

When you say I could fit in the two, 1 credit courses at Sophia, are you referring to the “F. General Education Electives” section in the degree plan? If I did 15 credits of CLEP, plus 2 credits of Sophia, I will hit the 17 credit minimum. But do I have to makeup the 1 lost credit point because of the 2 credit Ethics course from The Institute that fills in the Ethics section which needs 3 credits? So I would actually need 18 credits in this section?

Here my spreadsheet now in Excel form instead of a PDF. I’m sorry, I hope it will be easier to see now.

I agree that if you're not into math, don't spend another moment taking a course even if the price is right!  Skip it and move on.

English Lang & Comp should be just the thing to give you your 6cr for Written Comm, English I & II, so that's great.

1 of the Sophia courses will work in Gen Ed, the other won't.  But it doesn't hurt to do them both, as they're free and quick.

The cornerstone is now a requirement, so you'll have to take that 1cr course as well if you haven't already received the waiver.  But seriously, don't stress about that yet, you're not far enough in that you should worry about it.

The last way to save some money is replace some Study.com/SL courses with Saylor.  They added Prin of Finance, and they have Business Comm and Managerial Acctg, so use those if money is an issue.

[karaloehrer]

I got back the results of my Academic Evaluation.

I got 6 credits for passing the AP English Language and Composition exam with a 3/5. It came in as 3 credits for ENC-101 (English Composition I) and 3 credits for ENC-102 (English Composition II) under the A. Intellectual & Practical Skills section (Written Communication).

I got 3 credits for passing the AP Psychology exam with a 4/5. It came in as PSY-101 (Introduction to Psychology) under the C. Knowledge of Human Cultures section.

Both of my community college classes of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access and Medical Terminology and Speech gave me 3 credits each under the IV. Electives section.

I sent in the proper documentation for my phlebotomy license but there is a note in my evaluation that says they do not give credit for that. My electives section is already filled up so I don't mind but here is the note regarding that for anyone in the future.

"The University cannot award credit for the professional training programs completed through the institutions listed below.

National Healthcare Association- Certified Phlebtotmy Technician

The programs have not been evaluated for academic credit through the American Council on Education (ACE), the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) or through the TESU Office for the Assessment of Professional and Workplace Learning (OAPWL). The Portfolio Assessment (PA) method of earning credit and/or the Thomas Edison State University Testing Program (TECEP) could be considered for the knowledge gained through the completion of these courses. Please visit the University website to learn more about these processes. You may also obtain information about the PA and TECEP programs in the Undergraduate Registration Bulletin."

[karaloehrer]

Do you have to do the Cornerstone before the Capstone? Or can it overlap or even be done together? I want to take my Capstone in February to be eligible for June graduation, so if I have to do the Cornerstone before the Capstone, I would have to sign up to do the Cornerstone for the November term. The deadline is tomorrow, October 13th. I don't want to spend $300 on the Cornerstone just yet because I start my new job on the 22nd so I am strapped for cash right now. I would rather put that towards my StraighterLine courses while I am still on the membership.

[MNomadic]

Do you have to do the Cornerstone before the Capstone? Or can it overlap or even be done together? I want to take my Capstone in February to be eligible for June graduation, so if I have to do the Cornerstone before the Capstone, I would have to sign up to do the Cornerstone for the November term. The deadline is tomorrow, October 13th. I don't want to spend $300 on the Cornerstone just yet because I start my new job on the 22nd so I am strapped for cash right now. I would rather put that towards my StraighterLine courses while I am still on the membership.

Yes you can do both the cornerstone and capstone together. From what everyone says, the cornerstone can be done in less than a day(less than 1-2 hours really).