Long time lurker needs help!

[darthweezy]

I've looked around at posts for months (years) and am ready to get serious about getting a degree.  I'm not too concerned what to get a degree in right now, I just need a piece of paper with my name on it.  Eventually, I want to move to some sort of data/analytics or IT related degree/certificate.  I've tried looking at a lot of the plans but am overwhelmed trying to figure out what my best options are based off of the credits I have.  I was previously in law enforcement and qualify for 39 (plus some other classes) from Rio Salado with their credit by exam which they stated would take around 3 weeks to process.  The other classes I have attached are ones I received when I took a few semesters after high school.  I would like to find a way to raise my GPA as well because there is an outside change I may be interested in grad or law school afterwards.  When I was in school initially I had a surgery that required me to miss the last few weeks of college and all my classes took a nosedive due to my lack of interest in going back for finals.

Any help would be much appreciated and thank you!

[dfrecore]

I'm not certain why you wouldn't just get the degree you actually want - Data Analytics or IT - instead of "any degree."??

[darthweezy]

For work purposes I need the fastest one I can get. I didn't know based off of what I can receive from my TCLEOSE training if I should go with a LA or CJ degree. I would be circling around to a degree in Data Analytics or IT if I chose to switch careers again.

But if the time difference is minimal I would be fine with going after some type of IT degree.

[davewill]

Since time is of the essence, I would move forward with your LE credits while you figure out which degree you really want. Do whatever you need to do with Rio Salado, then go ahead and apply to TESU and/or COSC, and send in all your credits. TESU will take a month from when they receive your info to evaluate them, so the earlier you start, the better. Meanwhile, you can work on GenEds you don't have, as they are largely the same everywhere and for any degree.

[darthweezy]

Would I want to get the full 66 credits or what should I cap it at? I'd hate to pay the fee towards them to find out only half of them were actually needed if that makes sense?

[davewill]

That's harder. Many of them would only be useful as Free Electives in a non-CJ degree. There's room for 27 credits of free electives in most of the TESU BA degrees. You can try asking TESU advising, but you'll have to apply first. I don't know how COSC would use them.

[bjcheung77]

If time is of the essence to get the degree ASAP, then the TESU BALS would be your best option. It'll take in about 20+ into your General Education requirements and 27 into your free electives. After your "promotion", You can then focus on your BSIT or BS Analytics at WGU as your general education/other courses would be complete by then and you'll be able to transfer in more credits than you currently have. My workplace doesn't have tuition reimbursement, but if yours does, you can have them pay for your capstone/cornerstone at TESU and complete the degree within the year. Then for 2020, get them to pay for your WGU BSIT (you get certs along the way too)!