Need advice on school choice and quickest plan for completion

[zabimaru1000]

About me: I've been on and off school for the past decade. Now I'm deciding to be fully committed in finishing undergrad as soon as possible.
I have looked into some of the plans on the wiki for TESU, Excelsior, and WGU. However I'm not quite sure which school on my list or outside would best suit me.

I have not taken any courses from Sophia/Study/Straighterline or completed any tests yet, but I'm looking into starting with those to knock out as much as possible.
I have test anxiety, especially if it is in person or there is a very stick in the mud person from online proctoring systems. Would prefer a school that's assessment based and/or does non proctored examinations, but I'll accept live proctored exams if there's not much choice in the matter.

Location: California, United States
Age: 28
What kind of degree do you want?: Computer Science

Current Regional Accredited Credits: 
University of California, Davis (2013/2014)
EEC 001 - Introduction to Electrical & Computer Engineering (2 units)
ECS 010 - Intro to Programming / Python (4 units)
MAT 21A - Calculus I (4 units)
UWP 001Y - Expository Writing (4 units)

City College of San Francisco (2015 - 2022, on and off)
CS 110A - Intro to Programming: C++ (3 units)
CS 110B - Programming Fundamentals: C++ (4 units)
MATH 110A - Calculus I (5 units)
CNIT 201C - Introduction to Cisco Networks (3 units)
CNIT 40 - DNS Security (1 unit)
CNIT 120 - Network Security (3 units)
CS 160A - Introduction to Unix/Linux (2 units)
CS 110C - Data Structures & Algortihms (4 units)

Total: 14 quarter units, 25 semester units
  
Budget: I have about $20k out of pocket. Budget isn't as much of an issue due to my parents willing to help out on tuition   
Commitments: Only part time work. 24 hours per week, 8 hour shifts from 1:45 to 10:15pm
Dedicated time to study: At least 16 hours per week, but can adjust to as much as needed to complete the degree as soon as possible.
Timeline: Ideally as soon as possible. Unsure if 12-18 months or less is doable.
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: Parents are willing to support for any class fees needed.

[bjcheung77]

@zabimaru1000, You have all the RA (Regionally Accredited) credits you need for TESU, so it really depends if you want to go the SNHU, TESU, or WGU option for Bachelors in Computer Science.  It really depends on your choices and weighing the variables, I would recommend TESU BACS over the other two... Excelsior doesn't have that option, nor other Competency Based Degree providers such as PUG, UMass Global, or UMPI.

My suggestion is to decide if you want to pay the residency waiver fee and just take two courses at TESU by transferring all the remaining requirements with the Sophia.org/Study.com combo, or if you want to take the 16 credits for residency requirements.  SNHU/WGU allows up to 90 credits, however, WGU may have a course or two that doesn't have alternative credit options to get you to that 90 credit...

Here's the WIKI for TESU degree plans, I suggest the BACS/BSBA, you can select either: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:TESU
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

[zabimaru1000]

@zabimaru1000, You have all the RA (Regionally Accredited) credits you need for TESU, so it really depends if you want to go the SNHU, TESU, or WGU option for Bachelors in Computer Science.  It really depends on your choices and weighing the variables, I would recommend TESU BACS over the other two... Excelsior doesn't have that option, nor other Competency Based Degree providers such as PUG, UMass Global, or UMPI.

My suggestion is to decide if you want to pay the residency waiver fee and just take two courses at TESU by transferring all the remaining requirements with the Sophia.org/Study.com combo, or if you want to take the 16 credits for residency requirements.  SNHU/WGU allows up to 90 credits, however, WGU may have a course or two that doesn't have alternative credit options to get you to that 90 credit...

Here's the WIKI for TESU degree plans, I suggest the BACS/BSBA, you can select either: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:TESU
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)

@bjcheung77

Is there any way to check which of my RA credits transfer over, or would I need to send a transcript for evaluation first?
If I already have all my RAs, then I can just opt to pay the residency fee. In that case that leaves the capstone, but what is the other TESU exclusive course?
How much more extra is put into BACS/BSBA as opposed to just BACS?

[rachel83az]

TESU will take all of your RA classes, assuming you got at least a C. (Technically, I think they take C- or D grades, but not in the AOS). If you want to confirm, it'd cost $50 to apply and another $50 to pay for (but not take) the Medical Terminology TECEP.

If you're paying the residency waiver, the BSBA CIS/BACS combo would cost about $2000 more than the BACS alone ($519 per TESU credit x 3 credits for the Business capstone).

For all degrees, TESU makes you take their cornerstone course SOS-1100.

[zabimaru1000]

TESU will take all of your RA classes, assuming you got at least a C. (Technically, I think they take C- or D grades, but not in the AOS). If you want to confirm, it'd cost $50 to apply and another $50 to pay for (but not take) the Medical Terminology TECEP.

If you're paying the residency waiver, the BSBA CIS/BACS combo would cost about $2000 more than the BACS alone ($519 per TESU credit x 3 credits for the Business capstone).

For all degrees, TESU makes you take their cornerstone course SOS-1100.

Gotcha. Is there a maximum amount of credits that can be transferred over? Ideally I would like to mostly complete this with my RAs and Sophia/Study.com courses, or would it be totally feasible to transfer over everything, and then take the cornerstone and capstone?

I'm not sure what's the right call between completing Sophia/study.com before applying or enrolling and then taking it.

[Kab]

First of all: Welcome!

Since you have some RA credits seems that probably one of TESU requirements is not a problem for you.
TESU has CS degrees and allows to transfer all in (but then you have to pay an extra 3k fee) or take some, 15, credits with them to avoid the fee.
Maybe start to do the General education(which you will need and have no course at the moment) on Sophia to use the time in the most efficient way and speed things up while you decide. Then some people here can help you out with the others options to fulfill the AOS.
Do you have any certification at the moment from any of the major providers? Some can carry some credits value.
There is more information you can start to search in the web page that some admins and other forum members had build up to help find the way to a degree in https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Degree_Forum_Wiki .
Lets hope to see you graduating in some months!

---

ok...I was a little to slow writing! Some people answer quicker! ooops...!

[rachel83az]

TESU has CS degrees and allows to transfer all in (but then you have to pay an extra 3k fee) or take some, 15, credits with them to avoid the fee.  

It's actually 16 TESU credits required, not 15. 16 is a silly number, IMO, but it is what it is.

[zabimaru1000]

From what I know is, the 16 TESU credits is needed to waive the residency fee. But if I choose to pay that fee, does that mean I only take 2 TESU courses while the rest is covered by transfer credit?

[rachel83az]

From what I know is, the 16 TESU credits is needed to waive the residency fee. But if I choose to pay that fee, does that mean I only take 2 TESU courses while the rest is covered by transfer credit?

Yes, you can transfer in up to 114 credits out of 120 for each degree. (Overage credits won't apply to the degree, but will appear on your transcript.)

If you do a BACS + BSBA CIS, you'd need 3 TESU classes: Cornerstone, Liberal Studies Capstone, and Business Capstone.

[zabimaru1000]

From what I know is, the 16 TESU credits is needed to waive the residency fee. But if I choose to pay that fee, does that mean I only take 2 TESU courses while the rest is covered by transfer credit?

Yes, you can transfer in up to 114 credits out of 120 for each degree. (Overage credits won't apply to the degree, but will appear on your transcript.)

If you do a BACS + BSBA CIS, you'd need 3 TESU classes: Cornerstone, Liberal Studies Capstone, and Business Capstone.

I looked at the school website and I'm a bit confused. Because I attended a community college, I'm only allowed to transfer up to 90 credits max?

https://www.tesu.edu/admissions/transfer-credit
- If you studied at an accepted institutionally accredited community college, you may transfer and apply up to 90 credits.

- If you studied at an accepted institutionally accredited four-year institution, you may fulfill all your degree requirements with transfer credit except the two required courses from TESU:
SOS-1100: Fact, Fiction or Fake? Information Literacy Today
Capstone Course

- If you have studied at more than one institution, we can accept your credits, provided the institutions have an accepted institutional accreditation.