New to the game... looking for some guidance!

[Isa]

I'm sure there are constantly post like this, and I'm unsure if I'm in the right thread. Nonetheless I'm here to ask for help!

A little about me. I'm 17 just graduating High School, though I'm taking my entire senior year at a local university. I took 4 classes plus a lab my first semester, and am currently taking 5 plus a lab this semester. Looking at options for the future, I can't afford college, and to be frank I'm not super enthralled by the experience. I don't see the point in paying for my own daycare.
I'm planning on moving out to AZ next year and work as a Window Cleaner, and hopefully earn my BA in that time (one year); At the moment I'm considering a BA in History, English, Liberal Arts, or Sociology (I'm open to suggestions on degrees that are more time and cost efficient. And very little math, it's not my forte.) I don't particularly care what kind of BA I have, I just need one along with a TEFL Certification so I can teach out of the U.S. I do plan on getting a Masters, but that will be in Argentina for dirt cheap.

From what I understand, I should be looking at one of the big Three. I've narrowed it down to TESU or COSC, and was curious if TESU is still more cost efficient with their new policy changes? And to make sure I read correctly, does TESU have a much larger selection of degrees to choose from? Would COSC work better for me since I will already have a year of college + ACE?
(By the way any suggestions for places to earn credit to put on ACE?) :willynilly:

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You,
Isa

[Prloko]

What's stopping you from going to Argentina now? You can be a window cleaner anywhere, and TESU and COSC are distance education schools.

[Isa]

What's stopping you from going to Argentina now? You can be a window cleaner anywhere, and TESU and COSC are distance education schools.

Money. An education in Argentina is free but the cost of living isn't. I need a safety pillow, and general life experience before I isolate myself in a foreign country. I have free rent and a car waiting for me in Arizona.
Yes I understand they are distance education!
Thank You
Isa

[cookderosa]

I'm sure there are constantly post like this, and I'm unsure if I'm in the right thread. Nonetheless I'm here to ask for help!

A little about me. I'm 17 just graduating High School, though I'm taking my entire senior year at a local university. I took 4 classes plus a lab my first semester, and am currently taking 5 plus a lab this semester. Looking at options for the future, I can't afford college, and to be frank I'm not super enthralled by the experience. I don't see the point in paying for my own daycare.
I'm planning on moving out to AZ next year and work as a Window Cleaner, and hopefully earn my BA in that time (one year); At the moment I'm considering a BA in History, English, Liberal Arts, or Sociology (I'm open to suggestions on degrees that are more time and cost efficient. And very little math, it's not my forte.) I don't particularly care what kind of BA I have, I just need one along with a TEFL Certification so I can teach out of the U.S. I do plan on getting a Masters, but that will be in Argentina for dirt cheap.

From what I understand, I should be looking at one of the big Three. I've narrowed it down to TESU or COSC, and was curious if TESU is still more cost efficient with their new policy changes? And to make sure I read correctly, does TESU have a much larger selection of degrees to choose from? Would COSC work better for me since I will already have a year of college + ACE?
(By the way any suggestions for places to earn credit to put on ACE?) :willynilly:

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thank You,
Isa

Argentina is an excellent option for your bachelor's degree too. University of Buenos Aires Universidad de Buenos Aires is the largest and top ranked public university in the country. Tuition is: FREE
They offer about 100 majors, which are not all taught in English, however, if you speak Spanish, you're golden.

EDIT to add: Argentinean families open their homes as host families in addition to the more independent option of an apartment, but what if you and a friend enrolled together? If I'm being honest, I wouldn't be thrilled to know my teen was heading out of the country alone, but with a friend, I'd feel soooo much better.

[Isa]

Argentina is an excellent option for your bachelor's degree too. University of Buenos Aires Universidad de Buenos Aires is the largest and top ranked public university in the country. Tuition is: FREE
They offer about 100 majors, which are not all taught in English, however, if you speak Spanish, you're golden.

EDIT to add: Argentinean families open their homes as host families in addition to the more independent option of an apartment, but what if you and a friend enrolled together? If I'm being honest, I wouldn't be thrilled to know my teen was heading out of the country alone, but with a friend, I'd feel soooo much better.

Yes I had been planning on going to Argentina for my Bachelors at first, I do speak Spanish. My parents don't really have a preference on which direction I go in life, as long as its forward. There happen to be a lot of road blocks to reach Argentina(mostly financial), flights alone are very pricey, meaning once I leave the country there's a very low chance of me visiting home for years. (My family has no money, and I'm certainly not built of cash.) And while the cost of living is lower than in the US, its pricier than most countries in South America. Host families require money to help out (with reason), and a room can be 200 dollars a month. But living off of $600/month a minimum while working and studying full time for 5 years. Well... I'm glad there are alternative routs to a degree.

I'ts financially more responsible for me to pursue my BA through Testing out, than any other opportunity I have yet to come across.
I realize that this process is not in any regards easy, and requires intense application and organization.
So any advice you have towards succeeding in this process would be so helpful.

And thank you for your information!

Isa eeya:

[SwaggyP]

You said you're moving to AZ next year and want to earn your BA then? Do you mean sometime in 2017 or next school year as in Fall 2016? Either way, for now, you need to complete a FAFSA and maximize Federal Pell Grants. Where ever in the United States you happen to be, locate the nearest Community College and register (They'll most likely have on-line classes so you can continue working and earning money if that's the plan). Assuming you receive the maximum Pell award, it will be more than enough to cover tuition at any CC, and the excess amount will be refunded to you in the form of a check. Which you can then use to purchase books, school necessities, take more classes that Pell funds don't cover (ACE approved on-line courses), or even use towards the fees at TESU or COSC. To even make the most of this whole plan, first choose a Big 3 school where you want a degree from, pick a major, review it's requirements and and then assess where those classes are accessed and how much those credits are going to cost. You can do this on the cheap, with little to no out of pocket costs, when maximizing Pell money (spread it out over a year or two, unless there's a rush to get to S. America) and strategically taking the right CC classes, ACE approved classes, finding appropriate Upper Level courses to transfer in, etc.

[KayV]

Which classes have you already taken, Isa? And what are you taking now? SwaggyP has excellent advice above about using Pell Grants. And the more you tell us about your credits, the more we can help.

[rebel100]

Your mention of Arizona and SwaggyP's mention of Pell got me thinking. You should be aware that New Mexico Junior College is both an incredible bargain based on tuition rates AND it is one of only a handful of CC's in the country that has dormitories like a traditional four year school.

Choose double occupancy for the semester at only $825, get a meal plan for the semester for $1200, and 12+ credits tuition is only $1000ish. You would need to be creative, but this is doable.

http://www.nmjc.edu/assets/documents/RES...ES1516.pdf

Tuition and Fees - New Mexico Junior College


Oh, and they accept plenty of CLEP too...http://www.nmjc.edu/assets/documents/Col...rogram.pdf

Do a good job in your classes and earn membership in PTK and scholarship opportunities should open up for you to complete the Bachelors.

[cookderosa]

Yes I had been planning on going to Argentina for my Bachelors at first, I do speak Spanish. My parents don't really have a preference on which direction I go in life, as long as its forward. There happen to be a lot of road blocks to reach Argentina(mostly financial), flights alone are very pricey, meaning once I leave the country there's a very low chance of me visiting home for years. (My family has no money, and I'm certainly not built of cash.) And while the cost of living is lower than in the US, its pricier than most countries in South America. Host families require money to help out (with reason), and a room can be 200 dollars a month. But living off of $600/month a minimum while working and studying full time for 5 years. Well... I'm glad there are alternative routs to a degree.

I'ts financially more responsible for me to pursue my BA through Testing out, than any other opportunity I have yet to come across.
I realize that this process is not in any regards easy, and requires intense application and organization.
So any advice you have towards succeeding in this process would be so helpful.

And thank you for your information!

Isa eeya:

that's very wise. You're doing the math and making a plan- you're miles ahead of most of the people your age. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[DBRENNAN118]

Make sure you take the Spanish CLEP...9 easy credits!