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New to this, need advice
#1
Hi, this is my first post after learning about this forum today. I have questions about getting a bachelor's degree from credit-by-examination, but first some background..

I'm American, early 20's, and have no credit that can go towards a bachelor's degree. I've only been made aware of "testing out" of college very recently. My current understanding is to get a degree plan from one of the "big three" and fulfill the requirements using CLEPS, DSST, UEXCEL and TECEP (from Excelsior and TESU respectively). My goal is to get ANY bachelors degree to fulfill a visa requirement so I can work overseas, I'm currently looking at BALS from TESU as the easiest/most flexible. Why I think this non-traditional way is best for me, is because I was home-schooled and know how to learn at my own pace and am able study independently. Now some questions..

Which bachelor's degrees (from any school) can be completed by only testing out of the requirements?

How can I know with accuracy which credits will satisfy a degree's requirements, and can they change?

Why would it be better to take exams before or after enrolling, and what can I use to bank my credits?

What financial aids can I use to help fund exams, and other costs? *I believe I'm eligible for Pell Grant.

Where can I find study materials for the exams (preferably free) and what are some recommendations?

Who ever has already done this, could you please explain to me your strategies, or refer me to a guide?

The more detailed the answers the better, as I'm unfamiliar with higher education in general, having never pursued anything beyond a GED. It took me a moment to understand the credit system, for instance, and acronyms. I think after I complete my goal, I'll stay as a member of this forum to also provide guidance and share my strategies in the future. Having only looked at a couple of posts today (and forgive me if my post is already familiar) I can tell there's a wealth of information that I hope to contribute to. I want to thank everyone in advance for your time, advice, and answers.
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#2
Here is the link to the forum's wiki pages - start here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Degree_Forum_Wiki
Amberton University
- MS Human Relations and Business - 2022
Thomas Edison State University (TESU)
- BSBA General Management - 2018
- ASNSM Computer Science -2018

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#3
What kind of positions are you looking for overseas? I've lived most of my adult life abroad and been on hiring committees, if you have any questions.

Either way, I typically recommend getting started with any of the free credit sources, like Sophia.org, and working your way through those for a while. You'll be signing up for an ACE account for free and "depositing" your accumulated credits in it as you go along. You can pull in a variety of credits from multiple sources, but you'll have to take some courses at the university that you choose, so it's not fully testing out of a degree.

Shanghai Intl. School Leadership Team Member, College Counselor, SAT-, PSAT-, & SSD-Coordinator. Reverts to PADI Divemaster when near a coast.

BS Anthropology (Minors: History, Brazilian Studies) | Tulane (3.90, summa cum laude)
BA History & Political Science (Minors: Pre-Law, Intl. Studies, Social Studies, Criminal Justice, & Business Admin) | UMPI 
MS Early Childhood Studies: Administration, Management, & Leadership | Walden (3.90)
Certificate Teachers College College Advising Program | Columbia
Certificate College Access Counseling | Rice
Certificate College Admissions Specialist | American School Counselors Association
Goals: A) EdD/MS in Higher Ed; B) 51/195 Countries; C) Find 3rd good hamburger in Shanghai (accomplished June '19, August '21, and...?)

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#4
You can get the Pell grant if you're taking actual courses at a college. You can use your Pell at the Big3, but since the tuition at the Big3 are rather high, one approach that people use is to take online courses, either at their local community college (CC) or if their local CCs are too expensive, one of the New Mexico CCs. That will usually pay for their tuition and books there AND leave money left over to be used to pay for alternative credit.

The best way to formulate a working degree plan is the way you're doing it here. Read the Wiki link above and a lot of posts on the forum. After a bit, you'll start to understand the process a lot better. Ask questions as they hit you in this thread. Once, you've settled on a school and a degree, we can help you plan it.
NanoDegree: Intro to Self-Driving Cars (2019)
Coursera: Stanford Machine Learning (2019)
TESU: BA in Comp Sci (2016)
TECEP:Env Ethics (2015); TESU PLA:Software Eng, Computer Arch, C++, Advanced C++, Data Struct (2015); TESU Courses:Capstone, Database Mngmnt Sys, Op Sys, Artificial Intel, Discrete Math, Intro to Portfolio Dev, Intro PLA (2014-16); DSST:Anthro, Pers Fin, Astronomy (2014); CLEP:Intro to Soc (2014); Saylor.org:Intro to Computers (2014); CC: 69 units (1980-88)

PLA Tips Thread - TESU: What is in a Portfolio?
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#5
With TESUs recent fee increase they are no longer the cheapest. And it is actually cheaper to take 16 credits at TESU now than it is transfer in all but 6. Especially if you get the Pell Grant it might be a good idea to take some courses at TESU, you can still transfer in most of it.
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#6
I think COSC is a better option for a BALS or BSLS, as that's a more flexible option - and they costs about $2000 less than TESU.

I recommend spending a couple of weeks reading everything you can on this forum. And doing Modern States CLEP -prep to take some free CLEP exams while you're doing that.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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#7
Hi everyone. I've been looking into many other posts and the wiki page, and had my questions pretty much answered! I'm now taking courses from modernstates.org in preparation for the CLEP exams. I want to get the GE requirements out of the way, then worry about the specifics later. I know at some point I'm going to have to enroll at TESU and take some of their classes, at least 16 credits worth (thanks natshar). I've also made an ACE account!

I want to complete my degree sooner than later, because working overseas has been a dream of mine. In response to ChiGuy, I'm looking to teach English as a foreign language. Specifically Japan, and as someone who's only worked in IT, I can appreciate how technologically advanced the country is. Not to be confused, a technician is what I'm good at but I aspire to be a teacher, what I'm doing now only happened by luck and is not what I want in the long run.

I know there are more choices than TESU, and to be honest, my reasoning behind choosing TESU is simply because "university" is in the name. I've been told by people that in East Asia (in general) they prefer university over college, and names like Excelsior for example may not be taken seriously by employers.

I did have a question as I was looking into TESU's general education requirements. I saw one of the requirements is SOS-110 and that it can only be taken at TESU, like the capstone. Since it's now cheaper to take more classes (because of the residency waiver fee) I'm wondering which classes to take for the 16 credits. Also, would it be possible to take them all in one semester, including the capstone? I'm not at that point yet but if all goes accordingly, I'll have to figure everything out within the year.

I found a degree plan on the wiki for a BA in Psychology, for now I'll be using it as a template as it seems to be the most up-to-date (and I may even pursue it instead of liberal studies, who knows). After CLEP has been conquered I think the next plan of action is Straighterline and then Study.com for the UL credits. I want to post my plans as I go through them, and as they change, to keep track of myself and perhaps act as a road-map for others as well. I'll be updating this thread with new info and questions as I come across them.
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#8
SOS 110 is 3 credits
Capstone is 3 credits
So you need at least 10 more credits to take at TESU. You can take all 16 at once but that might prove overwhelming. Since you want to teach English maybe consider an English degree. It's one of the degrees that can't be earned all via alternative credits but that's ok if you are going to take 16 credits at TESU.

Heres the Major:

Area of Study: English 33

Survey of Literature I & II: Either the American Lit or Brit Lit CLEP (each is worth 6 credits)

Analysis and Interpretation of Literature: Analyzing Lit CLEP

Nonwestern Literature: @TESU (UL)

Capstone: LIB-495 Liberal Arts Capstone @TESU

English Electives 18 credits:
Use study.com, TECEP, American or Brit Lit CLEP (whichever one you didn't count for above)
You need 18 UL credit total in the English major. You already got 6 UL from non western lit and capstone. Do 9 credits (3 courses) of the English electives at TESU and if you want to make them UL because I don't where else to get them besides one or two from study.com. If you can find the UL somewhere else other than TESU take LL english AOS. Also, TESU offers a 1 credit Jane Austen course that counts for English. This way you can take exactly 16 credits.

16 credits at TESU
3 sos 110
3 capstone
9 credits English AOS
1 credit Jane Austen English

Note the rest of the degree plan is the same as Liberal Studies with gen eds and free electives you could use alternative credits for all that. If you plan on taking 16 credits at TESU anyways, this would cost the same as liberal studies degree, but be better your situation. This would be a lot to do in one term unless you had no job or were super dedicated. You could break it into two terms. The first term you could also do some ACE credit on the side too. The second term would have your capstone so you probably would have to be done with everything or almost everything.

If you want some quick easy credits. Some CLEP exams grant six credits, and if you know a foreign language you could get up to 9 via CLEP. I can't recommend CSM enough for math for a BA at TESU! Seriously do it!! If you did all the free credits you would already have 16 credits, add in CSM and you would at 19 credits all for $39.
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#9
If you're looking to get ANY degree, and you've worked in IT, you might want to consider getting an IT degree at WGU - it actually may be your fastest and cheapest option. You can transfer in a bunch of credits (90), but but you may only need to transfer in 60-80 and still be able to finish in a single term, depending on how quickly you can get through everything.

Just a thought. And, it has University in the name for what it's worth.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
[-] The following 3 users Like dfrecore's post:
  • davewill, natshar, Sapientes
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#10
(07-23-2019, 05:18 AM)dfrecore Wrote: If you're looking to get ANY degree, and you've worked in IT, you might want to consider getting an IT degree at WGU - it actually may be your fastest and cheapest option. You can transfer in a bunch of credits (90), but but you may only need to transfer in 60-80 and still be able to finish in a single term, depending on how quickly you can get through everything.

Just a thought.  And, it has University in the name for what it's worth.

If the OP has a significant number of IT certs, then he may even have a bigger leg up.

That said, if I truly wanted to make teaching my vocation, I'd think my long term goals through, then pick my degree to further them rather than just taking the fastest or cheapest. "Checking the box" makes more sense for people who are staying in their current career.
NanoDegree: Intro to Self-Driving Cars (2019)
Coursera: Stanford Machine Learning (2019)
TESU: BA in Comp Sci (2016)
TECEP:Env Ethics (2015); TESU PLA:Software Eng, Computer Arch, C++, Advanced C++, Data Struct (2015); TESU Courses:Capstone, Database Mngmnt Sys, Op Sys, Artificial Intel, Discrete Math, Intro to Portfolio Dev, Intro PLA (2014-16); DSST:Anthro, Pers Fin, Astronomy (2014); CLEP:Intro to Soc (2014); Saylor.org:Intro to Computers (2014); CC: 69 units (1980-88)

PLA Tips Thread - TESU: What is in a Portfolio?
[-] The following 1 user Likes davewill's post:
  • Sapientes
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