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If I knew then
#11
laughter Wrote:May I know what are your reasons for choosing a state college instead of one of the big three?
To prevent confusion, it's worth noting that two of the big three are state colleges.
BS, Information Systems concentration, Charter Oak State College
MA in Educational Technology Leadership, George Washington University
18 doctoral level semester-hours in Business Administration, Baker College
In progress: EdD in Educational Leadership, Manhattanville College

More at https://stevefoerster.com
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#12
My "If I knew then" is a little bit different. I had a great traditional undergrad and master's experience, but I wish I had waited to find the degree I really wanted (Ph.D or Ed.D) from an online program or nearby university, instead of "settling" for an Ed.S. Now I have an Ed.S, and it's a terminal degree, but I still wish I had a doctorate. It's hard to justify the expense, though, when it won't increase my step on the salary schedule at all. Oh well, it did what I needed it to do, and why on earth am I whining about having a terminal degree? Wink
BA, MA, EdS, MMT, etc.
83 hours of ACE-worthy credits
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#13
If I could rewind I probably wouldn't have transferred to different universities meanwhile losing all those valuable credits with each transfer. I probably would've had a decent Div. 3 basketball career playing in front of hundreds to add to my legacy. As opposed to transferring and being a ball hog in intramurals wearing white fruit of the loom undershirts with magic markered numbers on it playing in front of nobody, literally nobody. More recently I probably would've gone to a B&M online program instead of TESC, maybe CSUDH, CSUF, ASU, or even CSU Fort Collins or Pueblo.
TESC AA
TESC BA June 2010
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#14
In 2010, at the ripe old age of 23, I had dropped out of two big state schools where I had full academic scholarships, a college soccer career...and a miserable life.

As I'm sure many of you feel, the "college experience" was never for me even though it was ingrained in me through social norms, parents, peers, etc.

Now that I have about 90 hours done, spanning over 5 different schools, including 2 community colleges I attended after I had dropped out of my 2 initial state schools, I feel I have a good grasp on what each had to offer and here is what I would have done differently:

1. Instead of focusing on getting a full ride, and choosing my school from there, I would have focused on getting into the best school possible, even if it included no scholarship aid. There seem to be 2 schools of thought on this, both of which I can understand. For me, getting into an Ivy, Rice, or Stanford, would have been a worthy investment...and it was probably possible coming out of high school due to my GPA and test scores. Instead, I took the "easy way out" and took the full ride to good, but not great schools with huge class sizes and students who didn't seem to share the same outlook on life both academically and socially as myself (I now know this to not be true, but we're all snowflakes when we're young).

2. If I didn't go that route, and instead "settled," I would have CLEP'd/dsst'd out of as many lower level courses as possible before enrolling in one of my first choice schools where I received my scholarships. One of the things that always bothered me about attending college was taking classes that I felt I had already taken in high school, or classes that didn't interest me and weren't relevant to my major/career path. Instead, I was bogged down taking a myriad classes that didn't appeal to me and killed most of my enthusiasm in those schools very early on. This was a key for me as I thrive on that passion and drive or immersing myself in the subject matter I find useful. Everything else seems like a waste.

3. If those had failed, I wish I had found TESC sooner. I've been burning through credits very quickly, and it looks like I'll be finishing my degree at the latest by March, which would give me 60 earned CH in about 5 months. I can't tell all of you how excited I was when I stumbled upon this site with vague references to CLEPs/DSSTs/The "big 3" and other common sayings that seemed alien to me.

This is the path for me. I believe this is the path for those who need a second chance, for those who take the road less traveled, and for those who persevere. It has been so refreshing being able to do things "my way." Self-guidance just works for some people, especially those who thrive on momentum. You can just go, go, go for 6 months and BOOM, you may be done with your degree before you know it.

Still, there are some things that I have been considering and some advice I have for new students as I weave through this labyrinth of alternative degree completion:

1. Plan your classes/workload with your end goal in mind - If there's a specific graduate program you would like to get into after this, plan with that in mind. Take the classes necessary, complete the number of graded credits necessary (UExcel's can help with that), and do everything you can to help with the admissions process. This is something I see people struggling with sometimes coming out of the big 3, and it can be avoided.

2. Understand opportunity cost - Saylor courses are free and proctored testing is only about $25, which may sound great to many people..but consider how much time you'll spend on that course vs. a UExcel, CLEP, DSST, Straighterline or TECEP with potentially easier material and more comprehensive study guides. If it takes you 2 weeks to finish the Saylor course and study enough to pass the subsequent NCCRS exam, but only takes you 1 week to study for a UExcel and pass it, is that extra week of studying really worth $100 in savings PLUS not having a graded course? Or, in the case of the TECEP, is it worth the $80 saving plus not having it count towards the 24-hour residency requirement? This can obviously go both ways, but again, I implore you, seek out those courses that provide you with good opportunity cost return, and a good value in case of transfer or application towards a graduate program. In the long run, this method will save you time, which is even more valuable than money since it can be turned into wage-earning hours, or being able to spend time with your loved ones.

I'm sure there's more but I'll end it there. For anyone reading this, just know that your situation IS unique to you, but that the support you'll receive here is invaluable and this board has people who have been there.
2015: TESC - BSBA in General Management - In Progress (expected completion early 2015)

2010: A Couple Community Colleges - 57 LL hours transferred (3.96 cumulative GPA)

2006-2008: A Couple Big State Schools - 30 hours withdrawn "W" and 6 hours transferred (3.66 cumulative GPA)

GMAT to be taken December 2014

Yeah, I'm all over the place. Bring on the TESECs!
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