TESU Degree planning

[wxcooper]

Hello Everyone,

New to this forum and very excited to learn about all of the cost efficient options to complete my degree. 

I am 51 years old and currently working as a Senior Systems Analyst in local government. Completing this degree is something I have always

wanted but put on the back burner once I began my career chasing certifications in IT. The one thing about IT certs is they expire and become obsolete.

Completing this degree will unlikely change my career path or Tax status but is a more of a personal goal.

I received my advising worksheet from TESU, and the BSAST in Technical Studies degree will transfer the most credits to degree completion.

On a few separate occasions I reached out to TESU on courses accepted and they were very vague saying I could clep or take courses with them. 

The conversations left me a bit confused as I was thinking I would have to take all of the classes with them since I could only transfer 90.

Finding this forum it seems it is 90 from any single source. I created an account with Sophia and Study.com but have yet to take a course as I see there 

are numerous options and costs. I also saw a thread about teex and how fast some of these classes can be completed.

Would appreciate any help with mapping my advising worksheet to classes that are accepted by TESU.

Thank You Thank You Thank You in advance.

Advising worksheet attached.

[dfrecore]

Since Sophia is cheaper, I'd go with them to do your GE.

Here is what you need for Sophia:

AREA A
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION: English Comp II
ORAL COMMUNICATION: Public Speaking
QUANTITATIVE LITERACY: College Algebra

AREA B
DIVERSITY: Intro to Sociology
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP: Intro to Ethics
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: NOT AVAILABLE

AREA C - nothing needed

AREA D
Need Chem I & II w/labs or Physics I & II w/labs (not available)

AREA E: MATHEMATICS
Need Precalc or higher, not available

GE Electives
REQUIRED: Intro to Statistics
REQUIRED: Intro to IT (I think this works for Computer Concepts requirement)

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Switch to Study.com for math, PM, and Civic Engagement:
POLS 103: Comparative Politics (you could also opt for InstantCertCredit's American Government instead)
MAT 103: Precalculus
BUS 311: Project Management (I think UL is required which is why I suggest Study.com instead of Sophia)

-----------------------------------------------

For science, it's going to be a bit harder, as you need science with labs, and unfortunately, I don't think they will take Study.com's Chem I & II w/labs, even though they are VERY similar to TESU's own courses. I might ask about it though. They also don't take Straighterline's Chem I w/Lab for this that I can tell (based on the course equivalency number).

Portage Learning has Chem I w/Lab and Chem II w/Lab, for a price of $792 each (lab included I think). That will probably be your fastest option. Even if you found them at a school, having to take a semester of I and then a semester of II will make it a long time before you're done. Schools like APU have them, but they're 16-week courses.

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I'm sure someone on here with more experience will give you more info on with the science portion.

[rachel83az]

TEL Learning has Chem I with lab for $267. You'd still need to take Chem II elsewhere but that would save you some money.

Precalculus with ALEKS for $20/mo is probably a better choice than precalc from SDC. Even if it takes you 2 or 3 months to finish precalculus, that's still cheaper than SDC.

Sophia's Intro to IT does come in as CIS-107 which is required as part of the degree.

[dfrecore]

TEL Learning has Chem I with lab for $267. You'd still need to take Chem II elsewhere but that would save you some money.

Precalculus with ALEKS for $20/mo is probably a better choice than precalc from SDC. Even if it takes you 2 or 3 months to finish precalculus, that's still cheaper than  SDC.

Sophia's Intro to IT does come in as CIS-107 which is required as part of the degree.

This will work if TESU will accept it as Chem I - and I'm not sure they will.  The seem to be very picky with this stuff.  I think taking 2 courses in sequence from the same school/provider may give you the best opportunity for them to accept it.  But if someone has taken this and TESU brought it in as CHE-111/121 instead of just CHE-101 or CHE-104, then it's a good option to consider.

I just said Study.com's Precalc because if you already have to take Project Management, then you may as well take whatever else you can take while you're paying for membership (but I absolutely LOATHE ALEKS, so there's another reason I never recommend it to anyone - it's horrible).

[rachel83az]

I love ALEKS! It's definitely a personal preference thing.

Another option would be to skip chem and do physics instead. SL's physics with lab is PHY-115 at TESU and that would work for your requirements.

I think NMJC has either Physics II or Chem II (I forget which; maybe both?) and some other student has mentioned taking it to fulfill their BS degree requirements.

[wxcooper]

Wow !! Thank you all so much. I posted this morning and already have a clearer objective than 4 help desk tickets with TESU.

I will keep you all posted on my journey and thanks again !

[bjcheung77]

Question for you wxcooper, are you going to be paying the residency waiver fee or would you rather take some courses at TESU? You have the cornerstone covered, the only course needed would be the Capstone and the hefty residency waiver fee. I would recommend a mix of providers to get your general education courses completed, I would work on the science courses LAST (before or along with Capstone).

[wxcooper]

Question for you wxcooper, are you going to be paying the residency waiver fee or would you rather take some courses at TESU?  You have the cornerstone covered, the only course needed would be the Capstone and the hefty residency waiver fee.  I would recommend a mix of providers to get your general education courses completed, I would work on the science courses LAST (before or along with Capstone).

I am a NJ resident. I have not looked into the residency waiver as I assumed (which may be a mistake) I don't
have to pay it. Here is the status on my profile:

STUDENT STATUS: NJIAC NJ RESIDENT ON INACTIVE STAT

[rachel83az]

The "residency" waiver here has to do with TESU and not with NJ. If you do not take at least 16 credits at TESU, you have to pay a fee of $3125. If you take 16 or more TESU credits, you do not have to pay this fee.

This is separate from in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.

[dfrecore]

Question for you wxcooper, are you going to be paying the residency waiver fee or would you rather take some courses at TESU?  You have the cornerstone covered, the only course needed would be the Capstone and the hefty residency waiver fee.  I would recommend a mix of providers to get your general education courses completed, I would work on the science courses LAST (before or along with Capstone).

I would actually do the science courses right away, as you're going to have to take at least the 2nd course AFTER the 1st one, no matter which way you go. Since you're close to being done, it makes sense to start on the science sequence right away (or in conjunction with your other courses).

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The "residency" waiver here has to do with TESU and not with NJ. If you do not take at least 16 credits at TESU, you have to pay a fee of $3125. If you take 16 or more TESU credits, you do not have to pay this fee.

This is separate from in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.

Just to explain further, TESU makes you pay for your degree by either taking courses through them (16cr worth) or via a residency waiver (with residency pertaining to taking courses there, rather than it being about where you live).  Since you're in-state, your fees are less than normal, so that's good.

You have 3 options - take the cornerstone and capstone there, and then pay the residency waiver (so $5586 + cost of 1 or 2 science courses).  Or take 16cr in a single term (a lot, I wouldn't suggest it) and pay the flat rate tuition of $3579.  Or take 9cr in 1 term and 9cr in the next term, and pay $7158.  Your science courses would be taken at TESU.

It's just up to you how you want to do it, and what you think you can handle.