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Value of an Associate degree.
#1
Almost completed the AA portion of my degree and am tempted to get the associate as a stand alone, from what I understand financial aid covers the residency waiver fee. Plus locks in some requirements that pertain to my catalog year, so I don't have to worry about catalog changing on me. For the BA portion do they ask for SOS 110 at TESU if it has been already fulfilled in the AA with a different course and one has got the associate degree? Just trying to save money. I know it seems counterproductive, but it makes more sense to me to pay the fee than having to retake an additional class down the road because the catalog changed.
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#2
If you are talking about TESU financial aid does NOT cover the residency fee. But it will cover SOS-110, however, in order to get aid you must take at least 6 credits during the same term. So you'd have to think of another course you want to take alongside SOS-110.

If you already took SOS-110, you don't need to take it again. So if you get an associate with SOS-110, if you get a bachelor's from TESU even if it is a year or two later you won't need to do SOS-110 again because it is already done.

The issue is you have to pay for 2 TESU courses to get aid. The associate's degree might not be worth it also. To lock in a catalog you'd be better off taking a TECEP. Lower Level ones are cheaper and easier tests generally.. However, upper-Level ones could be easier in the long run because you could get UL out of the way without doing essays if you choose the right one TECEP.

If you don't need an associate's degree for job or anything. I'd say just take a TECEP. Then if you really want an associates later you'd be able to get associates and bachelors at the same time. Not a that a general AA would add any value with bachelors, but if you want the piece of paper you could have it since it is kind of automatic with most TESU bachelors.
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#3
(05-28-2020, 07:24 PM)natshar Wrote: If you are talking about TESU financial aid does NOT cover the residency fee. But it will cover SOS-110, however, in order to get aid you must take at least 6 credits during the same term. So you'd have to think of another course you want to take alongside SOS-110.

If you already took SOS-110, you don't need to take it again. So if you get an associate with SOS-110, if you get a bachelor's from TESU even if it is a year or two later you won't need to do SOS-110 again because it is already done.

The issue is you have to pay for 2 TESU courses to get aid. The associate's degree might not be worth it also. To lock in a catalog you'd be better off taking a TECEP. Lower Level ones are cheaper and easier tests generally.. However, upper-Level ones could be easier in the long run because you could get UL out of the way without doing essays if you choose the right one TECEP.

If you don't need an associate's degree for job or anything. I'd say just take a TECEP. Then if you really want an associates later you'd be able to get associates and bachelors at the same time. Not a that a general AA would add any value with bachelors, but if you want the piece of paper you could have it since it is kind of automatic with most TESU bachelors.
Thanks, right now because I completed TES 100, they allow me to take LIT 291 (2019 catalog) instead of SOS 110. I was scheduled to take it as CLEP (6 cr Lit 291 and Lit 292) but test center shut down. Part of me would like to finally have that piece of paper in my hand. Even if it is just a 2 year degree. And I can take LIT 291 on study.com but as soon as catalog changes on me I will have to take SOS 110. I know it is silly. Maybe I am overthinking it. 

I am just 9 credits away (for the AA portion)
(POS 110, MAT 121 and LIT 291)

Majoring: BA in English

Sophia (27 credits) Straighterline (6) Community College (15) The Institutes (3) Tesu (1) TEEX (1)

And yes currently I enrolled with APS 100 TECEP and just awarded financial aid and was hoping finaid covered for residency waiver fee.
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#4
(05-28-2020, 07:38 PM)Lacedonia4 Wrote:
(05-28-2020, 07:24 PM)natshar Wrote: If you are talking about TESU financial aid does NOT cover the residency fee. But it will cover SOS-110, however, in order to get aid you must take at least 6 credits during the same term. So you'd have to think of another course you want to take alongside SOS-110.

If you already took SOS-110, you don't need to take it again. So if you get an associate with SOS-110, if you get a bachelor's from TESU even if it is a year or two later you won't need to do SOS-110 again because it is already done.

The issue is you have to pay for 2 TESU courses to get aid. The associate's degree might not be worth it also. To lock in a catalog you'd be better off taking a TECEP. Lower Level ones are cheaper and easier tests generally.. However, upper-Level ones could be easier in the long run because you could get UL out of the way without doing essays if you choose the right one TECEP.

If you don't need an associate's degree for job or anything. I'd say just take a TECEP. Then if you really want an associates later you'd be able to get associates and bachelors at the same time. Not a that a general AA would add any value with bachelors, but if you want the piece of paper you could have it since it is kind of automatic with most TESU bachelors.
Thanks, right now because I completed TES 100, they allow me to take LIT 291 (2019 catalog) instead of SOS 110. I was scheduled to take it as CLEP (6 cr Lit 291 and Lit 292) but test center shut down. Part of me would like to finally have that piece of paper in my hand. Even if it is just a 2 year degree. And I can take LIT 291 on study.com but as soon as catalog changes on me I will have to take SOS 110. I know it is silly. Maybe I am overthinking it. 

I am just 9 credits away (POS 110, MAT 121 and LIT 291)

Majoring: BA in English

Sophia (27 credits) Straighterline (6) Community College (15) The Institutes (3) Tesu (1) TEEX (1)

And yes currently I enrolled with APS 100 TECEP and just awarded financial aid and was hoping finaid covered for residency waiver fee.


You can't use financial aid for the waiver fee. It was just talked about in a post somewhere and it says so on the TESU website.

If you pay the waiver fee it is good for one year. And if you get an associates you will have a year to get a bachelors before paying again (double-check with TESU to make sure this is still the case). So as long as you can you can finish your bachelor's in one year after your associates then go for it. 

Also, of course, make sure that the associates wouldn't require SOS-110. If this is the case, then don't do it.

If you have a TECEP then the catalog shouldn't change on you. TECEP enrollments are good for a year, so depending on when you enrolled in the TECEP you could be ok.

You could just do a TECEP for one of the remaining gen eds though. TECEPs aren't covered by aid either.
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#5
(05-28-2020, 07:52 PM)natshar Wrote:
(05-28-2020, 07:38 PM)Lacedonia4 Wrote:
(05-28-2020, 07:24 PM)natshar Wrote: If you are talking about TESU financial aid does NOT cover the residency fee. But it will cover SOS-110, however, in order to get aid you must take at least 6 credits during the same term. So you'd have to think of another course you want to take alongside SOS-110.

If you already took SOS-110, you don't need to take it again. So if you get an associate with SOS-110, if you get a bachelor's from TESU even if it is a year or two later you won't need to do SOS-110 again because it is already done.

The issue is you have to pay for 2 TESU courses to get aid. The associate's degree might not be worth it also. To lock in a catalog you'd be better off taking a TECEP. Lower Level ones are cheaper and easier tests generally.. However, upper-Level ones could be easier in the long run because you could get UL out of the way without doing essays if you choose the right one TECEP.

If you don't need an associate's degree for job or anything. I'd say just take a TECEP. Then if you really want an associates later you'd be able to get associates and bachelors at the same time. Not a that a general AA would add any value with bachelors, but if you want the piece of paper you could have it since it is kind of automatic with most TESU bachelors.
Thanks, right now because I completed TES 100, they allow me to take LIT 291 (2019 catalog) instead of SOS 110. I was scheduled to take it as CLEP (6 cr Lit 291 and Lit 292) but test center shut down. Part of me would like to finally have that piece of paper in my hand. Even if it is just a 2 year degree. And I can take LIT 291 on study.com but as soon as catalog changes on me I will have to take SOS 110. I know it is silly. Maybe I am overthinking it. 

I am just 9 credits away (POS 110, MAT 121 and LIT 291)

Majoring: BA in English

Sophia (27 credits) Straighterline (6) Community College (15) The Institutes (3) Tesu (1) TEEX (1)

And yes currently I enrolled with APS 100 TECEP and just awarded financial aid and was hoping finaid covered for residency waiver fee.


You can't use financial aid for the waiver fee. It was just talked about in a post somewhere and it says so on the TESU website.

If you pay the waiver fee it is good for one year. And if you get an associates you will have a year to get a bachelors before paying again (double-check with TESU to make sure this is still the case). So as long as you can you can finish your bachelor's in one year after your associates then go for it. 

Also, of course, make sure that the associates wouldn't require SOS-110. If this is the case, then don't do it.

If you have a TECEP then the catalog shouldn't change on you. TECEP enrollments are good for a year, so depending on when you enrolled in the TECEP you could be ok.

You could just do a TECEP for one of the remaining gen eds though. TECEPs aren't covered by aid either.
Thanks, 
as someone that only after so many years was able to go back to take college courses, I guess there is always that little fear that life gets in the way and one is not able to complete the goal. I have experienced it and now with the pandemic the same fears return. And I don't get why the associate is not viewed as a stand alone goal much anymore. 

And yes in a sense it would be nice to have as a degree to start with. And then work towards the BA. I understand it doesn't make sense financially, but sometimes we should be happy with the small achievement too.

But I guess if one graduates with associate, they cannot ask you to get SOS 110 for the BA down the road?
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#6
(05-29-2020, 11:38 PM)Lacedonia4 Wrote: Thanks, 
as someone that only after so many years was able to go back to take college courses, I guess there is always that little fear that life gets in the way and one is not able to complete the goal. I have experienced it and now with the pandemic the same fears return. And I don't get why the associate is not viewed as a stand alone goal much anymore. 

And yes in a sense it would be nice to have as a degree to start with. And then work towards the BA. I understand it doesn't make sense financially, but sometimes we should be happy with the small achievement too.

But I guess if one graduates with associate, they cannot ask you to get SOS 110 for the BA down the road?

An associate's degree isn't a goal anymore because a.) it usually does nothing to improve career prospects except in very specific cases b.) it is very expensive for the non-degree that you get. It's, essentially, a glorified HS diploma that you're paying thousands of dollars for. If you just want the feeling of accomplishment, you could go for a Pierpont BOG AAS. It still costs money (you need at least 12 RA credits) but you get something to hang on your wall to show how far you've come.
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#7
(05-30-2020, 02:13 AM)rachel83az Wrote:
(05-29-2020, 11:38 PM)Lacedonia4 Wrote: Thanks, 
as someone that only after so many years was able to go back to take college courses, I guess there is always that little fear that life gets in the way and one is not able to complete the goal. I have experienced it and now with the pandemic the same fears return. And I don't get why the associate is not viewed as a stand alone goal much anymore. 

And yes in a sense it would be nice to have as a degree to start with. And then work towards the BA. I understand it doesn't make sense financially, but sometimes we should be happy with the small achievement too.

But I guess if one graduates with associate, they cannot ask you to get SOS 110 for the BA down the road?

An associate's degree isn't a goal anymore because a.) it usually does nothing to improve career prospects except in very specific cases b.) it is very expensive for the non-degree that you get. It's, essentially, a glorified HS diploma that you're paying thousands of dollars for. If you just want the feeling of accomplishment, you could go for a Pierpont BOG AAS. It still costs money (you need at least 12 RA credits) but you get something to hang on your wall to show how far you've come.
I do realize that. And it wouldn't be to hang on the wall or for work. It is a more personal reason as being the only second of my siblings to get a degree, and I guess the achievement has different meaning whether someone is from a foreign country or how much importance a degree was growing up. I'll keep strive for a BA as long as TESU accepts alternative credit and doesn't remove the residency fee (a topic in another thread).
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#8
If you want a bachelor's degree in English, concentrate on that and not an associates degree. An AA in English isn't going to really get you anywhere in life. Focus on what your end plan is. Graduate school? A completed bachelor's degree? Get to that part of the journey. You'll save yourself money and time.
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#9
If you want an Associate's Degree and it makes you happy or proud, you should do it. Everyone here is talking about money and how OTHER PEOPLE will look at it. If it's something YOU want, you should do it. Sometimes money or future functionality isn't the #1 thing.

I'm the first person in my family to even get past 8th grade. I'm damn proud of my AA. Getting that little piece of paper made it possible for me to move to another country and get a visa. I've lived abroad for over 6 years now and visited 13 countries.

If you want it, do it for YOU.
Goal: Anything. Just need the paper. 
In Progress: last few 300-400 level, Am Gov
Complete: [Sophia]: CSMLearn, TEEX DI, Art History 2, English Comp 2, Sociology, Ethics, Project Management, Human Bio, US Hist2, Intro to Business, Microeconomics, Accounting, Finance, Greek Phil, Stats, Conflict Res (1CR), Visual Comm, Dev Effective Teams,  [SL]: Bus Law [ALEKS]: Intermediate Algebra [Institutes]: Ethics [CLEP]: Western Civ I [Murrray State University]: 5CR: MAT130 MAT230 4CR: GSC199 ENG105 CHE101 ITD107 PHY130/131 3CR: COM161 MAT117 ART121 HIS221 PSY180 CHN101 RGS200 CSC199 CET284 ECO230 JPN350 RES132 THD104 1CR: IDC199 MSU099

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#10
(05-31-2020, 08:25 PM)lillingworth Wrote: If you want an Associate's Degree and it makes you happy or proud, you should do it. Everyone here is talking about money and how OTHER PEOPLE will look at it. If it's something YOU want, you should do it. Sometimes money or future functionality isn't the #1 thing.

I'm the first person in my family to even get past 8th grade. I'm damn proud of my AA. Getting that little piece of paper made it possible for me to move to another country and get a visa. I've lived abroad for over 6 years now and visited 13 countries.

If you want it, do it for YOU.
Thanks, part of me needed to hear this. As an immigrant too, it is a different mindset. And as an adult student there is even more fear of not having the time to complete the big degree.
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