fastest Associate's degree with 57 credits

[ladylearner]

Hi everyone!

So I went from being a lurker to a doer and have managed to accumulate 45 credits since January 1st (yes, my cheesy new year's resolution was to get this education thing rolling lol). I will have completed 57 ACE/CLEP credits by the end of this month. I started thinking that maybe I could get an associate's degree en route to my bachelor's - which I will then follow up with grad school. I hadn't considered this before but after buckling down and completing so many credits. I'm happy and proud and shocked at my progress. The other thing is that I'd really like to participate in a graduation ceremony. The timing might not work for me to participate in one at the completion of my 4-year degree but I might be able to walk this spring/summer if I do the associate's first. And then I can add it to my resume...OMG, I'm delirious with hope. Do y'all think I can pull it off? And, if so, which of the Big 3 do you think will get me out the fastest? I'm thinking Excelsior or TESC but leaning toward Excelsior because I've heard so many complaints about TESC's slow service. I might end up doing a bachelor's elsewhere (Empire State College, COSC, Bellevue, or TESC) but for right now I just want to apply my general ed credits toward an AA or AS quick fast.

Thank you, everyone on here, for the advice that has given me hope and helped me get these credits.

straighterline: english 1, english 2, business ethics, philosophy, religion, intro to communication, business communication, environmental science, statistics, us history 1 & 2, western civilization 1&2, sociology, anthropology
clep: spanish 1, spanish 2

[gypsymama]

Have you looked at COSC? It seems to be one of the easiest and cheapest for getting a general studies degree.
COSC
App fee: $75
Semester fee: $240 per semester (fall, spring, summer)
Graduation fee: $205
Per credit fee: $339

Excelsior
App fee: $80
Multisource enrollment fee: $1065
Graduation fee: $495
Per credit fee: $495

I know COSC will require you to take a 3 credit cornerstone course but I think Excelsior has similar requirements as well and has higher fees. I think COSC will be the best bet for you as far as costs and easy acceptance of credits. This might be especially good for you if you're considering taking a bachelor's through them as well.

[sanantone]

TESC might not be the cheapest option (unless you do the TECEP work around under the Per Credit Tuition Plan), but it will be the fastest. TESC still has some associates degrees that don't require a capstone. All of Excelsior's associates require a capstone, and COSC requires a cornerstone.

[EI2HCB]

There are ways to reduce the fees considerably at Excelsior, but this usually requires you to take 12 credit hours at EC. The admissions staff at EC weren't clear on if it was 6 or 12 credits but it is most certainly 12 credits, This reduces each credit by about $90 and yearly enrollment is reduced to $185 or so. I'd have to check my chequebook Each credit you take with EC also reduces your graduation fee by a small amount. As for an associates I've considered the option although paying all the fees for a capstone / cornerstone and graduation/gown may be better applied to some more classes towards my BS. An associates does allow you to check those boxes on job applications which means you'll show up in the searches made in the H.R department

[KayV]

Wow, you are so close to an AA in General Studies at TESC! The AA is really all of the general ed requirements, so for a BA, you would just need to complete classes in your major and fill up with free electives.

The credits you still need for the AA are ALEKS Intermediate Algebra (Statistics doesn't seem to count for the math credit at TESC, it's not on their list for Intellectual and Practical Skills), and 6 more hours of anything General Ed, which could be fulfilled by the CLEP A &I Lit for 6 hours, or 6 more hours of ALEKS, or more general ed SL classes. The TESC AA does not require a Capstone at this time.

Thomas Edison State College
Associate of Arts in General Studies

1. SL English Composition I 3
2. SL English Composition II 3
3. NEED ALEKS Intermediate Algebra 3
4. SL Business Communication 3
5. SL Intro to Communication 3
6. SL Western Civilization 1 3
7. SL Western Civilization 2 3
8. SL Intro to Philosophy 3
9. SL Environmental Science 3
10. SL US History 1 3
11. SL US History 2 3
12. SL Intro to Anthropology 3
13. SL Business Ethics 3
14. SL Intro to Sociology 3
****** General Ed Electives (need 6 more hours)
15. CLEP Spanish 1 3
16. CLEP Spanish 2 3
17. SL Intro to World Religions 3
18. SL Statistics 3
19. NEED 6 general ed electives

[PendragonG]

As you have completed most of your credits via Straighterline and mention going to grad school in the future, you should consider the impact of those classes on your GPA. Many persons only worry about scoring over 70% when taking SL classes thinking they are pass/fail. If you get your AA at COSC or EC, they will apply a letter grade to your SL classes and include them in your GPA. This is great for students that need a GPA for grad school but not great if you did not score well on the classes. If you do not want those classes included in your GPA then you will want to get your AA at TESC.

[ladylearner]

Have people actually graduated from tesc without taking a single class? It doesn't seem like I could do that at Excelsior or COSC. If I can do that at TESC, I will definitely go for it. I wasn't able to attend my high school graduation for some sad, personal reasons years ago. Being able to participate in a graduation ceremony for an associate's is worth the money to me and it's also a sense of accomplishment. I like COSC for other reasons but I ruled it out (for an associate's) because the soonest I could enroll there would be May.

For my 4-year degree, that's another topic for another thread...thanks, everyone!

[ladylearner]

As you have completed most of your credits via Straighterline and mention going to grad school in the future, you should consider the impact of those classes on your GPA. Many persons only worry about scoring over 70% when taking SL classes thinking they are pass/fail. If you get your AA at COSC or EC, they will apply a letter grade to your SL classes and include them in your GPA. This is great for students that need a GPA for grad school but not great if you did not score well on the classes. If you do not want those classes included in your GPA then you will want to get your AA at TESC.

That's a really good point, Pendragon...thank you for bringing it up. I have great grades with Straighterline, which won't count for a GPA at TESC if I get the Associate's there, but if I later attend another SL partner school those grades will be included in my GPA. Did I get that right? If so, then that works for me as long as I go elsewhere for my Bachelor's. I will be taking the majority of my upper-level credits using actual classes. I'm considering a few options right now - Bellevue, Empire State College, COSC, and Ashford.

[ladylearner]

COSC was my first choice and I’m applying there for admission to the summer semester. The admissions staff is incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, which is always great but even more so if one is one a fast track to degree completion.
I wouldn’t be able to get an associate’s degree at COSC right now because students need to apply for graduation four months in advance. My plan (right now) is to register today for the cornerstone class as a non-degree student and take the class beginning next week. While taking the cornerstone, which doesn’t seem terribly difficult, I would continue with my other exams and classes to meet the requirements for a BA in Foreign Language (Spanish). If/when I’m admitted as a student next semester, I will only need to take the capstone at COSC (provided I have met all other requirements) and I would be able to graduate august 31st. I would be able to participate in the June commencement services if I only have two classes to go.

Maybe when I get some sleep this plan won't make as much sense. But this is the plan for now. I will get started on a degree plan spreadsheet to see if this is even feasible.

[sanantone]

Have people actually graduated from tesc without taking a single class?

Yes. You can do this with their AA, ASBA, ASNSM, and BSBA programs.