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Experience with grad school after TESU - jonesy20 - 04-04-2020

For those who are wondering if a TESU undergrad will get you into a good grad school. Here's my experience, two times around.

In 2004 I got a BA in Psychology from TESU. I used CLEP/DANTES/ECE for about 40 credits. The rest were a mix of different schools, online, on-campus, etc. 

Graduated with I think around a 3.3. Applied to Georgia Tech's 2-yr on campus MBA program with a 640 GMAT in 2004 and was accepted. Graduated in 2007. 

Went back to TESU last year to get a second BA in Computer Science. For the 24 new hours needed I did a combination of ECE, CLEP, Study.com, and Data Structures
through Iowa State Univ online and finally the capstone at TESU. Not sure my GPA, not more than 3.5 total across everything, probably closer to 3.3.

I applied late last year to Univ of Illinois Springfield (unranked program) online M.S. in Computer Science. Was accepted. Taking two classes there now. 

I also applied for Summer 2020 to Univ of Illinois Urbana Champaign's (Top 5 CS program) online Master in Computer Science and just found out I was accepted. Waiting to see if
the two courses from Springfield will transfer and if so I'll transfer over to that program. 

Have a good story to tell, get some good work experience, and don't let the name of your bachelor's diploma make you think you can't get into a good grad school.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - Cofffeee - 04-04-2020

(04-04-2020, 11:11 AM)jonesy20 Wrote: For those who are wondering if a TESU undergrad will get you into a good grad school. Here's my experience, two times around.

In 2004 I got a BA in Psychology from TESU. I used CLEP/DANTES/ECE for about 40 credits. The rest were a mix of different schools, online, on-campus, etc. 

Graduated with I think around a 3.3. Applied to Georgia Tech's 2-yr on campus MBA program with a 640 GMAT in 2004 and was accepted. Graduated in 2007. 

Went back to TESU last year to get a second BA in Computer Science. For the 24 new hours needed I did a combination of ECE, CLEP, Study.com, and Data Structures
through Iowa State Univ online and finally the capstone at TESU. Not sure my GPA, not more than 3.5 total across everything, probably closer to 3.3.

I applied late last year to Univ of Illinois Springfield (unranked program) online M.S. in Computer Science. Was accepted. Taking two classes there now. 

I also applied for Summer 2020 to Univ of Illinois Urbana Champaign's (Top 5 CS program) online Master in Computer Science and just found out I was accepted. Waiting to see if
the two courses from Springfield will transfer and if so I'll transfer over to that program. 

Have a good story to tell, get some good work experience, and don't let the name of your bachelor's diploma make you think you can't get into a good grad school.
Congrats. It really great story. Best of luck  Smile


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - SteveFoerster - 04-04-2020

My BS with Information Systems concentration from Charter Oak got me into an MA in Educational Technology Leadership program at George Washington University. Granted, that was 15 years ago now, but I doubt much has changed.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - camjenks - 04-05-2020

(04-04-2020, 11:11 AM)jonesy20 Wrote: For those who are wondering if a TESU undergrad will get you into a good grad school. Here's my experience, two times around.

In 2004 I got a BA in Psychology from TESU. I used CLEP/DANTES/ECE for about 40 credits. The rest were a mix of different schools, online, on-campus, etc. 

Graduated with I think around a 3.3. Applied to Georgia Tech's 2-yr on campus MBA program with a 640 GMAT in 2004 and was accepted. Graduated in 2007. 

Went back to TESU last year to get a second BA in Computer Science. For the 24 new hours needed I did a combination of ECE, CLEP, Study.com, and Data Structures
through Iowa State Univ online and finally the capstone at TESU. Not sure my GPA, not more than 3.5 total across everything, probably closer to 3.3.

I applied late last year to Univ of Illinois Springfield (unranked program) online M.S. in Computer Science. Was accepted. Taking two classes there now. 

I also applied for Summer 2020 to Univ of Illinois Urbana Champaign's (Top 5 CS program) online Master in Computer Science and just found out I was accepted. Waiting to see if
the two courses from Springfield will transfer and if so I'll transfer over to that program. 

Have a good story to tell, get some good work experience, and don't let the name of your bachelor's diploma make you think you can't get into a good grad school.

Did you have to take a second capstone at TESU? I have a BSBA from there, and I'm thinking about trying to get a second in Mathematics or CS from TESU or Charter Oak, but I don't want to have to pay several thousand for another capstone.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - jonesy20 - 04-05-2020

In 2004 there was no capstone requirement. I tried to get it waived in 2019 but had to take it.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - natshar - 04-05-2020

(04-05-2020, 10:59 AM)camjenks Wrote:
(04-04-2020, 11:11 AM)jonesy20 Wrote: For those who are wondering if a TESU undergrad will get you into a good grad school. Here's my experience, two times around.

In 2004 I got a BA in Psychology from TESU. I used CLEP/DANTES/ECE for about 40 credits. The rest were a mix of different schools, online, on-campus, etc. 

Graduated with I think around a 3.3. Applied to Georgia Tech's 2-yr on campus MBA program with a 640 GMAT in 2004 and was accepted. Graduated in 2007. 

Went back to TESU last year to get a second BA in Computer Science. For the 24 new hours needed I did a combination of ECE, CLEP, Study.com, and Data Structures
through Iowa State Univ online and finally the capstone at TESU. Not sure my GPA, not more than 3.5 total across everything, probably closer to 3.3.

I applied late last year to Univ of Illinois Springfield (unranked program) online M.S. in Computer Science. Was accepted. Taking two classes there now. 

I also applied for Summer 2020 to Univ of Illinois Urbana Champaign's (Top 5 CS program) online Master in Computer Science and just found out I was accepted. Waiting to see if
the two courses from Springfield will transfer and if so I'll transfer over to that program. 

Have a good story to tell, get some good work experience, and don't let the name of your bachelor's diploma make you think you can't get into a good grad school.

Did you have to take a second capstone at TESU? I have a BSBA from there, and I'm thinking about trying to get a second in Mathematics or CS from TESU or Charter Oak, but I don't want to have to pay several thousand for another capstone.

The business capstone is a different capstone than the one for math or computer science so you would have no choice. And even if you earned the same type of degree you they will make you take the capstone again.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - darthweezy - 04-05-2020

(04-05-2020, 10:59 AM)camjenks Wrote:
(04-04-2020, 11:11 AM)jonesy20 Wrote: For those who are wondering if a TESU undergrad will get you into a good grad school. Here's my experience, two times around.

In 2004 I got a BA in Psychology from TESU. I used CLEP/DANTES/ECE for about 40 credits. The rest were a mix of different schools, online, on-campus, etc. 

Graduated with I think around a 3.3. Applied to Georgia Tech's 2-yr on campus MBA program with a 640 GMAT in 2004 and was accepted. Graduated in 2007. 

Went back to TESU last year to get a second BA in Computer Science. For the 24 new hours needed I did a combination of ECE, CLEP, Study.com, and Data Structures
through Iowa State Univ online and finally the capstone at TESU. Not sure my GPA, not more than 3.5 total across everything, probably closer to 3.3.

I applied late last year to Univ of Illinois Springfield (unranked program) online M.S. in Computer Science. Was accepted. Taking two classes there now. 

I also applied for Summer 2020 to Univ of Illinois Urbana Champaign's (Top 5 CS program) online Master in Computer Science and just found out I was accepted. Waiting to see if
the two courses from Springfield will transfer and if so I'll transfer over to that program. 

Have a good story to tell, get some good work experience, and don't let the name of your bachelor's diploma make you think you can't get into a good grad school.

Did you have to take a second capstone at TESU? I have a BSBA from there, and I'm thinking about trying to get a second in Mathematics or CS from TESU or Charter Oak, but I don't want to have to pay several thousand for another capstone.

The capstone is ba/bs specific. So take me for example I just finished BALS. If I were were going for BACS I wouldn't have to take it again but if I were going for a BSBA GM I would have to because they are two different capstone courses. BA is LIB-495 and BSBA is BUS-491.

Edit: actually I was wrong about not needing to take capstone again for BA. That is only if I am going for two degrees at the same time.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - bjcheung77 - 04-06-2020

Ah, so you're switching from one Univ of Illinois campus that's got an un-ranked CS program to another that has a better ranked CS program. Cool, are you doing the "plain jane" MS CS or the one with the Data Science track? I am planning to apply to any of the MOOC MSCS programs out there on Coursera, Edx, FutureLearn, Udacity or Upgrad once I'm done with the BA Biology.


RE: Experience with grad school after TESU - jonesy20 - 04-06-2020

(04-06-2020, 01:14 AM)bjcheung77 Wrote: Ah, so you're switching from one Univ of Illinois campus that's got an un-ranked CS program to another that has a better ranked CS program.  Cool, are you doing the "plain jane" MS CS or the one with the Data Science track?  I am planning to apply to any of the MOOC MSCS programs out there on Coursera, Edx, FutureLearn, Udacity or Upgrad once I'm done with the BA Biology.
There aren't many classes available outside of the Data Science track so there isn't a huge difference. I'll probably go non-DS for better flexibility in the classes I can take.