+- Online Degrees and CLEP and DSST Exam Prep Discussion (https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb)
+-- Forum: Main Category (https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Forum-Main-Category)
+--- Forum: Degree Planning Advice (https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Forum-Degree-Planning-Advice)
+--- Thread: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree (/Thread-Which-College-for-16yr-old-perusing-BA-degree)
Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - sprout18 - 11-28-2021
My 16yr old has been taking classes through Sophia and ASU UL for the last year and a half. He has completed the following classes:
Sophia:
Approaches to Studying Religion
Art History I
Art History II
College Algebra
English Comp I
Environmental Science
Human Biology
Induction to Information Technology
Introduction to Psychology
US History I
US History II
Visual Communications
Public Speaking - completing now, will be done by end of December
ASU:
CIS 105 Computer Applications and Information Technology
SES 106: Habitable Worlds (4 credits - includes lab)
HST 102: Ancient & Medieval History - completing now, will be done next week
ECN 211: Principles of Macroeconomics - completing now, will be done next week
He's not really sure if he wants to do Business or IT. If its IT it will be more in aspects to business - he really liked the ASU CIS class which was basically taking spreadsheets and applying them to business. Ive looked at COSC a lot and was thinking that was the way he should go but I was wondering if there is a better or cheaper option for him. I can't figure out Excelsior since they don't really have straight transfer sheets for places like Sophia, Study.com, etc. So I haven't really looked at that one much. He really likes the self pace classes over the ASU set timeframe ones. He is so smart and doesn't really like being slowed down by not having all the information at one time. We are taking all the ASU classes because I know TESU and COSC both have RA requirements. Does COSC seem like the best option for him? Trying to figure out which way to go to decide on his next classes to take. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - rachel83az - 11-28-2021
No, don't do COSC. They're becoming more restrictive and less attractive when it comes to obtaining a degree from them. Excelsior is pretty affordable for a liberal studies degree but isn't as easy to figure out (as you've discovered) for a business degree. TESU is more expensive than either, but they have computer science and an actual BSBA CIS degree.
Your kid wouldn't be able to enroll for another 2 years at TESU, but could potentially enroll immediately for Excelsior.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - dfrecore - 11-28-2021
First, none of the Big 3 has an IT degree that's affordable, so that's out.
Second, each has it's own downfalls for a 16yo:
1) TESU won't allow him to enroll until 18, so you've got 2 years to go, and he may be done by that - but even if not, so many things can change by then. Costs continue to go up for him, and you can't even get an eval of credits until enrollment. Risky.
2) EC won't allow him to enroll until he's a high school graduate - so no locking in the catalog, and no evaluation of credits until then. He can enroll as a non-matriculated student and take the Info Lit and Cornerstone courses, but again, that's a risky proposition at this point unless you plan on graduating him early. Anything can change between now and then.
3) COSC will allow for enrollment early, but I'm not sure what your options are at this point. Downside in enrolling early - you pay per-term fees until graduation, which can really add up.
I'm probably going to look at other options, and continue doing Sophia courses for High School credit, and then make more decisions later as you get closer to graduation. It's easy enough to plan the business degrees at all of the Big 3 (lots of overlap), and decide later. You may lose some credits, but that's ok, he has plenty of time.
Options for each of the Big 3:
TESU - BSBA/CIS degree
EC - BSB w/no concentration
COSC - BSBA or BSLS w/concentrations in Business and IT (and 1 other Liberal Studies area like Psych). Not sure if I love this idea though. COSC has to approve concentrations, and there's no guarantee that they will.
There's no downside to taking the BSBA courses, and taking a bunch of IT courses as well, even if they won't fit into the degree later except as free electives.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - rachel83az - 11-28-2021
EC allows enrollment before HS graduation if you can get documentation that says college courses are being taken to fulfill HS requirements. Kid could also take the GED early and be done with HS immediately.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - dfrecore - 11-28-2021
(11-28-2021, 03:09 PM)rachel83az Wrote: EC allows enrollment before HS graduation if you can get documentation that says college courses are being taken to fulfill HS requirements. Kid could also take the GED early and be done with HS immediately.
They do allow "enrollment" before HS graduation, but it's only as a non-matriculated student. No locking in the catalog, no evaluation of previous credit.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - rachel83az - 11-28-2021
https://www.excelsior.edu/policy/special-student-policy-high-school-equivalency/
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - dfrecore - 11-28-2021
(11-28-2021, 03:13 PM)rachel83az Wrote: https://www.excelsior.edu/policy/special-student-policy-high-school-equivalency/
Yes, I was on that page, which prompted me to call them to get clarification - they told me what I posted. If they are under 18 and not a HS grad, they can enroll, but it will not be as a regular student - it will be non-matriculated, and they will not get an evaluation of credits, nor will they be able to lock in a catalog. They are allowed to take whatever courses they want (except the capstone, whether that's for the Associates or Bachelor's), and can apply them to high school credits as well as college.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - rachel83az - 11-28-2021
Again, easy enough to rectify: take the GED. Or, if being homeschooled, it's easy enough to use the completed college courses to certify completion of the HS curriculum early. It's not like EC doesn't allow even younger students to graduate with a degree. They do. There was a 13-year-old a few years back.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - dfrecore - 11-28-2021
(11-28-2021, 04:45 PM)rachel83az Wrote: Again, easy enough to rectify: take the GED. Or, if being homeschooled, it's easy enough to use the completed college courses to certify completion of the HS curriculum early. It's not like EC doesn't allow even younger students to graduate with a degree. They do. There was a 13-year-old a few years back.
I don't think anyone was saying that it was difficult to graduate a kid from homeschool. But there are downsides to that as well (there is a lot of cheap/free RA credit out there for HS students that graduates do not have access to). My kids did not want to graduate early because they both played (play) sports all 4 years of HS. You can't do that any longer once you graduate. My kid has enough credits to graduate early, but he doesn't want to do that; besides sports, he wants to graduate with his friends.
RE: Which College for 16yr old perusing BA degree - cwendy111 - 12-01-2021
(11-28-2021, 02:23 PM)sprout18 Wrote: My 16yr old has been taking classes through Sophia and ASU UL for the last year and a half. He has completed the following classes:Your state may offer an alternative path to a HS diploma through college credits to get around the HS diploma requirement. NY has a 24 credit program and NJ has 30 credit program. I bet other states have similar programs. Look into it. Otherwise, join some homeschool groups on FB and get him graduated as a homeschool student. He has a wealth of college credits which should leave him pretty close to meeting your state's homeschool requirements (if there are any). Consider WGU as well for IT degrees. Their degrees are competency based (all you can eat buffet style) extremely flexible regarding IT certs being transferred in for credits. You also graduate with many IT certs, not just courses.
Sophia:
Approaches to Studying Religion
Art History I
Art History II
College Algebra
English Comp I
Environmental Science
Human Biology
Induction to Information Technology
Introduction to Psychology
US History I
US History II
Visual Communications
Public Speaking - completing now, will be done by end of December
ASU:
CIS 105 Computer Applications and Information Technology
SES 106: Habitable Worlds (4 credits - includes lab)
HST 102: Ancient & Medieval History - completing now, will be done next week
ECN 211: Principles of Macroeconomics - completing now, will be done next week
He's not really sure if he wants to do Business or IT. If its IT it will be more in aspects to business - he really liked the ASU CIS class which was basically taking spreadsheets and applying them to business. Ive looked at COSC a lot and was thinking that was the way he should go but I was wondering if there is a better or cheaper option for him. I can't figure out Excelsior since they don't really have straight transfer sheets for places like Sophia, Study.com, etc. So I haven't really looked at that one much. He really likes the self pace classes over the ASU set timeframe ones. He is so smart and doesn't really like being slowed down by not having all the information at one time. We are taking all the ASU classes because I know TESU and COSC both have RA requirements. Does COSC seem like the best option for him? Trying to figure out which way to go to decide on his next classes to take. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
The downside, is their degrees are very specific to the major and allow very few electives which must be taken before you enroll, so you have to carefully follow the transfer guidelines. for your major. The good news is the transfer guides are very clear and detailed. https://partners.wgu.edu/ Pick your credit carrier, then your degree of choice.
(11-28-2021, 04:48 PM)dfrecore Wrote:(11-28-2021, 04:45 PM)rachel83az Wrote: Again, easy enough to rectify: take the GED. Or, if being homeschooled, it's easy enough to use the completed college courses to certify completion of the HS curriculum early. It's not like EC doesn't allow even younger students to graduate with a degree. They do. There was a 13-year-old a few years back.
I don't think anyone was saying that it was difficult to graduate a kid from homeschool. But there are downsides to that as well (there is a lot of cheap/free RA credit out there for HS students that graduates do not have access to). My kids did not want to graduate early because they both played (play) sports all 4 years of HS. You can't do that any longer once you graduate. My kid has enough credits to graduate early, but he doesn't want to do that; besides sports, he wants to graduate with his friends.
Losing access to the reduced rate RA credits for HS students, social aspects and any sports considerations by graduating HS early should def be taken under consideration.