TESC plan help

[adavis84]

I just got my Academic Eval back from TESC. After shopping around to different schools, TESC looks like my best bet.

The Details:

• They are going to take 77 of my 80 credits.
  
• I'm currently enrolled at a local B&M school for 13 credits (enrolled before I learned about TESC, too late to withdraw).
  
• Just passed three CLEPS (listed below).
  
• Neither the 13 in-progress credits, nor the CLEPS have been evaluated by TESC yet, but I expect them all to transfer in without issue.
  
• My original course work was in communications.
  

The Background:
I want to complete a bachelors ASAP. Since I left school a few years ago, I've been working in a tech field and need a BA/BS to advance (preferably in a tech/math related field as those are given preference when it comes to promotions/hiring in my current job and seem more marketable if I were to change jobs). However, with all my Comm credits, a complete change-over to a Comp Sci or Math degree is going to be more than I think I want to take on. Although, I am willing/interested in pursuing a 2nd bachelors/certificate/grad degree in tech/math right away if I'm able to finish a non-STEM related degree faster.

After running a "what if" evaluation for every program I could think of at TESC, it looks like I have three pretty-good options:

1. BA Lib Studies (looks like the easiest, but a "Liberal Studies" degree rather than one with a major worries me a little)
   
2. BA Communications (looks like the fastest route to a degree with a specified major, but still not in tech/math)
   
3. BA Nat Sci / Math (seems to be the only STEM-like degree that will make the best use of my transfers))
   

I've attached the three different scenarios and would really appreciate the advice of people more experienced with these things than I!


  Less than 1 minute ago">BA-LIB_STUDIES.pdf (Size: 36.42 KB / Downloads: 0)

  Less than 1 minute ago">BA-NatSci_Math.pdf (Size: 36.15 KB / Downloads: 0)

  Less than 1 minute ago">BA-COMM.pdf (Size: 35.71 KB / Downloads: 2)

CLEPs I've passed:
College Math
College Algebra
Info Sys and Comp App

Classes I'm taking this semester at local B&M:
Statistics
Financial Accounting
Logic (Coded as Philosophy, but counted as a math course by the school I'm currently attending)
Comp Sci: Intro to Programming

This may seem like a crazy thought, but it looks to me that I could complete the Comm or Lib Studies degree faster and without much extra effort that I wouldn't also have to apply to the Nat Sci/Math program. Does it make any sense for me to sort of "knock out" the Comm or Lib Studies degree "on my way" to the Nat Sci/Math degree? From what I can gather I'd just need to do an additional 24 credits that satisfy the concentration requirements and another Capstone. Is that true? I know that will cost much more, but having a BA in hand ASAP is worth a lot to me and will "buy me some time" to finish the more tech/math related degree. I'd be pretty happy with myself if I had both a Comm degree and a Math-related one. Seems like doing the extra 24 credits for another BA makes more sense than a similar number of credits for a certificate.


What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance for any input!

[KayV]

I'm looking at your Communications plan as I write this....

For your general education credits, remember that CLEP College Math is worth 6 credits, not three, so you will be finished with your IPS once you have completed English Composition II. Your CLEP Info Sys/ Computer Apps will complete the Natural Science credit you need with two more left over, so no worries there. That will give you 5 credits to apply toward free electives. SL or DSST Business Ethics is generally a good choice to complete this Ethics requirement.

As for the major requirements, Penn Foster Interpersonal Communication would take care of the Comm Theory, and any of the following would take care of the other credits you need:

Penn Foster Interpersonal Communication (COM-330) 3UL
Penn Foster Technical Writing (transcribes as Business Report and Letter Writing ENG-216) 3
TECEP Technical Writing (ENG-201) 3
TECEP Public Relations Thought & Practice (COM-210) 3
TECEP or Saylor Managerial Communications (COM-373) 3UL
Straighterline Business Communications (COM-300) 3UL
TECEP Marketing Communications (MAR-321) 3UL
LSU Independent Study CMST 2063 Argumentation and Debate (COM-380) 3UL

If you were to take TECEPs for 7 classes (English Composition II, Marriage and the Family for diversity elective, a Communications TECEP, and 4 others of any sort) plus the Capstone, you would be eligible for the Pay Per Credit tuition plan. This would result in more credits than you need, but might be worth it to you financially in the long run.

[adavis84]

Wow, thank you! I completely overlooked the 6cr CLEP. That's a huge help!

Let me make sure I understand this right:
Math CLEP fulfills the IPS req by itself.
Info Sys CLEP shifts to Nat Sci.
ENV-200 becomes a free elective and covers the 2 cr gap I have there.
For the Communications Plan, that leaves only: ENG-102 (which I'll CLEP), the two straighterlines, the two COM courses (one of which will be DSST Tech Writing), and the capstone.

If that's the case, I am very pleased!

Thanks!

[KayV]

For the Natural Science and Mathematics major, you have fewer choices, but it's still doable:

For a BA in Natural Science and Mathematics, don't bother with taking the CLEP Precal, since you already have 6 hours of freshman-level credit with College Algebra and Intro to Programming.

MAT-121 CLEP College Algebra 3
CIS-107 B&M Computer Concepts 3
STA-201 Intro to Statistics 3
ENS-200 Intro to Environmental Science 2
ENS-201 DSST Environment and Humanity: The Race to Save the Planet 3
BIO-208 TECEP/ SL Intro to Nutrition 3
BIO-351 SL/ UExcel Microbiology 3UL
CIS-301 DSST Management Information Systems 3UL
CIS-344 DSST Cybersecurity 3UL
BIO-316 UExcel Pathophysiology 3UL
BIO-405 Ohio University CBE: Bioethics (UExcel is lower level) 3UL

[sanantone]

The Uexcel for Bioethics is UL, but only counts as humanities. My guess is that the DSST for Cybersecurity will not count as a natural science because the TEEX course with the same equivalency does not count as a natural science.

[KayV]

Thanks, Sanantone, I knew you would know the details.
I keep hoping for new TECEP/CLEP/SL/Saylor options in upper level non-business courses....

[sanantone]

Thanks, Sanantone, I knew you would know the details.
I keep hoping for new TECEP/CLEP/SL/Saylor options in upper level non-business courses....

There might be hope for natural science majors. CSU Global offers three CBEs in CIS. The equivalency of Information Systems Analysis and Design should be CIS-320 Systems Analysis and Design, but I'm in the process of verifying. I don't believe there is a direct equivalency for the other two CBEs, but Systems Analysis and Design is a natural science at TESC. These exams, however, are $250 each.
General Education Courses

[adavis84]

I dug in and finished the SL for both Business Ethics and Religion (spending a full day on each). Got an 84 and 87 respectively. That only leaves the CLEP for English and my generals are done! Now I have to decide if I want to knock out the Comm BA right away, or spend a little more time on the Nat Sci/Math BA.

I really want a STEM related degree, but the Comm BA is so close that maybe I ought to look at a cert/grad program instead of a second BA from TESC.

[adavis84]

For the Natural Science and Mathematics major, you have fewer choices, but it's still doable:

For a BA in Natural Science and Mathematics, don't bother with taking the CLEP Precal, since you already have 6 hours of freshman-level credit with College Algebra and Intro to Programming.

MAT-121 CLEP College Algebra 3
CIS-107 B&M Computer Concepts 3
STA-201 Intro to Statistics 3
ENS-200 Intro to Environmental Science 2
ENS-201 DSST Environment and Humanity: The Race to Save the Planet 3
BIO-208 TECEP/ SL Intro to Nutrition 3
BIO-351 SL/ UExcel Microbiology 3UL
CIS-301 DSST Management Information Systems 3UL
CIS-344 DSST Cybersecurity 3UL
BIO-316 UExcel Pathophysiology 3UL
BIO-405 Ohio University CBE: Bioethics (UExcel is lower level) 3UL

Just had a quick question about the Nat Sci/Math plan. TESC hasn't included my CLEP transcripts in my eval yet (received a few weeks ago, should be any day now, but still nothing) and I'm itching to know which requirements I need to be working on.

Concerning the Algebra Clep: You're listing this as counting for 3SH of 100 lvl in the concentration (counting toward the 6SH of 100lvl allowed). If that's the case, does it still fulfill the gen ed math 3SH requirement as I had planned? Does the math requirement just get "checked off" by the Algebra CLEP with no actual credit applied there and the 3cr go toward the concentration? Sorry if I'm overlooking something obvious!

Thanks for all the help!