130+ credits and no degree, help me graduate!

[LevelUP]

WGU

The downside to WGU, as you found out, is that they don't like to transfer credits that are 5+ years old and also don't have elective space for lots of transfer credits.

Did you get 42 credits in one term at WGU?

If you could transfer in max credits, then you could finish up at WGU using this degree plan
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/WG...egree_Plan

TESU

TESU would probably be the quickest as you already have all the technically difficult courses done.

All you need is mainly Computer Architecture.  (WGU's Computer Architecture transfers as UL to TESU)

The associate in Math is a free add-on for TESU, so you could also go for that.

Then a double degree in Business administration is also an option. It might be easier for you to do a finance concentration as the economics courses will transfer into that concentration.

If you can start TESU by August, you can graduate in December
https://www.tesu.edu/current-students/gr...nformation

https://www.tesu.edu/heavin/ba/computer-science  Computer science degree
https://www.tesu.edu/heavin/asnsm/mathematics  AS Math
https://www.tesu.edu/business/undergradu...ba/finance BSBA Finance

Degree plans
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan

UMPI

I wouldn't do the BLS. Do one of the Business Admin degrees. Considering you are thinking about doing a master's in computer science, then you probably should do a bachelor's in computer science at another school. 

Master's degrees

Georgia Tech has online master's degrees for under 10k
University of Austin, Texas, has an online Computer Science degree for 10k at edx
University Illinois has a 21k top-rated CS program

Background: 
First off, I just want to thank anyone who helps out in advance. I was a senior at a big state school when I ended 
up taking a job and dropping out. Not the smartest move in hindsight(It gave me 5 F's on my transcripts--and no degree!),  but hoping to make up for that now! 

I can't go back to the state school I was at, as they don't offer the classes online that I need to finish my econ degree. You're in a similar situation many people get into going to college. Lots of credits and no degree.

All that stuff is water under the bridge.

The F's won't matter, and your GPA will be calculated based on what you do at your next college.

Gl in your journey.

[davewill]

I'm going to say that a CS degree is going to be so much more helpful than any other in your quest to get a CS Master's, and for tech jobs in general. If you can afford the slightly higher tuition for TESU, I think it's a no-brainer. Finishing at WGU is a good option, too, just not quite as fast.

I'd recommend going ahead and applying at TESU and sending in your transcripts, even if you haven't decided to go there. You'll get an eval to help inform your decision, and you will have locked in the current catalog, which only runs another month or so.

[dfrecore]

I am not one to tell you to get multiple degrees, just because I think it slows things down for most people - but in your instance, I'm going to make an exception.

1) TESU BACS - you are 9 classes away from this degree, and they can all be done easily and inexpensively:
- English Comp II (multiple ways, I'd probably do the CLEP or TECEP if you want to test out, although Sophia is an option as well)
- Diversity - I'd prob just do Intro to Soc
- COMPSCI 105: Intro to Operating Systems (SDC)
- COMPSCI 306: Computer Architecture (SDC)
- BUS 303: Management Info Systems (SDC)
- COMPSCI 302: Systems Analysis & Design (SDC)
- COMPSCI 303: Database Management (SDC) - not sure if you'll need this, since you have 2 Database courses from WGU, I just don't know if they are UL or not
- Cornerstone
- Capstone

2) TESU BSBA/CIS - since you have so many courses already completed in the major, this is also kind of a no-brainer. 15 courses needed, but 10 of them will already be done with the BACS:
- Principles of Marketing
- The CSM Learn Course
- Principles of Finance (do SDC, it's UL)
- Business Communication
- BUS 120: International Business (SDC)
- possibly 1 more UL CIS course from SDC, but I'm not sure

AND, there's one you can't overlook: the BSBA/FIN. Yes, that's right - those 5 UL Econ courses you have plus 1 add'l LL Finance course and you have this AoS as well. Hard to pass up.

---

Hey SS20TS,

I am not currently enrolled at WGU, I'm a free agent!

For the BLS at UMPI, right off the bat I can see you need Environmental Science, Art History 1 or 2, US History 1 or 2, Eng Comp 2 (many peopel complete this at UMPI), Intro to Soc, and Spanish 1

OP has French already, so Spanish is not needed.

[allvia]

I'm with LevelUP, davewill and dfrecore.  I think TESU would be your best bet. I would recommend you apply for the BACS. I don't normally agree with the duel degree recommendation of the BACS and the BSBA-CIS suggested here, but in your case you might want to look into that (because at a quick glance your existing credits seem to already align in this being very close to done option).  I believe there is a thread or wiki page for the dual degree plan (TESU BSBA-CIS/BACS), I just don't have it to share at this time.

EDIT: dfrecore posting her response moments before I replied, so her plan is the recommended plan imo

[origamishuttle]

If you can afford the slightly higher tuition for TESU, I think it's a no-brainer. Finishing at WGU is a good option, too, just not quite as fast.

It confuses me whenever I see someone saying that TESU is faster than WGU. Unless I'm missing something, the TESU process is minimum 7 months, but it could easily be 9-12 months if everything doesn't go just right. Meanwhile, lots of people have completed their WGU degree in a single six-month term or less, and WGU conferral is virtually instantaneous, not an extra 3-6 months like TESU. The WGU CS curriculum is more challenging, but if you are able to go through it quickly, it's the faster option by far.

[ss20ts]

OP has French already, so Spanish is not needed.

I totally missed the French! Yup, Spanish is not needed.

---

It confuses me whenever I see someone saying that TESU is faster than WGU. Unless I'm missing something, the TESU process is minimum 7 months, but it could easily be 9-12 months if everything doesn't go just right. Meanwhile, lots of people have completed their WGU degree in a single six-month term or less, and WGU conferral is virtually instantaneous, not an extra 3-6 months like TESU. The WGU CS curriculum is more challenging, but if you are able to go through it quickly, it's the faster option by far.

There is ZERO guarantee that someone can complete a WGU in 6 months. Yes some have done it, but that's the exception not the rule. Most people take a few years to complete WGU bachelor's degrees.

[davewill]

If you can afford the slightly higher tuition for TESU, I think it's a no-brainer. Finishing at WGU is a good option, too, just not quite as fast.

It confuses me whenever I see someone saying that TESU is faster than WGU. Unless I'm missing something, the TESU process is minimum 7 months, but it could easily be 9-12 months if everything doesn't go just right. Meanwhile, lots of people have completed their WGU degree in a single six-month term or less, and WGU conferral is virtually instantaneous, not an extra 3-6 months like TESU. The WGU CS curriculum is more challenging, but if you are able to go through it quickly, it's the faster option by far.

It was my understanding that they had a lot left to do at WGU. If they started right away, a Dec graduation at TESU would be perfectly doable, and they could apply for spring admittance to Master's programs if they wanted to. It's entirely possible they could accomplish the same or faster at WGU, I admit I'm no expert.

[bjcheung77]

@smdeox, How was your WGU term? What's your style of learning? Basically, you need to create a spreadsheet of your institutions and degrees of choice. Compare, see which ones will hit your requirements most, unless your focus is to finish faster, see which one gets your there cheaper and easier. You'll be pulled in several directions, read what you think is your choice and continue working towards that goal.

Most of your courses will transfer into these programs, but not all the courses will go towards the degree... Ultimately, you'll have to keep in mind the way you study, which option would be best for you, we can only give you a brief overview of what we recommend, you've got the final say. I would also compare degree plans, take courses that will go towards the one you think you can 'finish' and keep going, don't stop and think of going for another institution.

[origamishuttle]

There is ZERO guarantee that someone can complete a WGU in 6 months. Yes some have done it, but that's the exception not the rule. Most people take a few years to complete WGU bachelor's degrees.

That's all true. It definitely requires strategy to accelerate quickly at WGU, and I'm probably biased, as I was able to finish half of my degree in two months.

It was my understanding that they had a lot left to do at WGU.

That's a fair point - you were referring to this specific case, and I was thinking generally. This will depend on what can be transferred from things like Sophia and Study.com and how quickly the remaining courses can be completed. For me, what OP has remaining is in my wheelhouse, so I'm relatively confident that I could complete it in a single term, and it's work that I would much rather do than battle with the cornerstone and capstone at TESU!

If they started right away, a Dec graduation at TESU would be perfectly doable, and they could apply for spring admittance to Master's programs if they wanted to.

I'm curious about what the timeline would be. Would you apply immediately and start working on CLEP/Study.com, and then sign up for the earliest possible cornerstone/capstone concurrently, while continuing to work on CLEP/Study.com? What would the TESU course start/end dates be, and when is the graduation application deadline?

---

To OP, if you haven't applied anywhere yet, I would apply to UMPI for the YourPace BLS/PM and reapply to WGU for CS to be sure where you stand with the updated degree program. To clarify your earlier question about the number of credits needed at UMPI, the minimum is 30 credits regardless of degree, so assuming you transfer in 90 credits that apply to your degree, you would have 10 classes to take at UMPI. As I mentioned previously, I was able to take 7 courses with exam final and only one 7-page research paper final, completing 10 courses in about 5 weeks, even with the new slower system. If you strategize well enough to complete an UMPI YourPace degree in only one session, that's $1400 for 8 weeks, so it's a compelling option.

[LevelUP]

It's work that I would much rather do than battle with the cornerstone and capstone at TESU!

Did you drop the TESU courses? What happened?

I'm curious about what the timeline would be. Would you apply immediately and start working on CLEP/Study.com, and then sign up for the earliest possible cornerstone/capstone concurrently, while continuing to work on CLEP/Study.com? What would the TESU course start/end dates be, and when is the graduation application deadline?

Generally, when considering timelines, we focus on the time required to complete coursework rather than waiting for terms to start or for graduation conferral.

To sign up for the capstone at TESU, you need 100 credits, which means you would have essentially completed your degree by the time you do the capstone.

For a non-STEM degree at TESU, the estimated timeline is as follows:

• Gathering up RA credit: 1-2 months
  
• Gathering up Alternative credit: 3-6 months
  
• Completing TESU courses: 3 months
  
  

The total time needed is 7-11 months, starting from scratch.

For CS degrees, there is added rigor, which typically extends the timeline by 2-3 months compared to a non-STEM degree. Therefore, I estimate the duration for a CS degree at TESU to be 10-14 months.

Regarding TESU graduation conferral, if you begin your term between September and November, your term would conclude between December and February. Graduation would then take place in March, resulting in a 1-3 month delay. The deadline for graduation submission is December 31st, while all credits must be evaluated by February 1st.

For WGU and a non-STEM degree, the estimated timeline is as follows:

• Gathering up Alternative credit: 3-6 months
  
• Completing WGU courses: 3-6 months
  
  

The total time required is 6-12 months, starting from scratch. For a CS degree, an additional 2-3 months should be added, making it 8-14 months.

Caveat

It's important to note that if you encounter difficulties with certain courses, it could add another 3-6 months to the TESU/WGU timeline. This may result in having to pay for an additional term at WGU.

To navigate from point A to point B, it's crucial to take the shortest route. What options are available?

For calculus, you can choose WGU, Saylor, CLEP, Study.com, or Sophia. If you already have a strong understanding of calculus, the fastest route is to test out of it. However, for the majority of individuals, including those who have previously taken calculus at a community college, it is necessary to learn the course material before attempting the exam.

Here's a story about someone who took calculus at a community college but still spent 3 months solely on the Calculus course at WGU. Another person in the same discussion took longer than 3 months and would have been grateful to complete it in that timeframe.
https://www.reddit.com/r/WGU_CompSci/com...alculus_1/

How long a class takes is based on what you already know, your efficiency of studying, and which place you take the course.

Conclusion

In conclusion, assuming the OP completed 12 WGU courses in one term, it seems unlikely to complete the remaining 20+ WGU courses within the same term. Therefore, to save the most money, it would be advisable to either maximize alternative credits and then finish WGU or pursue TESU, which is the more cost-effective option.

One question I have is whether WGU includes all transfer credits on the transcript, even if they don't directly align with the degree requirements.

Based on my initial research, it appears that WGU only displays the total number of transferred credits on the transcript without listing the specific courses. Considering the number of courses the OP completed at the state college, it would be a shame not to have all those courses listed on the transcript.