AS in Math, opinions please

[StoicJ]

I have an AABA from a local college, and will be finishing up TESU BSBA this summer (probably). For personal development I have wanted to continue my education in mathematics. Given that I will be paying for TESU residency waiver and graduation, I'm thinking I should go ahead and get an AS in Mathematics.

I would like to pay for my TESU residency waiver in the next few weeks. Graduation can wait. I can take the classes needed for the AS over the next few months (AFTER I complete the BS requirements). The only truly math-related credits on my TESU evaluation will be Stats, Finite Math, and College Algebra. So I will need to take several classes.

If I choose to earn my AS in Mathematics from the local college, I need 3 classes from the following: Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Calculus 3. I might need to take the classes through them as I think they require the last X credits earned be theirs. I will verify. Tuition, fees, net on books, and graduation should be around $1500.

With TESU, I'm not even sure what the costs would be. Haven't looked into it much. I'd have to take more classes (not necessarily a negative), but they'd be cheaper. And I'm already paying residency waiver and graduation, so that's $0 more. What's the cheapest way to earn the needed credits for TESU?

I do not anticipate needing these math credits to transfer anywhere after earning the degree. I will be leaving the USA this summer (after completing the BS classes). I will still be able to take online classes, and do online proctoring. I could possibly take proctored exams at overseas locations, but CLEP is probably not an option.

Any thoughts?

[dfrecore]

For an ASNSM in Math at TESU, you can earn it in conjunction with your BSBA. Your College Algebra and Finite Math would go in the Gen Ed. Then you would need 16cr of math in the AOS - all above the Precalc/Trig level - meaning Calculus +.

You can take Calc I & II through SL, but then you kind of get bogged down from there. You'd need another 10cr. Basically, the same courses you'd take at your CC, and same pricing.

I personally would not hold back a Bachelor's degree for an Associates degree. I'd just get the BSBA, and then get the AS from your school.

[SolarKat]

So if you go with your CC, you only need 3 classes and the total cost is $1500-2000? Do that.

For TESU, your finite math and college algebra classes won't count towards the 16 credit AOS requirements. So you'd need 13 credits, provided the statistics counts towards the AOS, which it should. The fastest way, using distance ed and only classes (you can test out of calc 1, if you want, or do Straighterline Calc 1 & 2, but that would be fewer credits so you'd need another class on the back end) would be the following self-paced sequence:

1) LSU Analytic Geometry & Calculus 1 (5 credits, $1208 - includes all fees)
2) UND Calculus 2 (4 credits, $1113.16 - no additional fees)
3) either LSU Elementary Differential Equations with Linear Algebra (4 credits, $973 - includes all fees)
or UND Calculus 3 (4 credits, $1113.16 - no additional fees)

(LSU doesn't have Calc 2 available at the moment.)

I suggest these (if you want the TESU ASNSM - Mathematics) because they are entirely self-paced...you can finish each in as little as 3 months, and you can overlap your registrations if you really need to haul through them. However, it would cost more than what you'd pay at your CC, by the sound of it.

If you take TESU classes, you'll pay about $1500-2000 each (unless you have the Study.com partnership, in which case it's about $1K-1,400 I think?), and you'll be limited to the 12-week options...Calc 1 (4cr) and Calc 2 (4cr) are available as Guided Study so you could work ahead and overlap terms. The other classes are all 3 credit with only live options so full 12 week discussion board glory...and you'd need two of them to get over the 13 remaining credits (I assume your stats will be accepted for 3 credits, and your college algebra will cover the "math" requirement in the gen-ed....not sure if finite will cover quant lit...anyone?).

APU/AMU is also cheaper than TESU, at $270/credit, but you'd be bound to 8 or 15 week terms. SNHU is also cheaper than TESU ($360?/credit) and lists LA and DE as upper level, though it's unclear what TESU would recognize them as.

The CCs would be the cheapest way to get the credits, I'd think...provided they offer a math sequence. Someone who knows the NMJC-etc market could tell you more about that.

[StoicJ]

I figured if I could knock out the 5 remaining TESU-required classes for under $1500 total, I might go that route instead of the local college. It looks like I could go with Straighterline or Study.com for Calc 1 and 2. It's those others that would seem to be a problem. EdX has the 3 differential equations classes, but who knows if they will be available when I need them to be. THAT would be nice. The LSU and UND options would make it too pricey for me. If the degree were more important to me, the APU and NMJC options mentioned might be good.

(I assume your stats will be accepted for 3 credits, and your college algebra will cover the "math" requirement in the gen-ed....not sure if finite will cover quant lit...anyone?).

Yes, according to the TESU eval Finite Math fills the quant lit requirement, so the only things I'd need for the ASNSM Math are the 5 additional math classes.

So if you go with your CC, you only need 3 classes and the total cost is $1500-2000? Do that.

My local JC (San Jacinto College) would run me about $1000 in tuition and fees for the 3 math classes provided I completed them in the same semester. Pretty sure I could do that if I studied up for Calc 1 and 2 this fall, then took the classes for credit next spring. Books and other fees should be under $500. Maybe even under $300. It really is a good deal.

I personally would not hold back a Bachelor's degree for an Associates degree.

Why is that? Because you never know what changes might come down the pike?

[TrailRunr]

Why is that? Because you never know what changes might come down the pike?

Because nearly all associates degrees are worthless for career and employment purposes. It's a waste of time and money. It's nothing more than a glorified high school diploma. Very few jobs will give you a better chance of becoming employed because of an associates (eg. nursing). An ASNSM is not one of the few exceptions. You will be competing against folks who have BA degrees while you are lumped in with the high school grads and probably destined for the reject pile. On top of that, you don't need a degree if you just want to take a few courses in math for personal enrichment.

And if you delay graduation, TESU may put in new requirements or fees that are unavoidable once announced. TESU has been somewhat generous with regards to avoidable changes, but it's a risk for a lousy reason (AS degree).

[StoicJ]

Gotcha.

I am considering the degree because I publish articles on websites and I think it might look good to say I have a degree in mathematics. Wouldn't necessarily have to say it was an AS.

[clep3705]

If I read your blog, I would be unimpressed by an A.S. in math and disappointed to find out your degree was an associate's. This is a waste of time and money.

[Ideas]

EdX has the 3 differential equations classes, but who knows if they will be available when I need them to be.

Just knock them out soon. They are short.

But maybe you should save the money and get a general Associates with concentration. Do you know about the Pierpont and other WV BOG AAS degrees? Others said that at Pierpont you can get a concentration from just 15 credits in an area. They are likely to accept way more math courses and save you $1000.

[Ideas]

My local JC (San Jacinto College) would run me about $1000 in tuition and fees for the 3 math classes provided I completed them in the same semester. Pretty sure I could do that if I studied up for Calc 1 and 2 this fall, then took the classes for credit next spring. Books and other fees should be under $500. Maybe even under $300. It really is a good deal.

Would you have enough UL credits in AoS if you did this?

When I wrote my last post, I didn't see that you are already doing the BSBA. That changes the total costs.

[jsd]

If I read your blog, I would be unimpressed by an A.S. in math and disappointed to find out your degree was an associate's. This is a waste of time and money.

Yeah a BSBA would still be more impressive than an AS in Math even if it was a mathematics website.