BALS plan

[Johmford]

Does anyone have a BALS plan for testing out they can send me?

I want to do the degree with the criminal justice option. I’m doing 12 cj credits this semester at the community college and have a hand full of other credits to transfer.

I just need a clear roadmap of the extra things i need to do so I don’t duplicate anything

[dfrecore]

I have a generic one without a CJ option.

[Johmford]

I have a generic one without a CJ option.

How do Shmoop classes fit in to that? are they generally able to replace the study.com?

I really would like to do courses that don't require proctoring as I will be doing them at work, with no web cam and I'm not allowed to install one...

Any suggestions would help.

also, here is my CC completed class and ones in progress:

Complete:
ACC-120 Prin of Financial Accounting 4.00
BUS-110 Introduction to Business 3.00
WBL-112 Work-Based Learning I 2.00
MAT-070 27 Introductory Algebra 4.00
SPA-111 42 Elementary Spanish I 3.00
SPA-181 42 Spanish Lab 1 1.00
ENG-275 82 Science Fiction 3.00
PSY-281 07 Abnormal Psychology 3.00
PSY-150 14 General Psychology 3.00
PHI-230 01 Introduction to Logic 3.00
ENG-113 47 Literature-Based Research 3.00
HUM-130 03 Myth in Human Culture 3.00
COM-110 14 Introduction to Communications 3.00
ENG-111 56 Expository Writing 3.00
CIS-110 84 Introduction to Computers 3.00
MAT-070 20 Introductory Algebra 4.00 (D grade however)
MUS-110 21 Music Appreciation 3.00

In progress at CC:
CJC-111-41 Intro to Criminal Justice 3.00
CJC-231-80 Constitutional Law 3.00
CJC-131-80 Criminal Law 3.00
CJC-112-81 Criminology 3.00
Eng-112 research / writing 3.00
PHI-240 Intro to ethics 3.00
ART-111 Art Appreciation 3.00
BIO-110 Intro to biology 4.00

CLEP completed:
Intro to Sociology
College Mathamatics
American History 1

I would appreciate anyones help planning this out!

[dfrecore]

I was able to plan out a BALS w/concentration in CJ.  Since you're coming in with 80cr already, you can't take advantage of Shmoop as much as you'd like.  But you can certainly use it to get the rest of your UL credits in the AOS, plus American Government, and a few Free Electives.  I threw some courses in (highlighted in purple), but you can choose from any of the ACE-approved courses that are college-level and that don't duplicate what you've already taken.

You can also take any of the TEEX, NFA and Sophia free courses and replace any Free electives Shmoop courses (I think the free courses are all non-proctored).

Also, was Intro to Comm a speech course?  If so, then you can put it up in the speech area.

[Johmford]

I was able to plan out a BALS w/concentration in CJ.  Since you're coming in with 80cr already, you can't take advantage of Shmoop as much as you'd like.  But you can certainly use it to get the rest of your UL credits in the AOS, plus American Government, and a few Free Electives.  I threw some courses in (highlighted in purple), but you can choose from any of the ACE-approved courses that are college-level and that don't duplicate what you've already taken.

You can also take any of the TEEX, NFA and Sophia free courses and replace any Free electives Shmoop courses (I think the free courses are all non-proctored).

Also, was Intro to Comm a speech course?  If so, then you can put it up in the speech area.

awesome and thank you for the help! Going to go over all of it now. 

The intro to com had public speaking in it, but i dont think that was the primary focus as they offer a COM-230 Public Speaking at the same school. I guess we should see how it translates at TESU?

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I was able to plan out a BALS w/concentration in CJ.  Since you're coming in with 80cr already, you can't take advantage of Shmoop as much as you'd like.  But you can certainly use it to get the rest of your UL credits in the AOS, plus American Government, and a few Free Electives.  I threw some courses in (highlighted in purple), but you can choose from any of the ACE-approved courses that are college-level and that don't duplicate what you've already taken.

You can also take any of the TEEX, NFA and Sophia free courses and replace any Free electives Shmoop courses (I think the free courses are all non-proctored).

Also, was Intro to Comm a speech course?  If so, then you can put it up in the speech area.

In thinking of the different BALS options, are there any that are cheaper or easier to complete? I dont really care if the focus isnt in CJ i was taking those courses for a certificate at the CC here. 

What i really want is the fastest way, preferably least proctored way. I have a 6 month old at home so when i get home from work its just me and her till mom comes home at 11pm... I cant do a proctored test at home with a baby crying or in my arms from what i have read about these proctor companies.

[dfrecore]

The difference is $365, and 3 courses that you would need proctored.  So the regular BALS w/no concentration should give you what you want.

I would consider doing the free courses for your free electives, just to jump start on the whole thing, and see how you do taking a test while holding a baby (which sounds super fun by the way).  At least you aren't paying for it, and can see how it goes.

Then you just need to figure out how to do the Oral Comm - I would probably just take the TECEP, which you can do after your wife gets home - because really, taking a test after working a full day and then being with your baby sounds extra fun!

Also, remember that you can do Study.com and SL courses at work, doing all quizzes and stuff - and then do the final at home.  That way, you're not limited by having to do Shmoop.  Not that you can't do Shmoop, but there are other options, and the proctoring part is not that time-consuming.

[Johmford]

Does anyone know if the generic BALS will take the TEEX courses and the drug abuse dsst for upper level liberal studies?

Trying to fill in those uppers first because I know they will be the hardest to complete.

[dfrecore]

The Drug Abuse DSST, yes. One of the TEEX courses, yes. But unless you have a 4cr course somewhere, that is not going to be a helpful course because you'll need 1 more credit of UL to offset it (they won't give you a waiver on your AOS like they will for the Gen Ed Ethics course for instance).

Really, the UL courses aren't the hardest to complete. They aren't even hard to find, there are tons of them available through many different means here (Saylor, Study.com, DSST, TECEP, UExcel, etc.).

[triforce828]

We had a kind of happy UL experience with the TEEX Cybersecurity and The Institutes Ethics. My kid was only able to complete 4 of the study.com UL courses before they were downgraded. We weren't too sure how to get more UL units. But, TEEX transferred in as CIS 2 UL and the insurance ethics transferring in as 2 UL.

So, even thought it resulted in 1 extra unit (being applied to free electives), the kid was just so happy to be done with UL requirements.

However, now study.com Business Ethics has to be completed for the GE requirements.

[dfrecore]

We had a kind of happy UL experience with the TEEX Cybersecurity and The Institutes Ethics.  My kid was only able to complete 4 of the study.com UL courses before they were downgraded. We weren't too sure how to get more UL units. But, TEEX transferred in as CIS 2 UL and the insurance ethics transferring in as 2 UL.

So, even thought it resulted in 1 extra unit (being applied to free electives), the kid was just so happy to be done with UL requirements.  

However, now study.com Business Ethics has to be completed for the GE requirements.

Just make sure that he doesn't take an UL Business Ethics course, as it will be a duplicate of the free Insurance Ethics course (PHI-385).  There are other ethics courses available - DSST (Ethics in America), Saylor/TECEP (Environmental Ethics), or the LL Study.com Business Ethics course.