COSC Associate in Science then GS/ISS

[reylok]

That's a workable plan, some people use the Associates degree as a stepping stone as life gets in the way of completing the Bachelors, it's also usable for a possible pay boost or to get into a different position altogether.  It will cost you an extra graduation fee from COSC, if that $225 is worth it for the Associates and you don't really have much time to complete the Bachelors in a year or so, then sure! Go for it!

Why would I need to complete the Bachelors within a year?  I might want to take a year off between the two degrees. Right now, I have no income, so the Associates seems like a more manageable risk. I didn't want to take a lot of credit by exams, then run out of money before I could enroll in the Bachelors program.