COSC and my existential crisis....

[boalex207]

Existential crisis is perhaps a bit of an overstatement, but still a dilemma for me. I'm torn, and looking for advice that I may end up not taking. Bear with me....

As best I can tell, I am two classes (Cornerstone and Capstone) away from a Bachelor's degree from Charter Oak. And to be frank, I am somewhat intimidated by the Capstone. I can't find any recent reports on here, but I hear of up to a 50 page research paper with required footnotes, references, MLA something or other, etc. and I really have no interest in that. I can write well, but I have no experience or interest in all the various literary devices that will be required.

Plus, I'm not excited by what would be my alma mater. Nobody has heard of it, I will never be able to go there for a football game, and it has the word "College" in it, which doesn't thrill me.

On the other hand, I am seriously leaning toward the Regents Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia University. It will be somewhat more expensive because I will need to earn 21 more credits in residence (21 at $ 299 hr. vs. 6 at $ 377 hr.), but there is no Capstone, senior paper, etc. involved. So, the WVU degree will be a bit more expensive, and take a little bit longer. But at this point (44 years old) what's the harm in another slight delay if I'm going to be happier with the degree and the school?

I know, I know........get the quickest, cheapest RA degree and move on, but I don't want to spend all this time and money and then still be less than satisfied with my choice down the road. I'm trying to avoid buyer's remorse later.

I welcome comments and advice, although, again, I may already have my mind made up.

Thanks!!

[Notgodot]

Well, being practical about it, the question really is "what do I need this degree for?" As an example, I personally just need a bachelors degree in literally anything to meet my life and career objectives (so long as it is RA). I'm not thrilled with Thomas Edison (Tesla was a much cooler inventor and person), but cost and speed are really important factors for me. A lot of opportunities are waiting on this degree.

For you, maybe you should kinda give yourself an evaluation. What exactly will this degree do for you? Is completion time a critical factor? Is cost a critical factor? What opportunity costs are associated with each of your choices? At the end of it all, you are the one that has to decide if the path you took was the right one. Good luck!

[cookderosa]

Existential crisis is perhaps a bit of an overstatement, but still a dilemma for me. I'm torn, and looking for advice that I may end up not taking. Bear with me....

As best I can tell, I am two classes (Cornerstone and Capstone) away from a Bachelor's degree from Charter Oak. And to be frank, I am somewhat intimidated by the Capstone. I can't find any recent reports on here, but I hear of up to a 50 page research paper with required footnotes, references, MLA something or other, etc. and I really have no interest in that. I can write well, but I have no experience or interest in all the various literary devices that will be required.

Plus, I'm not excited by what would be my alma mater. Nobody has heard of it, I will never be able to go there for a football game, and it has the word "College" in it, which doesn't thrill me.

On the other hand, I am seriously leaning toward the Regents Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia University. It will be somewhat more expensive because I will need to earn 21 more credits in residence (21 at $ 299 hr. vs. 6 at $ 377 hr.), but there is no Capstone, senior paper, etc. involved. So, the WVU degree will be a bit more expensive, and take a little bit longer. But at this point (44 years old) what's the harm in another slight delay if I'm going to be happier with the degree and the school?

I know, I know........get the quickest, cheapest RA degree and move on, but I don't want to spend all this time and money and then still be less than satisfied with my choice down the road. I'm trying to avoid buyer's remorse later.

I welcome comments and advice, although, again, I may already have my mind made up.

Thanks!!

Get it from West Virginia.
Here's why:
#1 you live in that state. That gives you serious job cred locally.
#2 you already changed your siggy. That's clearly where your heart is.
#3 at the end of the day, 4 grand difference is not enough money to sway someone one direction or the other imo.
#4 I've never told anyone to get the cheapest, quickest, RA you can. Never. That's silly. How about reframing it to say to get the degree you want as cheaply and quickly as you can. That's a different mindset. It's all about context.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[boalex207]

Get it from West Virginia.
Here's why:
#1 you live in that state. That gives you serious job cred locally.
#2 you already changed your siggy. That's clearly where your heart is.
#3 at the end of the day, 4 grand difference is not enough money to sway someone one direction or the other imo.
#4 I've never told anyone to get the cheapest, quickest, RA you can. Never. That's silly. How about reframing it to say to get the degree you want as cheaply and quickly as you can. That's a different mindset. It's all about context.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

1. I don't live in West Virginia, but I do like that it's from a state flagship, land grant school.
2. I think that's right.
3. I agree. IMO, in for a penny, in for a pound at this stage of the game. I mean, I graduated high school in 1991.
4. Several people on here advocate for the cheapest, quickest RA degree.

I appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

[davewill]

I'm going to take a semi contrary view. It seems to me that except for the capstone, you would be finishing at COSC. I admit that I don't know much about their capstone, but the TESU capstone wasn't anywhere near as onerous as you have described. My experience ended up being fairly positive.

In the end, the best degree is the one you will finish. Virtually all of us are here because the traditional path didn't work for us for one reason or another. Since you're so close to finishing at COSC, I would be asking myself whether taking an extra 7 online courses is really a surer path or not.

[alleycat]

I believe Reb did a post on the capstone at COSC when he attended. I don't have the link but I remember reading it several years ago. Honestly I would just get it over with. I would not want to take all of those courses. But that's just me. Would TESU be easier because you only have the capstone and not a cornerstone? Keep us posted!

[Synicaal]

Well, being practical about it, the question really is "what do I need this degree for?" As an example, I personally just need a bachelors degree in literally anything to meet my life and career objectives (so long as it is RA). I'm not thrilled with Thomas Edison (Tesla was a much cooler inventor and person), but cost and speed are really important factors for me. A lot of opportunities are waiting on this degree.

For you, maybe you should kinda give yourself an evaluation. What exactly will this degree do for you? Is completion time a critical factor? Is cost a critical factor? What opportunity costs are associated with each of your choices? At the end of it all, you are the one that has to decide if the path you took was the right one. Good luck!

This poster hits it right on the money. Don't just get a degree to get a degree, get something that you actually want. I am fine with TESU over my original plans because I in about the same boat as Notgodot, I just need a Bachelors degree in just about anything. But I went a step further then that and I'm going for Accounting. I Could have went the easier route and got the GM but I wanted a concentration to go with so I stepped it up a bit. Plus a Master degree is still on the table for me.

[bluebooger]

"Nobody has heard of it..."

how many of these have you heard of

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co...in_Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co...sachusetts

Complete Campus List - SUNY

"I will never be able to go there for a football game ..."

I realize everyone has different reasons for choosing a school, but that may be the worst reason I have ever heard of

"it has the word 'College' in it, which doesn't thrill me. "

link to Forbes article
Swarthmore College
Amherst College
Dartmouth College
Boston College
Wellesley College
Vassar College
Barnard College
Oberlin College
Harvey Mudd College

yeah, schools with the word "college" in them are just so bad /sarcasm

[Synicaal]

"Nobody has heard of it..."

how many of these have you heard of

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co...in_Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_co...sachusetts

Complete Campus List - SUNY

"I will never be able to go there for a football game ..."

I realize everyone has different reasons for choosing a school, but that may be the worst reason I have ever heard of

"it has the word 'College' in it, which doesn't thrill me. "

link to Forbes article
Swarthmore College
Amherst College
Dartmouth College
Boston College
Wellesley College
Vassar College
Barnard College
Oberlin College
Harvey Mudd College

yeah, schools with the word "college" in them are just so bad /sarcasm

SUNY is a well know group of schools lol at least here in the north east but I know where your going with that. A known school is mainly by location. I'm sure the people in NJ are says TESU isn't well known because it is well known in New Jersey. Just like SUNY schools are well know in NY. Excelsior is well known to me I literally work about 5 minutes from that school. It is well know and highly liked here in NY. And I'm sure the people in Connecticut are familiar with COSC. Unless you toss out a big name school like Alabama or Ohio State most likely people in other states are going to say where? I bet most people (not people on this forum) cannot tell you where Yale, Notre Dame, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia schools are even located. So known is more about where someone is located then the prestige of the school itself. Sorry for my rant I probably went off topic but that's my rant for the day. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone with this post just saying you see all the time about the whole "KNOWN" issues people have. I can't speak for any of the Big 3 except Excelsior and a degree from Excelsior is highly accepted in NYS. Why I didn't aim for Excelsior, I don't really remember lol I think it was cost.

[jsd]

SUNY is a well know group of schools lol at least here in the north east but I know where your going with that. A known school is mainly by location. I'm sure the people in NJ are says TESU isn't well known because it is well known in New Jersey. Just like SUNY schools are well know in NY. Excelsior is well known to me I literally work about 5 minutes from that school. It is well know and highly liked here in NY. And I'm sure the people in Connecticut are familiar with COSC. Unless you toss out a big name school like Alabama or Ohio State most likely people in other states are going to say where? I bet most people (not people on this forum) cannot tell you where Yale, Notre Dame, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia schools are even located. So known is more about where someone is located then the prestige of the school itself. Sorry for my rant I probably went off topic but that's my rant for the day. I'm not trying to disrespect anyone with this post just saying you see all the time about the whole "KNOWN" issues people have. I can't speak for any of the Big 3 except Excelsior and a degree from Excelsior is highly accepted in NYS. Why I didn't aim for Excelsior, I don't really remember lol I think it was cost.

the SUNY system is well known, as is the UC system in california, but do you know each individual SUNY or UC school?