Can Anyone help me? Have over 80 Credits, Help me apply this into a Degree!

[Travis4687]

Hello Degreeforum,

I've been on here for about 9 months now, and this website is what got me on the fast track to CLEP / DSST exams and finishing my degree in the timeliest manner possible. I went completely CLEP/DSST crazy last year and I was taking an exam nearly every week , sometimes multiple exams in a day, I've always been good at taking tests.

I'm currently working on a BS in Information Systems Security with American Military University, and I'm currently 63 credits done, with around 60 more to go till completion. I have nearly all my general education done with the exception of Science, and I have all my electives covered as well and then some.

I was looking at the Associates degree in General Studies from AMU and I realized "Wow..I'm only missing 4 credits (One science w/lab) class to have this degree", so Now I've decided I want to try to take my AMU Transcript and get it sent off to another school in an attempt to get an Associates degree in General or Basic studies. Just so I can have SOMETHING in the education box on my resume, why not?

Here is all my credit I've obtained so far and it is all been verified and listed on my AMU Transcript :

ARMY AARTS Transcript - 3 Credits (Elective)
DOCNET - 3 Credits (Elective)
COLL100 - Intro to Online Learning , - 3 Credits
CLEP - History of the US II - 3 Credits (History)
CLEP - College Composition /Essay - 6 Credits (English)
CLEP - Western Civ II - 3 Credits (History)
CLEP - Humanities - 6 Credits (Humanities)
CLEP - Analyzing & Interpreting Lit - 6 Credits (Literature)
CLEP - College Mathematics - 6 Credits (Math)
DSST- Intro to Middle East - 3 Credits (Pol. Science)
CLEP - Social Sciences & History - 6 Credits (SS or History)
CLEP - General Chemistry - 6 Credits (Science)
CLEP - Natural Sciences - 6 Credits (Science)
DSST - Technical Writing - 3 Credits (Elective)
CLEP - Info Systems & Computer App - 3 Credits (Elective)
DSST - Principles of Supervision - 3 Credits (Elective)
DSST - Intro to Computing - 3 Credits (Elective)
FEMA Emergency Institute - 6 Credits (Elective)
ACE Transcript - 4 Credits (Elective)

I also have various IT Certifications such as :

• Comptia A+
• Comptia Network+
• Comptia Security+
• Comptia Server+
• Comptia IT Strata Fundamentals Certification
• Comptia Strata IT Green Initiatives Certification
• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) : Windows 7 Desktop Administration
• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) : Windows 7 Configuration
• Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) : Windows Server 2008 R2 Virtualization
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) : Enterprise Desktop Administration on Windows Vista/7
• Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) : Enterprise Desktop support technician on Windows7


Can anyone help me put all this credit into some sort of General studies degree with any college? or Give me advice? I looked into the Big 3 but I wasn't able to make anything work.

I'm preferably looking to transfer all this credit straight into a degree and not have to take any classes with the school provided.

Thanks Everyone!!

[dew125]

You could easily pay 2800+ to TESC (admission and graduation fee) and would most likely have thė right distribution of credits for an associates degree, but why not take a science+lab class through straighterline, transfer it to AMU and finish there to save yourself the hassle of transferring? There is a recent thread on straighterline transferring to AMU... Most other community colleges will require at least 15 credits to be earned through them, and even with the big 3, TESC is the only school that will allow you to graduate without actually taking one of their courses.

[Travis4687]

You could easily pay 2800+ to TESC (admission and graduation fee) and would most likely have thė right distribution of credits for an associates degree, but why not take a science+lab class through straighterline, transfer it to AMU and finish there to save yourself the hassle of transferring? There is a recent thread on straighterline transferring to AMU... Most other community colleges will require at least 15 credits to be earned through them, and even with the big 3, TESC is the only school that will allow you to graduate without actually taking one of their courses.

I already thought of that, but AMU will not let me enroll in a 2nd program unless I'm finished with the 1st one or within a few weeks of graduating. So I cant do that with AMU...but you're right it would be incredibly easy.

Is there a way you can verify I have the right amount and types of credits to get an AA with TESC? I'll pay the 2800.

[Storyteller]

Travis4687,
Have you had a credit evaluation done by TESC? For $75 you can find out how those credits would be distributed toward a degree. I don't know what your timing is, but it will be about 4 weeks before you hear back from TESC.

[rebel100]

I believe you could do Charter oak for about half that price. You would need DSST Ethics exam and would have to take the COSC Cornerstone. I believe you have everything else. $900 tuition (3 hour cornerstone), Application $75, Semester fee $220, Graduation $205, total $1400 plus whatever you are paying for 1 DSST exam.

TESC might still be better for you depending on how fast you plan to complete that BS

Good Luck,
Mike

[Travis4687]

Storyteller,

Yeah I guess I could send my AMU transcript to TESC, but I was hoping to find some expert on here to just tell me if the credit I have would work...haha, Since I see alot of that on here.

[Travis4687]

I believe you could do Charter oak for about half that price. You would need DSST Ethics exam and would have to take the COSC Cornerstone. I believe you have everything else. $900 tuition (3 hour cornerstone), Application $75, Semester fee $220, Graduation $205, total $1400 plus whatever you are paying for 1 DSST exam.

TESC might still be better for you depending on how fast you plan to complete that BS

Good Luck,
Mike

I could knock out that Ethics DSST no problem. But what about this Cornerstone business? How hard is that and what it is exactly and what does it consist of?

[rebel100]

Cornerstone is about being able to research a topic and write about it. In this class you develop your Concentration Plan of Study...not really much to it, but you do need to stay on top of it. I found it excellent practice for all the college papers that came later.

[Travis4687]

Cornerstone is about being able to research a topic and write about it. In this class you develop your Concentration Plan of Study...not really much to it, but you do need to stay on top of it. I found it excellent practice for all the college papers that came later.

Hmmm, TESC sounds like where I want to be at on this particular situation, I know its double the money for essentially a degree worth nothing...just a place holder degree for me until I finish my BS In information systems security.

But money isnt really an issue right now since im deployed and I have absolutely zero bills right now. I can swing 2800 no problem. the thing that concerns me is when I checked the TESC website :
Thomas Edison State College: Online, accredited degrees that can be completed entirely online

the Associate of Arts in General studies said I needed 12 credits in Humanites, and 12 in Natural Science, I'm pretty sure I only have 6 of each in those. Or Am I mistaken? Can someone tell me from looking at my credits up at the beginning of this thread?

I have no idea which CLEPs/DSSTs count for what at TESC, is there an equivalency chart like AMU has?

[dew125]

http://degreeplanners.com/media/TESC_Equivalencies.pdf

From a quick look at your credits it seems like you have everything you need for an associate degree, although I still think you could make it work at AMU. Last month I changed my program there even though my situation didn't go along with their standard policies. I'll bet if you talked to the right person you could make this degree happen and save yourself a couple grand. I'd say make a phone appt but that's nearly impossible while deployed, and I see the difficulties of even doing a SL lab overseas. Only you know what would best work in your situation, but to answer your question, yes it looks like you've met the tesc associate requirements.