Crippling self doubt! (aka starting college at 40!)

[dfrecore]

Looks like you can get up to 9cr for a private pilot cert:

https://www2.tesu.edu/oapwl/client.php?c...ent=FAA-PP

[rvm]

Oh, I'd love to know the trick for Aleks. I noticed that the school I was going to attend locally doesn't accept the Algebra CLEP. http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/priorle...ncies.html. 

I've been trying to figure out which math class I should take at Aleks that will fulfill my math requirements. 

I took the ACCUPLACER and if I took it at the Montgomery College, due to my placement, I'd have to take a "supporting" math class, which costs $ and you don't get credit for it and then a beginning level Algebra class. I was pretty bummed because I took all the "practice tests" for it and I did really well. I scored almost perfect on the english & reading sections and then just blah middle of the road on Math. That being said, it was really hard and not a thing was stuff I spent the week working on. I had practiced everything Algebra and college math levels on KhanAcademy and then during the ACCUPLACER, it may as well have been Mandarin because I don't speak that either! 


When I met with my advisor to go over my test placements, I had told him that I had planned on bringing in some "outside" math credit to clear up the math requirement anyway. He said that was fine and that it would nullify my placement requests that I take the supporting math class. 

I've definitely seen the other "free" curses that you've mentioned. I'd love some guidance for the Aleks courses though. I'll go do some digging and see what I can find.

Although, before posting here, I totally thought I finally had a plan and now I'm like.. WAIT!!   That was the point though. I wanted to come up with a plan and then come here and have people who have been through it tell me what I'm doing wrong and why I'm wasting time and money when I don't have to be!

Mil0, I took a look at Montgomery College's policies concerning accepting non-traditional courses such as CLEP & DSST, etc.  They only allow a maximum of 50% of your credits to be from non-traditional sources.  That's not unusual as that's similar to what you will find at most brick & mortars universities.  In fact, most B&Ms do not accept anywhere close to that many non-trad credits. 

Before you proceed with MC, consider asking MC for specifics on precisely what non-traditional exams and courses they will accept.  Will they accept any course accredited by ACE (American Council on Education)?  That's possible but not likely.  

It's not clear to me exactly how MC plans to treat Aleks credits.  Even though the counselor said they would accept your outside credit, I'd get in writing which Aleks credits they will accept and for what.  If they do accept Aleks, will Aleks credits satisfy your college math requirements at MC or it is only going to serve as your substitution for your placement tests?   

Before you register for Aleks or any other non-traditional source, unless you just want the experience, consider whether TESU, COSC or EXC meets your academic and personal goals.  Add WGU to your list if you want fast, easy & cheap!  I've not seen any regionally accredited university cheaper than WGU if you can buckle down and do this in 6 months.  But WGU is a different beast than TESU, COSC & EXC.   

If you decide one of the 4 institutions is right for you, the guidance you will receive here is exceptional.

And I'm happy to share Aleks tips.  I just want you to have a better idea of what Aleks credits are going to provide you before you register.

[Mil0]

Mil0, I took a look at Montgomery College's policies concerning accepting non-traditional courses such as CLEP & DSST, etc.  They only allow a maximum of 50% of your credits to be from non-traditional sources.  That's not unusual as that's similar to what you will find at most brick & mortars universities.  In fact, most B&Ms do not accept anywhere close to that many non-trad credits. 

Before you proceed with MC, consider asking MC for specifics on precisely what non-traditional exams and courses they will accept.  Will they accept any course accredited by ACE (American Council on Education)?  That's possible but not likely.  

It's not clear to me exactly how MC plans to treat Aleks credits.  Even though the counselor said they would accept your outside credit, I'd get in writing which Aleks credits they will accept and for what.  If they do accept Aleks, will Aleks credits satisfy your college math requirements at MC or it is only going to serve as your substitution for your placement tests?   

Before you register for Aleks or any other non-traditional source, unless you just want the experience, consider whether TESU, COSC or EXC meets your academic and personal goals.  Add WGU to your list if you want fast, easy & cheap!  I've not seen any regionally accredited university cheaper than WGU if you can buckle down and do this in 6 months.  But WGU is a different beast than TESU, COSC & EXC.   

If you decide one of the 4 institutions is right for you, the guidance you will receive here is exceptional.

And I'm happy to share Aleks tips.  I just want you to have a better idea of what Aleks credits are going to provide you before you register.

I went to double check on MC's credit policies because I was pretty sure you transfer in more than that. You can transfer in 45 credits, which is 70% of the degree. Keep in mind, they only have associates degrees at Montgomery College as it's just a two year school. I think you may be getting your 50% number because you're thinking of a BABS which is 90 credits, when the AS is just 60 total. You have to take 15 at MC to get a degree from there and to qualify for the matriculation agreements and other agreements they have.  

19.  How many transfer credits can be applied toward a program?
A maximum of 45 transfer credits can be applied to a degree program or 70% of the credits required to a certificate program.

My understanding is that the Aleks course would satisfy the math requirement in general. The placement exam is irrelevant unless I'm taking math classes, which I'm not. It's just to "guarantee" that you're successful so they don't want to put you into a math class that you'll bomb. Instead, they make you take two, paying paying for and doing the work for both but only getting credit for one. 

The more feedback and the more I read on this board, the more it makes sense just to go to one of the big 3 for my bachelors because in the same amount of time as getting the associates, due to delays from scheduling and course delays, I could have a BA/BS instead. 

Is it possible to get two bachelors at the same time? As in, will they apply the same general education courses to two different degrees? While I understand I could do a BALS and then just have the masters in Emergency & Crisis Management, I'd rather have my BS in an EM field in the event that I don't complete my masters or just.. something happens. Know what I mean? 
I also  know that the big 3 offer masters degrees in various EM concentrations so it's like, at that point, why even switch schools? I don't want to get ahead of myself but the possibilities are endless. My thought process is that if I did the BALS and the BS in EM, I could have the BALS and use that to get into UCF and start working on my master while I finish up the BS in EM. That way I could get one of the positions I've been interested in and keep working while I work on my Masters.  

I don't want to get into the weeds about it too much since I just need to get moving. It's just figuring out what I need to do to move forward down the right path from the start BUT the first part of that is just getting started. 

Classes start at MC on the 28th. I'm really enjoying working at my own pace though. So far, in the last week alone, I've received 6 college credits. The thought of having to attend classes (even via the web) is almost a little off putting because I want to dive in not just stick my toe in the water and inch up little by little. 

I went to register for classes, or at least figure out my schedule and I'm a little screwed by MC. This is the link for the AS Emergency Management and it has a sample schedule. The EM prerequisites are EMGT 101 & EMGT 103 which you'd take in your first semester. The only problem is they're not offering EMGT 103 this spring. This would make it so I could only take ONE EMGT course this spring and that just feels disappointing. They only have one professor who teaches all ~15+ EMGT courses. They only seem to offer EMGT 103 in the fall. Either way, it feels like there are a lot less expensive ways to earn the general education credits that I need. 

Hope this all makes sense. Barely got any sleep this week and I'm about to pass out now.

[rvm]

I went to double check on MC's credit policies because I was pretty sure you transfer in more than that. You can transfer in 45 credits, which is 70% of the degree. Keep in mind, they only have associates degrees at Montgomery College as it's just a two year school. I think you may be getting your 50% number because you're thinking of a BABS which is 90 credits, when the AS is just 60 total. You have to take 15 at MC to get a degree from there and to qualify for the matriculation agreements and other agreements they have.  

19.  How many transfer credits can be applied toward a program?
A maximum of 45 transfer credits can be applied to a degree program or 70% of the credits required to a certificate program.

My understanding is that the Aleks course would satisfy the math requirement in general. The placement exam is irrelevant unless I'm taking math classes, which I'm not. It's just to "guarantee" that you're successful so they don't want to put you into a math class that you'll bomb. Instead, they make you take two, paying paying for and doing the work for both but only getting credit for one. 

The more feedback and the more I read on this board, the more it makes sense just to go to one of the big 3 for my bachelors because in the same amount of time as getting the associates, due to delays from scheduling and course delays, I could have a BA/BS instead. 

Is it possible to get two bachelors at the same time? As in, will they apply the same general education courses to two different degrees? While I understand I could do a BALS and then just have the masters in Emergency & Crisis Management, I'd rather have my BS in an EM field in the event that I don't complete my masters or just.. something happens. Know what I mean? 
I also  know that the big 3 offer masters degrees in various EM concentrations so it's like, at that point, why even switch schools? I don't want to get ahead of myself but the possibilities are endless. My thought process is that if I did the BALS and the BS in EM, I could have the BALS and use that to get into UCF and start working on my master while I finish up the BS in EM. That way I could get one of the positions I've been interested in and keep working while I work on my Masters.  

I don't want to get into the weeds about it too much since I just need to get moving. It's just figuring out what I need to do to move forward down the right path from the start BUT the first part of that is just getting started. 

Classes start at MC on the 28th. I'm really enjoying working at my own pace though. So far, in the last week alone, I've received 6 college credits. The thought of having to attend classes (even via the web) is almost a little off putting because I want to dive in not just stick my toe in the water and inch up little by little. 

I went to register for classes, or at least figure out my schedule and I'm a little screwed by MC. This is the link for the AS Emergency Management and it has a sample schedule. The EM prerequisites are EMGT 101 & EMGT 103 which you'd take in your first semester. The only problem is they're not offering EMGT 103 this spring. This would make it so I could only take ONE EMGT course this spring and that just feels disappointing. They only have one professor who teaches all ~15+ EMGT courses. They only seem to offer EMGT 103 in the fall. Either way, it feels like there are a lot less expensive ways to earn the general education credits that I need. 

Hope this all makes sense. Barely got any sleep this week and I'm about to pass out now.

Mil0, I think you're correct about the transfer credits in the AS vs BS at MC.  It seems as if you may be chalking up MC to a learning experience and focusing on the Big or WGU.  

One of our moderators, rebel100, may be a good person for you to chat with.  He got a bachelors degree from COSC, then a masters from WGU.  I don't remember the discipline of either.  He's in Emergency Mgmt and is now the manager of an outpatient hospital facility.  I checked his profile and it appears he has not been here since April 2018.  If you want to chat, I will send him an offline message.

[davewill]

...
The more feedback and the more I read on this board, the more it makes sense just to go to one of the big 3 for my bachelors because in the same amount of time as getting the associates, due to delays from scheduling and course delays, I could have a BA/BS instead. 

Is it possible to get two bachelors at the same time? As in, will they apply the same general education courses to two different degrees? While I understand I could do a BALS and then just have the masters in Emergency & Crisis Management, I'd rather have my BS in an EM field in the event that I don't complete my masters or just.. something happens. Know what I mean? 
I also  know that the big 3 offer masters degrees in various EM concentrations so it's like, at that point, why even switch schools? I don't want to get ahead of myself but the possibilities are endless. My thought process is that if I did the BALS and the BS in EM, I could have the BALS and use that to get into UCF and start working on my master while I finish up the BS in EM. That way I could get one of the positions I've been interested in and keep working while I work on my Masters.  

...

It is possible to get two bachelor's degrees at the same time. This link gives some of the details:

https://blog.tesu.edu/the-secret-to-earn...ond-degree

However, you have to get them at the same time or pay for two residency waivers. Plus there really isn't any benefit career-wise to getting a BALS alongside another degree because it's so general. If I were doing it, I would plan out the EM degree you want at a couple of the Big3. If you can't find enough of the courses you need as alternative credit, then plan a comprehensive tuition year at TESU and get the degree you want done.

As far as getting your master's at one of the Big3, unfortunately it doesn't work so well. You can't really get anything in the way of grad credit from alternative sources, and the regular grad tuition rates at the Big3 make them expensive choices for a master's.

[rvm]

Sorry I missed your question about multiple degrees.  Dave is much more educated in that area than me, though that is what I recently decided I will be doing as well.  I'm probably going to choose COSC for BSBA and my second BS with a concentration in Data Analytics through their General Studies program.  

COSC is a great option, IMO, because in some instances, you can receive grades for non-collegiate courses (such as Study.com) where TESU, EXC & WGU would give a pass or fail.  I'd rather have grades on my transcript so I don't have to take more courses to prove I have 3.5 gpa or better - so grad school will take me seriously.

[Cheeseburrito]

There are far more better suited members here to help you with the actual technical aspects of your degree, as well as the choices of the schools and degrees themselves so I won't even jump in the deep end of that pool.

What I wanted to say is that: we've all been where you are. I started out a year ago with 12 semester credits from a CC when I was 19. I am 34 now. I officially started my BA journey at age 33 having nothing but a GED, coming from a family where NO ONE has EVER earned even a high school education (I'm not kidding, they dropped anywhere from grade 8 through 12 including myself in 11), and having no experience outside of a couple remedial college classes with higher learning.

If you stay focused and listen to the members here, as well as have an open line of communication with your advisor from the school you select, you can be successful. I've got a few tidbits of gold I'd like to share based on my experiences:

1. Take courses and classes that you enjoy. If you hate philosophy and can't retain the info, find a different way to get the units.
1b. If you hate the course, stop doing it. This can demotivate you by weeks and you can lose a lot of time and money. You may even drop the plan entirely. Don't do that over a $54 SL class!!
2. Trust your gut with exams
3. Stay healthy - exercise, eat good whole foods, and drink lots of water. Having a strong healthy body and mind will translate into better focus, energy, and success.
4. Take advantage of every single free credit, partnership program, scholarship, fee reduction, income assistance, and other programs you possibly can. If you qualify, apply!
4b. Really! If you can get a free credit for having a scuba diving license with PADI (hint: you can) make sure to add it to your ACE transcript.
5. If you end up taking lots of ACE courses, make sure that your master's program / grad programs accept them as ore-requisites if they have any. Talk to your choice grad school academic advisors and ensure that what you're doing now with your undergrad will be compatible with what you're planning down the road.
6. Find the program or website you like and use it. I LOVED Study.com's app, website, format, and partnership with ProctorU. I didn't like how expensive it was compared to Straighterline, but I did as many credits as I could at SDC because the learning style of videos and text helped me blast through courses and under a week each. Honestly I did some of the courses in a day if the content was something I knew in tech or history.
7. Experiment. Yes I know we're all trying to save money, get a degree fast, and do it masterfully, but maybe you take a class on Female Archers who are also Architects 101 and you love it. So much so that you find a passion, hobby, and new career. If you can step out of your comfort zone and bit and sneak in a few fun classes, give it a try.

[Mil0]

Looks like you can get up to 9cr for a private pilot cert:

https://www2.tesu.edu/oapwl/client.php?c...ent=FAA-PP

I've definitely read some conflicting things. It seems like you can only get credit for the pilots license/ground school if you're enrolled in their aviation degree.

Am I wrong to assume that most of the alternative credits will basically go towards my free electives requirements, with the exception of those things that are requirements and fit with those (like Math courses from Aleks etc)

I went to flight school in 2004, so I would fall under needing additional review. My pilots license is also from the CAA (Canada) and not the FAA (USA) so I'm not sure it would be worth all the work for what may end up just filling electives. Either way, it's good to know. To me, ground school wasn't much harder than taking the written test in drivers ed, but I know most people struggle with it. I lost my medical a few years ago due to health issues but my fiancé is also a pilot, so I continue to fly with him. I could easily fo and take my ground test at Frederick Flight Center since that is where we keep our plane. It would be similar to having to go take the written for your drivers license and it would be easy enough for me to just retake it. 

I'd rather spend my time sorting out my FEMA credits and what, if any of those, I can use. I want to say I've got at least 30 credits, including the Emergency Management Institute Professional Development Series. You can definitely tell the times when I was stuck in a location where there wasn't much to do and the internet only worked well for certain things. No cell service + VPN that only seemed to work to connect to FEMA.gov + plenty of time to kill = FEMA IS courses completed! 

I know about the ability to transfer them via FCC at $88 per credit but I wasn't sure if they would transfer to meet any requirements other than the 27 free elective credits that I need. The free elective credits would definitely be worth it and its not too bad at $88 per credit. Thoughts? 

I'm going to go read through some of the threads on FEMA IS credits to see if I can find an up to date, accurate response on the FEMA credits since several of the big 3 contradict themselves with "less releases saying they'll accept them and the FAQs that say they won't.

[rvm]

There are far more better suited members here to help you with the actual technical aspects of your degree, as well as the choices of the schools and degrees themselves so I won't even jump in the deep end of that pool.

What I wanted to say is that: we've all been where you are. I started out a year ago with 12 semester credits from a CC when I was 19. I am 34 now. I officially started my BA journey at age 33 having nothing but a GED, coming from a family where NO ONE has EVER earned even a high school education (I'm not kidding, they dropped anywhere from grade 8 through 12 including myself in 11), and having no experience outside of a couple remedial college classes with higher learning.

If you stay focused and listen to the members here, as well as have an open line of communication with your advisor from the school you select, you can be successful. I've got a few tidbits of gold I'd like to share based on my experiences:

1. Take courses and classes that you enjoy. If you hate philosophy and can't retain the info, find a different way to get the units.
1b. If you hate the course, stop doing it. This can demotivate you by weeks and you can lose a lot of time and money. You may even drop the plan entirely. Don't do that over a $54 SL class!!
2. Trust your gut with exams
3. Stay healthy - exercise, eat good whole foods, and drink lots of water. Having a strong healthy body and mind will translate into better focus, energy, and success.
4. Take advantage of every single free credit, partnership program, scholarship, fee reduction, income assistance, and other programs you possibly can. If you qualify, apply!
4b. Really! If you can get a free credit for having a scuba diving license with PADI (hint: you can) make sure to add it to your ACE transcript.
5. If you end up taking lots of ACE courses, make sure that your master's program / grad programs accept them as ore-requisites if they have any. Talk to your choice grad school academic advisors and ensure that what you're doing now with your undergrad will be compatible with what you're planning down the road.
6. Find the program or website you like and use it. I LOVED Study.com's app, website, format, and partnership with ProctorU. I didn't like how expensive it was compared to Straighterline, but I did as many credits as I could at SDC because the learning style of videos and text helped me blast through courses and under a week each. Honestly I did some of the courses in a day if the content was something I knew in tech or history.
7. Experiment. Yes I know we're all trying to save money, get a degree fast, and do it masterfully, but maybe you take a class on Female Archers who are also Architects 101 and you love it. So much so that you find a passion, hobby, and new career. If you can step out of your comfort zone and bit and sneak in a few fun classes, give it a try.

This is some the best advice I've seen on how to move through things quickly without getting bogged down with courses you just can't get your head wrapped around.

[Mil0]

There are far more better suited members here to help you with the actual technical aspects of your degree, as well as the choices of the schools and degrees themselves so I won't even jump in the deep end of that pool.

What I wanted to say is that: we've all been where you are. I started out a year ago with 12 semester credits from a CC when I was 19. I am 34 now. I officially started my BA journey at age 33 having nothing but a GED, coming from a family where NO ONE has EVER earned even a high school education (I'm not kidding, they dropped anywhere from grade 8 through 12 including myself in 11), and having no experience outside of a couple remedial college classes with higher learning.

If you stay focused and listen to the members here, as well as have an open line of communication with your advisor from the school you select, you can be successful. I've got a few tidbits of gold I'd like to share based on my experiences:

1. Take courses and classes that you enjoy. If you hate philosophy and can't retain the info, find a different way to get the units.
1b. If you hate the course, stop doing it. This can demotivate you by weeks and you can lose a lot of time and money. You may even drop the plan entirely. Don't do that over a $54 SL class!!
2. Trust your gut with exams
3. Stay healthy - exercise, eat good whole foods, and drink lots of water. Having a strong healthy body and mind will translate into better focus, energy, and success.
4. Take advantage of every single free credit, partnership program, scholarship, fee reduction, income assistance, and other programs you possibly can. If you qualify, apply!
4b. Really! If you can get a free credit for having a scuba diving license with PADI (hint: you can) make sure to add it to your ACE transcript.
5. If you end up taking lots of ACE courses, make sure that your master's program / grad programs accept them as ore-requisites if they have any. Talk to your choice grad school academic advisors and ensure that what you're doing now with your undergrad will be compatible with what you're planning down the road.
6. Find the program or website you like and use it. I LOVED Study.com's app, website, format, and partnership with ProctorU. I didn't like how expensive it was compared to Straighterline, but I did as many credits as I could at SDC because the learning style of videos and text helped me blast through courses and under a week each. Honestly I did some of the courses in a day if the content was something I knew in tech or history.
7. Experiment. Yes I know we're all trying to save money, get a degree fast, and do it masterfully, but maybe you take a class on Female Archers who are also Architects 101 and you love it. So much so that you find a passion, hobby, and new career. If you can step out of your comfort zone and bit and sneak in a few fun classes, give it a try.

I somehow completely missed this post earlier!!

It is literally posts like this that are insanely helpful and motivating! Sometime just hearing "you can do it!" from a stranger on the internet is what you need to motivate you through your day!

I can't thank all of you enough. Starting this thread has already changed my perspective and I can feel the self doubt lifting away. This will also be great for my daughter. She qualified for a new program that they're doing in Montgomery County. Instead of graduating in 2021 with a high school diploma, she will get her high school diploma AND an AS in Biological Science (as she wants to go to med school). Even if she decides that college isn't for her, she still has to go to school for the next two years anyway, may as well take advantage of this program and get two diplomas! 

Here is more information for anyone else with kids! These types of programs are popping up everywhere. The eligibility requirements aren't that tough to meet and the only "extra" thing that the kids need to do is attending a class over the summer that is essentially a "Welcome to college 101".

Thanks again!