Degree Plan Feedback

[nmnyc11]

Hello everyone. Like many others, I have been a longtime lurker here; I think I have been reading posts for the past six months or so. There really is a vast amount of information here and it's a great resource, so thank you all.

I finally decided to post today because I have been working on a degree plan and started taking courses a few months ago. I had initially planned to go for a BSBA at COSC, but as you can see below, I took a bunch of classes at Shmoop (prior to the most recent batch of posts about COSC no longer taking Shmoop). I'm still planning to apply to the BSBA program at COSC in case I get lucky and do have those Shmoop classes accepted, but I would like to have a back-up plan in case this doesn't work out. 

I have already been in the workforce for many years and would like to get a degree in either Business/HR or something IT-related. I have been offered a higher position with double the salary and actual benefits (which I don't currently have) by my current employer. They agreed to let me start training for it early next year, but I need to have a bachelor's degree (in anything really) by the end of next year.

I was hoping that someone would be kind enough to take a look at what I have done so far and suggest some programs I can apply to, along with COSC, that I could complete in the given time frame and at a reasonable expense? I am okay if I end up having to retake the Shmoop courses elsewhere. I just don't want to proceed with doing too many of the actual major courses if there's a better option at another school or in IT. If it helps, I am a NYS resident. 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
 
Completed courses:
English Composition 1 – Sophia
College Algebra - Aleks
The Institutes Ethics course
Approaches to Studying Religions – Sophia
Microeconomics – Sophia
Macroeconomics – Sophia
Project Management – Sophia
Environmental Science – Sophia
U.S. History I – Sophia
The Essentials of Managing Conflict – Sophia
Developing Effective Teams – Sophia
Student Success – Sophia
Human Biology – Sophia
ACTFL Reading Test – 6 LL credits
ACTFL Speaking Test – 6 UL credits
ACTFL Listening Test – 6 LL credits
The Photographic Vision – Empire State College
TEEX Cyber Incident Analysis & Response
TEEX Cyber Security for Everyone
TEEX Digital Forensics Basics
TEEX Disaster Recovery for Information Systems
TEEX Information Risk Management
TEEX TEEX Information Security Basics
TEEX Network Assurance
TEEX Secure Software
Study.com Intro to Computing
Study.com Introduction to Operating Systems
Study.com Computer Architecture
Shmoop Accounting 101: Financial Accounting
Shmoop Business Communication
Shmoop Pop Culture Literacy
Shmoop Introduction to E-Commerce
Shmoop Principles of Management
Shmoop The Bible as Literature
 
In-Progress:
English Composition 2 – Straighterline
Nutrition – Straighterline
Business Ethics – Straighterline
Western Civilizations 1 – Penn Foster
 
Certifications:
CompTIA A+: I don’t know if this will count for anything
I completed a lot of the free online FEMA courses and if I’m not mistaken, I can bring in 3 credits for these if I go to COSC.

[HogwartsSchool]

Recommendation.
Right Now.
1. Add all credits into a ACE account.
2. Apply at COSC, TESU, EC and WGU. (some school want transcripts directly from SDC, etc)
2. Get an evaluation for your current credits from each school.

Reason. You don't know where you stand until those schools perform an evaluation. Otherwise, you are guessing the correct direction you need to go. One school may give more credits and a path opens up for completion. Each school has slightly different requirements for the credits required or credits they will accept. Once you know where you stand, then a strategy and plan can be developed going forward.

[dfrecore]

I want to say that by not having a plan in place, you are wasting a lot of time and money by just taking random courses. You are at 76cr, and still haven't gotten all of your GE's (no oral comm, no lab science). You're also taking classes you don't need towards the degree. You desperately need a PLAN before going further (like, don't take anything else!).

For the BSBA, you can only use 63cr of what you've taken, so you lose 13cr, and more if you finish courses you can't use (like Nutrition, Western Civ, & Business Ethics). I show you needing 19 additional courses, 18 when you finish English Comp 2.

A better option, if you need ANY degree, is the BALS/BSLS. You can use all of your credits, and you have enough credits (although not enough UL) to choose a concentration. I'd probably choose your foreign language, and then something like IT or Management. History & Psych are also good options since there a lot of UL choices for all of those. I show you needing 16 courses, 12 when you finish the 4 in progress.

In order to do this as quickly as possible (well before the end of next year for sure), you need to finish your GE's (Public Speaking and a lab), and then send your transcripts to COSC. Don't take anything else until you have an eval, and then put a solid plan in place.

[nmnyc11]

I want to say that by not having a plan in place, you are wasting a lot of time and money by just taking random courses.  You are at 76cr, and still haven't gotten all of your GE's (no oral comm, no lab science).  You're also taking classes you don't need towards the degree.  You desperately need a PLAN before going further (like, don't take anything else!).

For the BSBA, you can only use 63cr of what you've taken, so you lose 13cr, and more if you finish courses you can't use (like Nutrition, Western Civ, & Business Ethics).  I show you needing 19 additional courses, 18 when you finish English Comp 2.

A better option, if you need ANY degree, is the BALS/BSLS.  You can use all of your credits, and you have enough credits (although not enough UL) to choose a concentration.  I'd probably choose your foreign language, and then something like IT or Management. History & Psych are also good options since there a lot of UL choices for all of those.  I show you needing 16 courses, 12 when you finish the 4 in progress.

In order to do this as quickly as possible (well before the end of next year for sure), you need to finish your GE's (Public Speaking and a lab), and then send your transcripts to COSC.  Don't take anything else until you have an eval, and then put a solid plan in place.

Thank you so much. Your advice was really helpful. To clarify, I had been using a degree plan for the BSBA at COSC. I just panicked when I read the recent threads about Shmoop. I know that not all of the classes I have completed will be useful. Some of the courses I listed as completed were required by my employer in order to qualify for tuition assistance. It's annoying, but they want me to take at least 1 business and 1 computer-related course each round. For the Gen Ed requirements, I'm planning to apply for a waiver for the oral communication and I did all of the administrative stuff to register for the nutrition lab at Rio. I was just hesitating to take it in case better-informed people here recommended a different school that doesn't have a lab requirement. I think that the BALS sounds like a good option. Out of curiosity, would you happen to know if it's possible to get evaluations from COSC for both the BSBA and the BALS programs? Thanks again.

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Recommendation.
Right Now.
1. Add all credits into a ACE account.
2. Apply at COSC, TESU, EC and WGU. (some school want transcripts directly from SDC, etc)
2. Get an evaluation for your current credits from each school.

Reason. You don't know where you stand until those schools perform an evaluation. Otherwise, you are guessing the correct direction you need to go. One school may give more credits and a path opens up for completion. Each school has slightly different requirements for the credits required or credits they will accept. Once you know where you stand, then a strategy and plan can be developed going forward.

Thank you very much for the kind help. I do have all the ACE credits on an ACE transcript. I will take your advice and start applying, but to be safe, I think I'll also heed dfrecore's advice and finish the lab first so that my GE's are covered (assuming they take the waiver for oral communication).

[cookderosa]

"I had been using a degree plan for the BSBA at COSC. "

You wrote your degree plan or you're using one written by someone else?

[dfrecore]

I think switching to the BSLS (or BALS) is a good plan, as I think you'll be done much more quickly, and I don't think you have much of a preference for the BSBA (if I thought you REALLY wanted that, or something IT-related, I'd suggest something else).

Honestly, if your company just wants any degree, and your pay is going to double the sooner you get a degree, then your best bet for ROI is to get a BALS/BSLS as quickly as humanly possible.

TESU is the easiest to do because their requirements are really clear - but COSC is a close second, and I think their concentrations are easier to figure out than EC's. For the cost, it can't be beat.

[natshar]

I also don't know if it is 100% confirmed that COSC doesn't accept Shoomp.

[nmnyc11]

"I had been using a degree plan for the BSBA at COSC. "

You wrote your degree plan or you're using one written by someone else?

Hi! I've read a lot of your posts; they're very helpful. 

I used one that someone had posted here a few years ago and made some adjustments to it based off of what I could find from the COSC website and what I had already completed and/or thought I could do quickly.

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I think switching to the BSLS (or BALS) is a good plan, as I think you'll be done much more quickly, and I don't think you have much of a preference for the BSBA (if I thought you REALLY wanted that, or something IT-related, I'd suggest something else).

Honestly, if your company just wants any degree, and your pay is going to double the sooner you get a degree, then your best bet for ROI is to get a BALS/BSLS as quickly as humanly possible.

TESU is the easiest to do because their requirements are really clear - but COSC is a close second, and I think their concentrations are easier to figure out than EC's.  For the cost, it can't be beat.

Thank you. I'm going to take your advice and get the lab done so I can go ahead and apply before I take anything else. I may go ahead and apply to both COSC and TESU to see what happens. I have a feeling that I'll have to ask you all for input once I get my evaluations. Thank you all again for the kind help.

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I also don't know if it is 100% confirmed that COSC doesn't accept Shoomp.

Thank you! I have my fingers crossed, but I guess we'll find out once I apply. I will be sure to share once I know anymore.