Degree ideas for my ds

[ladyofshalott]

Hey guys! My ds is trying to plan ahead to get her degree, however she isn't at all interested in the main ones (Business, Economics, Liberal Arts, Social Science, etc.). To put it plainly: academics are a real difficulty for her. Her interests are more in child training and homemaking than anything else.

Could you help me with some degree ideas from one of the Big 3, that would suite her interests?

Thanks in advance!

[valsacar]

Hey guys! My ds is trying to plan ahead to get her degree, however she isn't at all interested in the main ones (Business, Economics, Liberal Arts, Social Science, etc.). To put it plainly: academics are a real difficulty for her. Her interests are more in child training and homemaking than anything else.

Could you help me with some degree ideas from one of the Big 3, that would suite her interests?

Thanks in advance!

COSC has some in early childhood development (teaching K-2) as well as other teacher related courses. This is my wife's interest and we were looking at COSC but ended up going with Western Governors University (WGU) for the same program as theirs also includes earning the teachers certificate. IMO WGU is a better program if teaching is what you want, but if she is just looking for something that might interest her check out COSC or WGU.

WGU doesn't do the testing like the big three, but it's a more self-paced program that doesn't involve traditional classes. It's more self-study with assessments, which is similar to how many here do most of their "classes" with testing.

[ladyofshalott]

Gee-whiz valsacar, you're quick! Thanks for helping.

Pricing is another thing. We had looked at COSC's child development and she was really interested in the courses, but from the list it looked like she'd have to take a whole lot of courses from COSC instead of testing out of most of them (please correct me if I'm wrong), which is why it's so pricey. Is WGU's tuition good? She doesn't want a teacher's certificate per se, just to get a degree.

Again, COSC's child development is really something she'd like to get, it just seems to be so much more pricey compared with mine (BA History TESC - testing out of 105 credits). Something similar to that would be great.

[valsacar]

Gee-whiz valsacar, you're quick! Thanks for helping.

Pricing is another thing. We had looked at COSC's child development and she was really interested in the courses, but from the list it looked like she'd have to take a whole lot of courses from COSC instead of testing out of most of them (please correct me if I'm wrong), which is why it's so pricey. Is WGU's tuition good? She doesn't want a teacher's certificate per se, just to get a degree.

Again, COSC's child development is really something she'd like to get, it just seems to be so much more pricey compared with mine (BA History TESC - testing out of 105 credits). Something similar to that would be great.

COSC is pretty pricey if you have to take classes with them, which for that degree I'd guess probably half would have to be actual classes (might be able to do some other places and transfer though).

WGU is much better pricing wise, they do a flat rate tuition of about $3000/6 months. You're expected to do at least 12 credits in that time, but can do as much as you want. I watched one of their commencement speeches from 2009, had a mother of 3 (with a part time job) that did her entire BA in 6 months! She only had something like 12 transfer credits... amazingly fast.

WGU though is really more independent study, so for some people that might be an issue. I look at it as pretty similar to testing out, just with a minimum amount you have to do (equivalent of 12 credits/6 months). The good part though is that if you have experience in a subject it shouldn't take much for you to finish things off. Do the pre-assessment, study the parts you didn't do well on, repeat until comfortable enough to take the final assessment.

WGU is geared towards getting the license, it's part of the degree program. Even if she doesn't want to go that way, wouldn't hurt to have it. The last part of their program they actually place you in a local school as an assistant teacher (3-5 months).

[marianne202]

If she doesn't want a teaching certificate she should check out your local community colleges. Our's offers an early childhood certificate and degree. They also get to work with kids in our childcare center too. Hopefully, your tuition costs will be very inexpensive. Our's runs $65 per cr/hr. She would also be eligible for Pell grant funding or other grants that she can't get with strictly testing out. Just and option. I wish her the best of luck in her pursuits.

[ladyofshalott]

WGU is geared towards getting the license, it's part of the degree program. Even if she doesn't want to go that way, wouldn't hurt to have it. The last part of their program they actually place you in a local school as an assistant teacher (3-5 months).

I'm sorry, I haven't made it clear that she does not want/nor will she train as an assistant teacher. All she wants is a degree that has a lot of "home-body" requirements. I know that sounds funny, but she is not the academic-type, really struggles with school...and yet she still needs a degree.

If there aren't any "home-body"-type degrees out there (which I wouldn't be too surprised about), could you give me a list of degrees that might be the least difficult?? And I mean as little math, science, economics, business, etc. as possible.

Thanks for your help guys!

[ladyofshalott]

If she doesn't want a teaching certificate she should check out your local community colleges. Our's offers an early childhood certificate and degree. They also get to work with kids in our childcare center too. Hopefully, your tuition costs will be very inexpensive. Our's runs $65 per cr/hr. She would also be eligible for Pell grant funding or other grants that she can't get with strictly testing out. Just and option. I wish her the best of luck in her pursuits.

marianne202, is working at a childcare center required? The CC idea sounds great.

[ryoder]

I hate to say it but a teacher makes a ton more money than most college grads with a non-science or non-professional degree.
There are many students graduating with liberal arts degrees working at the mall as an assistant manager of a retail store. I would seriously consider the teaching degree since starting teacher salaries and benefits cannot be beat.
In my area, teachers make about $40k with just a bachelors degree and no experience and only work 9 months out of the year.
Compare that to $25k for a typical college grad working 12 months out of the year with far lower benefits.
I have seen it happen first hand to friends and family.

[ladyofshalott]

I hate to say it but a teacher makes a ton more money than most college grads with a non-science or non-professional degree.
There are many students graduating with liberal arts degrees working at the mall as an assistant manager of a retail store. I would seriously consider the teaching degree since starting teacher salaries and benefits cannot be beat.
In my area, teachers make about $40k with just a bachelors degree and no experience and only work 9 months out of the year.
Compare that to $25k for a typical college grad working 12 months out of the year with far lower benefits.
I have seen it happen first hand to friends and family.

She's not getting a degree to get a career...just needs a degree. Teaching is not even an option. Again, easiest degrees please!

[ryoder]

I think a BALS at TESC would fit the bill. You can test out of almost all if not all of it.
The best part is that she can start this right now. Go to the library and get some CLEP books and have her start reading them.
The REA books are great.
Check out the TESC site for more info on the requirements but you typically need 2 math, 2 science, 2 history, 2 humanities, 2 english etc plus a bunch of other BALS requirements and a healthy dose of general electives.
I think a dedicated and motivated person could complete the entire degree in 6-9 months no problem with the combination of CLEP, DSST, StraighterLine, PennFoster and ALEKS -- Assessment and Learning, K-12, Higher Education, Automated Tutor, Math credits.
You can get 12 credits in math on aleks.
Don't forget FEMA credit as well.
This site has a lot of information so search a little bit and check out TESC's site for more info.

BTW. Why get a degree when you don't intend on working? I totally understand getting a degree for personal reasons though. I have had a blast learning and testing and will continue to do so until it now longer is possible or interests me.