Feeling Pressure to Enroll, Advice Needed!

[MDW2447]

The problem with academic renewal is that the school takes the grades out of the GPA calculation - but I'm not 100% certain the schools you transfer to would do the same, since they're left on the transcript.

Also, you have to remove the entire semester, rather than specific courses - so if you got some decent/good grades in a semester mixed with bad grades, you lose EVERYTHING for the semester.  So you need to weight if it's worth doing at all.

Repeating a course would be the actual course you took at that school - but that normally does a better job of "erasing" particular courses.

More research is definitely needed for the master's program, since that will be the thing you have an issue with.  Last time I looked, the MSW program a friend was interested in did not require a high GPA, and was not competitive.  You will want to see what the status is at the school you're considering, figure out if you need a Psych degree or if you can just get a BALS, and ask about how the academic renewal program at the original school would work at their school because usually, master's programs calculate the GPA themselves.

Thank you so much dfrecore, these are all great points for me to consider. I'll start researching MSW programs. 
I also could enter a Marriage and Family Therapy or a Masters Mental Health Counseling Program. A Masters in any of these will allow me to eventually be licensed as a private practice therapist. To be continued...

[dfrecore]

The problem with academic renewal is that the school takes the grades out of the GPA calculation - but I'm not 100% certain the schools you transfer to would do the same, since they're left on the transcript.

Also, you have to remove the entire semester, rather than specific courses - so if you got some decent/good grades in a semester mixed with bad grades, you lose EVERYTHING for the semester.  So you need to weight if it's worth doing at all.

Repeating a course would be the actual course you took at that school - but that normally does a better job of "erasing" particular courses.

More research is definitely needed for the master's program, since that will be the thing you have an issue with.  Last time I looked, the MSW program a friend was interested in did not require a high GPA, and was not competitive.  You will want to see what the status is at the school you're considering, figure out if you need a Psych degree or if you can just get a BALS, and ask about how the academic renewal program at the original school would work at their school because usually, master's programs calculate the GPA themselves.

Thank you so much dfrecore, these are all great points for me to consider. I'll start researching MSW programs. 
I also could enter a Marriage and Family Therapy or a Masters Mental Health Counseling Program. A Masters in any of these will allow me to eventually be licensed as a private practice therapist. To be continued...

And I still say a degree in Psych is not necessary for any of these.  Psych courses might be helpful, but not necessary.  Just something to think about.

[davewill]

Definitely contact the school (Master's) and lay out your situation. I find it highly likely that they would be inclined to discount those old Fs if you turn in a good package otherwise. Another important point; your transcript is only one part of your application package. If you can get some good internships or work/volunteer experience that will likely help as much or more than trying to erase those old Fs.

[dfrecore]

Definitely contact the school (Master's) and lay out your situation. I find it highly likely that they would be inclined to discount those old Fs if you turn in a good package otherwise. Another important point; your transcript is only one part of your application package. If you can get some good internships or work/volunteer experience that will likely help as much or more than trying to erase those old Fs.

I agree.  I have a crappy transcript from 30 years ago.  But my transcripts from everything after that time/school are much better.  My UL courses are all A's and a couple of B's.  I would expect that if I applied to a master's program, they are going to see all of this and determine that I have matured and am not the same person now as I was in 1988.  If they don't, then I'm not real interested in that school/program.

It's much easier to focus on the future starting now and going towards your goal now.  The best way to do that is to talk to people at the school to see what they're looking for.  If they want you to go back and re-take courses from many years ago, rather than looking at the recent stuff you're doing, life experience, etc. then maybe they're a bit too boxed in and you want to look elsewhere.  There are a LOT of schools and programs out there, don't limit yourself.

[MDW2447]

I can't thank you all enough for all of the great thoughts. It's been an emotional roller coaster, that's for sure. I really like the idea of reaching out to the grad school program early to make sure I'm headed down the right path.

---

And I still say a degree in Psych is not necessary for any of these.  Psych courses might be helpful, but not necessary.  Just something to think about.

I don't think I fully understand the benefits of completing BALA instead. Other than taking different classes, do you anticipate it would be less expensive, faster, and/or easier? I'm definitely interested in Psychology the most as far as subject matter, but if there are significant benefits in time, money or hassle I would consider the BALA. Thanks!

[MDW2447]

1. Just applying now WILL lock in the catalog. Since you have some prior CC credits (bad grades or not), you might as well send them in to see if TESU takes them. If so, that's less work you need to do now. If not, oh well. You get 2 evaluations before you have to enroll using the Medical Terminology trick. I would suggest holding off on this until you're ready to send in more transcripts.

2. You will need to create an account on YourAcclaim.com. Since you're just starting now, there should be no issues with banking your Sophia and InstantCert credits. Coopersmith is not ACE and they will also send transcripts directly to TESU.

3. InstantCert has Spanish (as you may already have seen) so, yes, that should be a relatively cheap and easy way to fill out the electives slots. SDC has a total of 3 Spanish courses:  beginning spanish overlaps with InstantCert's Spanish and then there is Intermediate Spanish and Spanish in the Workplace. I would leave Spanish for last (or almost last). This will let you decide if you want to take 2 Spanish courses at SDC or you want to take Spanish from InstantCert and some other course from either InstantCert or (assuming you're in the US) OnlineDegree.com.

4. You're going to have to find out from the school exactly what they want. Sophia has Statistics but it MIGHT not be accepted by that program. ALEKS ($20/mo) has Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. But you'd need to start now because it expires at the end of the year. It might get renewed but there's always a risk that it won't. https://www.acenet.edu/National-Guide/Pa...0d3a33232a If they won't accept any ACE statsitics, TESU has both Principles of Statistics and Statistics for the Health Professions. The ones at TESU are about $1500 each There is also Psychological Statistics at BYU for $848: https://is.byu.edu/catalog/PSYCH-308-M002 Some are fine with stats being an ACE course, others are going to require the extra money spent on getting RA stats.

Is this the program you want to enter? https://cahs.uc.edu/academic-programs/gr...ments.html If so, it appears that none of the big 3 are CSWE accredited and a degree from one of them won't count in this case.  It also appears that none of the competency-based programs are CSWE accredited either. You're either going to have to choose a different Master's program or else spend a LOT more on a "properly" accredited Bachelor's degree. Personally, I would rather choose a different Master's program. If you post in the Graduate Degree section, there are people like bjcheung77 who are knowledgable in Master's degrees and can help you find something.

Ugh...I'm beyond sad that this was incorrect...
I just got the letter from TESU about the 90 credit transfer max. Not sure what to do now....SOOO sad that I didn't sign up for a TECEP last week.

[rachel83az]

I've lost track; which degree are you wanting to get? Don't lose hope! It's still possible to get a TESU degree.

[MDW2447]

I've lost track; which degree are you wanting to get? Don't lose hope! It's still possible to get a TESU degree.

BA PSYCH. (You were nice enough to finish the Wiki Sample TESU PSYCH plan for me : )

I only have 3.5 BM credits. I'm accepted, not enrolled. Could I take a TECEP still in December to get enrollment status and grandfather in?

[rachel83az]

I think that's something that only TESU can answer for sure. However, I would make plans to only be able to transfer in 90 ACE/NCCRS credits. Get everything done in the AOS FIRST. This is 36 credits (if you don't count the capstone). That leaves you with 54 ACE/NCCRS credits you can put towards your Gen Ed requirements.

With your 3-ish existing RA credits, you'd just need 7 more RA courses. Off the top of my head, I'd suggest:

• English Comp I TECEP
  
• English Comp II TECEP
  
• US History I (TEL Learning)
  
• US History II (TEL Learning)
  
• Principles of Psychology (TEL Learning)
  
• College Algebra (TEL Learning)
  
• Introduction to Biology (TEL Learning)
  
• Any/all of the ASU EA courses in my signature. These cost 2x as much ($425 each) but they're all relatively easy for RA courses. 
  

Yes, this increases the cost of your degree by $1400+ but it's still a degree that is theoretically possible.

[MDW2447]

I think that's something that only TESU can answer for sure. However, I would make plans to only be able to transfer in 90 ACE/NCCRS credits. Get everything done in the AOS FIRST. This is 36 credits (if you don't count the capstone). That leaves you with 54 ACE/NCCRS credits you can put towards your Gen Ed requirements.

With your 3-ish existing RA credits, you'd just need 7 more RA courses. Off the top of my head, I'd suggest:

• English Comp I TECEP
  
• English Comp II TECEP
  
• US History I (TEL Learning)
  
• US History II (TEL Learning)
  
• Principles of Psychology (TEL Learning)
  
• College Algebra (TEL Learning)
  
• Introduction to Biology (TEL Learning)
  
• Any/all of the ASU EA courses in my signature. These cost 2x as much ($425 each) but they're all relatively easy for RA courses. 
  

Yes, this increases the cost of your degree by $1400+ but it's still a degree that is theoretically possible.

Thanks so much, Rachel. I really, truly appreciate the time you put into these posts. 
So should I enroll now for January? If so, enroll in the cornerstone first? That part is still confusing me!