Free Winter term for Sophia members, Strayer U

[dfrecore]

I checked my unofficial transcript and my BUS 405: Labor Relations course is listed on the transcript under "Test Credits Applied Toward Undergraduate Undeclared."  The test credits are also listed under the Winter Quarter and Undergraduate sections of the transcript and are added to my two actual classes in the "Combined Cum GPA" lines.  The tests are pass/fail, so the GPA is 0.00 for the test credits.

So, I think that this is as good as it can be, really.  You'll just have to get your major changed to undergraduate undeclared.  The big question, of course, is how these test credits transfer to other colleges.  They aren't listed as challenge exams on the transcript, so that is a good thing.

"Test Credits applied toward undergraduate" and "challenge exam" as synonymous.  Schools will know what these are because they see them all the time.

[rachel83az]

So my evaluation is mostly, hilariously, complete (still trying to figure out about the Google certificate!). Degree progress is at 41%, most of that is from Sophia. Of Sophia, they accepted 12 courses and rejected 20.

So far, it says I've filled 9 required classes out of 35 and 8 elective courses out of 8.

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I should hopefully be able to drop CIS-106 like a hot potato shortly but I am currently amused by my completion percentage of "200%" for the course.


  CIS106.png (Size: 61.09 KB / Downloads: 16)

[jch]

It's good that you're testing this out (and for free).  It's a bummer that they aren't putting the exam credit in your Free Electives area (or whatever they call it at their school).  Doesn't make much sense to not count them as such if they offer the exam.

That's one thing I don't understand about Strayer. Degrees do have an elective area. You can use this area to "develop a minor". From what I can tell in the catalog, an IT person can have a business minor or a criminal justice minor. There don't seem to be any restrictions on that end. So, not being able to dump random challenge exams into electives seems mindboggling to me.

I've already filled up my general education electives using Sophia. The CIS170 IT in Criminal Justice exam did appear to apply successfully as an AOS elective to BSIT. The other two exams (of which only one has shown up, can't tell which) are:
CIS109 - Intro to MIS. I already have this from Sophia and was just trying to bump it for more RA credits. I think this will get refused because of the duplication. I plan to ask the registrar if I can have my credits reassessed, prioritizing challenge exams.
CRJ105 - Crime and Criminal Behavior. This won't apply to my BSIT, except possibly as a free elective. I could try to have it moved there and bump one of the Sophia things. Due to the significant crossover between cyber security and criminal justice, I was considering adding a minor or associate's in criminal justice if I could pass most of the CRJ challenge exams.

Another potential problem with the Strayer challenge exams is that they seem to be a somewhat random jumble of credits from each subject area, not always corresponding to the expected/required courses for an academic program. They could potentially be massaged into place, but it would likely require a fair bit of work.

It does seem very strange that they don't keep excess credits on the transcript for later program changes/additions. Hopefully they do at least keep the receipts around for later reprocessing.

I enrolled as "undergraduate undeclared."
...
I do also think that Rachel's idea of declaring minors might also be a good strategy, but why would they stop you from changing your major?

Thanks for the pointers on those other exams. 
The undeclared/undetermined major does appear to be the way to go here. However, I'm not sure how you managed to sign up that way using the free term offer. I've attached the free term offer document 
  sophia offer (1).png (Size: 325.54 KB / Downloads: 11) to my post. 
Under the requirements for initial and continued eligibility, it mandates registration for the term in a degree program. Strayer seems to treat undergraduate undeclared enrollees as nondegree-seeking students. Once my free term ends, I do intend to switch to undeclared status and have all my credits reprocessed. I just don't want to rock the boat until that date passes. 

I checked my unofficial transcript and my BUS 405: Labor Relations course is listed on the transcript under "Test Credits Applied Toward Undergraduate Undeclared."  The test credits are also listed under the Winter Quarter and Undergraduate sections of the transcript and are added to my two actual classes in the "Combined Cum GPA" lines.  The tests are pass/fail, so the GPA is 0.00 for the test credits.

So, I think that this is as good as it can be, really.  You'll just have to get your major changed to undergraduate undeclared.  The big question, of course, is how these test credits transfer to other colleges.  They aren't listed as challenge exams on the transcript, so that is a good thing.

"Test Credits applied toward undergraduate" and "challenge exam" as synonymous.  Schools will know what these are because they see them all the time.

Problem is, the test credits heading is NOT under "applied toward undergraduate", it's under "Transfer credits" - not within the undergraduate record section. Mine shows up the same as eriehiker's transcript. Will this still work? I guess we'll know in a few days once TESU takes a look at my transcript.

[rachel83az]

I couldn't get precalculus because it's not on my degree plan (argh) but I did manage to talk my way into being allowed to take MAT-210 Data-Driven Decisions, WRK-100 (fine, whatever), CIS-111 Introduction to Relational Database Management Systems, and CIS-175 Introduction to Networking. I got asked if I was ready to spend 5 hours per week per class (absolutely!) but otherwise the registration process went well enough. I still don't necessarily like Strayer but I can understand why people might choose them over another school.

[wow]

I couldn't get precalculus because it's not on my degree plan (argh) but I did manage to talk my way into being allowed to take MAT-210 Data-Driven Decisions, WRK-100 (fine, whatever), CIS-111 Introduction to Relational Database Management Systems, and CIS-175 Introduction to Networking. I got asked if I was ready to spend 5 hours per week per class (absolutely!) but otherwise the registration process went well enough. I still don't necessarily like Strayer but I can understand why people might choose them over another school.

That's great news. I'm still trying to schedule another talk with a dean to switch out of ECON110 and take math or CIS courses. Do you have any info about the textbook costs for the courses you 're switching to? I'd also be interested in costs for CIS106 as they may require that -- I don't have any certs that seem to cover it.

How did you talk your way into MAT210 without ECO110?

[ylmir]

I couldn't get precalculus because it's not on my degree plan (argh) but I did manage to talk my way into being allowed to take MAT-210 Data-Driven Decisions, WRK-100 (fine, whatever), CIS-111 Introduction to Relational Database Management Systems, and CIS-175 Introduction to Networking. I got asked if I was ready to spend 5 hours per week per class (absolutely!) but otherwise the registration process went well enough. I still don't necessarily like Strayer but I can understand why people might choose them over another school.

I've been doing WRK100, and I must say that it will certainly not take 5 hours per week. I think I've spent maybe 4 hours on it so far, and done most of week one and two and half of week three.

[rachel83az]

I couldn't get precalculus because it's not on my degree plan (argh) but I did manage to talk my way into being allowed to take MAT-210 Data-Driven Decisions, WRK-100 (fine, whatever), CIS-111 Introduction to Relational Database Management Systems, and CIS-175 Introduction to Networking. I got asked if I was ready to spend 5 hours per week per class (absolutely!) but otherwise the registration process went well enough. I still don't necessarily like Strayer but I can understand why people might choose them over another school.

That's great news. I'm still trying to schedule another talk with a dean to switch out of ECON110 and take math or CIS courses. Do you have any info about the textbook costs for the courses you 're switching to? I'd also be interested in costs for CIS106 as they may require that -- I don't have any certs that seem to cover it.

How did you talk your way into MAT210 without ECO110?

If you go to strayerbookstore.com without logging in through iCampus it has a cost calculator. It looks like my total cost will be about $300 which is fair enough for RA credits. CIS106 requires the TestOut LabSim access code and that is $157.38. This code is also valid for a couple of other courses that I forget off the top of my head. If you take those courses at the same time, you only need the one access code and don't have to buy another.

As for how I did it: It helped that I had a really awesome admissions guy helping me out. I also did NOT argue about taking WRK100. Do I want to take it? Absolutely not. But not pushing back against that one course meant that I was "allowed" to pick 3 more courses with very little issues. The biggest issue was getting my transcripts into the system. Since the only actual prerequisite for MAT-210 is MAT-104/110 (Algebra from Sophia), I was able to add the math class to my class list.

[rachel83az]

CIS-175 says that it prepares students to take the COMPTIA Network+ certification. I am hopeful that at least some of this applies to the Network Technology TECEP as well. I'd like to be able to take the CIS-375 Human-Computer Interaction challenge exam and transfer that to TESU but, if I don't pass the test or something, at least I should have options.

[MNomadic]

CIS-175 says that it prepares students to take the COMPTIA Network+ certification. I am hopeful that at least some of this applies to the Network Technology TECEP as well. I'd like to be able to take the CIS-375 Human-Computer Interaction challenge exam and transfer that to TESU but, if I don't pass the test or something, at least I should have options.

Just curious if you're planning on taking the CompTIA Network+? If you are, I have quite a list of resources I used to prepare. Many of which should also help for the networking TECEP(I assume).

[rachel83az]

CIS-175 says that it prepares students to take the COMPTIA Network+ certification. I am hopeful that at least some of this applies to the Network Technology TECEP as well. I'd like to be able to take the CIS-375 Human-Computer Interaction challenge exam and transfer that to TESU but, if I don't pass the test or something, at least I should have options.

Just curious if you're planning on taking the CompTIA Network+? If you are, I have quite a list of resources I used to prepare. Many of which should also help for the networking TECEP(I assume).

I really don't want to touch networking with a 10-foot pole.   I doubt I'll be taking the CompTIA exam. I much prefer the programming side of comp. sci. but a comp sci degree requires networking so networking it shall be. That said, I would appreciate those resources because I have a feeling that, if I have to take it, the Networking Technology TECEP will be the hardest exam I'll have to do for this degree. Possibly the most difficult one I'll ever have to take due to my dislike of the subject.