Have a lot of credits, want a BA, need advice please!

[Kreid01]

Hi! I have a lot of credits! 96 to be exact and enrolled in a Physical Science course this summer to get my AA which will bring me up to 101.  My goal was to get an AA in Psychology (which I will have after the science course), but with that many credits I thought I would look into getting a bachelors.  It doesn't matter in what, just the easiest thing that uses the most of my credits.  Probably a general or liberal studies.  I don't need a degree for my job.  This is more of a life goal for me.  I am in my 50s and most of these credits come from the 80s and 90s (I haven't had any trouble with them being accepted at any schools though). I just don't want to waste them since I worked so hard to get them. I would like to keep the cost as low as I can.

Here is a list of my credits.

Pittsburg State University
MUS 151 Flute 1 B
MUS 151 Flute 1 A
MUS 225 Topic Music 1 A
MUS 151 Flute 1 A
MUS 151 Flute 1 B
MUS 155 Saxophone 1 B
MUS 155 Saxophone 1 B
SPAN 154 Spanish 1 5 B
PE 200 Lifetime Sports Aerobics 1 P
ENG 101 English Comp 3 A
PSY 155 General Psychology 3 A
BIOL 402 Topics Biology Ed. 3 A
ENG 230 American Literature 3 C
HIST 101 World Civilization 3 A
SOC 101 Intro to Sociology 3 B
BIOL 113 Environmental Life Science 3 C
PSY 140 Topics in Psychology - Careers 1 P
COM 207 Speech Communications 3 C
PSY 263 Developmental Psychology 3 B
SPAN 158 Spanish 2 5 A
ENG 102 English Comp 3 C
ENG 202 Applied Grammar 3 C
MUS 156 Band 1 A
PE 200 Lifetime Sports Aerobics 1 P
SOC 536 The Family and Society 3 C
SOC 504 Youth and Deviant Behavior 3 B
ENG 304 Intro to Literary Analysis 3 C
ENG 419 Shakespeare 3 C

Labette Community College
MAT 113 College Algebra 3 C
ESL 131 Beginning Sign Language 2 A
ESL 132 Intermediate Sign Language 3 B
ESL 148 Sign Language Practicum 3 A
ESL 133 Advanced Sign Language 3 A
ESL 102 Sign Language Environmental Design 3 A
ECON 101 Today's Issues in Economics 3 A
PHSC 105 Physical Science plus Lab (Summer) 5

Western Kentucky University
PSY 299 Personal Adjustment Psychology 3 A

College of Southern Nevada
ANTH 101 Intro to Cultural Anthropology 3 A
COM 102 Interpersonal Communications 3 A

Thank you so much in advance!  I've been reading the forum and you guys are awesome at figuring these things out!

[bjcheung77]

COSC BSLS would be your cheapest bet, but requires 30 UL. Excelsior BSLA would be a good option as well but costs more and also requires 30 UL. The easiest but most expensive would be TESU BALS since you already have your UL requirements done. Do you have tuition assistance, you should be eligible for Pell Grant? If you do, then I suggest getting 16 credits at TESU and finish your degree there.

[rachel83az]

If you don't qualify for a Pell Grant and you are okay with a competency-based program, you could do a BALS at UMPI. They require 30 credits in residence (and 30 credits of UL?) but that would mean you wouldn't search a bunch of other places for credit.

Of course, if you can get tuition assistance, TESU could be easier.

[ctcarl]

I would like to keep the cost as low as I can.

In terms of low cost, it's hard to beat the Union Plus program, if you or any family members are in a Union.

If you're a self-starter and do well with exams, consider using Davar and Coopersmith for your UL credits.  The former is $99 for two 3-credit courses, the latter is $150 per 3 credits.  They provide excellent, targeted study guides and suggested book titles which you can usually buy or rent cheaply on either that auction website or that other big website named after a river in South America.

Just be sure that whatever school you choose, ask your advisor to approve your choices of UL courses in advance.

[natshar]

Hi! I have a lot of credits! 96 to be exact and enrolled in a Physical Science course this summer to get my AA which will bring me up to 101.  My goal was to get an AA in Psychology (which I will have after the science course), but with that many credits I thought I would look into getting a bachelors.  It doesn't matter in what, just the easiest thing that uses the most of my credits.  Probably a general or liberal studies.  I don't need a degree for my job.  This is more of a life goal for me.  I am in my 50s and most of these credits come from the 80s and 90s (I haven't had any trouble with them being accepted at any schools though). I just don't want to waste them since I worked so hard to get them. I would like to keep the cost as low as I can.

Here is a list of my credits.

Pittsburg State University
MUS 151 Flute 1 B
MUS 151 Flute 1 A
MUS 225 Topic Music 1 A
MUS 151 Flute 1 A
MUS 151 Flute 1 B
MUS 155 Saxophone 1 B
MUS 155 Saxophone 1 B
SPAN 154 Spanish 1 5 B
PE 200 Lifetime Sports Aerobics 1 P
ENG 101 English Comp 3 A
PSY 155 General Psychology 3 A
BIOL 402 Topics Biology Ed. 3 A
ENG 230 American Literature 3 C
HIST 101 World Civilization 3 A
SOC 101 Intro to Sociology 3 B
BIOL 113 Environmental Life Science 3 C
PSY 140 Topics in Psychology - Careers 1 P
COM 207 Speech Communications 3 C
PSY 263 Developmental Psychology 3 B
SPAN 158 Spanish 2 5 A
ENG 102 English Comp 3 C
ENG 202 Applied Grammar 3 C
MUS 156 Band 1 A
PE 200 Lifetime Sports Aerobics 1 P
SOC 536 The Family and Society 3 C
SOC 504 Youth and Deviant Behavior 3 B
ENG 304 Intro to Literary Analysis 3 C
ENG 419 Shakespeare 3 C

Labette Community College
MAT 113 College Algebra 3 C
ESL 131 Beginning Sign Language 2 A
ESL 132 Intermediate Sign Language 3 B
ESL 148 Sign Language Practicum 3 A
ESL 133 Advanced Sign Language 3 A
ESL 102 Sign Language Environmental Design 3 A
ECON 101 Today's Issues in Economics 3 A
PHSC 105 Physical Science plus Lab (Summer) 5

Western Kentucky University
PSY 299 Personal Adjustment Psychology 3 A

College of Southern Nevada
ANTH 101 Intro to Cultural Anthropology 3 A
COM 102 Interpersonal Communications 3 A

Thank you so much in advance!  I've been reading the forum and you guys are awesome at figuring these things out!

In terms of the least work required I'd go with Thomas Edison. They are not your cheapest pick. 

But out of all the options if would be the least amount of work you need to do. I'd go for a Bachelor of Art liberal studies with a social science concentration. If they accept everything you only be 7 classes away from a degree.

You would just need to done 5 lower level courses with sophia/study.com/etc. (or 4 lower lever and 1 upper level if the bio ed doesn't count towards the aos) and then 2 courses with TESU and then you are done. Or a possibly more cost-effective option would be to do 6-7 courses at TESU. And if you need it transfer in one course from ACE credit. This would save you the wavier fee of $3k.

This is not the lowest price but I think in terms of the time and work required it is your best bet. But I don't know what you value more money or time. And of course, this assumes they would accept all of your of credits which I don't know for sure.

If I were you, I'd at least spend the $50 and send all the transcripts to TESU and when applying select bachelor of arts in liberal studies as your degree.

[dfrecore]

Ok, so a BALS at TESU will be the easiest, but most expensive (21 credits/7 courses remaining):

American Government - ICC $20
Intro to Ethics + any course - Sophia $79
2 Add'l courses - Sophia $79
Cornerstone, capstone, fees - TESU $6,654
TOTAL $6,832
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A BALS at COSC will be the cheapest, but you'll have to take UL courses at Study.com to fill out your concentration (I suggest Psych & Soc since you're halfway there); you'll also have to take 9 courses instead of 7 since you have to have a concentration there, and you need to fulfill a couple of requirements):

(27 credits/9 courses remaining)
BUS 318: Management Ethics (Ethics + needed UL credit)
US History or Gov't course
SOC 305: Sociology of Work
2 UL Psych courses
2 LL Soc or Psych courses (non-duplicating)
(I'd probably take Social Psych and Advanced Social Psych, and then Abnormal Psych and then Advanced Abnormal Psych to take advantage of the Study.com platform)

3 months at Study.com $600
Cornerstone, capstone, fees - COSC $3,181
TOTAL $3,781
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A BALA at EC will be between the 2 (2nd cheapest, 2nd easiest) - Multi-source option:

20cr / 8 courses remaining (2 courses are 1cr, including Info Lit and a Sophia course)
BUS 318: Management Ethics (Ethics + needed UL credit)
2 UL liberal arts courses - 1 month at Study.com $270
4cr additional (so a 3cr and 1cr course) - 1 month at Sophia $79
Cornerstone, capstone, fees - EC $5,300
TOTAL $5,649

You can also opt for some free TEEX credits if you want, but Sophia's 1cr courses are SO fast and easy, as is Intro to IT, which you can complete in a day.  I'd do this just for the ease & convenience.
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People on here will recommend UMPI, but honestly with how many credits you have, and having to take a full 30cr there, I think that you're much better off just going through one of the Big 3.  But it can't hurt to see what they bring everything in as for sure.

UMPI BLS (my guestimate):
Hands-on art (unless they accept your music here, which they may not)
Art theory (unless they accept your Lit Analysis course)
American Govt
Intro to Ethics
18cr major

If they accept your Music and lit analysis credits, then you'd replace those with 2 other courses in free electives.

The main issue here is going to be speed - you need to complete courses fairly easily in order to keep costs down.  Here's a list of costs for UMPI, with how quickly you'd have to finish as compared to the Big 3:

UMPI 1 term (8 weeks) = $1,400
UMPI 2 terms (16 weeks) = $2,800
< COSC $3,800 >
UMPI 3 terms (24 weeks) = $4,200
UMPI 4 terms (32 weeks) = $5,600
< EC $5,650 >
< TESU $6,800 >
UMPI 5 terms (40 weeks) = $7,000

[natshar]

Ok, so a BALS at TESU will be the easiest, but most expensive (21 credits/7 courses remaining):

American Government - ICC $20
Intro to Ethics + any course - Sophia $79
2 Add'l courses - Sophia $79
Cornerstone, capstone, fees - TESU $6,654
TOTAL $6,832
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A BALS at COSC will be the cheapest, but you'll have to take UL courses at Study.com to fill out your concentration (I suggest Psych & Soc since you're halfway there); you'll also have to take 9 courses instead of 7 since you have to have a concentration there, and you need to fulfill a couple of requirements):

(27 credits/9 courses remaining)
BUS 318: Management Ethics (Ethics + needed UL credit)
US History or Gov't course
SOC 305: Sociology of Work
2 UL Psych courses
2 LL Soc or Psych courses (non-duplicating)
(I'd probably take Social Psych and Advanced Social Psych, and then Abnormal Psych and then Advanced Abnormal Psych to take advantage of the Study.com platform)

3 months at Study.com $600
Cornerstone, capstone, fees - COSC $3,181
TOTAL $3,781
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A BALA at EC will be between the 2 (2nd cheapest, 2nd easiest) - Multi-source option:

20cr / 8 courses remaining (2 courses are 1cr, including Info Lit and a Sophia course)
BUS 318: Management Ethics (Ethics + needed UL credit)
2 UL liberal arts courses - 1 month at Study.com $270
4cr additional (so a 3cr and 1cr course) - 1 month at Sophia $79
Cornerstone, capstone, fees - EC $5,300
TOTAL $5,649

You can also opt for some free TEEX credits if you want, but Sophia's 1cr courses are SO fast and easy, as is Intro to IT, which you can complete in a day.  I'd do this just for the ease & convenience.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

People on here will recommend UMPI, but honestly with how many credits you have, and having to take a full 30cr there, I think that you're much better off just going through one of the Big 3.  But it can't hurt to see what they bring everything in as for sure.

UMPI BLS (my guestimate):
Hands-on art (unless they accept your music here, which they may not)
Art theory (unless they accept your Lit Analysis course)
American Govt
Intro to Ethics
18cr major

If they accept your Music and lit analysis credits, then you'd replace those with 2 other courses in free electives.

The main issue here is going to be speed - you need to complete courses fairly easily in order to keep costs down.  Here's a list of costs for UMPI, with how quickly you'd have to finish as compared to the Big 3:

UMPI 1 term (8 weeks) = $1,400
UMPI 2 terms (16 weeks) = $2,800
< COSC $3,800 >
UMPI 3 terms (24 weeks) = $4,200
UMPI 4 terms (32 weeks) = $5,600
< EC $5,650 >
< TESU $6,800 >
UMPI 5 terms (40 weeks) = $7,000

As I mentioned as well. I believe doing 16 credits at TESU would be cheaper than doing 16 with ACE, especially if you get financial aid.

Flat rate at TESU: $4639 for out-of-state. So if you are able to do 16 credits at once that makes at over 1k cheaper.

You have to take at TESU:
-sos 110 3 cr
-capstone 3 cr

and then take enough to add to at least 16 total credits at TESU.

I'd recommend taking:
-American gov pos 110 3 cr (as an e-pack which makes it more self-paced)
-a six-credit course like social psych (maybe as an epack)
-pla 100 1 cr (its only 4 weeks long)

But those are just ideas, since you have a lot of credits. You can take really easy credits at TESU for the remaining 10 credits to get to 16 so the workload isn't difficult if you want to do it all in one term.


Then just take a single course from sophia if you follow my example above, take ethics and then you are all set.

[rachel83az]

Instead of PLA 100, I'd do the Jane Austin course. But that's just my opinion.

[natshar]

Instead of PLA 100, I'd do the Jane Austin course. But that's just my opinion.

I guess any 1 credit course is good. I've just heard Pla-100 is only 4 weeks vs full 12 weeks for Jane Austin. But any 1 credit course shouldn't be bad.

[dfrecore]

So it just depends on what you think is "low cost" since that's completely relative. If you truly want the lowest cost for the Big 3, then COSC would be the best. Fastest would be TESU. If you have financial aid, then really I'd look at out-of-pocket for each option.

For TESU's full-time tuition, trying to complete the degree in a single term, it will be a lot of work - you'd need 16cr there, and the cornerstone and capstone, plus the e-Pack courses. And you'd still need to do an Ethics course, they don't have one as an e-Pack. Nor are any of the 1cr courses e-Pack-able. So, in looking at taking 16cr at TESU for a single term (12 weeks), you're looking at a total cost of $5,066. Still quite a bit more than COSC, but a bit less than EC.

---

I'd recommend taking:
-American gov pos 110 3 cr (as an e-pack which makes it more self-paced)
-a six-credit course like social psych (maybe as an epack)
-pla 100 1 cr (its only 4 weeks long)

Social Psych as an e-Pack course is only 3cr (it's called Social Psych I there).
For sure I'd take CIS-107: Computer Concepts & Applications as an e-Pack.  I might even take something OP has taken previously like Intro to Soc or Intro to Psych, and replace those courses with something easy from Saylor or something.[url=https://www2.tesu.edu/course.php?CourseCode=CIS-107&sem=][/url]
OP might also consider an ACTFL exam if they're fluent in Spanish.  If you score high enough on the speaking portion, it's worth UL credit (not really needed) and doesn't overlap with the previously taken Spanish courses.