Help with TESU AAS in Health Studies Pathway to BSN

[maebak2skl]

Hello everyone,

I want to finally fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse and I have found Thomas Edison State University's BSNA program and it fits my needs and my situation perfectly. I just need help planning the AAS as that is what's required if you do not have bachelor's degree. I will fill out the template and ask the questions below. 
 
Your Location: Florida currently but moving to Easton Pennsylvania in August 2024
Your Age: 35
What kind of degree do you want?: Associate in Applied Science in Health Studies Degree Pathway to BSN and eventually a BSN
Current Regional Accredited Credits: None 
Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None yet
Any certifications or military experience? Certified Medical Assistant from 2007 (I have been a stay at home mom since 2012 but have done work as a home health aid here and there but not medical assisting)
Budget: 9k
Commitments: Full time stay at home mom of 2 including a toddler who is not in school or daycare.
Dedicated time to study: About 30 hours a week. My only free time is when toddler is asleep.
Timeline: I would love to finish the associates in one year
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: I qualify for full financial aid But I only would like to go over the 5k grant yb 4k because the bsn is expensive and I want to keep loans as small as possible. Most nursing jobs have tuition reimbursement but it's not guaranteed that I will get that job right away.

This is the degree plan that I made. I am completely new to the concept so I could be completely wrong and this is where I need help.

https://ibb.co/R4bKzB5

Red means a grade of 73+ plus is required in order to get into their BSNA program which I believe means cannot be transferred in from an alternative credit source??? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Purple means this is the exact course required and cannot be swapped for anything else.

I would like to finish the associates degree in one year. So I am guessing I need to enroll as soon as possible seeing as a lot of the courses need to come directly from TESU (30 CREDITS). 

Should I enroll in TESU now and do the alternative credits as I go? Should I do the alternative credits first?

Should I Do one term with 15 credits, then take a term off, do the alternative credits, then do one last term and finish the rest of the credits? Is it feasible to do five courses in one term with only 30 hours a week?

I have done extensive research but the policies keep changing and there is not much info on TESU and how the course and terms work. Can I get this done in a year or am I being too ambitious?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. I know today is a holiday and don't expect any reply today.

[allvia]

I have never seen anyone here go through this program to be an RN, so you may be the first. They are pretty clear that you can't apply for the program until you meet the basic requirements. However, looking at the page for the BSNA I think you can do it (with planning).

Since Pierpont offers health related programs you may be able to get their BOG AAS based on this thread  - https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...a-revealed

Based the the TESU no bachelor required courses you'd want to get those in route the AAS from Pierpont - https://www.tesu.edu/nursing/programs/bs...sions-proc

The biggest problem I see is you'll need to figure out your clinical hours (not saying it can't be done, but it will likely be your challenge area for this degree).  I had a family friend recently go through WGU for the BSN program (they were already an ASN RN) and it required clinical hours - with some good old fashioned networking hustle (many calls, emails, etc) they were able to get what they needed done. My point being local to the school doens't mean you can't get the in-person, hands-on clinical  hours you'll need.  

I wish you luck and hopefully someone here will be able to help you plan it out. Some of the best planners enjoy a new degree plan challenge. Sophia is in the process of adding quite a few biology (health) related science courses, between them and SDC I really do think you'll be able to cover many of the requirements needed for the BOG AAS in Health, and maybe all/most the required for the TESU BSNA program admission.

A few people here may suggest grabbing all the requirements credit and then getting a basic bachelor (like a BLS or the like) before the TESU BSNA - Don't, not matter how temping. The reason is once you have a bachelor you will not be eligible for more financial aid (Pell Grants) and you'll need that available to you for the TESU BSNA program

[maebak2skl]

I have never seen anyone here go through this program to be an RN, so you may be the first. They are pretty clear that you can't apply for the program until you meet the basic requirements. However, looking at the page for the BSNA I think you can do it (with planning).

Since Pierpont offers health related programs you may be able to get their BOG AAS based on this thread  - https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...a-revealed

Based the the TESU no bachelor required courses you'd want to get those in route the AAS from Pierpont - https://www.tesu.edu/nursing/programs/bs...sions-proc

The biggest problem I see is you'll need to figure out your clinical hours (not saying it can't be done, but it will likely be your challenge area for this degree).  I had a family friend recently go through WGU for the BSN program (they were already an ASN RN) and it required clinical hours - with some good old fashioned networking hustle (many calls, emails, etc) they were able to get what they needed done. My point being local to the school doens't mean you can't get the in-person, hands-on clinical  hours you'll need.  

I wish you luck and hopefully someone here will be able to help you plan it out. Some of the best planners enjoy a new degree plan challenge. Sophia is in the process of adding quite a few biology (health) related science courses, between them and SDC I really do think you'll be able to cover many of the requirements needed for the BOG AAS in Health, and maybe all/most the required for the TESU BSNA program admission.

A few people here may suggest grabbing all the requirements credit and then getting a basic bachelor (like a BLS or the like) before the TESU BSNA - Don't, not matter how temping. The reason is once you have a bachelor you will not be eligible for more financial aid (Pell Grants) and you'll need that available to you for the TESU BSNA program

Thank you for your reply! I never heard of Peirpont but with just a quick overview of their AAS of health studies it seems interesting. 

As far as clinical hours go, I believe TESU handles all of that with clinical sites in NJ and Pennsylvania which I will be moving an hour away from their brick and mortar school next year (not moving there to go to school, we have been planning the move for a while now) so it won't be an issue. 

I just want to get all the pre reqs and get my associates before I move.

I looked into WGU but that program is not offered in Pennsylvania and it takes 2.5 years which is great but I will be leaving Florida in a year. Otherwise I would have been all over it lol. 

Thank you for the advice on the bachelors, I thought about getting one first but then saw the price of the program and I definitely need all they financial aid I can get.

[dfrecore]

Do you have to get the AAS in order to get into the program? Because honestly, I think you could do this much better and cheaper by just getting the 60cr needed prior to getting in the program, and skip paying the high cost of TESU. I would go to a local CC right now and start on those courses that you can't take via alt-credit (Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 with Lab, Microbiology with Lab, Chemistry, Statistics), and then take the rest of your GE and Free Electives via alt-credit (English Comp I & II, Oral Comm, College-level math, Intro to Soc,, Ethics, Am Gov, Intro to Psych, any history course, any Humanities course, Developmental Psych across the lifespan, another SocSci/Hum/His course, Nutrition, and 1 additional free elective). You can do most via Sophia, and the rest via SDC.

There is no need to do any of this at TESU, nor is there a need to pay for the Associates Capstone. Just do it all outside of TESU and you'll be fine.

If you find that you can't get it all done before you move, and you don't want to wait until you're a PA resident to do a CC there, then I think there are schools that will let you do the courses you need online that are RA but cheaper than TESU. Logan University has courses for $325/cr, and take financial aid. They do trimesters, so you can go full-time/year-round. Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 with Lab, Microbiology with Lab, Chemistry are all there. I'd probably spring for Stats as well, and hope that TESU would accept it in lieu of their own Stats for Health Professionals course - but if not, it would def make that stats course easier.
------------------
Rio Salado is only $250/cr, and I'm sure they take financial aid as well. They have Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2 with Lab, Microbiology with Lab, Chemistry, Statistics as well. They are also on a every-Monday schedule - so you can start classes any Monday you want. And you can choose whether you want to do 8-wk or 14-wk courses for most. Not sure how FAFSA works for this, but I'm sure they can guide you.

You could do everything before you move, or close to it, and for far less than TESU will cost. Then transfer in, take the Cornerstone and Stats if you HAD to, and be ready for the BSN program quickly thereafter.

[allvia]

I do not see where the need for an AAS in the admission requirements, so I'm not sure where the OP got that from.  Maybe they were going to apply for that degree at TESU to get 'in the system'.  But it should be stated that the Pierpont AAS has no Capstone (it is as close to free as an associate degree can be - https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Pierpont_C%26TC)

dfrecore is correct that you may want to look into CC programs, it is not an opportunity you'll want to overlook  - Northhampton Community College (with a campus in Easton, PA) offers an RN program - https://www.northampton.edu/nursing.htm  I know it is a competitive program (all the CC RN programs are, as the demand for them is high) but you most certainly could get as many of the TESU prerequisites done and out the way through the Northhampton CC while always working on getting into that program, leaving the TESU program as your backup plan.  I would reach out to the CC and try to work on a plan with them first.

[maebak2skl]

Thank you guys for your input. I am not sure if the AAS degree is required or just a "perk" of getting the prerequisites through TESU. I did not know there were cheaper options to get the credits needed, I am looking into your suggestions today. Pierpont has really piqued my interest.

I have looked into Northhampton CC as well as all RN programs in Pennsylvania, NJ, and even Staten Island before I discovered any online/hybrid options. The reason why I chose TESU is because of my situation. I am a stay at home mom and I NEED the flexibility that they offer. Only a few courses and the clinicals require me to be in person and by that time my toddler will be in preschool. All the prerequisites can be done 100% online. A big reason why going back to school has taken me so long is because of the cost of daycare ($600 a week for two kids) and going to a traditional brick and mortar school was just out of the question and still is.

I also like the idea of going straight for the BSN as my goal is to get into case management which instead of 4-5 years experience needed with an ADN, only 1-2 is required with a BSN.

Just a question; out of all your suggestions, which one would be the most feasible to complete while my child is sleeping and would not require me to show up for any live classes? Meaning which ones are the most self directed/self paced? Again, thank you guys.

[rachel83az]

If you just want a relatively quick AAS for now, Pierpont 100%. No Sophia classes have proctoring, and any videos are usually optional. For the prerequisite classes that need to be from an actual college or university, I'm not sure which option is best for a parent with small children. Maybe Portage, if they have what you need? It's not super cheap, but it's cheaper than TESU and I believe it's entirely self-paced. TESU classes are not self paced and do have deadlines.

[allvia]

Hopefully others can guide you into meeting there other requirements (you can work with these and other TESU requirements for the ABSN you'd need in route to the Pierpont BOG AAS if you wish) - Here are those I know available through Sophia (for the TESU requirements), there are other providers as well but generally Sophia is cheapest.

Prerequisite and General Education Courses - (Required Credits) - TESU Course #
Anatomy and Physiology 1 with Lab (4) BIO-2110
Anatomy and Physiology 2 with Lab (4) BIO-2120
Microbiology with Lab (4) BIO-2510
Chemistry (3) CHE-1110 or CHE-1120 - SOPHIA
Nutrition (3) BIO-2080 -  SOPHIA
Statistics (3) HPS-2000 -  SOPHIA
Mathematics (3) MAT-1050 - Algebra at SOPHIA should work, as it is a higher level
Ethics (3) - SOPHIA
Introduction to Sociology (3) SOC-1010 - 
Introduction to Psychology (3) PSY-1010
Developmental Psychology (Across the Lifespan) 3 PSY-2110
Writing for Success (3) ENC-1010 - SOPHIA, it is Comp I
English Comp II (3) ENC-1020 - SOPHIA 
Public Speaking (3) - SOPHIA
Information Literacy (3) SOS-1100 - TESU Only (wait until you're ready to apply)
Civic Engagement (3) - US Government at SOPHIA
History (3) - US History (I or II) at SOPHIA
Humanities (3) - Ancient Greek Philosophers* (recommend) at SOPHIA
Social Science/History/Humanities (3) - Approaches to Studying Religions at SOPHIA

* Take before Sophia Ethics (this is an 'intro to ethics')

[rachel83az]

https://www.tesu.edu/nursing/programs/bs...urses-faqs

The credit by examination option is not available for the following prerequisite courses:

• Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
  
• Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
  
• Chemistry
  
• Microbiology with Lab
  
• Statistics

These must be taken as classes and have grades from regionally accredited institutions.

(Emphasis mine.) This means that these courses CANNOT be fulfilled by Sophia. So taking Stats and Chemistry at Sophia is pointless.

Portage has both Anatomy & Physiology courses ($892 each), Microbiology w/ lab ($892), and Statistics ($669). https://portagelearning.com/courses/biology

Portage also has Chemistry, but it comes with a lab that you don't need. Take Chemistry at TEL Learning instead for $200. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/TEL_Learning

[allvia]

https://www.tesu.edu/nursing/programs/bs...urses-faqs

The credit by examination option is not available for the following prerequisite courses:

• Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab
  
• Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab
  
• Chemistry
  
• Microbiology with Lab
  
• Statistics
  

These must be taken as classes and have grades from regionally accredited institutions.

(Emphasis mine.) This means that these courses CANNOT be fulfilled by Sophia. So taking Stats and Chemistry at Sophia is pointless.

Portage has both Anatomy & Physiology courses ($892 each), Microbiology w/ lab ($892), and Statistics ($669). https://portagelearning.com/courses/biology

Portage also has Chemistry, but it comes with a lab that you don't need. Take Chemistry at TEL Learning instead for $200. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/TEL_Learning

Ah rachel83az, you are correct I missed that on the Statistics and Chemistry.  @maebak2skl you may also want to look at distance options through other CCs, I did my Bio I w/lab through Clovis CC (NM) and it was very affordable (you could use Pell Grant with enough courses), and I recommend them for any available sciences. Also New Mexico Jr College might be an option as well for some of these courses. In general the NM schools are just super affordable (even if out of pocket), and offer quite a few distance courses - there are threads, and I'd suspect wiki page, about them (just so many other RA options now, they are likely buried some). Also, you still have the option of your soon to be local CC (Northhampton) for these.