BS/BA Options for Military with Only Test/Transfer Credits?

[thadius856]

Tried searching around, but there's a ton of info available and I can't seem to find what I'm looking for. If there's stickies or bookmarks you have to other pertinent threads, I'd love to see them.

Member of the USAF. I get free CLEPs/DSSTs. Don't think I have an ECE provider on-base, but I'll look into that. Haven't failed any tests, so they're all wide open, and haven't applied any for credit toward a degree. Already have a BS from a California State University from before I enlisted, but might as well use my benefit for a second one that more closely relates to my career field. Need a Technical (rated) degree to stand a decent change at even facing a commissioning board. Some technical (IT) credits from CCAF pending completion of my 5-level training (waiting on minimum time in upgrade).

Looking for something in IT, or at least a technical field. I understand I'd likely have to come out-of-pocket for a capstone, and I'm fine with that. *I do not quality for Tuition Assistance (TA)* unless working on a Master's, so that's not an option.

Any ideas? Here's my transcript from CCAF, in case it helps at all:

Date & Code School / Course Title Application / Disposition Hours Credits Applied
17-Dec-2010 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUND
253AQR3D032 00AA D Credit 4.00
EDP1139 COMPUTER SYS FAMILIARIZATION 3.00 Technical Core
EDP1601 CYBER SURETY 1.00 Technical Core

22-Mar-2011 CYBER SYSTEMS OPERATIONS
253AQR3D032 00BA D Credit 19.00
EDP1139 COMPUTER SYS FAMILIARIZATION 7.00
EDP1203 PRINC OF DATABASE APPL 3.00 Technical Elective
EDP2201 COMP SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR 4.00 Technical Core
EDP2206 UNIX OPERATING SYSTEM 2.00 Technical Core
EDP2207 NETWORK SYSTEM ADMIN 3.00 Technical Core

COLLEGE LEVEL TESTING 18.00
Recorded: 14-Nov-2011 Updated: 29-Jan-2012
11 COLLEGE ALGEBRA 3.00 Mathematics
68 INFORMATION SYSTEMS & COMPUTER APPLICATIONS 3.00 Technical Elective(2.00)
74 PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT 3.00 Management
SY532 PRINCIPLES OF SUPERVISION 3.00 Management
SY536 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING 3.00 Technical Elective
SY551 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 3.00 Technical Core

SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, CA 140.00
Recorded: 23-Jun-2011 Updated: 11-Jul-2011
AIVA190 SENIOR CAPSTONE 3.00
AVIA128 AVIA SAFE & SECUIRTY 3.00
AVIA141 HUM FACT AVIA ENVIRN 3.00
AVIA173 AVIATION LAW 3.00
AVIA176 AIRLINE OPS & MGMT 3.00
AVIA177 GENL AV OPS & MGMT 3.00
AVIA179 ADV AIRPORT PLNNG 3.00
AVIA2 INTRO TO AVIATION 3.00
AVIA31 AIRCRAFT THEOR & DSGN 3.00
AVIA42 AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS 3.00
AVIA43 PROPUL THEORY 3.00
AVIA73 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL 3.00
AVIA78 INTRO AVIA MGMT 3.00
BUS1 FUND OF FINANCE 3.00
BUS2 BUS STATISTICS 3.00
BUS2 INTRO TO MARKETING 3.00
BUS2 PROF & BUS ETHICS 3.00
BUS3 FUND MGMT & ORG BEH 3.00
BUS3 FUND OF HR MGMT 3.00
BUS3 FUND OF OPER MGMT 3.00
BUS3 LABOR RELATIONS 3.00
BUS3 MANAGING ENVIR ISS 3.00
BUS3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT 3.00
BUSI20 FINANCIAL ACCOUNT 3.00
CHEM1A GENERAL CHEMISTRY 5.00 Program Elective
COMM20 PUBLIC SPEAKING 3.00 Oral Comm.
ECON1B PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS (MICRO) 4.00 Program Elective(1.00)
Social Science(3.00)
ENGL1A COMPOSITION I 3.00 Written Comm.
ENGL1B COMPOSITION II 3.00 Program Elective
ENGL7 CRITICAL THINKING 3.00 Humanities
ENGR100 ENGR REPORTS 3.00
HIST151A US HISTORY/GOVT 3.00
HIST15B US HISTORY/GOVERNMENT 3.00 Program Elective
MATH71 CALCULUS FOR BUSINESS & AVIATION 3.00
METR10 WEATHER & CLIMATE 3.00 Program Elective
MUSE29C TOPICS H&A LETTER 3.00
PHIL66 INTRO AESTHETICS 3.00
PHYS2A FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS 4.00
PHYS2B FUND OF PHYSICS 4.00
POLS4 INTRO INTL REL 3.00
RECL10 CREAT MEANING LIFE 3.00
SOCI1 INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY 3.00
TECH198 TECHNOLOGY & CIVIL 3.00
URBP10 LOCAL POLITICS 3.00
URBP136 INTRO LAND USE 3.00

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS RECORDED
Military 27.00 Civilian 140.00 Exam 18.00 All Sources 185.00

[dcan]

3D074 here. Given your prior business credits and current tech credits you look tailor-made for a TESC BSBA CIS degree. That is the one I'm going for as well. When I sent in my CCAF transcript they gave me 60 credits for it alone (well, about 49 + a few CLEPs I already had) which knocked out half my degree including 100% of my CIS and free electives and several other requirements as well. I have no business credits so I have to slog through tests and classes. You can e-mail them and ask them if they have an AU-ABC path laid out for operators. Since you won't do TA you will have to pay the appx $3K annual enrollment fee once you decide to take your capstone class and graduate, but otherwise you are probably there or almost all the way there already. Only way to find out is to pay them the $75 and wait until the sun dies (or six weeks, whichever comes first) for them to respond with your eval.

[thadius856]

That program looks very interesting! Just spoke with somebody in admissions, who gave me the $2,971 figure and $212/credit. $75 application fee includes 2 academic evals... though I'd probably have to pay for a third or fourth (CSU/CLEP/DSST/CCAF), I'm guessing.

TA would pay for graduate-level studies, but not for a second BS/BA. Is there a legitimate way to start on an ed plan for my Master's, then somehow complete the second Bachelor's simultaneously (with hopefully just the capstone)?

[dcan]

The BSBA CIS program is great. There's also Excelsior though, they have several IT programs as well. Personally I'm not interested in their tracks and they didn't want to give me nearly as much credit for my CCAF as TESC did, but they may be a good fit for you. I think costs between the two are similar but I'm not an expert on that.

I also forgot about this very important requirement at TESC.

Second Associate or Bachelor’s Degrees

The following criteria are for students who have received
one associate degree at Thomas Edison State College or
another regionally accredited institution and wish to earn a
second associate degree, or if they have received one
bachelor’s degree at Thomas Edison State College or another
regionally accredited institution and wish to earn a second
bachelor’s degree:

1. Students must complete a minimum of 15 additional
credits for a second associate degree and 30 additional
credits for a second bachelor’s degree beyond the date all
prior degrees were completed.

2. Students must select an option which is significantly
different from their previous degree(s).

3. Students must complete all requirements for the degree
as listed in the current Thomas Edison State College
Catalog.

4. Course work used to fulfill requirements for a previous
associate degree major or any other undergraduate,
advanced or professional degrees may not be used to
fulfill requirements for the second associate degree
option or a second bachelor’s degree area of study. The
College will not award a third bachelor’s degree.

HOWEVER, your CCAF may fill that 30 credits up since those credits all came after your BS was awarded. If it's not enough credits for some reason then you may only need a few FEMAs or CLEPs to fill in the remainder.

You should call them and ask about that $75 fee. My understanding is that you send in all of your transcripts to be evaluated together under the one fee. I only had the CCAF to send in when I paid the fee so it was simple for me.

[CLEP101]

That program looks very interesting! Just spoke with somebody in admissions, who gave me the $2,971 figure and $212/credit. $75 application fee includes 2 academic evals... though I'd probably have to pay for a third or fourth (CSU/CLEP/DSST/CCAF), I'm guessing.

TA would pay for graduate-level studies, but not for a second BS/BA. Is there a legitimate way to start on an ed plan for my Master's, then somehow complete the second Bachelor's simultaneously (with hopefully just the capstone)?

Another thing you can do, so you don't pay the enrollment fees, is use your GI Bill while on active duty. That is what I did when I got my second Bachelors. As long as you take one class with the school, the GI Bill will pay for the enrollment fees and classes you take. So technically, you'll only pay the $75 eval fee and graduation fee out of pocket.

[rynosims]

Seriously take a look at applying for whatever grants you can get. I just applied for a Pell Grant and received $3500 toward my schooling. I am currently using TA, but it only pays for 6 classes/year at current rates. With the Pell Grant, I can take a couple more if I want to. Once you know the school and program, I would apply for sure. I'm an E-7 and received $3500, if you are an E-2 or 3 (guessing because of the 5-skill level upgrade training), then you could possibly qualify for more. Hey, any free money is worth it!