No degree to MBA-HR in 20 months - Nodaclu's Progress Thread

[Nodaclu]

Thank you so much for taking the time to create those!

That gives me plenty more to think about. I agree that I should take that whole group of courses you mentioned, and then see where the chips fall. Because I have another 10 courses through Study.com that I've already paid for, I'll prioritize those first, and go from there.

[dfrecore]

Thank you so much for taking the time to create those!

That gives me plenty more to think about. I agree that I should take that whole group of courses you mentioned, and then see where the chips fall. Because I have another 10 courses through Study.com that I've already paid for, I'll prioritize those first, and go from there.

Definitely!  Finish your Gen Ed's, then the business core.  They'll work in both degrees.  That's a totally workable plan.

[Nodaclu]

Reading about TESU's current issues with Study.com's Communications courses (3 days after I dove into SDC's COM-101 class) is one of the reasons I'm now leaning strongly toward pivoting to a WGU/NAU/Patten program.

There are reasons why I haven't graduated from college after attending 6 colleges/universities over the course of 30 years. I don't love formal education (I tend to prefer life/informal/self-study types of learning). Because of this I tend to view formal education as solely something that is necessary for me to have a job where I can afford a car and a decent set of fishing gear. 

I know myself well enough to know that, if I push myself through the slog of a bunch of courses, only to find out that someone has changed the rules or moved the yardsticks while I was working, and I now come up short or have to re-do several things, I'll likely just walk away in anger/frustration/disgust - possibly just a few units short of my degree.

At least in one of the CBE-based programs, I can pretty much guarantee that the work I do the first time will be the only time I'll have to do it. There will be a path and a plan that I can count on. What the Big 3 offers is absolutely amazing - but it might not be the best path for me.

Still thinking and weighing my decision, but this is where my thinking stands currently...

[RANSOMSOUL]

Can totally see the hesitation on TESU at the moment when hearing about courses being downgraded or no longer counting as credit. However, this could happen with Patten & WGU when transferring credit in - credit options are always vulnerable since each school can adjust what they accept at any time for one reason or another. The strongest value TESU brings is the amount of credit that you can transfer in - it's considerably more than Patten/WGU. With that being said, if you can finish Patten in 1-2 terms or WGU in 1 term, then I imagine you would enjoy both of them for value and peace of mind.

[Nodaclu]

Thanks RANSOMSOUL!

You make a good point w/r/t the credit issue. It's the one area I'll need to research to see how close to equal it comes out. I have my unofficial transcripts in to NAU already. We'll see what they come back with.

At this point, by switching to a BSBA at TESU:

• my usable credits will go down from 88 to 60
  
• my time to complete the degree will go up from 6 months to 12 (at least), and
  
• my cost will go up from $4K to ~$6K.
  

So my plan is to take those three parameters, and see how NAU, WGU, and possibly Patten, stack up.

My biggest concern is the credits. If any of the CBE schools accept at least 54 of my 88 credits, then the time and cost factors between them and TESU will be close enough for me to call it equal (for these purposes, I'm considering anything within 10% or so to be roughly equal).

I definitely have a subjective preference right now, but I won't blindly go in that direction if they aren't competitive. WGU's onslaught of banner ads all over the web rubs me the wrong way, Patten's size/reputation concerns me, and I've mentioned my hesitation with TESU. But if one of them is clearly the best choice at the end of this, then that's what I'll do.

However, if they're all close to equal, then it'll probably be NAU. 

[RANSOMSOUL]

However, if they're all close to equal, then it'll probably be NAU. 

Agree with this call completely. I actually reached out to NAU when I only had done ALEKS (math credits) and really thought about going because of their name recognition and close proximity to Southern Cal. I then just fell in love with the idea of being able to completely test out of a degree at TESU and never looked back.

You have solid options in each direction so all will work out perfect in the end.

[dfrecore]

Thanks RANSOMSOUL!

You make a good point w/r/t the credit issue. It's the one area I'll need to research to see how close to equal it comes out. I have my unofficial transcripts in to NAU already. We'll see what they come back with.

At this point, by switching to a BSBA at TESU:

• my usable credits will go down from 88 to 60
  
• my time to complete the degree will go up from 6 months to 12 (at least), and
  
• my cost will go up from $4K to ~$6K.
  

So my plan is to take those three parameters, and see how NAU, WGU, and possibly Patten, stack up.

My biggest concern is the credits. If any of the CBE schools accept at least 54 of my 88 credits, then the time and cost factors between them and TESU will be close enough for me to call it equal (for these purposes, I'm considering anything within 10% or so to be roughly equal).

I definitely have a subjective preference right now, but I won't blindly go in that direction if they aren't competitive. WGU's onslaught of banner ads all over the web rubs me the wrong way, Patten's size/reputation concerns me, and I've mentioned my hesitation with TESU. But if one of them is clearly the best choice at the end of this, then that's what I'll do.

However, if they're all close to equal, then it'll probably be NAU. 

I agree that they all have their pros and cons.  But like Ransomsoul said, before you're enrolled and/or are taking courses at a school, there's never a guarantee of what will transfer in.  All schools have this issue.

The good thing about Study.com - you aren't locked into a course.  So, switch to something else, and even continue with the Comm course you're doing.  Then, when your month is closer to an end, if the issue still hasn't been resolved, you've lost nothing with the Comm course, and don't need to take the final.  Just do the other course you've been doing (the one I told you to switch to).  Next month, if you're still on Study.com, you can either take the final if the issue is fixed, or work on 2 other courses.

[Nodaclu]

Had to put everything aside for a bit in order to pursue a job, which has worked out well timing-wise, as NAU lost track of two of my transcripts (I had 7, so I can understand it happening with that many), and by the time they located them, the Spring semester had started, which dramatically slowed the rate at which my transcripts are being reviewed.

They should be finished in the next 2 weeks or so. Once that's done, we'll see where I stand.

The new job will also give me some financial freedom to make some different decisions going forward if NAU is unable to apply enough of my old credits toward my degree. Either way, more soon!

[Nodaclu]

Okay, settling in to the new job, and looking at all of this through fresh eyes.

After several false starts (TESU, then NAU, then Patten), I've come to realize that the path of least resistance and most interest to me is to finish a BA in Psych at TESU, even though I'm frustrated with the currently fluid nature of TESU's relationship with Study.com.

The bottom line is, I only need 11 classes to graduate from TESU. Then I can look at a 12 class Master's program. If I go to NAU or Patten, I'll basically have to take the same number of classes (23), just to complete my undergrad degree.

So I'm going to do this step-by-step and figure out how to get from where I'm currently at, to a completed degree at TESU, before the end of 2018.

---

Here's what I have left, according to TESU's Academic Evaluation site:

General Ed:
Oral Communication 3 SH
Quantitative Literacy 3 SH

Major Coursework (Psychology):
B: Experimental 3 SH
C: Social Psych 6 SH
D: History/Systems 3 SH
F: Developmental 3 SH
H: Ethics Soc Sci 3 SH

Capstone:
Liberal Arts Capstone 3 SH

Electives:
Any combination of 3 courses 8 SH

Any suggestions for courses in the first two categories (General Ed and Psychology) would be appreciated. I still have 15-18 pre-paid Study.com units available to me, and I'd prefer to use those up first if possible.

[Nodaclu]

I've attached my TESU degree plan for a BA in Psychology. (Completed courses in Blue, TESU courses to take in yellow, courses to take outside of TESU in red.)

I had to get creative with the major coursework, but I think I've met all of the upper level requirements with this plan.

If anyone sees any errors I might have made, or alternative courses that I might have missed, please let me know. Otherwise I plan to make an appointment with a TESU advisor this week to go over this plan, and confirm that everything should transfer in as expected.

Thanks!