Guidance Needed Re Earning Undergrad Degree in English and/or Mathematics

[Ideas]

Yeah, if you can't find any CLEP test centers through their site, then you can't do CLEP. You can still use Modern States as a free learning tool.

You may also have trouble finding DSST exam sites. UExcel is an option if you can find those test centers. I think they have more international centers.

[dfrecore]

Is it worth looking into Modern States since we don't have the luxury of writing CLEP exams in South Africa? I couldn't find even one CLEP center.

If you can't do CLEP exams, you can use Modern States to study for other exams (like Saylor or TECEP).  But you may be better of just doing SL/Study.com for most of your courses.

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When I've completed the general education course and have earned my BALS in English at TESU, can I use the same general education credits to apply to another university for my second bachelor's degree, which I intend to be mathematics?

This is what's normally referred to as a "block transfer" and all schools have different policies.  Your best bet is to go ahead and get your English degree, and then research all of the schools that offer a Math degree, and see which one(s) will give you the best deal in terms of fewest courses/least cost to get that second degree.

[SunflowerGal]

The UExcel exams can be written via Pearsonvue which is at a test center 5 blocks from my home. I'm just not completely sure how to go about writing these exams if I'm not enrolled at Excelsior and it's also unclear how to study using CLEP study material to write UExcel exams. How will I know if I'm studying the correct content?

My second bachelor's degree I would prefer earning at TESU as well, then I won't have the hassle and extra expense to enroll at another university or do I have to pay the same fees all over again at TESU as though I'm enrolling for the first time even though I'm enrolling for my second bachelor's degree? Do I have to pay admission and Residency-Waiver fees, etc. again?

[Ideas]

You just pay for the exam (it doesn't matter that you're not enrolled), and schedule it at the test center.

They have an exam syllabus so you can figure out what to study.

[dfrecore]

The UExcel exams can be written via Pearsonvue which is at a test center 5 blocks from my home. I'm just not completely sure how to go about writing these exams if I'm not enrolled at Excelsior and it's also unclear how to study using CLEP study material to write UExcel exams. How will I know if I'm studying the correct content?

My second bachelor's degree I would prefer earning at TESU as well, then I won't have the hassle and extra expense to enroll at another university or do I have to pay the same fees all over again at TESU as though I'm enrolling for the first time even though I'm enrolling for my second bachelor's degree? Do I have to pay admission and Residency-Waiver fees, etc. again?

For UExcel exams, you register and take the exams, you don't have to be an Excelsior student to do so.  I'm not 100% of the process but I think it's fairly easy to figure out on EC's website.

As far as studying, you can pay extra for the study materials and practice exams.

But really, unless you need UExcels for some reason, you're better off with the other providers, for cost reasons alone (UExcel is $145 just for the exam and testing center fee, and then extra for the study materials/practice test).  And some UExcel exams cost a lot more - $355 for exam/testing center fee.

[Ideas]

For me the cheapest UExcels are $110. But all or most have a $50 test center fee. But then some are much more expensive.

Residency waiver fees would have to be paid again if you don't get your second degree within a year. But TESU has been unclear. They might make you pay residency waiver fees even if you graduate again within a year of the first.

[dfrecore]

My second bachelor's degree I would prefer earning at TESU as well, then I won't have the hassle and extra expense to enroll at another university or do I have to pay the same fees all over again at TESU as though I'm enrolling for the first time even though I'm enrolling for my second bachelor's degree? Do I have to pay admission and Residency-Waiver fees, etc. again?

I agree that it will probably be easiest/cheapest to get the math degree from TESU.  You'll only need the 24 new credits, 3cr of which is the capstone - so you'll need approx 7 courses.  You have a couple of options.  1) Enroll in the Comprehensive Tuition Plan, and take all 7 math courses plus the capstone for 1 fee, within a year.  No residency waiver required.  2) Take your math courses outside of TESU, and then enroll and take the capstone when you're ready.  You may or may not have to pay another residency fee (and we've heard both, that it's good for a year, that it's good for an AA and BA, and that it only covers one BA and then you have to pay again for another one).

Honestly, I'm willing to bet that even if you have to pay full price for the capstone and residency waiver, it's still going to be cheaper than getting it somewhere else, but I could be wrong.

Here are some options if you want to try to get it cheaper than TESU's Comp Plan:
Calc I - Saylor $25
Calc II - SL $168 (for 1 month)
Calc III - Westcott $544
Linear Algebra - Westcott $569, UL
Stats - Study.com $199
Capstone - TESU (full price) $1497 UL
Geometry - Study.com $0 (2nd course from Stats) UL
5 UL math courses from APU $4050 ($810 each)
Residency Waiver $2500
TOTAL ~ $9,500
So, definitely not cheaper, unless you can find UL courses for a lot less than $810 each.

[SunflowerGal]

You have no idea how helpful your information is to plan my educational journey. Thank you so much for all your detailed replies. I understand things much better now.

[SunflowerGal]

Could some of you please provide me with your personal timetable? I'd like to know if you worked over weekends and how many hours per day you spent studying toward your degree. I've barely started and now people constantly invite me to parties, but I'm reluctant to go because I'm scared I might fall behind. How many hours per day would you suggest I spend on my studies for my English degree? Can I, for instance, work on 2 courses at the same time with X amount of time in mind? I'm able to concentrate for a long time, but I need some form of guideline. Can anybody help? Some people on the internet say they do a course a week and others a course every 2 weeks. It seems unreal to me. Do they ever sleep?

[davewill]

I think you're going at this backwards. Rather than worry how much time other people are spending, look at your own life and see how much time you personally can/want to spend. Do that and move however quickly that pace allows you to. For myself, I cannot imagine moving at the pace that some of the others on here do, yet I still reached my goal, just on my own timetable.