Pierpont BOG AAS Degree: Some questions

[echo64]

So I've become interested in the Pierpont BOG AAS degree, I've taken a bunch of credits at my local CC and due to some life circumstances I was never able to actually finish getting my associates and my living situation at the moment would make it difficult to commute to school everyday.
Anyway, enough with the sob story.

My questions are, say I submit my credits for evalution to Pierpont and I don't meet enough credits to graduate. Do I have to take courses with Pierpont itself to finish or can I take courses from say Straighterline or CLEP credits and keep transferring those in for evaluation until I do qualify?

Also I've read that this BOG AAS degree is a Terminal Degree but would it be good enough to say transfer into Western Governor's University or one of the Big 3 schools like COSC or TESU? My end goal is one of WGU's IT degree's like the software development program so I'm hoping that I can use the AoS degree to look for some regular day job and then get my BS once I got some more money saved up.

Thanks for any help, I'm really excited about this no Idea you could get your AA degree this way.

[Ideas]

Yes, you can keep taking courses like Straighterline and CLEP to qualify, but evaluations take time. Personally I would do a little extra to be sure.

You can use the AAS degree to get out of Gen Ed requirements at many schools. Good plan

[dfrecore]

The Pierpont AAS will get you the credits you need to satisfy WGU's Gen Ed, but not TESU or COSC - they bring in all of the credits and look at them one by one, rather than as a whole.  But that doesn't really matter, as you'll just be bringing in 60 credits towards a BA/BS degree.

For WGU, only about 25-30% of the degree is Gen Ed, so taking the credits just to get the AAS in order to satisfy gen ed requirements there isn't the very best route for you.  And I'm not certain that the AAS will do much for you either, as most employers don't require a general AAS with no concentration for a job.  They normally want something else (experience, a specific degree, or even a BA/BS).  But, if you wanted to try to coordinate your AAS credits with the WGU IT degree, that actually might be very helpful.  They will take lots of credits besides just the Gen Ed portion.

Here is a spreadsheet for the Pierpont AAS, and I have a generic WGU BSIT degree - it may not be the exact degree that you want, but it will give you somewhere to start.  Try to make sure that you figure out the exact degree you want, put in the courses needed, then make sure that as many of the 60cr as possible that you get for the AAS will also take care of requirements for the major in the WGU degree.  The AAS itself will take care of the Gen Ed portion.

[echo64]

The Pierpont AAS will get you the credits you need to satisfy WGU's Gen Ed, but not TESU or COSC - they bring in all of the credits and look at them one by one, rather than as a whole.  But that doesn't really matter, as you'll just be bringing in 60 credits towards a BA/BS degree.

For WGU, only about 25-30% of the degree is Gen Ed, so taking the credits just to get the AAS in order to satisfy gen ed requirements there isn't the very best route for you.  And I'm not certain that the AAS will do much for you either, as most employers don't require a general AAS with no concentration for a job.  They normally want something else (experience, a specific degree, or even a BA/BS).  But, if you wanted to try to coordinate your AAS credits with the WGU IT degree, that actually might be very helpful.  They will take lots of credits besides just the Gen Ed portion.

Here is a spreadsheet for the Pierpont AAS, and I have a generic WGU BSIT degree - it may not be the exact degree that you want, but it will give you somewhere to start.  Try to make sure that you figure out the exact degree you want, put in the courses needed, then make sure that as many of the 60cr as possible that you get for the AAS will also take care of requirements for the major in the WGU degree.  The AAS itself will take care of the Gen Ed portion.

Awesome, thanks for the resources. I'm pretty much dead set on the WGU Software Development degree, I've been planning it out for awhile. Maybe their new CS degree depending on how it fits with my plans. As for the AAS for a job, eh, I'd rather have it than not have it. My work experience is spotty so anything to help the resume is a big plus in my book. And personally, I just want the thing. I should have god knows how much CC credits so I should easily meet most of the 60, my only concern is math classes of which I plan to take CLEP tests  which if I complete in time should meet most of the Software Development degree courses and some of the CS ones and some CompTIA certs as well (unless there's a faster way to go about getting some of those math requirements?).

Yes, you can keep taking courses like Straighterline and CLEP to qualify, but evaluations take time. Personally I would do a little extra to be sure. 

You can use the AAS degree to get out of Gen Ed requirements at many schools. Good plan

That was my only worry in case I didn't meet the graduation requirements. I plan to take as many classes in my spare time to satisfy those 60 credits which, including all my CC stuff, should hopefully be enough.

Again thanks for all the help.

[echo64]

Out of a longshot I sent an e-mail to Nancy Parks over at Pierpont and she informally evulated my CC credits and it seems everything will transfer over, it helps I had something like 90 credits to transfer over. She'll send the application tomorrow and I'll be eligible to graduate for Summer 2018 if the communication I had with her is anything to go by.

Now just to wait and see.

My only concern now is WGU.

Suppose I do get the AAS degree. Can I keep taking straighterline/CLEP/Study.com/etc. courses and use those along with the AAS degree to get as many credits as I can before I actually enroll?

Thanks for any responses.

[dfrecore]

Out of a longshot I sent an e-mail to Nancy Parks over at Pierpont and she informally evulated my CC credits and it seems everything will transfer over, it helps I had something like 90 credits to transfer over. She'll send the application tomorrow and I'll be eligible to graduate for Summer 2018 if the communication I had with her is anything to go by.

Now just to wait and see.

My only concern now is WGU.

Suppose I do get the AAS degree. Can I keep taking straighterline/CLEP/Study.com/etc. courses and use those along with the AAS degree to get as many credits as I can before I actually enroll?

Thanks for any responses.

Yes - you should definitely do this.  WGU won't take any courses after you enroll, so take what you need, apply, get everything evaluated, and then when you're ready, enroll.

[Life_One]

Not to speak badly about Mrs.Parks, but save every e-mail you have with her. It could save you headaches in the future. Also, any e-mails from other departments make sure you save them.

[echo64]

Not to speak badly about Mrs.Parks, but save every e-mail you have with her. It could save you headaches in the future. Also, any e-mails from other departments make sure you save them.

Of course, just in case. Any bad experiences you've had? I've heard they are slow to respond but so far communication has been quick with the two departments I've spoken to (Admissions and Mrs. Parks).

[Life_One]

I will just say this, Sometimes I get a response other times I won't get a response. Other times, things where promised to be looked into or done for me and nothing was ever done months later if at all. Sometimes a professor will say you will receive credit for some transfers and you will be told you don't receive as much from another office.

I'm not trying to be negative but my experience with some departments has been less than stellar. That's why I recommend you save all e-mails and voice mails and whatever other paper trail because more likely than not you will need it to prove what people said or promised you.

[jsd]

Sounds like dealing with TESU