Please help my friend with 113 credits

[topdog98]

Please help plan a bachelor's degree for my friend. I am hoping she is relatively close to some type of technology/information/natural sciences degree. One problem is that all of her credits are lower level. Money is definitely an issue for her. She stopped because she ran out of financial aid. She also struggles with math due to Turner's Syndrome. She has a general associate's degree and an associate's degree in Computer Technology. All of her hours are semester hours. Thank you so much for your help!

Walters State Community College (2-year)
BIOL 2010 Anatomy & Physiology I 4 credits
CHEM 1110 General Chemistry I 4
ENGL 1010 English Composition I 3
HIST 2020 Amer. Since Mid-19th Cent 3
INFS 1010 Computer Applications 3
MATH 1720 Precalculus II 3
PHIL 2200 World Religions 3
PSYC 1030 General Psychology 3
SOCI 1020 Social Problems 3
THEA 1030 Intro to Theater 3
CONTINUED IN NEXT POST…

[topdog98]

Tennessee Tech University (4-year)
BIOL 1110 General Biology I 4
BUSN 2311 Leadership 3
CHEM 1120 General Chemistry II 4
CHEM 2010 Organic Chemistry I 4
CIS 1999 Computer Info System Elective 3
ENGL 1020 English Composition II 3
MATH 1710 College Algebra 3
PHED 1100 Karate 1
PHED 1210 Physical Conditioning 1
PHED 1998 Physical Education Elective 1
PHED 1999 Physical Education Elective 1
PSYC 2130 Life Span Psychology 3
SPCH 1010 Speech 3
CONTINUED IN NEXT POST…

[topdog98]

Volunteer State Community College (2-year)
CITC 2349 Data Storage 3
CITC 2353 Tactical Perimeter Defense 3

Nashville State Community College (2-year)
CIS 1060 Project Management 3
CPT 1010 User Support/Help Desk 3
CPT 1530 Mobile Computing 3
CPT 2430 System Troubleshooting 4
CNT 1060 Cisco Routers I 4
CNT 1170 Microsoft Professional OS 3
CNT 1510 A+ IT Essentials 3
CPT 2425 UNIX/Linux 4
CNT 1160 Cisco Routers II 4
CNT 2350 Install/Config Windows Server 4
CPT 2530 Computer Forensics 3
CPT 2540 CPT Capstone 3

[sanantone]

With all of those lower level credits, TESU's BSAST in Technical Studies or BSAST in Information Technology will likely be best. Technical Studies is more flexible. A liberal studies degree will require a lower level of math, but many of those LL credits would become useless.

[dfrecore]

In looking at the credits, I have a couple of things to recommend:

1) TESU's BSBA in CIS - this is a true business degree, with a little bit of Computers thrown in. She would need to take a Diversity area course (like Sociology), the free Insurance Ethics course, American Government, and Stats to clear up Gen Ed's, and then the business core, and Area of Study. Some of the computer courses will count in the AOS, but I just don't know which ones. The ones that she does need to take would probably end up being fairly easy for her. The total cost will be well below $4500.

2) WGU's BSIT (in an area of study if she chooses). The AA that she has will clear all of the Gen Ed's for the WGU degree. She could take 5 courses at SL (Intro to IT, Management, Org Behavior, C++ Programming, and Business Ethics), and 2 TECEP exams, and 1 DSST exam. Then, because she took at least 4 courses at SL, she would get a $200 tuition discount. When she applied at WGU, she could apply for their scholarship as well ($2,000, in $500/term installments).
https://www.wgu.edu/online_it_degrees/in...ogy_degree

Going the WGU route, I think she could finish in 1-2 terms, with the cost somewhere between $3169-$5704. BUT, in addition to a degree, she would also get a bunch of certifications, some of them very valuable ones.

Hodges has a competency-based degree in Computer Information Technology as well that might work. They also give certs, although I don't know if they're included in the price: https://www.hodges.edu/academicprograms/...ology.aspx

Northern Arizona University has a competency-based Computer Information Tech degree as well: http://pl.nau.edu/ComputerInformationTechnology.aspx

[Ideas]

She should probably get credits evaluated at TESU and at least 1-2 other schools.

Does she have certifications? A lot of those can gain her credits.

Because of money, she should probably pick a degree which she can finish with just testing. There are options.

For many types of degrees, she already has enough math

[Ideas]

2) WGU's BSIT (in an area of study if she chooses). The AA that she has will clear all of the Gen Ed's for the WGU degree. She could take 5 courses at SL (Intro to IT, Management, Org Behavior, C++ Programming, and Business Ethics), and 2 TECEP exams, and 1 DSST exam. Then, because she took at least 4 courses at SL, she would get a $200 tuition discount. When she applied at WGU, she could apply for their scholarship as well ($2,000, in $500/term installments).
https://www.wgu.edu/online_it_degrees/in...ogy_degree

Why 2 TECEP and 1 DSST? Are those (and the 4 Study.com) the only ones she could test out for a BSIT at WGU?

[sanantone]

In looking at the credits, I have a couple of things to recommend:

1) TESU's BSBA in CIS - this is a true business degree, with a little bit of Computers thrown in. She would need to take a Diversity area course (like Sociology), the free Insurance Ethics course, American Government, and Stats to clear up Gen Ed's, and then the business core, and Area of Study. Some of the computer courses will count in the AOS, but I just don't know which ones. The ones that she does need to take would probably end up being fairly easy for her. The total cost will be well below $4500.

2) WGU's BSIT (in an area of study if she chooses). The AA that she has will clear all of the Gen Ed's for the WGU degree. She could take 5 courses at SL (Intro to IT, Management, Org Behavior, C++ Programming, and Business Ethics), and 2 TECEP exams, and 1 DSST exam. Then, because she took at least 4 courses at SL, she would get a $200 tuition discount. When she applied at WGU, she could apply for their scholarship as well ($2,000, in $500/term installments).
https://www.wgu.edu/online_it_degrees/in...ogy_degree

Going the WGU route, I think she could finish in 1-2 terms, with the cost somewhere between $3169-$5704. BUT, in addition to a degree, she would also get a bunch of certifications, some of them very valuable ones.

Hodges has a competency-based degree in Computer Information Technology as well that might work. They also give certs, although I don't know if they're included in the price: https://www.hodges.edu/academicprograms/...ology.aspx

Northern Arizona University has a competency-based Computer Information Tech degree as well: http://pl.nau.edu/ComputerInformationTechnology.aspx

These seem a lot further away than a BSAST. And, I missed it in when I made my first post. Since she's already done precalculus, she won't need another math for the BSAST. The BSAST also avoids accounting, finance, and statistics. Plus, the BSBA in CIS only has room for six lower level credits in the area of study. Most of the other IT credits would be wasted.

[Ideas]

I think BSBA-CIS will get passed over for many IT jobs if someone doesn't have very solid experience With experience, it would be ok. But the accounting courses and economics could be a pain. It doesn't make as much sense to do the business degree unless it's because of saving money or time.

[topdog98]

Thank you so much for all of these responses. I will look thoroughly these options you have posted.

The only certification I am aware of is a Pharmacy Tech certification. I will ask her about it to be certain.

I know that because of her learning disability from Turner's Syndrome, she considers some of the upper level computer science courses to be a difficult prospect for her.

Statistics could be a big struggle for her. Looking at the BSAST, it seems like statistics will be required. (http://www.tesu.edu/ast/bsast/Technical-Studies.cfm). It states:

The following courses are required for the BSAST Degree in Technical Studies and can be fulfilled in either the General Education or Electives sections of the degree chart. 23
• Technical Writing
(3)
• Computer Concepts (CIS-107) or above
(3)
• Statistics
(3)
• College Algebra
(3)
• Higher Level Math above College Algebra
(3)
• General Chemistry I with Lab or General Physics I with Lab
(4)
• General Chemistry II with Lab or General Physics II with Lab
(4)