Road to AAS in Criminal Justice

[eoog]

Hey all, totally new to this and have a few questions. What would be the fastest way to obtain an AAS in Criminal Justice from tesu? I'd prefer not to take a CLEP or DSST. I've been reading a bit around here and the only thing I'm aware of is the ALEKS 12 credits I'd be able to get. I'd like to accomplish this in the most frugal (for lack of a better word) and fastest way possible.

Also I have no idea how this would work so hopefully somebody inform me. I currently need 30 credits for a job position but i'd need a transcript. If I did the aleks and tesu counted them how would I go about getting a transcript saying I have the required credits? From my reading all I see is people getting their degrees so I'm a little confused.

I'm currently enrolled at a local CC and i've taken the following courses


(CCJ1020) Intro to criminal justice (3 credits)
(PHI2604) Crticl Thnkng/Ethics (3 credits)
(PSC1515) Energy/Nat Environment (3 credits)
(CLP1006) Positve psychology of person eff (3 credits)
(ENC1101) English Comp 1 (3 credits)
(MAT0022C) Developmental Math C (5 credits, not sure if this if worth anything since it was remedial)

I realize I'm all over the place here but all help is appreciated, thank you.

[dfrecore]

So, a quick question: Is Energy/Nat Environment a science class? I can't figure out what PSC stands for

You're right: Developmental Math will not count towards credits earned.

You currently have 15cr from your CC, so you need an additional 15cr, but not necessarily from a school(?). You should check to see what they want to see, because if they will take an ACE transcript, you can easily just get a bunch of free/cheap credits on there to add up to 15. Like, by the end of the week. All of these are unproctored, and ALEKS, Kaplan and Insurance will all show up on your ACE transcript right away.

You could take all 9 of the ALEKS courses, even if all of them won't count at TESU (only 4 will). They still ALL qualify for credit on an ACE transcript. Take them in this order:
Beginning Algebra (doesn't count at TESU)
Intermediate Algebra (counts at TESU as MAT-115)
College Algebra (counts at TESU as MAT-121)
College Algebra w/Trig (counts at TESU as MAT-121, dup of College Alg)
Trigonometry (counts at TESU as MAT-129)
Precalculus (counts at TESU as MAT-129, dup of Trig)
Intro to Statistics (counts at TESU as STA-201)
Business Statistics (counts at TESU as STA-201, dup of Intro to Stats course)
Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (counts at TESU as STA-201, dup of Intro to Stats course)

Here are some free courses you can take:
Kaplan PLA (quizzes only): https://openlearning.kaplan.com/kuopenlearning/LRC100/ - 3cr
Insurance Ethics: Preserve the trust on which insurance transactions are based with an understanding of ethics - 2cr
TEEX Cybersecurity courses (but this will take longer to get through, the courses are long) - up to 6cr
NFA courses (no idea how long they will take) - up to 3cr

If you just did ALEKS, you could have 27 credits. You could conceivably do them in a month or less, and only spend $20. Even if you didn't get through all of them, if you got through the first 4, and then did Kaplan PLA and Insurance Ethics, you would have your 30+ units. For $20.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To get an actual degree at TESU (if you still need one), you will need to take 4 TECEP's. I suggest:
English Comp II
Technical Writing (fulfills Info Lit requirement)
Applied Liberal Arts Math (very easy, especially after ALEKS math)
Sociology (satisfies the Diversity requirement)

You could apply at TESU now, but it will take several weeks before you can get into the system to register for your TECEP's. So, let's say you applied today, you could probably register in early March for the April term, and start taking the TECEP's then. Since there's a max of 3 TECEP's you can register for in any term, you would then have to wait until early April to register for the May term. So it would be mid-May before you would be able to get a TESU transcript showing an additional 15cr.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We can help you plan an AAS in CJ, but I personally think you'd be better off just getting a AA in Liberal Studies. That can still feed into a BA in CJ later, but it's much cheaper and easier to get. That's because the AAS requires 7 CJ courses. You need 6 additional, and the only way to get them is 1 UExcel (Juvenile Delinquency) for $145, and then 5 at CSU-Global for $250 each, or you can take them through Propero.org for $300 each. Not cheap.

The Liberal Studies AA is extremely flexible, and you can fill in all of the free/cheap courses you can find. You can use Saylor, which is $25 per course. The AALS is about $1300, while the AAS CJ is about $2300.

[eoog]

Yes, sorry, I would need a degree. So with the credits I currently hold along with whatever ALEKS will transfer to an AA in Liberal Studies what else would I need? Hypothetically, If with the information you provide me I start next week what would be the time frame I'd be looking at for the Liberal studies? I currently have two months of down time until my next project at work so I'd like to really knock out as much as possible. Also Energy in the Natural Environment is a science class, at my CC it fulfills the gen ed science requirement. Sorry for the lack of knowledge, still getting familiar with all of this. Thank you very much.

(Edit) Also you touched on this but I wasn't specific in my first post and not sure if it's different for the Liberal Studies Degree. So I currently have 15 credits. If I gain 15 more and enroll will they provide me with a transcript from TESU that states I have 30 credits from an accredited institution? I'd like to complete the AA just while I'm working on it will they provide me with that? I'm also not sure what I'm doing wrong but when I use the payment calculator on the website it estimates around 13k. There's a fee of $75 to apply correct? After that what other immediate payments would I need to make? Appreciate all your help, thanks again.

[Leherself]

If you want the AA, then you'll need to meet these requirements: Thomas Edison State University: Associate in Arts

Here's a non-exhaustive list of some of the courses that fit into the general education requirements: Thomas Edison State University | General Education - 2016 or After

The cheapest option for tuition would be the per credit tuition plan, but instead of taking classes take 4 TECEPs. It'll cost you $444 total ($111 per TECEP, $37 per credit). TECEPs can be taken at home if you have high speed internet and a webcam, using proctoru. As far as I'm aware, the only other fees you'll have would be the admissions application fee ($75) and the graduation fee ($312).

For cheap credits you should check out Saylor's list of classes that count for credit - $25 per class - Earn College Credit | Saylor Academy Saylor's classes also use proctoru.

ALEKs is a very inexpensive source of math credits - TESU will take up to 9 credits from them, and if you can complete it in a month it's only $20.

You can get some free credits if you take TEEX's classes (up to 6 cybersecurity credits if I remember right), and there's also the free 2 credit ethics exam from the Institutes (search the forum for free ethics class).

You should be able to get a transcript from TESU as soon as you're an admitted student and your credits have been evaluated.

[dfrecore]

I'm attaching a spreadsheet here for you to look at, it shows what you'd need to get either an AALS or AAS CJ. I went in order of priority: 1) Free courses (Insurance Ethics, Kaplan PLA, NFA & TEEX); 2) ALEKS math, which will get you 12cr; 3) Saylor courses which are free to take, and then $25 to take each proctored final exam; and 4) SL courses since you don't want CLEP/DSST. I think this is probably the easiest/cheapest route to go.

You could definitely knock this out in a short period of time if you were highly motivated.

If you don't want to do the TEEX courses (free, but long) you can replace the 3 courses (6cr) with 2 Saylor courses, or 2 SL courses instead (since you're already paying the SL membership fee, take advantage and take additional courses).

Some Saylor courses are better than others in terms of course setup, so if you find that one isn't working for you, try seeing if you can find an alternative SL course that will fulfill your objectives.

If you want to get this done as quickly as possible, create a free ACE account. Get going on the free courses, then ALEKS, then Saylor. Transfer them all to ACE as you finish them (especially ALEKS - make sure each course is in your ACE account before you start on the next course). When you get 15cr completed, go ahead and apply at TESU ($75 application fee), and send your CC transcripts and ACE transcript ($15?) so TESU can evaluate them. Once TESU has completed your eval with your credits on there (up to 4 weeks), you can then request your transcript.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While you're waiting, continue to knock out the credits you need to complete your AALS through ALEKS, and the free courses. Then, sign up for SL, and send each course over as you complete it (can be done directly without going through ACE).

Also sign up for TECEP's as soon as you can. You register for them just like an actual course, so it's for the next term starting date, which is annoying. Do Applied Math as soon as you've completed ALEKS Intermediate Algebra, no studying needed. English Comp II will be easy if you completed English Comp I, no studying needed. Technical Writing is easy, just make sure you check out the handbook from the library (or buy a used one if need be) - no studying needed there either. Sociology can be studied for using the free online resources they recommend. You can only sign up for 3 per term, so make sure to sign up for the first 3 right away, then the last 1 as soon as the registration opens for your new term.

Apply for graduation as soon as you can. I think you have to be 2 classes away from completion, and have at least 4 TECEP's showing on your transcript (2 completed and 2 can be upcoming).

That's it. Simple! Ok, not simple, but you can totally do this. I would get started TODAY if I had a job waiting on it!

Let us know if you still have questions.

[eoog]

Wow I really appreciate you taking the time to make that spreadsheet it was extremely helpful. Now since I'm trying to get going right away if you can just clarify a few things for me in regards to the courses please. I cannot find the three TEEX courses on their website if you could point me in the right direction please. Also for the Kaplan LRC100 course I see to pass I just need 70% on the quizzes, how do I pass the TEEX classes? Are there proctored exams or? Also If you can give me some insight, are the exams for the bulk of these courses multiple choice? Last question, is there anything I can substitute in place of Applied Liberal Arts maths? You've been a tremendous help, I really appreciate it, thank you.

(Edit) Also at the end of these courses I'm assuming there's an option to send it to my ACE transcript correct? I'm familiar with how to do it with aleks, just don't want to get through a course and mess up so just clarifying.

[dfrecore]

All courses with ACE are the same - after you finish the course, you request that it be added to your ACE transcript through ACE.

TEEX is here: https://teex.org/Pages/Program.aspx?catI...ersecurity
Each course has 3-4 modules to get through, it does take a while. You will need to search the forum on it, since I did not do them (I don't need the credits). No idea on how the courses are, how long they take to get them to ACE, or anything else. But there's been plenty written about it if you search.

You can substitute almost anything for the Math TECEP, but honestly, it's the easiest one out there. After you take ALEKS Int. Algebra, you will be more than prepared to take it. Seriously one of the easiest tests I've taken in years. I got a 90% without studying at all (the book is TERRIBLE). But Intermediate Algebra and common sense will get you the pass (questions like if the original price was $40 and there is a 22% discount and 5% tax, what is the price now? Or if there are 6 blue marbles and 3 green marbles and 2 red marbles in a bag, what is the probability that you will pull out a blue marble? - stuff like that).

For Kaplan, you just need 70% on the quizzes, and you can retake if you need to. Same with the Insurance Ethics.

For Saylor, there are a few courses that are not ACE, they are NCCRS instead. It works differently, you don't set up an account there, you request that Saylor sends a transcript to TESU. This only applies to Business Statistics, Intro to Western Political Thought and Computer Science. Here are the courses that have been ACE & NCCRS approved for credit: Earn College Credit | Saylor Academy

[sanantone]

Dfrecore has become the new KayV with providing all of these evaluations.

[dfrecore]

Uh oh, did I take over someone else's thing??? I never saw that KayV was doing this... If I've stepped on your toes KayV, I'm sorry. :-)

[KayV]

I am thrilled that dfrecore has taken over! The same thing that put me in a wheelchair affects my hands now, and those evaluations are really tough to do using voice-to-text or Dragon Dictate. That's why I have mostly retired from posting, but I still look.