Help - Computer Science Degree Plan International Student

[bjcheung77]

Good update... You haven't received the email yet, you're not patient enough by rushing into things, and you don't have a spreadsheet attached for people to see what classes came through as intended and what classes are remaining in addition to the 5 you're doing for residency purposes. It's great to ask questions to solve the puzzle, but you're not providing all the pieces of the puzzle for people to look at...

[JohnnyBazzinga]

Good update... You haven't received the email yet, you're not patient enough by rushing into things, and you don't have a spreadsheet attached for people to see what classes came through as intended and what classes are remaining in addition to the 5 you're doing for residency purposes.  It's great to ask questions to solve the puzzle, but you're not providing all the pieces of the puzzle for people to look at...

Thank you very much for your response. I created this spreadsheet using a template from the forum. After some analysis, I concluded that there are 10 courses missing from the evaluation. In the Transfer Summary, TESU does not show the Transfer Course name, only the Equivalent Course, as you can see in this screenshot.

I am uncertain about what happened to those 10 courses. Could there have been an issue with the evaluation, or is there something I am doing incorrectly?

Meanwhile, I received an email confirming the completion of the evaluation, but the courses are still missing.


Thank you.

[JohnnyBazzinga]

After multiple reopened tickets, the Evaluation Advisor informed me that due to the partnership agreement between TESU and Study.com, they cannot use Credly transcripts to award credit for Study.com courses. Therefore, for these courses, I need to send the transcript directly from Study.com to TESU.

[bjcheung77]

Oh yes... Great update, that's it! I believe Study.com is the only provider they require it to come directly from for ACE credits because a handful of classes are NCCRS and don't have ACE (unless you're doing NCCRS credits specifically, it goes directly from NCCRS to Excelsior, TESU, etc).

[FullFocus]

SNHU is the cheapest and easiest for International students, you can enroll in SNHU's India Online program. The courses are taught in English by Indian instructors, and you can receive a 60-65% scholarship, This scholarship reduces the total cost to just $3,735 for four years, which amounts to $933 per year. You can find more information on the SNHU India website: https://in.snhu.edu/

[animuscerebri]

Hey JohnnyBazzinga,
according to your spreadsheet, you have not transferred any of your Metropolia credits. I just see Sophia, SDC, and ASU. How come?

[JohnnyBazzinga]

Hey folks! Time for an update.

So, I'm nearing the end of my September term, and I figured it’s a good time to break down the wild path I took with my degree plan as a full-time working, 21-year-old international student. The goal? To share what I spent in both time and money – in case someone else out there is considering this (and, you know, wants a bit more in their wallet by the end of it).

The Journey Starts: October 2023
I started with a bang by signing up for Sophia Learning, paying for a month, and cranking through 8 courses. Honestly, it went so well, I went back for seconds and bought another month in November, where I finished 20 courses!!!. Full speed ahead, right? (Spoiler: This was just the start of my financial heroics.)

December Realizations (A.K.A. Plot Twist)
Midway through December, I hit a bump: turns out I needed credits from an accredited university (RA credits). So, I found Metropolia and did as many courses as they’d allow for free – at least until I hit another bureaucratic wall (oh, WES evaluations, you eternal time-waster). So, I set those credits on ice until I’d actually need them. 

January: Vacation Mode with a Twist
Here’s where things got complicated. Since I’m an international student, I needed to prove my English skills. The options? TOEFL, IELTS, or 9 credits from a U.S. university. Well, I’m not exactly a TOEFL/IELTS enthusiast, and I already had a trip planned for January to March, so I picked the pricier but quicker option for me: 9 credits through Arizona State University (ASU). Yes, it cost about $1,200 , and in hindsight, maybe I could’ve saved by going the test route – but we’re here now. Thankfully, the ASU courses were a breeze; I knocked them out in 1.5-2 weeks with proctored exams and assignments. 

After that, I just had to sit around waiting for transcripts for 4-6 weeks.

April-May: Study.com’s Hidden Costs
While waiting for ASU, I grabbed a 1-month Study.com subscription with a discount for $160 and completed 4 courses. However, exams beyond the first two cost extra – so I shelled out $70 per exam  for two more, totaling $140. Come May, I needed another month, which cost $235, plus another $140(please stop) for exams.

TESU Enrollment Shenanigans
Once I had the ASU transcripts, I was all set to enroll at TESU. Luckily, they were offering 2 free TECEP exams – a $312 blessing . I still needed 6 more RA credits to meet requirements, though, so I faced a choice: deal with the WES evaluation process for my Metropolia credits or just buy two more TECEPs and call it a day. Opted for simplicity and paid for 4 TECEPs total over July and August terms.

Finally, the September Term
Come early August, I enrolled in my September term and paid $4,428 + about $150 in extra fees. But, being based in Portugal, I also got slapped with an additional $250 in transaction fees. My wallet cried a lot, but hey – I was enrolled!

Since then, I’ve been doing my courses, and it looks like I’m on track to finish strong with a potential 4.0 GPA. Graduation’s around the corner, though I still need to factor in the graduation fees.

Summary of Costs
All in all, here’s a rough breakdown of my expenses so far:

1. Sophia Learning: $200
2. ASU (9 credits): $1,200
3. Study.com (April-May): $675
4. TECEP exams (TESU): $624 - 312$ 
5. TESU Enrollment: $4,578
6. International Transaction Fees: $250
7. Graduation Fees (Not sure how much): 200$-250$?

Total Damage: Around ~$7,500 USD (ouch). We can assume 7000$ - 8000$ in case if I forgot anything or made any calculations incorrectly

If you’ve got more financial leeway than I did, you could probably get through it faster. For me, it took about ~6 months of study time with a lot of planning, multitasking, and some creative budgeting.

Yes, I know – this plan was about as well-organized as a toddler’s crayon drawing. You’re probably thinking, "Why didn't this guy just take the TOEFL?" or "Could he have made this more complicated?" Go ahead, call me brilliantly chaotic (or just plain ridiculous). But hey, if nothing else, I’ve got an epic tale, a few new gray hairs, and a degree to show(almost) for it!

Degree plan here. If you spot anything crazy I missed, please feel free to add to the saga!

[bjcheung77]

That's actually a very good deal for an entire bachelors, most people would be paying that much for just the first year of college, let alone the entire degree!