TESU / Statistics.com Data Science (BSDS) Planning

[dfrecore]

Also. What's a good Associates Degree I could get once I complete dfrecore's example of GE and Electives. This is while I work on rest of the Statistics.com requirements.

Would it be something like TESU Liberal Arts Associates?

I don't recommend the AA at TESU, I think it's way too expensive. Also, there's no guarantee that the residency waiver ($2500 or $1800 with Study.com affiliate pricing) is going to carry over to your BS, making you pay that twice! No thanks.

You could either get a BOG AAS (check the forum for WVNCC or Pierpont), or the Patten AA (Business or CJ) would be the next cheapest. The BOG AAS will take all 60cr, and has minimal requirements which you could get via ACE-recommended courses/exams; the Patten AA could be had for something like $2100 (for you), which would include Tuition ($1316 for a 4-month term), at least 5 courses, and then transferring the rest. It looks like they would take 6 of your courses plus College Algebra - you could then take some CLEP/DSST/SL/Study.com courses or exams to complete another 8 courses, and finish the 5 remaining courses at Patten. Or, you could take less than 8 courses through ACE, and take more than 5 courses at Patten, just depends on how much you think you can do in the 4 months.

TESU's AA is $4000 start to finish (so probably $3000 or so for you with your current courses and the courses you plan on taking). That $1800 residency waiver fee is a killer.

COSC's AA is $3500 start to finish, so close to $3000 for you. The $1100 cornerstone is the pricing thing; the fees are roughly $600.

[Ideas]

If you could finish the Bachelor's within about a year, then there should only be one residency waiver for the AA+Bachelor's. Also you could go for the cheaper credits for the AA.

[dfrecore]

If you could finish the Bachelor's within about a year, then there should only be one residency waiver for the AA+Bachelor's.

No guarantee there - I don't think TESU has made up their collective minds about this. Their answers have been all over the place. I certainly would not count on it if I were planning my degrees.

[SolarKat]

Also. What's a good Associates Degree I could get once I complete dfrecore's example of GE and Electives. This is while I work on rest of the Statistics.com requirements.

Would it be something like TESU Liberal Arts Associates?

What's the purpose of getting the associates? That's the question to answer. Further, "where" in data do you think you might like to end up? DS intersects heavily with computer science, so the certificate in CS or the associate in CS might be worthwhile side tracks (this will fill in some of your gen-ed electives and free electives without pulling you too far afield). If you're thinking of a masters, then the calc sequence at least through multivariate, plus linear algebra would be a good direction (and the ASNSM - Mathematics would use this well). If you're looking at the IT side of data, where database development/optimization is key, then plan DB classes into the plan.

Also, look around at possible grad opportunities, if you're thinking of going farther. If you know, for example, that you want the heavily-CS masters requiring architecture, structures, and linear algebra, then add those to your plan (with/without an associates - in this case, it's more important to fill prereqs/admission requirements than to get the entry-level degree). If you're looking at business analytics, then choose the operations management electives in the gen-eds/free electives, and do the optimization electives within the AOS Electives (optimiz/integer/risk/finrisk...and 3 of these 4 will also qualify you for a Specialization Certificate in Optimization from Statistics.com...$65 certificate fee). But generally, this bachelors in particular just flies by, thanks to the 4-week courses...so I wouldn't waste a lot of time sidetracking on an associates without a REALLY good reason.

I opted to submit for the WVNCC AAS (search this forum, lots of threads) because it was a fun motivator for me (and my cheering family), plus it was free and didn't sidetrack me at all. I have the AOS complete for the ASNSM-Math just from my transfer credits, so I may submit for that because it'd be included in the one-time graduation fee & conferred simultaneously...otherwise I wouldn't waste any money or time on it. I'll submit for the analytics grad cert as there's no graduation fee despite the separate conferral. Again, it probably wouldn't be that helpful otherwise, given my next step, a MS Engineering (Control Systems & Engineering Design). You'll have a better feel for what will help you (both as a motivator and as a knowledge base) if you start at your ideal endpoint and work backwards to see what you really need, vs. what's fun/a luxury. This forum is a great place to ponder those questions!

ETA - Other posters have opened the discussion about the TESU residency waiver. I agree with them, this is totally in flux right now. The Study.com membership/scholarship *should* lock you in until, when is it, gang? July 2018 or something?? But no guarantees after that, and only the thusfar unsubstantiated hope that they really mean 1 fee = 1 year when they say it...

[davewill]

I would only do an associate's if it promised an immediate benefit (raise, promotion at work or other job opportunity that specifically requires one), or if I thought there was a serious chance that a bachelor's might get delayed by circumstances. Otherwise, there just isn't much of a use for one. The WV BOG AAS degrees (WVNCC/Pierpont) changes the equation slightly since it's possible to get it without spending any extra time or money.

[SolarKat]

I would only do an associate's if it promised an immediate benefit (raise, promotion at work or other job opportunity that specifically requires one), or if I thought there was a serious chance that a bachelor's might get delayed by circumstances. Otherwise, there just isn't much of a use for one. The WV BOG AAS degrees (WVNCC/Pierpont) changes the equation slightly since it's possible to get it without spending any extra time or money.

Davewill makes an excellent point. There's a difference between "doing" an AS/AA/AAS vs. "happening to have the credits for" it. As he says, unless there's a tangible, immediate benefit for the AS/AA/AAS, it's only worth getting if it's free/easy/doesn't take you off track. (Where I mentioned prereqs previously, you can do math prereqs without doing a full math AS/AA, for example. If you don't need it, put the speed/energy into getting the BS so you can get on to bigger things beyond!)

[dfrecore]

I would only do an associate's if it promised an immediate benefit (raise, promotion at work or other job opportunity that specifically requires one), or if I thought there was a serious chance that a bachelor's might get delayed by circumstances. Otherwise, there just isn't much of a use for one. The WV BOG AAS degrees (WVNCC/Pierpont) changes the equation slightly since it's possible to get it without spending any extra time or money.

I'm with you 100%! There is no chance I would let pursuit of an AA distract me from a BA. It's not worth it.

I think that most AA/AS's are worthless in the marketplace anyway, so unless it's going to do something special for you, don't get one.

[mcmctalk]

I'll leave the gen eds recommendations to the masters - check out the spreadsheet dfrecore made! I also agree with davewill's recommendation for the Guardian Scholarship...free & fast courses, definitely easy to travel with...

This is by far the most extensive information I've read about this course. I'm super excited about it now that I've heard your journey.

Thanks so much for this!

[mcmctalk]

I'm with you 100%! There is no chance I would let pursuit of an AA distract me from a BA. It's not worth it.

I think that most AA/AS's are worthless in the marketplace anyway, so unless it's going to do something special for you, don't get one.

Definitely agree here. The desire is two fold. One is general accomplishment since I've delayed my college education by 15 years and eagerly want to have something to show. Secondarily, I work a lot overseas and not having any accolades can sometimes be problematic with certain governments when it comes to work visas. So far it hasn't been an issue given my extensive work history, but button it up would certainly help.

It's a great point though, given how quickly I might be able to complete the BSDS course, it may not be as necessary.

[SolarKat]

This is by far the most extensive information I've read about this course. I'm super excited about it now that I've heard your journey.

Here's a thread where I've babbled in detail about one class, and some of the other options with the program. Ignore the discussion about how to register/enroll at Statistics.com, as they've since tweaked their programs a bit and have a solely-for-TESU registration option. (I'm matriculated under their PASS Analytics for Data Science certificate, which is almost the same. I'm paying up front for a couple of classes not included in their PASS that *are* included on the TESU plan, but I also have the option to do classes *not* included on the TESU plan but included on the PASS. It seems that they're strict about that, if you enroll in the 18month payment option. You choose from the class options for your enrolled plan only. However, they do offer a nice "academic affiliate" discount, or if you pay cash for more than 1 class at a time there's a discount, and other goodies...many flexible cost options. But I digress.)

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...stics.html

I'm still trying to find time to put together a blurb about the classes I've finished - this is just a crazy month, so it could be a while. But if you have questions about Social Network Analysis, Stats 1, Stats 2, Risk/Sim/Queue, Predictive 1 (Machine Learning), R, or Python, I can try to babble something coherent in the interim. In the linked thread I just posted, Bluebooger did a nice writeup of the programming classes (Python and the 4-course R sequence - 1, 2, Intermed, & R/SQL...their advanced R has a prerequisite of "years of R experience". I don't think it's for the faint of heart.), and I posted about Social Network Analysis.