New..please help with FA question and Big 3

[caidan]

Hello,
First off, you all are incredible in your knowledge and willingness to share your experiences. Thank you!!

Some background information about me. I need a degree (any degree) so that I can enroll in ANOTHER (post) bachelors program to earn a BS in Speech Pathology/Communication Disorders. This second BS would only require 12 courses (36 credit hours).

THEN, I would be eligible to apply to grad programs for my masters.

I currently have 16 old cc credits with a 4.0 GPA. It is imperative that I maintain that GPA, as the MS programs are VERY difficult to get into.

I have searched and folllowed many discussions on this forum. I have been lurking here for about three weeks and thanks to the info I have read, I now have 12 more credits (ALEKS) to my portfolio! I didnt even know they existed before this forum. I will also be testing (hopefully) for 12 clep credits next week. (three test = 6, 3, 3)

If I may, can I ask a few questions? I am trying to find a way to fund my first degree. I am currently enrolled for 12 units (online) in the fall at my local cc with the idea to take 12 more in the spring. I am doing this to qualify for a full pell and to gain additonal graded credits while I am testing out of other courses. (I need a total of 60 graded credit hours for my MS program).

My cc cost for a full year is about $1600. This would include books as the cost per hour is $36. So I should have roughly 4K that I can use for testing. Yes? No? (Half disbursed in the fall and the other in the spring). Is what I am attempting viable? Is there stuff I dont know about?

I would then enroll in one of the big 3 and transfer all the credits and exams in order to get the diploma. Not sure which one at this point.

I have already checked with the university that I will attend for the 2nd BS. They said that a degree from EC or TESC is acceptable. (I neglected to ask about COSC).

The MS program wont have a problem, because I will have the second degree in the SLP field which covers the neccessary leveling courses.

I realize that some of you may ask why I dont just get one degree in SLP, but I cant go that route - there is no college near me to do so, but the second BS is onlilne. I have a special needs child that prevents me from traveling to and attending a 4 yr university.Thank you for your time. I know this was long, but I wanted to give as much info as possible.

Any help is very much appreciated.

Current credits:

20yr old cc credits -
Eng 101 and 102 (6)
American Gov't (3)
Business Law (3) (probably to old to be used for anything other than free elective)
Beginning algebra (4) (not sure if it will transfer)

Aleks -
Intro to stats (NOT fun!) (3)
Pre cal (3)
College algebra (3)
Intermediate (3)

[rebel100]

My cc cost for a full year is about $1600. This would include books as the cost per hour is $36. So I should have roughly 4K that I can use for testing. Yes? No? (Half disbursed in the fall and the other in the spring). Is what I am attempting viable? Is there stuff I dont know about?

I would then enroll in one of the big 3 and transfer all the credits and exams in order to get the diploma. Not sure which one at this point.

Yes, you still have to apply for aid through the school to get them to manage the financial aid for you. Be aware that schools vary in policy and you need to know the policies at your school. Go make a friend at the financial aid office and find out exactly how it works there, stay on top of deadlines!

The PELL Grant is designed to be used half in the Fall and half in the Spring. The CC should wait until funds are dispersed for payment and they will cut you a check for the balance. You can then use that maney for just about anything. COSC for example usually disperses funds about six weeks into the semester. If for some reason you fail to use all your grant/aid in te regular school year you can usually access at least some of the balance in the summer session.

Good Luck, sounds like your on the right track!

[cookderosa]

Hello,
First off, you all are incredible in your knowledge and willingness to share your experiences. Thank you!!

Some background information about me. I need a degree (any degree) so that I can enroll in ANOTHER (post) bachelors program to earn a BS in Speech Pathology/Communication Disorders. This second BS would only require 12 courses (36 credit hours).

THEN, I would be eligible to apply to grad programs for my masters.

I currently have 16 old cc credits with a 4.0 GPA. It is imperative that I maintain that GPA, as the MS programs are VERY difficult to get into.

I have searched and folllowed many discussions on this forum. I have been lurking here for about three weeks and thanks to the info I have read, I now have 12 more credits (ALEKS) to my portfolio! I didnt even know they existed before this forum. I will also be testing (hopefully) for 12 clep credits next week. (three test = 6, 3, 3)

If I may, can I ask a few questions? I am trying to find a way to fund my first degree. I am currently enrolled for 12 units (online) in the fall at my local cc with the idea to take 12 more in the spring. I am doing this to qualify for a full pell and to gain additonal graded credits while I am testing out of other courses. (I need a total of 60 graded credit hours for my MS program).

My cc cost for a full year is about $1600. This would include books as the cost per hour is $36. So I should have roughly 4K that I can use for testing. Yes? No? (Half disbursed in the fall and the other in the spring). Is what I am attempting viable? Is there stuff I dont know about?

I would then enroll in one of the big 3 and transfer all the credits and exams in order to get the diploma. Not sure which one at this point.

I have already checked with the university that I will attend for the 2nd BS. They said that a degree from EC or TESC is acceptable. (I neglected to ask about COSC).

The MS program wont have a problem, because I will have the second degree in the SLP field which covers the neccessary leveling courses.

I realize that some of you may ask why I dont just get one degree in SLP, but I cant go that route - there is no college near me to do so, but the second BS is onlilne. I have a special needs child that prevents me from traveling to and attending a 4 yr university.Thank you for your time. I know this was long, but I wanted to give as much info as possible.

Any help is very much appreciated.

Current credits:

20yr old cc credits -
Eng 101 and 102 (6)
American Gov't (3)
Business Law (3) (probably to old to be used for anything other than free elective)
Beginning algebra (4) (not sure if it will transfer)

Aleks -
Intro to stats (NOT fun!) (3)
Pre cal (3)
College algebra (3)
Intermediate (3)

Accumulation of graded credit and GPA repair are impossible if you use testing or ALEKS or transfer credit at TESC. This is one of the few situations in which the big 3 might not work for someone.

Since, ALEKS and tests (CLEP,DSST, ECE, etc) are all pass/fail there is no GPA movement there. And any cc courses you take and then transfer in will come in as "transfer credit" thus no grade, thus no GPA.

I don't know anything about speech programs, but I know about competitive masters and postbacs. You may want to be sure this is going to actually help, and not hurt, your application in the long run.

On your other question, yes, you can use student aid checks to pay for tests if it's a refund. That's how I paid for most of mine.

[caidan]

Thank you both so much for your help.

[caidan]

Jennifer...thank you soo much for pointing out that my plan might actually cause me problems. It will.

In checking with the universtiy, they would only award the minimum GPA of 2.5 if my bachelor GPA was based soley on lower level (community college) grades.

They will not consider GPA earned post bach.

HOWEVER! They did point me in a good direction to get a bachelors online for SLP (this way I only need ONE). There are two new bachelor programs that are offered online (including one at the grad school!) I wasnt aware of them, because this fall will be there first offering.

Both programs will accept a max of 30 clep credits, so nothing is lost. I am waiting to hear about the aleks (both colleges were intrigued and may accept it) If not - I will just consider it to have been a good study course for anything I will have to re-take.

P.S. I dont want my experience to un-nerve anyone who is testing out. This applies to speech pathology grad programs and I have no idea what is requireed for grad programs in businesss or anything else. Everyone should check to see if the lack of a GPA will affect their plans or not.

[cookderosa]

Jennifer...thank you soo much for pointing out that my plan might actually cause me problems. It will.

In checking with the university, they would only award the minimum GPA of 2.5 if my bachelor GPA was based soley on lower level (community college) grades.

They will not consider GPA earned post bach.

HOWEVER! They did point me in a good direction to get a bachelors online for SLP (this way I only need ONE). There are two new bachelor programs that are offered online (including one at the grad school!) I wasnt aware of them, because this fall will be there first offering.

Both programs will accept a max of 30 clep credits, so nothing is lost. I am waiting to hear about the aleks (both colleges were intrigued and may accept it) If not - I will just consider it to have been a good study course for anything I will have to re-take.

P.S. I dont want my experience to un-nerve anyone who is testing out. This applies to speech pathology grad programs and I have no idea what is requireed for grad programs in business or anything else. Everyone should check to see if the lack of a GPA will affect their plans or not.

All the best. You're doing exactly what I would suggest. Look at what you want, and then maximize what you can do to get what you want. Sometimes, the paths here are reversed (tell me the easiest degree to get and I'll do what it takes). I'm a firm believer in planning EXACTLY what you want first, and then kicking butt to make it happen. I love posts like yours, because though you're new you're asking the exactly right questions and are very proactive in maximum yield. You've likely saved a lot of time and money already.

When you talk to your advisor, be sure you discuss that you took an ACE-EVALUATED course(s) not necesarily that you took ALEKS. Why? Because they won't know what ALEKS is, but they will (should) know what ACE is. You may even want to get your official ACE transcript and bring it with you (along with the pdf you can print that says what ACE is just in case you get a newbie).

For maximum CLEP (and ACE too), look at the 2 possible options and compare. 1) your community college's policy and 2) your 4 year college's policy. If your cc has the better policy, then complete your AA/AS with them- this "locks" your CLEP in under their plan, and you move forward by "articulation" to the 4 year program. If your 4 year college policy is better, leave the cc just short of earning your degree. If those credits are loose (not in a degree) you can use them as a transfer student outside of an articulation.

Clearly you are thinking through this and have given a good deal of thought to your options, so you may already know everything I just said lol. milelol:

My last suggestion, SLP/post-bac/professional degrees etc are expensive and have very little wiggle room (sometimes). You might want to check some of the forums specific to your path for really targeted advice. I like the Student Doctor Network, I know they have a folder for speech paths.

[caidan]

Thanks Jennifer. It's nice to have others take a second look at what one is considering.

About comparing the options- I am doing exactly that...but really appreciate the input.

My cc will only accept 24 clep credits but the online programs will accept 30...cc said no to aleks and I did point out the ace transcript. In talking to the two online programs, they are aware that the credits are on an ACE transript and will let me know if they will be accepted.

The two online programs are 240 per credit hour and 247 per credit hour. Either program should nearly be covered by pell. CC certainly would. I am thinking perhaps to go ahead and work on transferable credits at cc and save the difference (refund) from the pell grant and apply it to the cost of my last two years at the 4 yr university and/or grad school (though I should continue to receive pell grants here too, right?). If I went for two years at cc and complete or nearly complete an AA I may be able to set aside a total of 8k just from my time at cc.

Should I complete an AA or just come close? Does it only matter if I am trying to 'lock in' clep credits or are there other factors to consider? As stated above, the online bach program will accept a higher number of clep credits.

Grad school is about 40k. :ack: So will definietly be taking out loans at that time. Hopefully not too much, as I will try to find work with my bachelors in SLP and work under an emergency license while completing my masters. And applying any funds left over from pells would be great!

Thanks again for your time. Does my post and questions make sense? Any thoughts?