What school and degree is for me?

[jimmyrambone]

Hello everyone,

I appreciate anyone taking the time to help. I have credits all over and am currently active duty military until June 2025. I have browsed through a lot of threads with different schools but want to ensure that I fully maximize the credits I currently have. At SNHU in the BS-CSc plan I have only 51 credits being applied. I plan to do either a bootcamp or internship for the last 6 months of active duty through either Career skills program or Skillbridge to make up for the lack of experience. 

Goal: Complete bachelors and possibly start masters program in the technology domain (CS, IT, Cyber) to help ease transition into civilian life and have a job or internship lined up before I leave the military. I want to finish as fast as possible as I have a newborn and am on paternity leave for 12 weeks with some extra time. Getting a Masters is more of a backup plan if the lack of experience is going to be an issue.

Budget: I will utilize a yearly 4K tuition assistance allowance. Out of pocket expenses are not an issue if they arise. 

Classes taken: 

SNHU: Major was initially Finance but changed to Computer Science
(In Progress) IT-145 Found in App Development (3)
(In Progress) MAT-350 Applied Linear Algebra (3)
MAT-240 Applied Statistics (3)
MKT-205 Applied Marketing Strategies (3)
FIN-325 Fin Stmts/Reporting Analysis (3)
SCI-200 Applied Natural Sciences (3)
ACC-201 Financial Accounting (3)
ECO-201 Microeconomics (3)
HIS-100  Perspectives in History (3)
HUM-200 Applied Humanities (3)
ENG-123 English Composition II (3)
SCI-100 Perspectives in Natural Sci (3)
ENG-122 English Composition I (3)
HUM-100 Perspectives in the Humanities (3)

Cochise College: COMPLETED AAS - Intelligence Operations Studies
IOS 101 Counterintel Investigations (3)
IOS 103 Intel Law and Admin of Justice (1)
IOS 115 Briefing Skills (1)
IOS 120 01 Records Management (3)
IOS 121 Counterintel Investigations II (3)
IOS 201 Collection Operations (3)
IOS 202 Force Protection Ops/Support (3)
IOS 204 Interrogation Interview Tech (3)
IOS 221 Counterintel Investigation III (3)

Sophia.org: 
Introduction to Information Technology (3)
Project Management (3)
Introduction to Web Development (3)
Introduction to Relational Databases (3)
Calculus I (4)
Introduction to Python Programming (3)

Joint Service Transcripts: When I sent these to SNHU most came in as either MIL ELE or JUSTICE STUDIES ELE
- Infantryman: ACE ID: AR-2201-0552
In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category
military science (3)
firearms and marksmanship (3)
introduction to physical fitness (3)
advanced first aid (3)
orienteering (2)
human health and disease prevention (3)
safety (3)

- Airborne: ACE ID: AR-2201-0455
In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category
physical fitness (2)
basic parachuting (3)

- Distributed Leader 1: ACE ID: AR-2201-0840
In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category
supervision (3)

- Counterintelligence Agent: ACE ID: AR-1715-1283 (Cochise College degree AAS - IOS) Not all credits go to JST? So this is an overlap 
In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category
managerial leadership (3)
security fundamentals (3)
intelligence planning (3)

In the upper-division baccalaureate degree category
counterintelligence (3)
intelligence operations (3)

- Basic Leader Course: ACE ID: AR-2201-0603
in the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category
communication (3)
introduction to management (3)

- Distributed Leader 2: ACE ID: AR-2201-0841
In the lower-division baccalaureate/associate degree category
communication (I know duplicate) (3)

Another question I have is what some of my classes most likely transfer in as. I had sent a transcript to be evaluated at WGU and it took ~3 weeks. A big turnoff to me is that you cannot import any credits done elsewhere while attending WGU. 

[rachel83az]

Does SNHU have a military rate? TESU is a very nice option for active military. You can also get a dual BSBA-CIS and BACS to ensure that your bases are covered for future employment purposes.

[LevelUP]

All the schools we recommend are great schools.

WGU IT/Software Engineering/Computer Science
PUG IT
TESU Computer Science
SNHU IT/Computer Science

Some people don't like the idea of doing computer science because they are wary of the extra math. Though it seems you already got through most of it.

Computer Science is a most flexible degree though picking other options won't make or break you. 

SNHU Computer Science
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/SN...egree_Plan

Other Degrees
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ca...gree_Plans

[bjcheung77]

@Jimmyrambone, you have so many options to select from! I'm not sure why SNHU is only providing you 51 credits, but I guess it's just those that will fit the degree you're looking at. For the cost, ease, speed, I would go with TESU BACS & BSBA CIS combo for undergrad and then WGU Masters for a CBE graduate option. It really depends on your learning style and time management, everyone has various commitments, and these variables will change...

[dfrecore]

One thing to keep in mind with WGU - they don't allow for ANY free electives, and you have a lot - so you're not going to get a lot of bang for your buck there in terms of credits.

SNHU probably had the same thing - lots of free electives that couldn't be used towards your degree (21cr of Free Electives can be used for the Cybersec degree, so that may be what they gave you?).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TESU's BACS is a great option, and then you can consider adding the BSBA/CIS degree AFTER you get close to finishing your BACS. Never, I repeat, never get partway done with 2 separate degrees, rather than 95% done with one and then considering adding one on. The last thing you need when you get out of the military is 2 partially completed degrees.

TESU will only cost you $2696 for a single degree, as long as you take 6cr there (cornerstone and capstone) and then take 6 TECEP exams at $150 each. You wouldn't even need to utilitze your tuition assistance if you don't want, but it would be a "free" degree for you if you did.

Here's what you need:
Oral Communication - Sophia's Public Speaking if you want
Diversity - Sophia's Sociology
Ethics - Sophia
Civic Engagement - SDC's POLS 103: Comparative Politics
SDC - Data Structures & Algorithms
SDC - Discrete Math
SDC - Intro to Operating Systems
SDC - Computer Architecture
SDC - Management Info Systems
SDC - Systems Analysis & Design
SDC - Database Management
Saylor's CS302: Software Engineering

[jimmyrambone]

Okay, I have an update on what credits I needed. I got a transcript evaluation done and am confused by a couple of things.
1. Military residency requirements require 24credits to be taken through TESU.
- I don't care about doing this because of time so does that change what is waived on my eval?
2. I have IT-145 Foundation in Application Dvlpment and MAT-350 Applied Linear Algebra about to be done at SNHU today. Where do you think those will fit in?
- In the spreadsheet I made I tried to identify classes that will transfer in but am unsure and need help so that I don't do a class that doesn't transfer.

Here is the google spreadsheet I tried to make sense of with the evaluated transcript:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...sp=sharing

Here is the Evaluated Transcript:

[rachel83az]

Residency requirements don't change what is or is not waived at TESU. If you don't take the TESU credits which (for military only) can be TECEP exams, you have to pay the $3200+ residency waiver fee. That's it. If you can find 8 random TECEPs you can take with relative ease, that'd save you about $2k. If you don't care about that, you can just pay the residency waiver fee and get your degree.

Unfortunately, something happened with your Google Doc URLs. They're no longer valid links. I think the forum may have messed something up when you hit post.

[jimmyrambone]

Okay, I have updated the link and put in classes that I believe to reflect TECEP's and SDC courses from the wiki. Can you please take a look to see if I picked the most efficient/correct ones?

For Quantitative literacy does the CS degree REQUIRE MAT-121 or can I take MAT-105? On the evaluation it says recommend but I don't want to waste money.

[bjcheung77]

Three Things, 1) I have removed your evaluation, it has your personal details such as your name and student number, plus an email address. Please update the info without your details and re-attach the evaluation. It's great you're sharing information, but we mainly need to know what's in the template and last post addendum located here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

2) You're Military, you get great rates for tuition and residency requirements, you're still in need of 30 RA credits total, but 24 of them are from TESU if you decide to complete the residency requirements. Out of those 24, I would shoot for a BACS & a BSBA CIS double degree for almost the same cost as a single degree, it's really up to you, this allows you to major in Business & Computer Science.

3) Stick to recommended courses - Here are the degree plans, LevelUP and Rachel83AZ have both created a BACS & BSBA CIS dual degree option
LevelUP: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...egree_Plan
Rachel83AZ: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...z_version)