new TESU degree - data science (statistics)

[bluebooger]

Stats.com is way overpriced. I just went and checked the price for an SQL course and what? NO!! I'll take that course at a 4yr university get the 3 regionally accredited credits before paying almost $600 for ACE credits.

no
they are not over priced

you go ahead and do your course at your 4yr university
how long will it take you ?
8 weeks minimum ?

I can do their sql course and and 2nd course from them in that time

and I NEVER have to leave my house

oh, and their sql course is 3 UPPER level credits
which transferred nicely to Excelsior

so for the time and convenience and level of credit they were well worth the price

[homeschoolmom1]

I think the lack of a capstone makes this a desirable degree for the mathy kindof person if you can handle the cost. I saw that stats.com has a coupon code for 20% off for the first course for new subscribers and a code for $150 if you buy 2 courses. I am curious, bluebooger, which degree did you choose from Excelsior and would you mind elaborating about your experience with the SQL course with statistics.com? Did you take any other courses from them?

[cookderosa]

Stats.com is way overpriced. I just went and checked the price for an SQL course and what? NO!! I'll take that course at a 4yr university get the 3 regionally accredited credits before paying almost $600 for ACE credits.

In my post I said they averaged about $600 for a course, and yes, it's an ACE course - so before dropping the cash, you should know your end game here. This course through a 4 year uni is every bit of $600 if you're lucky- plus books and more (plus you have to gain admission, for what that's worth). But is this about earning lose credits or a degree? If you want a degree - and at the end of the day, these 33 ACE credits set you back about $6-7000 and when you DIY the rest of your TESU degree, you're in somewhere around $10,000 for the whole BS. For finsher that's cheap - for the drop out it's a tremendous waste of time and money because the credit isn't very portable.

[cookderosa]

This skill is an extremely hot commodity right now. My org, puts out like a new job a week that relates somehow to data, big data, and such. The best skill to have combined is programming, math, statistics, and some business knowledge. Very deadly and lucrative combo. I would say a BS in Comp Sci, and an MBA would be killer.

If I could figure out how to merge data analysis into my chef/nutrition profession, I'd be all over it. (assuming I could get over my mathematical ineptitude...which is always possible when motivated)

[cardiacclep]

I saw that too in the latest TESU magazine. The courses seem legit. It is an interesting partnership in a good way. It is always nice to see affordable alternatives that try to disrupt the norm. I may consider this in the future. Be interested to hear from people who try this degree.

[tdown4]

I wonder how the courses work through the school, pay them for the class and they push you to statistics.com to complete the course as fast as you want?

[bluebooger]

I think the lack of a capstone makes this a desirable degree for the mathy kindof person if you can handle the cost. I saw that stats.com has a coupon code for 20% off for the first course for new subscribers and a code for $150 if you buy 2 courses. I am curious, bluebooger, which degree did you choose from Excelsior and would you mind elaborating about your experience with the SQL course with statistics.com? Did you take any other courses from them?

I'm doing BS Psychology at Excelsior

I have taken
Introduction to Python for Analytics - STAT-0011
R Programming - Introduction 1 - STAT-0014
R Programming - Introduction 2 - STAT-0013
R Programming - Intermediate - STAT-0015
SQL and R - Introduction to Database Queries - STAT-0017

the most difficult course was the R Intermediate
it was ridiculously difficult

the teacher did not spend the first week reviewing the R material that you should know
it was just assumed that you knew it
and she assumed that you knew statistics well
so she jumped right in

the prerequisites listed on the web page for that course was "you've done R programming daily for the past year"
I didn't have that
however, I do Excel and VBA programming every day for work
so I figured "how difficult can this course be ?"

ha ha ha - big mistake -- yeah, it's difficult

all the other courses were easy

material in each course is released one week at a time

no book was required in any course -- just recommended
the first day of each week material was posted (pdfs and slides) and reading assignments from the recommended books was also posted
all the material provided was enough to do the assignments and do the work -- the readings from the recommended books were never needed (except for the Intermediate R course -- there were no assignments from the book, and a lot of materiel was provided but the course was just so difficult I needed the extra reading)

none of the courses required posting to a discussion board

a discussion board was there so you could ask questions, and the instructor always replied the same day
but there was none of the "post a question and respond to two of your classmates posts" nonsense

there were graded assignments every week

the questions are posted
you write code to answer the questions
you submit your code and the results

it might take a week to get your grade
which is kind of a bummer because if you're really lost you'd like to get a grade and get feedback quicker because the next week and next assignment has already begun

but if you really need help you can always get feedback quicker by posting to the forums or emailing the instructor directly

and the reasons the grading takes so long is because they really grade it
the assignments are not a computer graded
you download your graded assignment and lo and behold ... there are actual comments typed next to your work

some times I did so well the only comments were "good job"
other times my assignments were full of comments for improvement LOL

there were no tests for any of the courses

but each course required projects --- which were due at the end of week 5
so there's 4 weeks of instructions and then a final project is assigned and you have one week to do it

the project is for you alone -- it is not a group project --- this is the same for every class

the projects were really more like comprehensive final exams
you were assigned something specific to do that required all the knowledge from the previous 4 weeks

the sql course is not the equivalent of a university database course
it is an applied programming course

I'd say the SQL course was actually quite easy -- but maybe that's because I use sql everyday
but still, there was no uml diagrams or other stuff that is usually taught in every other sql / database course
it was a very practical applied R / sql course

Excelsior gave me 3 upper level credits in Computer Science for it
I doubt TESU would
they might, but they might only give 3 lower

statistics.com is great
but it is what it is

as cookderosa said, they are ACE credits - so they don't transfer every where
and the courses are very much applied, not theory

the courses are great for me because I do Excel, MS Access and VBA every day
and I want to learn R to supplement my skills
and the course are applied, which I love

I wonder how the courses work through the school, pay them for the class and they push you to statistics.com to complete the course as fast as you want?

I assume you pay statistics.com directly
do the courses
submit it to ACE
and them submit your ACE transcript to TESU

[KayV]

That is a great review, Bluebooger, and very helpful for people who are considering taking the Statistics.com courses. Thanks!

[cookderosa]

I wonder how the courses work through the school, pay them for the class and they push you to statistics.com to complete the course as fast as you want?

I read it as if you register with statistics.com and put your credit on an ACE transcript, that you would then send to TESU.

[SolarKat]

I'm a new student at TESU, in the Data Analytics program. You have to apply separately @ Statistics.com to be accepted into their program (@ Statistics.com), in addition to the TESU application. The Statistics.com application is a little more lengthy, a couple of essays, etc, with a separate fee of $75.

Basically the TESU degree program is the Statistics.com "Analytics for Data Science" certificate course map, plus 2 more classes...for a total of 12 classes (8 required, 4 electives from a list of 8 options). They offer an 18 month payment plan of $290/month. Once you've been accepted, they send a payment link for you to sign up for the payment plan. That generates the enrollment code that you repeatedly use to enroll in each class. Not every class is offered every month (typically they can be from once a year to 4-5 times a year)...it can be really tricky working out a schedule that accommodates the dependencies, particularly if you're trying to finish on a timeline. The monthly fee is recurring whether or not you're enrolled for a class that month.

Their customer service has been very prompt and helpful.

ETA - You can still pay per-course, or pay one flat fee...it was over $5k, but I don't recall specifically. The payment plan is optional. Also, federal student aid won't cover any of the Statistics.com courses.