very confused please help

[balurgo]

After searching for the past two days I'm looking for help from the experts.
I'm trying to get an A.A. and if possible a B.A. in general studies or maybe criminal justice. Most of my credits are with a criminal justice background due to my job.
I have attended a prior regionally accredited college and received a couple of credits however had to stop due to the high cost. I have also received various credits from my military experience.

I have the following credits from Keiser University:

-Introduction to Computers
-English Composition I
-English Composition II
-College Mathematics
-Microeconomics
-Principles of Public Speaking

I have the following credits from the United States Coast Guard:

-Criminal procedures 3.00LL
-Criminal law 3.00LL
-Criminal justice 3.00LL
-Maritime law 3.00LL
-Security operations 3.00LL
-Crime preventions 3.00LL
-Homeland security 3.00LL
-Intro. to organizational leadership 1.00LL
-Safety and risk management 1.00LL
-Swimming 1.00LL
-Health and wellness 1.00LL
-Seamanship 1.00LL

At this moment I would really like to receive an A.A. as fast and as cheap as possible for promotional reason from my employer. I'm not really worried about an B.A. at this time however if I only need to take and extra few CLEP or Dantes exams to receive the B.A. I'm open for all suggestions.
I would like to stick to only CLEP or Dantes since they are free from military members.
At this moment I'm overwhelmed by information and I'm trying to figure out what would be the best college and program to get this all completed.
Thank you ahead.

[UptonSinclair]

This is a best guess degree plan for Excelsiors Associate of Science in Liberal Arts. There is flexibility in the exams I plugged in, but the plan should give you a place to start. There are others better suited to help with a TESC plan. I went with the Associate of Science rather than the Associate of Arts because of your applied professional credits from the Coast Guard. I am not sure if Excelsior would count them as Liberal Arts or Applied Professional. Whichever school you choose, you should schedule the Analyzing and Interpreting Literature exam right away. Most people are able to pass it without studying and it is worth 6 humanities credits.

Degree Plan for Excelsior

[publius2k4]

Here's what your degree plan would look like at COSC for their associates degree in General Studies:

Communication – 9 Credits
-College Composition 1 (complete)
-College Composition 2 (complete)
-Public Speaking (complete)

Information Literacy
Cornerstone course

Ethical Decision Making -3 Credits
-DSST Business Ethics

U.S. History/Government (3 credits)
-CLEP U.S. History

Non-U.S. History or Culture (3 credits)

Global Understanding (3 credits)
-DSST Intro to the Modern Middle East (This exam will satisfy both the “Non-US History” requirement, and the “Global Understanding” requirement. I chose this exam for you because I’m assuming that you could pass it very easily with your military experience.

Literature and Fine Arts (3 credits)
- CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

Social/Behavioral Sciences (3 credits)
-Criminal Justice (completed)

Mathematics (3 credits)
-College Mathematics (completed)

Natural Sciences (7-8 credits)
CLEP Biology (6 credits)
Straighterline Biology Lab (1 credit)

Electives
-Criminal procedures (3 credits)
-Criminal law (3 credits)
-Maritime law (3 credits)
-Microeconomics (3 credits)
-Security operations (3 credits)
-Crime preventions (3 credits)
-Homeland security (3 credits)
-Intro. to organizational leadership (3 credits)
-Safety and risk management (1 credit)
-Swimming (1 credit)
-Health and wellness (1 credit)
-Seamanship (1 credit)


Going by the plan above, you could potentially graduate by the end of summer, if you apply now, take their cornerstone, and complete the following exams 6 exams and lab.

DSST Business Ethics
CLEP US History
DSST Intro to Middle East
CLEP Analyzing and Interpreting Lit.
CLEP Biology
Straighterline Biology Lab

So you are in good shape for a degree from COSC. The great thing about COSC is that their Associates degrees line up perfectly with their bachelors degrees, so you'd be starting your bachelors degree with all your General Education Requirements already met.

[rebel100]

I will second the COSC option. The only thing I might change from above is dropping the DSST Middle East in favor of the DSST Human Cultural Geography...but that's just me, either is fine.

My reason for choosing COSC is different however. They still accept FEMA courses for elective credit for FREE. With your background you should be able to knock these out really fast (like 30 credits in a couple weeks is within the realm of possibility)...and did I mention they are FREE? What this means is that you start busting out FEMA now while working the plan Publius outlined above, Complete the Gen Eds and the FEMA and you would only be about 10 courses/exams shy of a Bachelors degree. You would be right around $2000 to complete the AA, but you would finish it with 90 or so credits. Completion of the Bachelors could be as little as $2000, or more depending on exactly what you chose to do....but figure as little as $4000 total to be sitting on a completed Bachelors with an AA tucked in there as well.

Oh, and the Math could be completed with the College Math CLEP which is arguably easier than the Algebra and worth 6 credits....or ALEKS can be used.

[balurgo]

I appreciate the quick help from everyone. COSC does sound like a very good and fast program that I can complete. I have a lot of Fema classes that I did not include thinking that the colleges no longer accepted them. I also saw that COSC accept credits from police academies, which I something which could help me.I'm going to study for the 6 exam and hopefully pass everything as soon as possible so that I can get the associate degree out of the way.

[publius2k4]

I will second the COSC option. The only thing I might change from above is dropping the DSST Middle East in favor of the DSST Human Cultural Geography...but that's just me, either is fine.

My reason for choosing COSC is different however. They still accept FEMA courses for elective credit for FREE. With your background you should be able to knock these out really fast (like 30 credits in a couple weeks is within the realm of possibility)...and did I mention they are FREE? What this means is that you start busting out FEMA now while working the plan Publius outlined above, Complete the Gen Eds and the FEMA and you would only be about 10 courses/exams shy of a Bachelors degree. You would be right around $2000 to complete the AA, but you would finish it with 90 or so credits. Completion of the Bachelors could be as little as $2000, or more depending on exactly what you chose to do....but figure as little as $4000 total to be sitting on a completed Bachelors with an AA tucked in there as well.

Oh, and the Math could be completed with the College Math CLEP which is arguably easier than the Algebra and worth 6 credits....or ALEKS can be used.

COSC accepts college math for their math requirement?

If so, the OP already has College Math.

[KayV]

You have completed almost all of the requirements for an AAS in Military Technology Leadership from TESC. All you need is a CLEP in Sociology or Psychology and 10 hours of Anything in free electives, plus the Associate Capstone. For this particular degree, the Capstone is an internship-type class from your military experience, IIRC. Here is your credit distribution. Good luck!

TESC AAS in Military Technology Leadership
I. General Education Requirements
A. Intellectual and Practical Skills 9 COMPLETED
1. English Composition I
2. English Composition II
3. College Mathematics
B. Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World NEED 3
1. NEED CLEP or DSST in Psychology or Sociology 3
2. Introduction to Computers
C. General Education Electives 6 COMPLETED
1. Microeconomics
2. Principles of Public Speaking
II. Option: Military Technology Leadership 21 COMPLETED
1. Criminal procedures 3.00LL
2. Criminal law 3.00LL
3. Criminal justice 3.00LL
4. Maritime law 3.00LL
5. Security operations 3.00LL
6. Crime preventions 3.00LL
7. Homeland security 3.00LL
III. NEED Associate Capstone (APS-295) (I think this is a “practicum” from your military experience)
IV. Free Electives (NEED 10 hours of Anything- ALEKS Math, 2 CLEP 6-hour exams, TEEX, NFA, etc.)
1. Intro. to organizational leadership 1.00LL
2. Safety and risk management 1.00LL
3. Swimming 1.00LL
4. Health and wellness 1.00LL
5. Seamanship 1.00LL

(By the way, this degree segues to a BSAST in Military Technology Leadership)

[rebel100]

COSC accepts college math for their math requirement?

If so, the OP already has College Math.

They do, though I believe an actual business degree would require the Algebra. If he already has it he's likely done with the math portion. They list CLEP College Math on the master list as 6 credits, LL, "q", so even that indicates its acceptance http://www.charteroak.edu/current/academ...r-list.pdf . I was offered the option when completing my degree...though I opted out of ALEKS and finally finished with SL College Algebra.

[rebel100]

You have completed almost all of the requirements for an AAS in Military Technology Leadership from TESC. All you need is a CLEP in Sociology or Psychology and 10 hours of Anything in free electives, plus the Associate Capstone. For this particular degree, the Capstone is an internship-type class from your military experience, IIRC. Here is your credit distribution. Good luck!

TESC AAS in Military Technology Leadership
I. General Education Requirements
A. Intellectual and Practical Skills 9 COMPLETED
1. English Composition I
2. English Composition II
3. College Mathematics
B. Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World NEED 3
1. NEED CLEP or DSST in Psychology or Sociology 3
2. Introduction to Computers
C. General Education Electives 6 COMPLETED
1. Microeconomics
2. Principles of Public Speaking
II. Option: Military Technology Leadership 21 COMPLETED
1. Criminal procedures 3.00LL
2. Criminal law 3.00LL
3. Criminal justice 3.00LL
4. Maritime law 3.00LL
5. Security operations 3.00LL
6. Crime preventions 3.00LL
7. Homeland security 3.00LL
III. NEED Associate Capstone (APS-295) (I think this is a “practicum” from your military experience)
IV. Free Electives (NEED 10 hours of Anything- ALEKS Math, 2 CLEP 6-hour exams, TEEX, NFA, etc.)
1. Intro. to organizational leadership 1.00LL
2. Safety and risk management 1.00LL
3. Swimming 1.00LL
4. Health and wellness 1.00LL
5. Seamanship 1.00LL

(By the way, this degree segues to a BSAST in Military Technology Leadership)

I like this but won't his fees for the first year be damn near the total cost of a Bachelors from COSC? Love my TESC peeps, but the school is still comparatively expensive...plus no FEMA.

[publius2k4]

Balurgo, I've adjusted the plan. If rebel100 is correct (and he usually is) you don't need college algebra for the Associates. So you're only 5 exams and a lab from completing the Associates at COSC.