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+--- Thread: TESU - help with final plan, please? (/Thread-TESU-help-with-final-plan-please)
TESU - help with final plan, please? - studyingfortests - 05-13-2021
Hi, folks.
Thanks to all the detailed advice and assistance, I think I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on TESU for a Liberal Studies degree. I got evaluations from each of the Big 3, but TESU seems to be the best option.
TESU accepted and applied 83.67 credits toward my degree, leaving 36.33 credits still needed. This does not include CLEPs and CSMLearn that I have already completed, and SDC credits I'm working on; just haven't sent them transcripts yet.
Here's what I've come up with. If I'm missing something, or if there's a better option, please let me know. I've attached the unofficial eval from TESU.
As I read the evaluation, TESU says I still need:
Written Communication 3SH (Already completed with CLEP College Comp)
Written Communication 3SH (Already completed with CLEP College Comp)
Oral Communication 3SH (Almost finished with SDC Communications 120, just need exam.)
Quantitative Literacy 3SH (Already completed CSMLearn)
Information Literacy 3SH (Still need this.)
Ethical Leadership 3SH (Advisor said they will probably accept my Ethics for Social Sciences if I provide syllabus)
Civic Engagement 3SH (Already studied for American Govt CLEP and about to take exam)
Gen Ed Electives: (7.33SH needed) 2-4 TESU credits + Analyzing Literature CLEP (already done. Is this 3 or 6 credits?)
Liberal Studies UL: (5 SH needed) 3 from Capstone, 3 from UExcel Research Methods (almost done studying for exam)
Liberal Arts Capstone 3SH (Still need this.)
So I'm thinking, having read about Pell grants and thinking in terms of bang for the buck and speed:
1st session: 9 TESU credits: Info Literacy + 6 credits of something-or-another, probably psychology
2nd session: 7 TESU credits: Capstone + 4 credits of something-or-another
My thinking is, this gets me the 16 credits to avoid the out-of-state fee, and maximum bang-for-buck with Pell Grant funds, and I finish everything in two sessions. Plus I get the SDC discount on tuition.
If Analyzing Literature counts for 6 credits, then I don't actually *need* 16 credits at TESU, but I think it will be cheaper to do that with Pell + SDC discount than to pay the out-of-state fee (which I don't think Pell will cover, correct?)
I know I can do Sophia for less than SDC Accelerator for the Oral Communication; the issue is, I'm looking for easiest, and I've already done the work for SDC. Plus, paying for Accelerator for a month gets me the TESU discount, correct?
Last thing: Any thoughts on whether it's worthwhile to do the Liberal Arts concentration in psychology in terms of admission to an MSW program? I have a bunch of psychology and Human Services classes, so it might be only one or two more classes if it makes my grad school application a lot stronger.
Does this all make sense? Anything I am missing? Better suggestions?
I much appreciate all of everyone's help!
RE: TESU - help with final plan, please? - rachel83az - 05-13-2021
Unfortunately, the SDC discount no longer exists. If you didn't get it before it went away in 2020 then you can't have it now. Super annoying, to say the least. But I would just go ahead and take the exam at SDC. Sophia is cheaper per month but, with all of the assignments that are needed for Public Speaking, you'll probably need over a month to get everything graded. At that point, you wouldn't really be saving that much money in comparison to SDC. Other than that, your plan looks pretty solid.
I would recommend Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice (ENG-298) for one credit + some easy 3-credit course to go with the capstone.
The "residency waiver fee" doesn't have anything to do with you being out of state, BTW. It has to do with "residency" at the school. Residency credits are credits obtained from a particular school and not brought in from elsewhere. At UMPI, for instance, you would be expected to take 30 residency credits from them before they'll give you your degree. And, yes, you are correct that the Pell Grant won't cover that fee at TESU.
RE: TESU - help with final plan, please? - studyingfortests - 05-13-2021
Well phooey on the SDC discount. I'm guessing there's no other discount available?
And thanks for the clarification on the residency waiver. It makes sense. Most schools require 1-2 years of attendance (30-60 credit) to grant their own degree, so this, I guess, is their way of saying "you can buy your way out of our attendance requirement."
One other thing: Any suggestions on easiest TESC credits? I generally am more comfortable with written assignments than exams, and am fine with online courses where I have to post discssuion comments. I was thinking about e-pack, but am nervous about all my academic performance being graded on a single exam.
Thanks again!
RE: TESU - help with final plan, please? - rachel83az - 05-13-2021
OnlineDegree CLAIMS that TESU offers a 5% tuition discount - https://www.onlinedegree.com/tuition-waivers-discounts/ - but I think that's probably gone, too. Could be worth a shot, maybe, since the exam fee is only $9 at OD. You can see which courses come in as what here: https://www.onlinedegree.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/TESU-OnlineDegree-Course-Mapping.pdf
There also used to be a discount if you took StraighterLine courses but that's also gone.
Other than that, everything looks good. The Analyzing Literature CLEP is 6 credits: https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/clep-college-level-exam-program
Also, with all those Psych credits, have you checked out how close you are to a psych degree? If that's something that would interest you, that is.
RE: TESU - help with final plan, please? - studyingfortests - 05-13-2021
Yup, you were right. When you click on the TESU link from onlinedegree, it's "page not found" so they are probably all gone.
I will def check out the psych degree. I looked at Human Services but it required a ton of upper level Human Services classes and simply wasn't worth the hassle.
And if you have any recommendations for the easiest TESU courses with what I said above (I edited my post), that would be super helpful.
RE: TESU - help with final plan, please? - bjcheung77 - 05-13-2021
Ouch, that file is somewhat hard to read, but here are my comments or recommendations. I was just gathering more info beforehand... I asked this question earlier in your other thread: Hey, just wondering - Do you have an associates or a diploma, maybe a certificate already? https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-OK-transcript-evals-from-each-of-big-3-Help-w-decision-please?pid=336890#pid336890
1) If you don't already have an associates degree... Create an evaluation and post the AA Human Services, I think you may have all the requirements for that AA except the Cornerstone and Associates Capstone.
2) Skip the BA Psychology as you're missing a few courses, instead you already have a BALS Social Science concentration completed (right now you have no concentration on your records). You can change that to a BALS NSM if you want (Natural Science and Math concentration).
3) You're missing some general education courses and with the cheap alternative credits available, you can get that NSM concentration, you're just missing two UL courses that can be taken relatively inexpensively.
4) Since you're missing some courses for UL and General Eds, I like to triple dip! Get an Associates along with your BALS NSM or SS. Use the Pell Grant to get 18 credits, two courses per term and finish this degree in 3 terms.
RE: TESU - help with final plan, please? - dfrecore - 05-13-2021
My input - I'm not a huge fan of concentrations and/or associates degrees if they're not needed. Just don't see the point, especially when you already know what you want to do for the MSW degree - they will take ANY degree, so I wouldn't go out of my way for anything else. I'd opt for the courses that most interest you and you think you'll get a good grade in, since you'll want a high GPA if possible (can't hurt anyway).