Beginners Guide To Getting Cheap/Fast College Credit

[bjcheung77]

A few people have asked me to create a BACS/BSIT degree plan for them using primarily SL/Study.com sources as they're not near a CLEP/DSST testing location (yeah, I know how it feels, I am 1.5 hours away from the nearest one).  So, here it is for you to compare the programs!  If you are near a testing center, just change the SL/Study.com course to use CLEP/DSST instead.

For the individuals who asked how to get both, you may want to go with WGU as the pricing for both combined is pretty similar, I think it might be slightly cheaper at WGU.  For those who want to stick with TESU to get both, the comprehensive tuition is recommended, as you can take up to 36 credits within the year to get the "hard to find sciences/comp sci/IT courses or to use on the two capstone courses, also there will be no residency waiver fee".

Finally, to the others that asked about a BSBA GM/BALS NC combo with the addition of the two ASNSM Comp Sci & Math.  The file is pretty similar to the My Degree Plan!.xlsx file with minor modifications.  I have updated the science requirements to use the easiest ones, as well as updated the Associates/Bachelors and Masters sheets, I also added a Cost sheet to it as well and removed the certificates sheet/tab.

Note: If you look at the "options" of the BALS NC, you can change the optional list of courses around and add the 3 CS/CIS courses instead of taking History to get a BALS NSM instead of no concentration.  You can play around with other UL courses on Study.com to get a concentration instead of a no concentration BALS.  As again, your two degrees only require a different capstone + 21 credits.  "Tweak it" so it uses the 99 credits from the previous degree to lower the cost.

Study.com transfer: https://study.com/directory/school/Thoma...ransferTab
TESU CLEP LINK: https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/c...am-program
TESU DSST LINK: https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/dsst

Happy Holidays, Be Safe! Enjoy your Xmas and New Years with the family!

[rachel83az]

all the wiki links are no longer good?

The wiki at https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Degree_Forum_Wiki is still there and is currently working fine.

[innen_oda]

all the wiki links are no longer good?

The wiki at https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Degree_Forum_Wiki is still there and is currently working fine.

And you've been doing an awesome job updating the degree roadmaps, rachel83az. Many thanks.

[bjcheung77]

TESU BALS & BSBA Double Degree - Revised Edition (requested by a few members)

So, I see that you are up for the Jedi challenge! Here is what I propose for you and how to do it: Get the TESU double combo BALS/BSBA for the price of 16 Residency Credits! Residency credits are courses to be completed at the institution - not dependent on location, each and every school has their own varying residency credit requirements. Essentially you're just going for the BALS/BSBA because of the courses you're taking, as these degrees are the cheap/easy/fast degrees that can use the max alternative credit transfers at the Big 3.

Even though you have cheap community college credits in some states and free CLEP tests now, the freedom & luxury of doing it all from home and safety + security of not catching Covid, in addition to other things (save gas/time driving), it's much better to complete your alternative credits/exams entirely online.  You'll get many answers to each and every question, as many variables are at play, but my answers are always a mix of cheap/easy/fast and I add the extra ROI/Value into the mix whenever possible.

To start the process of getting credit:  Follow these steps.  1) Invest in a second monitor for multi-tasking, it's so much easier and faster!
2) Sign up for Sophia.org, complete every course you can, pace yourself two courses at a time, blast through as many per month!  Here's a link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List

Note: Many schools have a 75% maximum number of credits you're authorized to transfer in credits, some only allow 50% or less. Most schools will have a 30 credit residency credit requirement for their Bachelors program, 15 for their Associates. For TESU, it's just 16 credits for residency. At Excelsior, if you take 13 credits through them, you pay slightly more than just 7 - the minimum required at Excelsior College.


Big 3/CBE Cost Comparison: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...andman-WGU
Big 3 PLA Compared: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...3-Compared
Courses vs Residency Waiver #1: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ng-Courses
16 Credits vs Residency Waiver #2: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Waiver-Fee
ACTFL/Foreign Credits: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...r-to-Big-3
Transfer Policy: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...-Explained
Equivalency Examples: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Co...ding_Tests

Degree Plan Links (least amount of written assignments and/or essays):
BALS/BSBA Double Degree Template as of November 2020: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...sp=sharing
BALS/BSBA Double Degree using 5 TECEPS as of Jan 2021: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1...sp=sharing
Obsolete Degree Plan Templates (for reference only)
Post#28 https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid264279
Post#31 https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid276872

[bjcheung77]

I wonder if posting this will fix the previous post of mine, it's not showing up when I'm logged in, but does show up when I'm not logged in... that is so strange, weird! I tried on multiple browsers (Chrome/Firefox) and the thread post shows up if I am not logged in, but once I log in, my last post is missing!

There is an issue with the website, skip all the posts and links until you get to the degree template page on post #28 and #31. My final post should also have a link referencing those, unfortunately, no one can read my final post if they're logged into DegreeForum, but the post exists if you do not log into degree forum. The two links to my spreadsheets are available there...

[Lewis.Yim]

Are there any updated plans and spreadsheets available? How about costs/expenses or comparisons to the Big 3?

[rachel83az]

Are there any updated plans and spreadsheets available?  How about costs/expenses or comparisons to the Big 3?

There are plans on the wiki for TESU. A sort of a plan for COSC (History concentration). I was in the middle of making a cost comparison page when TESU implemented the 30 RA credit requirement and everything went topsy-turvy.

[bjcheung77]

A short & simple version of the Beginner's Guide revised! Placed this in the Degree Planning Advice sub forum... 

Link: Beginner's-Guide-to-College-Degrees-Compact-and-Concise-Revised-Version