TESC BSAST in IT, newbie getting started

[justlearning123]

It looks like you have part of your degree eval there. Why not post the entire thing?

I re-posted it, so it should come after this message. This website seems to sort the message threads in newest-to-oldest order, which is a little weird. Maybe I somehow changed the default ordering.

Straighterline is great but ALEKs costs less. You can literally get all 3 of those classes for the monthly $20 membership fee so that is $7 per class. Plus its a great learning tool. It does take a lot of time to complete but all of that time is spent doing problems which is the whole point in math.

It looks like ALEKS uses a JAVA web-interace, I would rather use a text book if possible. Straighterline has the option to buy a phsyical textbook, so I would probably do that. I already bought the textbook for the TESC "College Alegebra" course, which is unfortuneately different than the one used by Straighterline.

As far as graduate studies go, for some reason, everyone ends up doing an MBA one day. A lot of people end up doing an MBA after getting a masters in information systems or computer science. Its just that when you get older, the only way to get more money seems to be moving into a management role. Plus, business skills are universal and interdisciplinary.

I'm 44 now, so I tend to think of myself as "older". You are right though, it seems that to make signifigant amounts of money you have to manage other people, which usually requires management training. So I am still considering the MIS-type degree rather than a CIS-type. It is just that I prefer technical work. A friend suggested I could get a technical degree, and just take some management classes or certs.

NCU actually has a MBA with a concentration in Applied Computer Science which means you take 5 computer science courses as part of the program.

What is NCU?

[nleamons]

Another thing that you will want to keep in mind is that you could take the Network Technology TECEP instead of taking the class. I have only taken online classes; some were harder than others and others were time consuming, but not quite as hard as I expected them to be. However, if one is enrolled in the Comprehensive tuition plan one can no longer take a TECEP in order to take an additional class because that rule was changed. I would think that most of your IT credits could be used for the degree as most of mine were. I have never used ALEKS or Straighter line, but I am planning on doing DSST's(Stats, Technical Writing, MIS, and Astronomy).

[ryoder]

NCU is the school I am attending. It is an online only school but is regionally and ACBSP business school accredited to offer masters and PhD degrees. Northcentral University | Online Degree Programs | Online Learning

Try to come up with a plan that includes no courses at all to begin with. I would take a course only if you think you can't pass the test even after studying or on the case that the subject simply isn't offered in a test or through other at your own pace options.

[bricabrac]

However, if one is enrolled in the Comprehensive tuition plan one can no longer take a TECEP in order to take an additional class because that rule was changed.

This statement is not true. If using Financial Aid, as long as you take two courses (OL and/or GS) per semester you can add TECEP and/or EP courses to total up the 36 credits included in the comprehensive enrollment fee.

"Tuition plans:
Comprehensive
The Comprehensive Tuition Plan allows students to pay one tuition each year they are enrolled and allows a student to attempt a maximum of 36 credits of Thomas Edison State College courses (Guided Study, online courses, TECEP exams, and Prior Learning Assessment). The maximum of 36 credits will include all credits registered for, even if a student later withdraws from a course after the start of the term. Only guided study and online courses are eligible for financial aid. It usually takes at least 2 terms of disbursements before a student will receive a financial aid refund since the Comprehensive Tuition Plan fee must be paid in full and only excess funds are refunded. The Comprehensive Tuition Plan does not apply to per credit programs such as MDCP, Nursing, Graduate, etc., and does not cover all administrative fees (please refer to the Guide to Tuition and Fees)."

[nleamons]

This statement is not true. If using Financial Aid, as long as you take two courses (OL and/or GS) per semester you can add TECEP and/or EP courses to total up the 36 credits included in the comprehensive enrollment fee.

"Tuition plans:
Comprehensive
The Comprehensive Tuition Plan allows students to pay one tuition each year they are enrolled and allows a student to attempt a maximum of 36 credits of Thomas Edison State College courses (Guided Study, online courses, TECEP exams, and Prior Learning Assessment). The maximum of 36 credits will include all credits registered for, even if a student later withdraws from a course after the start of the term. Only guided study and online courses are eligible for financial aid. It usually takes at least 2 terms of disbursements before a student will receive a financial aid refund since the Comprehensive Tuition Plan fee must be paid in full and only excess funds are refunded. The Comprehensive Tuition Plan does not apply to per credit programs such as MDCP, Nursing, Graduate, etc., and does not cover all administrative fees (please refer to the Guide to Tuition and Fees)."

I was not as clear as I should have been. What is meant is that one cannot take a TECEP in order to take an additional subject after the 36 credits hours. Thus allowing a student to take 39 or 40 hrs instead of the 36. This was possible until TESC changed that loop hole for the Comprehensive Tuition Plan.