Thomas Edison State and top tier Master programs...

[jjnelle]

Hi everyone,

I spoke with an admission counselor at TESC and was told that since I have 122 credits I should be able to just pay for enrollment and commencement to obtain my degree, if everything goes well with evaluations and transferring everything into a major. :hurray:

I haven't started that process yet because my past B&M is holding my official transcript hostage till I pay off a debt. :toetap:

My question to you all is...since I know I want to get my Masters at a top tier or at least have the option because I do plan to pursue a STEM degree. Basically get my Masters in a IT field like Computer Science or Human Computer Interaction Design.

Will me getting my Bachelors from TESC ruin my chances at being accepted into top tier Masters programs? I've been researching on LinkedIn what college programs and careers people go into after TESC. Plus I've read almost all of the Alumni stories they post in their magazines online.

I felt a bit confident about the transfer after reading about Alums but then I read this forum:
Online college (TESC) to top tier grad school? - College Confidential

and now I'm not sure what to think.:confused:

I figured it would be best to speak with you all. Since most of you are Alums and have pursued Masters. I would love to know if any of The Big 3 degrees have caused you to not get accepted at great well known Masters Programs.

(The reason I'm so concerned and worried is because I've been hitting so many walls when it comes to finishing my degree throughout my life and I wish to not hit anymore)banghead

[marianne202]

If you are very concerned the best thing to do is to call the schools you are considering and ask the registrar or department head of the program you want to enter if they will accept your TESC degree. Regardless, you won't get into any master's program without the release of your previous transcript, so that seems to be more of a roadblock. Good luck!

[Yenisei]

Geezer's kids seem to have done well after getting a TESC degree- if I were you I'd PM him and get his opinion. I think you'll find that if you have done well in the undergrad courses most relevant to your desired area of grad study, have a suitable GRE score and the requisite letters of recommendation, the identity of your alma mater is irrelevant.

[cookderosa]

Hi everyone,

I spoke with an admission counselor at TESC and was told that since I have 122 credits I should be able to just pay for enrollment and commencement to obtain my degree, if everything goes well with evaluations and transferring everything into a major. :hurray:

I haven't started that process yet because my past B&M is holding my official transcript hostage till I pay off a debt. :toetap:

My question to you all is...since I know I want to get my Masters at a top tier or at least have the option because I do plan to pursue a STEM degree. Basically get my Masters in a IT field like Computer Science or Human Computer Interaction Design.

Will me getting my Bachelors from TESC ruin my chances at being accepted into top tier Masters programs? I've been researching on LinkedIn what college programs and careers people go into after TESC. Plus I've read almost all of the Alumni stories they post in their magazines online.

I felt a bit confident about the transfer after reading about Alums but then I read this forum:
Online college (TESC) to top tier grad school? - College Confidential

and now I'm not sure what to think.:confused:

I figured it would be best to speak with you all. Since most of you are Alums and have pursued Masters. I would love to know if any of The Big 3 degrees have caused you to not get accepted at great well known Masters Programs.

(The reason I'm so concerned and worried is because I've been hitting so many walls when it comes to finishing my degree throughout my life and I wish to not hit anymore)banghead

This is where things get sticky around these parts....
You need to sort fact from fiction before making decisions. I read the thread you shared. Fact: everyone has an opinion (even me lol). Fiction: some guy on the internet's opinion is what you should base your life decisions on! (including myself here too).

Fact: you will not do research at TESC. Does that matter? Depends on where you want to go after TESC. "I" didn't need to do research, what do you need?
Fact: getting into a top tier grad school is competitive ANYWAY. Does your list of potential schools have bias against some aspect of online learning? What about zero residency? Find out first.
Fact: When I strongly considered the medical profession, I emailed several med schools and asked them if I could take my science labs online. Alllllllll said "yes, but we don't suggest it as a first choice." My interpretation was that if you're 18, you need to sit your butt in a lab. If you're 40... it may not be the nail in your coffin.

The point is that you need to spend a lot more time gathering FACTS instead of opinions. Only then can you decide what's the best path.

Since you've gathered opinions, I'll add in my two cents. I think taking 1 semester (12 credits) at TESC would add a traditional quality to your degree, or in other words, wouldn't be obvious that you've attended a zero residency school- which can give you trouble in some cases. I also would ask what the big deal is about a top tier master's degree? But that's just me.

[Muricles]

My advice is to narrow down your program options. Generally, there is a huge difference between "Computer Science" and "...Engineering" curriculae. Start from your goal and work backwards.

If you decide to take the engineering route, you are best served by getting a degree from an ABET accredited Engineering (not Engineering Technology) program. It is important to note that ABET accreditation is at the program level and not the departmental level. This means a school's electrical engineering program can be ABET accredited while it's civil engineering program is unaccredited. Regardless, TESC does not offer an Engineering program, only Engineering Technology programs. There is a difference and "top tier" engineering schools will notice.

If you decide to take the Computer Science path, you will have a better chance of getting into a "top tier" school. That is, a TESC degree will not preclude you from being accepted to a "top program." ABET accreditation is not as widespread or critical for computer science programs, but it is still present. Profession certs, examples of your work, or a matrix-like understanding of computer science will, of course, help.

Also, each path will require a near perfect score on the quantitative portion of the GRE to keep pace with other applicants (link to GRE scores by intended graduate major). I could not find a 'cheap' top tier engineering school (without a residency discount), but your best chance of acceptance may be Georgia Institute of Technology. The school has over 4,000 engineering students and seems less competitive than an MIT or Stanford.