Benefits of AA?

[CGaboury]

Are there any benefits to transferring credits and getting your AS or AA? Is it more common to just keep plugging away and getting only the BS or BA? Does it change the courses required for the BS at all?

[dfrecore]

Depends on which school you are discussing as to whether there is a benefit, and really what you mean by that.

At TESU, because of the $2000 residency waiver, I don't recommend getting an AA - too expensive. But it's a better deal to get one at COSC.

Normally, it doesn't change the courses required for the BA/BS. Those requirements are what they are, if your AS/AA courses fit into that, then great. Usually, people who want both an AA/BA plan them out so that the credits they get for the AA transfer over seamlessly to the BA. But it just depends on what degree you get your AA in and what you get the BA in.

[Aurelius]

Depends on which school you are discussing as to whether there is a benefit, and really what you mean by that.

At TESU, because of the $2000 residency waiver, I don't recommend getting an AA - too expensive. But it's a better deal to get one at COSC.

Normally, it doesn't change the courses required for the BA/BS. Those requirements are what they are, if your AS/AA courses fit into that, then great. Usually, people who want both an AA/BA plan them out so that the credits they get for the AA transfer over seamlessly to the BA. But it just depends on what degree you get your AA in and what you get the BA in.

My understanding is that you only pay the residency waiver at TESU once - so if your ultimate goal at TESU is a BA/BS, you pay the waiver for the AA/BA along the way and won't have to pay it again when you're ready for BA/BS.

[Flelm]

The residency waiver is valid for 1 year from the time you pay it, according to a response I got from them recently.

[Aurelius]

The residency waiver is valid for 1 year from the time you pay it, according to a response I got from them recently.

I'd advise anyone attempting to do both to get it in writing from TESU however. This is new territory and who knows what the answer will be in the future.

I'm personally planning on getting the BS and AS at the same time to save on graduation fees.

[dfrecore]

The residency waiver is valid for 1 year from the time you pay it, according to a response I got from them recently.

If this is the case, it would really suck to pay it for the AA, and then not make the BA within a year and have to pay it again. Therefore, I strongly recommend against it.

[clep3705]

The original post did not restrict the question to TESU and COSC. The answer depends on the school and thus the cost involved. If you go to a local community college and transfer anywhere else to get a bachelor's degree, obtaining the associate's degree makes sense. It's better to say that you have an associate's degree and are working on a bachelor's degree than only be able to say you have three years of college. The associate's degree shows you finished something. If life gets in the way and the bachelor's degree is delayed, at least you have something.

[dfrecore]

The original post did not restrict the question to TESU and COSC. The answer depends on the school and thus the cost involved. If you go to a local community college and transfer anywhere else to get a bachelor's degree, obtaining the associate's degree makes sense. It's better to say that you have an associate's degree and are working on a bachelor's degree than only be able to say you have three years of college. The associate's degree shows you finished something. If life gets in the way and the bachelor's degree is delayed, at least you have something.

Absolutely right, sometimes I forget that not everyone here is going to the Big 3 for a Bachelor's Degree.

An AA is a great intermediary step on the way to a BA, most of the time.

[nyvrem]

I was actively trying to find an AA to get (using all my 90+ credits), then i found out my school dose not allow me to be 'taking another degree' elsewhere.

So i can't really go to COSC to do 1 class and get an AA degree while plucking away to finish my BS/BA.

My perspective of getting an AA was so I could enter the work force earlier.

I'm majoring in Computer Science. So I thought it might help for me to get an AA, jump into my field of work sooner rather than later.

[dfrecore]

I was actively trying to find an AA to get (using all my 90+ credits), then i found out my school dose not allow me to be 'taking another degree' elsewhere.

So i can't really go to COSC to do 1 class and get an AA degree while plucking away to finish my BS/BA.

My perspective of getting an AA was so I could enter the work force earlier.

I'm majoring in Computer Science. So I thought it might help for me to get an AA, jump into my field of work sooner rather than later.

Most AA's don't require a lot of courses in your major - they are mostly Gen Eds - so, they are not as helpful for getting someone a job in their field. You will probably not find many CS jobs that ask for an AA.

That doesn't mean you can't enter the workforce early though - it just may not be in your field. But I'm of the mind that any job you have while going to school is worth something too. You don't have to work in your field to figure out a good work ethic, or figure out what makes a boss a good boss, or what makes a company a good company to work for. And companies always prefer people who have had previous experience when they hire you, even if it's not direct job experience (especially for a new college grad).