Crippling self doubt! (aka starting college at 40!)

[rvm]

Mil0, I hope you'll stick around.  There's still more to learn about how to do this efficiently - including those Aleks tips.  

[Merlin]

I'd rather spend my time sorting out my FEMA credits and what, if any of those, I can use. I want to say I've got at least 30 credits, including the Emergency Management Institute Professional Development Series. You can definitely tell the times when I was stuck in a location where there wasn't much to do and the internet only worked well for certain things. No cell service + VPN that only seemed to work to connect to FEMA.gov + plenty of time to kill = FEMA IS courses completed!

I know about the ability to transfer them via FCC at $88 per credit but I wasn't sure if they would transfer to meet any requirements other than the 27 free elective credits that I need. The free elective credits would definitely be worth it and its not too bad at $88 per credit. Thoughts?

I'm going to go read through some of the threads on FEMA IS credits to see if I can find an up to date, accurate response on the FEMA credits since several of the big 3 contradict themselves with "less releases saying they'll accept them and the FAQs that say they won't.

FYI, TESU doesn't accept FEMA at all, Excelsior will accept FEMA via FCC, COSC will accept FEMA credits directly, but according to a recent student they only accept a few credits now. So you'd probably need to chat with the COSC folks if you want to submit a lot to see what they will accept.

[Mil0]

Mil0, I hope you'll stick around.  There's still more to learn about how to do this efficiently - including those Aleks tips.  

I know!! I'm desperately waiting for them (and trying to look around to figure them out)!! So I can start with the courses and kick them down the list of things to do!

---

I'd rather spend my time sorting out my FEMA credits and what, if any of those, I can use. I want to say I've got at least 30 credits, including the Emergency Management Institute Professional Development Series. You can definitely tell the times when I was stuck in a location where there wasn't much to do and the internet only worked well for certain things. No cell service + VPN that only seemed to work to connect to FEMA.gov + plenty of time to kill = FEMA IS courses completed!

I know about the ability to transfer them via FCC at $88 per credit but I wasn't sure if they would transfer to meet any requirements other than the 27 free elective credits that I need. The free elective credits would definitely be worth it and its not too bad at $88 per credit. Thoughts?

I'm going to go read through some of the threads on FEMA IS credits to see if I can find an up to date, accurate response on the FEMA credits since several of the big 3 contradict themselves with "less releases saying they'll accept them and the FAQs that say they won't.

FYI, TESU doesn't accept FEMA at all, Excelsior will accept FEMA via FCC, COSC will accept FEMA credits directly, but according to a recent student they only accept a few credits now. So you'd probably need to chat with the COSC folks if you want to submit a lot to see what they will accept.

I don't mind paying to go through FCC, but it's trying to figure out what course they'll align with. I was working on building the classes spreadsheet so I could figure out which class takes care of which credit and so far, I'm just debating if I'll do my BA at TESU or at Excelsior. I'm not sure how to decide between the two either. 

https://www.excelsior.edu/programs/publi...n-emphasis

https://www.tesu.edu/watson/bs/homeland-security

They both offer a BS in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. I'm just not sure how to decide between the two. Since I'm using credits from outside/alternative sources, I want to keep chugging away on things that I know would fit for either one, so I figure that would be the general education requirements. I'm trying to make a spreadsheet for both. It's just a little difficult because, as my fiancé likes to say, there is little space in my brain for any information that isn't "disaster related". 

[Merlin]

Mil0, I hope you'll stick around.  There's still more to learn about how to do this efficiently - including those Aleks tips.  

I know!! I'm desperately waiting for them (and trying to look around to figure them out)!! So I can start with the courses and kick them down the list of things to do!

---

I'd rather spend my time sorting out my FEMA credits and what, if any of those, I can use. I want to say I've got at least 30 credits, including the Emergency Management Institute Professional Development Series. You can definitely tell the times when I was stuck in a location where there wasn't much to do and the internet only worked well for certain things. No cell service + VPN that only seemed to work to connect to FEMA.gov + plenty of time to kill = FEMA IS courses completed!

I know about the ability to transfer them via FCC at $88 per credit but I wasn't sure if they would transfer to meet any requirements other than the 27 free elective credits that I need. The free elective credits would definitely be worth it and its not too bad at $88 per credit. Thoughts?

I'm going to go read through some of the threads on FEMA IS credits to see if I can find an up to date, accurate response on the FEMA credits since several of the big 3 contradict themselves with "less releases saying they'll accept them and the FAQs that say they won't.

FYI, TESU doesn't accept FEMA at all, Excelsior will accept FEMA via FCC, COSC will accept FEMA credits directly, but according to a recent student they only accept a few credits now. So you'd probably need to chat with the COSC folks if you want to submit a lot to see what they will accept.

I don't mind paying to go through FCC, but it's trying to figure out what course they'll align with. I was working on building the classes spreadsheet so I could figure out which class takes care of which credit and so far, I'm just debating if I'll do my BA at TESU or at Excelsior. I'm not sure how to decide between the two either. 

https://www.excelsior.edu/programs/publi...n-emphasis

https://www.tesu.edu/watson/bs/homeland-security

They both offer a BS in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. I'm just not sure how to decide between the two. Since I'm using credits from outside/alternative sources, I want to keep chugging away on things that I know would fit for either one, so I figure that would be the general education requirements. I'm trying to make a spreadsheet for both. It's just a little difficult because, as my fiancé likes to say, there is little space in my brain for any information that isn't "disaster related". 

Well, just keep in mind that if you decide on TESU, you won't be able to use any of those FEMA credits. I have about a dozen FEMA credits that I gave up when I moved from COSC to TESU, so I learned this first hand.

[Mil0]

Well, just keep in mind that if you decide on TESU, you won't be able to use any of those FEMA credits. I have about a dozen FEMA credits that I gave up when I moved from COSC to TESU, so I learned this first hand.

-----------------

I definitely wouldn't pay to put them through FCC until I figured out exactly what they'd translate as at Excelsior and if I was going to go there. I'm guessing my best bet would be to call and talk to someone at Excelsior and find out. I haven't been able to find a list of anything but even if they just went towards electives, that's 27 credits.


I really want to get to work on this Aleks stuff though. 

I'm almost done with the spreadsheet that I was trying to make for myself so I could get some input on it but I've been too swamped preparing for a deployment.

[allvia]

Well, just keep in mind that if you decide on TESU, you won't be able to use any of those FEMA credits. I have about a dozen FEMA credits that I gave up when I moved from COSC to TESU, so I learned this first hand.

-----------------

I definitely wouldn't pay to put them through FCC until I figured out exactly what they'd translate as at Excelsior and if I was going to go there. I'm guessing my best bet would be to call and talk to someone at Excelsior and find out. I haven't been able to find a list of anything but even if they just went towards electives, that's 27 credits.


I really want to get to work on this Aleks stuff though. 

I'm almost done with the spreadsheet that I was trying to make for myself so I could get some input on it but I've been too swamped preparing for a deployment.

Keep in mind that if they end up as electives (or anything non AOS) there are far cheaper ways to gain back those 27 credits than paying $88 Per Credit to have them converted (27 credits is only 9 courses/exams).

[Mil0]

Keep in mind that if they end up as electives (or anything non AOS) there are far cheaper ways to gain back those 27 credits than paying $88 Per Credit to have them converted (27 credits is only 9 courses/exams).

Thanks for this reminder!! I just went to double check as well because for some of the FEMA IS courses to count as 1 credit hour, you have to take 2-5 classes. Luckily it turns out it is $88/per credit hour and they've got them combined properly, at least. 

Since finishing the TEEX courses, I have so much free time that I'm sitting here waiting. I'm still trying to figure out the ALEKS secrets that a couple of people have posted about, which I just don't understand. I'm tryin to figure out what math class I should take from ALEKS that will cover my 3 or 4 math credits that are needed but I'm not sure which class will translate and is the easiest out of what would count. It's not that I am trying to avoid working hard, it's just that if I don't need to take a really hard course, why bother! 

If anyone has a suggestion, I'd love to hear it!

[allvia]

Keep in mind that if they end up as electives (or anything non AOS) there are far cheaper ways to gain back those 27 credits than paying $88 Per Credit to have them converted (27 credits is only 9 courses/exams).

Thanks for this reminder!! I just went to double check as well because for some of the FEMA IS courses to count as 1 credit hour, you have to take 2-5 classes. Luckily it turns out it is $88/per credit hour and they've got them combined properly, at least. 

Since finishing the TEEX courses, I have so much free time that I'm sitting here waiting. I'm still trying to figure out the ALEKS secrets that a couple of people have posted about, which I just don't understand. I'm tryin to figure out what math class I should take from ALEKS that will cover my 3 or 4 math credits that are needed but I'm not sure which class will translate and is the easiest out of what would count. It's not that I am trying to avoid working hard, it's just that if I don't need to take a really hard course, why bother! 

If anyone has a suggestion, I'd love to hear it!

All the Big 3 take NCCRS credits, and since you need both gen eds and electives I'd recommend you use this free time while you wait for which school works best for you to take some courses through OD (https://www.onlinedegree.com/) - $9 for 3 credits (expect Cooking - it's a 2 credit elective), work at your own pace (as most things posted here are).

I'd recommend you try the FREE ethics course (see the wiki) - I believe it is currently set to expire at the end of this month - so grab it while you can, and if you do opt for TESU it will meet the Ethics requirement (they apply a waiver for the one credit difference), it will just be applied elsewhere for the other Big 3 schools.

Also ALEKS is only one (very cheap) ACE option for your needed math credit. I personally did a few with them and then my Statistics with SL (I was never going to pass the ALEKS Stats - at least not in any affordable time frame)  - so I wouldn't worry about that one subject at this time as it applies to the Big 3.

Edit: as far as the TESU program you posted about (https://www.tesu.edu/watson/bs/homeland-security), other than the Area A 6 Required AOS courses, the rest can gained through alternative methods we talk about here, including the B Area of Study Electives. And that just with a quick glance - it is possible that some of the Required AOS may have alt sources as well.

[dfrecore]

Also ALEKS is only one (very cheap) ACE option for your needed math credit. I personally did a few with them and then my Statistics with SL (I was never going to pass the ALEKS Stats - at least not in any affordable time frame)  - so I wouldn't worry about that one subject at this time as it applies to the Big 3.

ALEKS is cheap, but it's certainly not cheaper than taking a FREE CLEP exam through Modern States.  College Algebra or College Math. And, it's certainly not the easiest choice of math courses.

Since you're not getting a degree that requires a certain level of math, or more than 1 math course, you can take any of the following easy math courses for credit:

CLEP - College Math through Modern States FREE >>MAT-102/103
CSM Learn - Quantitative Reasoning $39 >>MAT-102
TECEP - Applied Liberal Arts Math $75 >>MAT-105
DSST - Math for Liberal Arts $85 >>MAT-105

[Mil0]

Also ALEKS is only one (very cheap) ACE option for your needed math credit. I personally did a few with them and then my Statistics with SL (I was never going to pass the ALEKS Stats - at least not in any affordable time frame)  - so I wouldn't worry about that one subject at this time as it applies to the Big 3.

ALEKS is cheap, but it's certainly not cheaper than taking a FREE CLEP exam through Modern States.  College Algebra or College Math.  And, it's certainly not the easiest choice of math courses.

Since you're not getting a degree that requires a certain level of math, or more than 1 math course, you can take any of the following easy math courses for credit:

CLEP - College Math through Modern States FREE >>MAT-102/103
CSM Learn - Quantitative Reasoning $39 >>MAT-102
TECEP - Applied Liberal Arts Math $75 >>MAT-105
DSST - Math for Liberal Arts $85 >>MAT-105

My only concern with doing a single test for my math requirement is that I clearly need to study more and I'm not "getting it" when it comes to learning algebra again. I went through the entire khanacademy.com college math sections from Pre-algebra, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2. I thought I did pretty well too. I felt like I "got it" as far as most of it was concerned. I even took the practice tests and I was doing just fine. 

Now I know these aren't the same tests and it's hard to compare them since it's apples to oranges but when I took the ACCUPLACER for Montgomery County College, I felt like I didn't know a single answer or how to do anything. I ended up getting a 54 out of 62 (but that's not how the scoring works, I was at the top of the algebra section but didn't get into college math). I've always considered myself pretty good at math so that was the weirdest part. I just don't remember the kind of math I simply don't use in real life. 

I thought with Aleks, you take a course and then once you're at 70%+, you take a test and if you score above 70%, you're done. Is that how it works or no? I'd also like something that I can do from my computer and don't need to visit a testing center. I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a week to do a site visit and then when I get back, it may just be for a couple days and I'll be deployed. 

I'm not as concerned about what the cheapest is, I'm more concerned about my time and keeping my head in the game. I don't want this to end up being a stumbling block that causes my "self destruct" tendencies to over react.