which free class for Oakton?

[Blckbuster]

I'm in TESU currently but I am planning to move over to Purdue global for the more liberal credit for certifications and transfers. I'm seeking a CompSci BS and I was wondering what the general consensus was for what class would best to take? I'm imagining a class that is otherwise not available elsewhere would be ideal. 

https://www.oakton.edu/admission/registe..._class.php

I currently have completed the following:
Sophia:
College Algebra
Introduction to Sociology
Introduction to Ethics
Microeconomics
American History I
Conflict Resolution
American History II
Visual Communications
Introduction to Information Technology
Introduction to Statistics
Introduction to Relational Databases
Project Management
Accounting
Developing Effective Teams
Introduction to Business


The Essentials of Managing Conflict
Art History I
Art History II
English Comp I
Introduction to Business

At TESU:
CTR-212 Programmable Logic controllers
CTR-211 Electronic Instru & Control
PLA-200 Intro to Portfolio Development
PLA-100 Intro to Portfolio Development
SOS-110 Critical Information Literacy

A CCC:
The 1 credit library class

Certs:
A+
N+
Sec+
ITIL foundations
Google IT, UX, PM and Data 

I'm planning to do the W3schools PHP course as well

Any advice from anyone that may have walked this road or just knows better than me?

[rachel83az]

I'm not sure why you'd move to PUG at this point. Yes, you might get more transfers for certificates but you MUST do the equivalent of 30 more credits from them (45 PUG credits). You've also got 12 TESU credits and you're probably going to lose at least 6 of those when you transfer to PUG.

[bjcheung77]

@BB, how young are you? What commitments do you have? You've got the perfect trifecta! Certs, Credits, Experience for a laddering combo from an AAS, BSBA, then MSIT: Pierpont BOG AAS, TESU BSBA CIS, PUG MSIT! You have the graded credit from Clackamas, the Sophia.org credits to finish the Pierpont BOG with IT emphasis. You can get the BSBA CIS and ladder that up to the PUG MSIT or MBA, if you have the energy, money, time, do another, such as the MBA...

[dfrecore]

There is zero chance I would switch to Purdue Global when you almost have residency, including the cornerstone already done at TESU. The Capstone plus a 1cr course will cost $2000. So you're looking at $2300 to graduate from there. A single 10-week term at Purdue Global is $2500, and I think you're going to need 2-3 terms to get a degree, so $5,000-$7,500 minimum. That makes no sense. Plus they don't have a CompSci degree anyway.

Instead, I'd just do the courses needed to get your BACS at TESU. Everything you need can be done alternatively already.

[Blckbuster]

I'm not sure why you'd move to PUG at this point. Yes, you might get more transfers for certificates but you MUST do the equivalent of 30 more credits from them (45 PUG credits). You've also got 12 TESU credits and you're probably going to lose at least 6 of those when you transfer to PUG.

The infrastructure manager at my company had recommended PuG because of their generosity with portfolios and certificates. I have a fairly extensive amount of experience and it was my hoe to complete most of my requirements at Purdue with them. Unfortunately I don't think any of my TESU classes are useful to my degree really, I kind of took them mostly out of personal interest and professional enrichment (we are expanding our automation in our warehouses)

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@BB, how young are you?  What commitments do you have?  You've got the perfect trifecta! Certs, Credits, Experience for a laddering combo from an AAS, BSBA, then MSIT: Pierpont BOG AAS, TESU BSBA CIS, PUG MSIT!  You have the graded credit from Clackamas, the Sophia.org credits to finish the Pierpont BOG with IT emphasis.  You can get the BSBA CIS and ladder that up to the PUG MSIT or MBA, if you have the energy, money, time, do another, such as the MBA...

I'm 47(why'd you ask?), I work about 50hrs a week, but from home,  and my director (my bosses boss) is really supportive of my schooling and is helping me with it from our training budget. I applied for the BOG associate's from Pierpont, and the rest of it sounds amazing and I'd love to do it, can you tell me more about it? even if it has to be in a PM, I started in nov with school for the first time, I had a GED before that, I didn't really think I'd go further than the BS.

[rachel83az]

I'm not sure why you'd move to PUG at this point. Yes, you might get more transfers for certificates but you MUST do the equivalent of 30 more credits from them (45 PUG credits). You've also got 12 TESU credits and you're probably going to lose at least 6 of those when you transfer to PUG.

The infrastructure manager at my company had recommended PuG because of their generosity with portfolios and certificates. I have a fairly extensive amount of experience and it was my hoe to complete most of my requirements at Purdue with them. Unfortunately I don't think any of my TESU classes are useful to my degree really, I kind of took them mostly out of personal interest and professional enrichment (we are expanding our automation in our warehouses)

Even if they're not spectacularly useful to your degree at TESU, they'll still count as electives at the very least. They'll also count toward both the 30 RA credit requirement and residency at TESU. As dfrecore has stated, you only need 4 more credits for residency. Everything else can come from SDC, InstantCert (for American Government), 4 courses from Olivet Nazarene or TEL Learning, and the 1-credit course at ASU. (16 TESU + 12 ONU/TEL + 1 CC + 1 ASU credit = 30 RA total.) It'll be significantly easier and probably faster than PUG.

[Blckbuster]

So is it the general consensus that I go ahead with the portfolio writing for all the it related courses my certs don't cover with TESU?

And then my original question, any idea what class to take for free at oakton?

[rachel83az]

No, don't do portfolio. Study.com classes are going to be way, way easier (not to mention cheaper) than doing a portfolio in 99% of cases. With prior knowledge, you can probably complete most SDC courses in 2-5 days each: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sa...ience_Plan

You could do Discrete Math at Oakton. I didn't think the SDC course was that difficult, but some people do struggle with it. If you can get it for free, that's great.

[bjcheung77]

@BB, I asked about your age, commitments as that may determine which would be better for you. For those who have more experience, I recommend Competency Based degrees, and those who are younger with less experience, the Big 3... It all depends really on the person. You're going to be in a bind, we should not be looking for "free courses at Oakton" unless you are looking for courses to complete the general education/free elective or even some AOS area of study or to get the RA credits you need for the Pierpont/TESU degrees. In regards to a PLA/Portfolio, that will be an extra expense but will add to your RA requirements...

My question is, how's your math? Do you like the subject? If yes, then BACS, if not, then continue with the recommendation of BSBA CIS and ASNSM Comp Sci. It sounds like your employer is helping out with "some" budgeting/funding of your education, it may not necessarily be tuition reimbursement but seems like some assistance one way or another. I would go for the BSBA CIS/ASNSM Comp Sci as a first choice. You should also revisit the need of a Masters when the time comes, I mean if the employer is going to pay for it, you can get the Masters then.

[LevelUP]

I wouldn't do any classes at Oakton, free or not. Focus on getting your degree first.

With learning online, you are learning on your own for the most part. If you are interested in XYZ subject taught at XYZ school, it's pretty simple to look at the syllabus, find out what book they are using, then buy that book used off eBay which would be quicker and cheaper than taking the course. 

Have you looked at the PUG Professional Studies Degree?
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/PU...egree_Plan

Looks like you got most of the credits needed for that degree.

The IT degree uses the W3 Schools PHP cert
https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/PU...egree_Plan

I suggest making some spreadsheets for PUG degrees, TESU, WGU, or any schools you are thinking of and see which one is the quickest or which degree makes the most sense for you.