My degree plan for TESU BA in CS; thoughts/recs?

[bjcheung77]

Hmm, interesting... I usually would recommend doing similar CLEP/TECEP like you are, however, swapped... What I mean by that is, it's great doing overlapping exams with similar content, but I usually would recommend doing the CLEP first and then the TECEP, instead of what you're doing, the TECEP first and then the CLEP...

11/1 - [TECEP] Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics (MAT-1050-TE)
11/4 - [CLEP] College Mathematics
11/6 - [TECEP] College Algebra (MAT-1210-TE)
11/9 - [CLEP] College Algebra

[bruh]

Hmm, interesting... I usually would recommend doing similar CLEP/TECEP like you are, however, swapped... What I mean by that is, it's great doing overlapping exams with similar content, but I usually would recommend doing the CLEP first and then the TECEP, instead of what you're doing, the TECEP first and then the CLEP...

11/1 - [TECEP] Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics (MAT-1050-TE)
11/4 - [CLEP] College Mathematics
11/6 - [TECEP] College Algebra (MAT-1210-TE)
11/9 - [CLEP] College Algebra

Ohh yeah you're right. Thanks for catching that! I'll make sure to make those swaps.

[dfrecore]

As for a specific action plan for these last few months (like the sequence/times I plan on finishing each remaining course/exam, it's just this rough list (not a spreadsheet :p):

• 9/22 - [SDC] CS302: Systems Analysis & Design
  
• 10/2 - [SDC] CS303: Database Management
  
• 10/13 - [SDC] CS306: Computer Architecture
  
• 10/16 - [CLEP] Principles of Management
  
• 10/23 - [TECEP] Operations Management (OPM-3010-TE)
  
• 10/28 - [TECEP] Public Relations Thought & Practice (COM-2100-TE)
  
• 10/30 - [TECEP] Computer Concepts & Applications (CIS-1070-TE)
  
• 11/1 - [TECEP] Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics (MAT-1050-TE)
  
• 11/4 - [CLEP] College Mathematics
  
• 11/6 - [TECEP] College Algebra (MAT-1210-TE)
  
• 11/9 - [CLEP] College Algebra
  
• 11/14 - [CLEP] Precalculus
  

I didn't include it in the bullet list above, but I also plan on getting an InstantCert subscription to practice for the TECEPs/CLEPs (hence why they span from 10/14 - 11/14).

I'd plan this a bit differently (and leave off either of the College Algebra exams, since they are the same - both come in as MAT-1210).

Do all business courses together (and the CLEP is the easiest)
[CLEP] Principles of Management
[TECEP] Public Relations Thought & Practice (COM-2100-TE)
[TECEP] Operations Management (OPM-3010-TE)

Do all math courses together, and think of doing these first, since they're the easiest as a whole if you're good at math
[TECEP] Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics (MAT-1050-TE)
[CLEP] College Mathematics
[TECEP] or [CLEP] College Algebra
[CLEP] Precalculus

Do all computer courses together - take SDC's BUS 104: Information Systems and Computer Applications and BUS 109: Intro to Computing first, to study for the TECEP (don't waste your time taking the finals for credit, just take them up to that point - and they will fill in some of the remaining courses you need to take)
[TECEP] Computer Concepts & Applications (CIS-1070-TE)
[SDC] CS302: Systems Analysis & Design
[SDC] CS303: Database Management
[SDC] CS306: Computer Architecture

[bruh]

As for a specific action plan for these last few months (like the sequence/times I plan on finishing each remaining course/exam, it's just this rough list (not a spreadsheet :p):

• 9/22 - [SDC] CS302: Systems Analysis & Design
  
• 10/2 - [SDC] CS303: Database Management
  
• 10/13 - [SDC] CS306: Computer Architecture
  
• 10/16 - [CLEP] Principles of Management
  
• 10/23 - [TECEP] Operations Management (OPM-3010-TE)
  
• 10/28 - [TECEP] Public Relations Thought & Practice (COM-2100-TE)
  
• 10/30 - [TECEP] Computer Concepts & Applications (CIS-1070-TE)
  
• 11/1 - [TECEP] Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics (MAT-1050-TE)
  
• 11/4 - [CLEP] College Mathematics
  
• 11/6 - [TECEP] College Algebra (MAT-1210-TE)
  
• 11/9 - [CLEP] College Algebra
  
• 11/14 - [CLEP] Precalculus
  

I didn't include it in the bullet list above, but I also plan on getting an InstantCert subscription to practice for the TECEPs/CLEPs (hence why they span from 10/14 - 11/14).

I'd plan this a bit differently (and leave off either of the College Algebra exams, since they are the same - both come in as MAT-1210).

Do all business courses together (and the CLEP is the easiest)
[CLEP] Principles of Management
[TECEP] Public Relations Thought & Practice (COM-2100-TE)
[TECEP] Operations Management (OPM-3010-TE)

Do all math courses together, and think of doing these first, since they're the easiest as a whole if you're good at math
[TECEP] Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics (MAT-1050-TE)
[CLEP] College Mathematics
[TECEP] or [CLEP] College Algebra
[CLEP] Precalculus

Do all computer courses together - take SDC's BUS 104: Information Systems and Computer Applications and BUS 109: Intro to Computing first, to study for the TECEP (don't waste your time taking the finals for credit, just take them up to that point - and they will fill in some of the remaining courses you need to take)
[TECEP] Computer Concepts & Applications (CIS-1070-TE)
[SDC] CS302: Systems Analysis & Design
[SDC] CS303: Database Management
[SDC] CS306: Computer Architecture

Got it. If I may ask, why the swap between Public Relations Thought & Practice and Operations Management? I assume that it's because OPM-3010 builds on COM-2100..? If so, I'll make sure to go through with that.

And ahh alright, yeah I was just thinking of doing the CLEP for College Algebra in case I fail the TECEP. Thank you, I'll make sure to drop the CLEP if needed. I know that SDC, CLEP, and Sophia display your test score immediately, but I don't personally know for TECEPs. From what I've read from others though, it sounds like people do see their score instantly too, so that's cool. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

Also, the reason why I'm planning on doing the math courses first than the business ones is because my 15cr term begins in November, and I have an Intermediate Algebra class (MAT-1150-OL) during then. I anticipate that juggling my business course exams + my 15cr term courses wouldn't be very smooth. It may be bumpy trying to do my math course exams at the same time too, but perhaps it'll be a little smoother since I'll be studying math more in-depth anyway in Intermediate Algebra (and math also comes a lot more naturally to me).

Plus, it'll give me the remainder of October (after I finish SDC stuff) to focus only on the business stuff, which I'm not especially proficient at. I did Sophia's Intro to Business and SDC's Management Info Systems, but it sounds like the Operations Management TECEP is going to be a different level of difficult, oof. I hope I'll do alright.

I didn't know about those either, those helpful SDC courses for the CIS-1070 TECEP + how they even build on my last 3 SDC courses. Thanks for the heads-up. 

[dfrecore]

Got it. If I may ask, why the swap between Public Relations Thought & Practice and Operations Management? I assume that it's because OPM-3010 builds on COM-2100..? If so, I'll make sure to go through with that.

And ahh alright, yeah I was just thinking of doing the CLEP for College Algebra in case I fail the TECEP. Thank you, I'll make sure to drop the CLEP if needed. I know that SDC, CLEP, and Sophia display your test score immediately, but I don't personally know for TECEPs. From what I've read from others though, it sounds like people do see their score instantly too, so that's cool. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

Also, the reason why I'm planning on doing the math courses first than the business ones is because my 15cr term begins in November, and I have an Intermediate Algebra class (MAT-1150-OL) during then. I anticipate that juggling my business course exams + my 15cr term courses wouldn't be very smooth. It may be bumpy trying to do my math course exams at the same time too, but perhaps it'll be a little smoother since I'll be studying math more in-depth anyway in Intermediate Algebra (and math also comes a lot more naturally to me).

Plus, it'll give me the remainder of October (after I finish SDC stuff) to focus only on the business stuff, which I'm not especially proficient at. I did Sophia's Intro to Business and SDC's Management Info Systems, but it sounds like the Operations Management TECEP is going to be a different level of difficult, oof. I hope I'll do alright.

I didn't know about those either, those helpful SDC courses for the CIS-1070 TECEP + how they even build on my last 3 SDC courses. Thanks for the heads-up. 

Public Relations is LL, Ops Mgmt is UL.  I have to tell you though, I took that PR TECEP and it was by far the hardest one I took (I didn't take any UL ones).  I read the entire textbook and outlined every chapter, wrote ALL of the vocabulary - and still thought it was hard.  I passed, but sweated through the exam.

[bruh]

Got it. If I may ask, why the swap between Public Relations Thought & Practice and Operations Management? I assume that it's because OPM-3010 builds on COM-2100..? If so, I'll make sure to go through with that.

Public Relations is LL, Ops Mgmt is UL.  I have to tell you though, I took that PR TECEP and it was by far the hardest one I took (I didn't take any UL ones).  I read the entire textbook and outlined every chapter, wrote ALL of the vocabulary - and still thought it was hard.  I passed, but sweated through the exam.

Oof, I understand. Thanks for the heads-up. 

Aside from this, I also have another general question. Registration for TESU's November 2023 term just opened up today, so I registered for classes. I saw the total amount of students registered for each of my courses so far too. I know I shouldn't expect to see that many people registered since it's just the first day, but it reminded me about an issue that one of my past colleges had regarding low class sizes. A lot of classes had been canceled or not even offered in the first place because of low student registration/interest. Should I be worried that classes may be canceled if there aren't enough students registered for the class to justify allocating resources (e.g. a professor with a salary who has to spend time grading us, etc) to them?

[bjcheung77]

You should be fine for classes or courses at TESU, even for the TECEP (as they don't really have a limit of students who can take the exam)

[jch]

I've never seen or heard of TESU cancelling a course for low enrollment. Over the years, I've been in several courses that had just a handful of participants. In the past, people have even posted on here that they were the only student in a course. Discussions can get weird with limited students; hopefully the mentor will jump in to help out.
TESU seems to have a lot of students register quite late, even paying the extra late registration fee to get into a course. Courses do get full closer to the deadline.
For TECEPs and e-packs, as BJ mentioned, they will never get cancelled because they're not regular courses. TESU just needs to find someone to grade some exams, whether there's 1 or 100.
TESU has a fairly unique staffing and compensation structure; they don't use "professors" the same way that normal universities do. Course mentors (instructors) are contractors that use university-developed curriculum; they're not salaried lecturers with their own material like you'd find elsewhere. Only university admin and office staff are salaried.

[LevelUP]

In the past, people have even posted on here that they were the only student in a course. Discussions can get weird with limited students; hopefully the mentor will jump in to help out.

If nobody is posting in the forums, then there is nobody to respond to, which saves you work.

The professors don't post at all in forums for some courses or sometimes it's a pre-canned single post in the forum.

[rachel83az]

In the past, people have even posted on here that they were the only student in a course. Discussions can get weird with limited students; hopefully the mentor will jump in to help out.

If nobody is posting in the forums, then there is nobody to respond to, which saves you work.

The professors don't post at all in forums for some courses or sometimes it's a pre-canned single post in the forum.

Doesn't that cost you points, though? Or do you automatically get those 5 or 10 points if there's nobody to respond to?