I would like to know information from experience people in this forum, what is a good online Associates Degree in Information Systems/Technology. I have looked at AshworthCollege, PennFoster, WGU, excelsior. Which one do you guys recommend to get an Associates the fastest and cheapest. I have read a couple of threads about getting free credits with FEMA but which credits would transfer for the degree I'm going for, also getting credit by testing out but I don't quiet understand this process as to studying for exam and how to get it. Also how does work experience work and how would they evaluate this, since I have work experience working at Deloitte, Jacobs, family company. I also have some college credit from my local community college. I would appreciate eveyones help, thank you in advanced.
If I were to choose Ashworth College for my Associates will all those credits transfer to TESC or WGU?
One thing to remember about transfer credits is this: if you try to transfer nationally accredited credits to a regionally accredited school, they may not take the credits. As such, if you want to transfer credits to TESC or WGU from Ashworth College, you stand a good chance that they won't transfer. Buyer beware. FEMA courses, which are free to take and would be freely transferable to TESC, would function as electives. Your counselor will fit them in where they would do the most good, freeing up valuable time and resources for you. Other colleges will accept them, but most require them to be made into credits first by an accredited college, such as Fredrick Community College. That would cost in the upper $70s for each credit. If you credit bank through TESC, the courses would be converted to credits by them and at a substantially cheaper cost. Plus, you can add your credits from your local community college and exams. Just do a search for credit banking and there will be plenty of insights into the process. As for studying and testing via CLEP, DSST, Excelsior College, or others, there are a lot of guides here and on the net that will provide superior guidance as to how you would do that. One site, bain4weeks, does a great job of showing which books to read to help you out. You could also go to saylor.org and go through their courses, which are free. They even have Computer Science courses and courses that are tied to CLEPs. Take a look, kick the tires a bit, develop a strategy, and then run that strategy by the great folks here. You won't be disappointed. As for work experience, some people have expressed the thought that doing a work/experience portfolio can be time consuming and expensive. I have never attempted one, so I hope that others who have can provide guidance. I, too, am curious as to the value of a portfolio vis-à-vis the more "traditional" methods of procuring credits. By the way, WGU does not have an associate degree program but their bachelor programs include numerous certifications. Some aren't well recognized or in high demand, such as the CIW certs. The other certs (Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft) are in demand as well as recognized. So, going that route might be attractive to you. Cheers, Jim
Thank you so much for all the information you provided, hopefully someone provides some insight for the portfolio. WGU sounds great since it provides some great certifications, I am currently working on my CCNA on my own, trying to beat the Sep. 30 deadline but If I can't make it I will just go ahead and take the new exam objectives.
