Most basic of basic questions about going to college

Hi!

Like I alluded to in my welcome post, I definitely don't want to upset anyone or violate forum rules.

I understand for many of you, that college is a hallowed thing, and that the struggle is a bonding part of your time.

So, when someone like me comes along, and basically asks for a shortcut to the cheese, it could be offensive to you. After all, learning can be very hard for people, and no one likes a corner cutter.

I get it.


I am well along in my career path. We don't really need college, just some basic education, and the occasional yearly refresher.

I would like the opportunity to branch out into other related things, like training. I already teach, but for some places, they require a diploma; the only thing I don't have. I have a *ton* of career field training, factory training, etc. etc.

So, please don't take this as a dig at the paper chase, but I just need to be able to check off a box.

Towards that end, I recently received an unexpected sum of money from the estate of a relative.

I would like to take my career training, and that money, and convert it into a sheepskin with the least amount of time in a class possible.

I really don't want a CJ degree. I see so many, and the quality of the graduate is often a point of contention. Maybe something with a cooler, eyebrow raising title like homeland security or weapons of mass destruction?



NOW

I don't know of anyone that's gotten jammed up for having a degree conferred from a sketchy institution. But, I also see this as an investment; maybe I might like to continue my education at some point in the future. I have friends with ITT Tech degrees that can't be applied anywhere else. I don't want to be painted into that corner.

SO

Sorry for being long winded. Sometimes explaining things up front lead to better results, no? lol :flowers1:

I have 30 credits from a regionally accredited community college I attended 20 years ago. Are these still 'good'?

I went to a basic police recruit school that was also regionally accredited, and in addition to my POST certificate eligibility, I also received a, uh, technical certificate (does that sound right?) in something like basic police science. I want to say it was worth 21 credits.

Because of this website (Excelsior, are you listening?) I looked at the Associates and Bachelors programs at Excelsior.

To get the associates, I need 60 hours, and then to get a bachelors, I need 60 more, right? I can't just get a bachelors and skip the associates, right?

It said in there somewhere I can transfer up to 57 of the 60 credits needed for an associates. How do they charge me for this? Do they fee me per credit?

Even if they accept all my credits, that's just 51. I have a ton of training. What should I offer? I think I can pay FEMA for credits, but would it be cheaper / faster to provide other schools I've been to to let them assess it for credit? (sorry if that's explained wrong)

I can't reuse any of these credits for the bachelors, right?

What's in a 'capstone' course?

I have more questions, but I think this is enough for now. I also realize these questions might be better answered by their admissions department or whatever, but I trust the responses here better, and maybe someone has a better path to follow.

Thanks again!

High Order

 

Your situation is much the same as many other members. I suggest you spend some time reading through our testing forum

CLEP, DANTES, and Other Exams for Credit

 

Number one, you're not going to offend anyone here by trying to get your degree quickly, in fact, it's kind of a pastime around here. You certainly do not have to get an associates before getting a bachelors, in fact it actually kind rare to see someone do that. After all, once you get the bachelors, nobody will care if you have an associates degree. If you do get an associates, YES, you do get to reuse those credits for a bachelors, although there's no guarantee they will all fit. It's an unnecessary complication that probably won't help you.

Don't worry about how old your credits are. As you can see from my signature, I successfully transferred 69 units, and I assure you that none of them were as new as 20 years old. If the application fees won't break the bank, one thing I suggest is to apply to all of the Big3 (Thomas Edison State University, Excelsior, and Charter Oak State College). That will let you see who makes the most of your existing credit. Meanwhile read threads around here (and on that "other" forum which does more of this sort of advising). It takes a while to absorb all of the ins and outs of the process, but rest assured that what you want to do is very possible.

 

Oh boy, where to start?

An associate degree is 60 credits (typically). These usually include 30 or so general education credits like math science, English, history, etc... For an AA you would add 30 more liberal arts credits like advanced English, math, sciences, etc... For an AS you would still need most of the same general eds but the remaining credits could be in a discipline like criminal justice. Mine is in Emergency Medical Services and includes stuff like paramedic classes.these are often called two year degrees as that's how long it traditionally took to earn these degrees.

For a bachelor's you will basically need the same rough distribution of credits outlined above, plus the 18-30 credits that constitute a major (some fields require nearly 60 specific credits), at any rate you will need whatever constitutes the major plus electives to take you to a cumulative total of 120 credits (usually).

It isn't just any credits, there will be specific requirements. Your old credits are likely still applicable though there are some exceptions. It is possible that your police cert and some training is directly eligible for credit at some schools. This will not exempt you from meeting other specific requirements.

Using work or life experience is possible, though it seems folks who complete such an assessment, usually called a "prior learning assesment" or PLA, usually bemiane the time and expense for typically paltry return. I couldn't name a school with a good reputation for offering broad credit for work experience.

Folks on this board will help and provide guidance to obtain legitimate degrees, many of us have done this. We won't however encourage diploma mills or buying a false degree. Not that you suggested that, but I'm trying to be clear and increase your knowledge of legitimate practice.

One of the do called "big 3" will probably have some appeal to you. They will tend to be very accepting of old credits and credit for certifications. Excelsior College is one of them though they have become the most expensive as a rule. The other two are Charter Oak State College (COSC) and Thomas Edison State University (TESU). All three of these will also be very accepting of credit by exam which is cheap and well charted, it's also potentially fast to put together a big chunk of the specific required credits you will need.

 

I would also echo reading through threads here and on the "other" forum. Over there you could simply list what you gave and folks will tell you what remains.

 

WOW!
Thanks for all the quick responses.

I have no intentions of using a diploma mill. If I were (I know no one was saying that), I'd just bought one and been done with it. I have seen people out of my profession and home state that got in trouble for that (reading the Axact thread as we speak, dang that's a lot of names!!). No interest in having that hang over my head.

Not sure about the "other" forum. I will have to do a little digging on that.

I will avail myself of the testing subforum. Wasn't aware there was stuff in there pertinent to me!


Thanks again, please keep the guidance coming!

 

Another question-

I am reading the most insightful Sanantone's BA in CJ wiki. He states an elective might be Interviews and Interrogations from Prospero. Propofol. PROPERO. geez.

I have taken this course from the FBI and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. Is there a way to convert one of my classes to a credit, or will they accept one in lieu of? How does that work?

 

Only if you plan on testing out of credits (as opposed to actually taking courses).

 

Just a quick word on PLA's...

It's true, the effort doesn't always justify the return. But it also depends upon how you are claiming credit. For me, it would be a waste of my time to take time off of work and drive somewhere to play guitar for a professor so I could get a few credits in folk guitar (to borrow an example from Steve Levicoff).

Of course, it would be such a waste of time because I already have a B.S. and my second bachelors is just a fun little hobby.

Getting credit for my PHR (now SPHR)? Well, I already did the studying. The credential is already on my wall (actually, still waiting for the official SPHR). The work is already done. Picking up a few quick credits for it is no real hassle.

While we think of PLA as one, singular method of earning credit, the reality is that there are numerous methods by which you can obtain credit through a PLA. Getting credit for a designation you earned, or a well documented training you completed is going to be different than trying to score a few credits for the program you coded or the intangible skill you claim to have.

I've not challenged a course that is not offered through TESU. But all of the things that I am attempting through TESU are also very well documented. Frankly, they can be reviewed much more objectively than, I would say, a computer program and certainly much more objectively than my musical skills.

To briefly touch upon your questions surrounding your associates/bachelors question:

1. You do not need to earn an associates before you earn a bachelors. What you need to do is meet the degree requirements. While 60 (Associate) and 120 (Bachelor) are good guidelines, this isn't a presidential nomination. You don't win when you hit the magic number. A classmate of mine from high school spent 5 years at a community college (full time) before earning a degree. She earned well over 120 credits. And yet, a maximum of 60 of those would transfer to TESU, and because they were all over the map, only a fraction would ever help her earn a bachelors degree.

2. Look at the degree requirements. Learn the differences between upper and lower division credits.

I knew people in the Navy whose ACE recommendations gave them a lopsided advantage when pursuing degrees. That is, the recommendations were almost entirely for upper division credits because of the highly technical nature of their work. For others, even the most senior people only had a smattering of lower division credits.

3. There is no shame in wanting to graduate as quickly as possible. While some people never want to leave their pristine campus there are others, many in fact, who want to get the degree as quickly as possible and get on the road.

 

I found PLA very fruitful, getting 15 units in my area of study, and I could have gotten 6 more on the same portfolios. In truth, it was easier than I thought it was going to be. The reviewer never even asked me any questions.

Also the max Community College transfer units at TESU is 80, not 60.

 

That's fair, however, if the Associate degree is in a field a person is specifically targeting, it can be and is useful, even more so if a person is in a situation where they need a degree faster in order to hang on to their job or receive a promotion not far down the pipeline.

As an aside; I'm actually surprised at how many people I've known of who dropped out of college with more than enough proper credits to qualify for an Associate degree, but didn't pursue it.

 

High Order: "...So, when someone like me comes along, and basically asks for a shortcut to the cheese, it could be offensive to you..."

John: Back when this approach was new, early 70s, this was a real concern. Distressing or offending people. Just didn't happen. The first major research on acceptability of the "Big 3" degrees, by Sosdian and Sharp, found not only that it was very widely accepted, but even better, it was preferred by many gatekeepers (HR people, graduate schools, etc.) because it showed that the person had the skill, gumption, and, heaven help us, stick-to-itiveness to find, pursue, and complete such a program. You write well, too, which will prove to be very helpful. "Shortcut to the Cheese." Not a bad title for your book on the topic. Best wishesl.

 

I'm on my phone, so it's difficult to write a long post. I'll just say that that CJ plan only works for people enrolled before July 2015. I need to make a new plan because major changes were made for the new catalog. I'll also say that the only degree I probably hate more than CJ and liberal studies (I only hate them for the reasons why people get them) is homeland security. While CJ is not the most flexible degree when it comes to qualifying for a wide variety of jobs, it's much more flexible than homeland security. Most homeland security jobs don't even have a preference for homeland security degrees.

 

Thank you for all the responses!

I am now slogging out what I have, and what I need. I appreciate the insight!

 

A lot of us were in the same boat. Without the inheritance. Read through the forums - it will help get you focused.