Nice problem to have, right? $4,000+ to spend on my education, this year, but...

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Slobodon, Feb 5, 2017.

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  1. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    ...gut says to leave it on the table...here's why...

    I'm very close to having my bachelor's via Bellevue University (thanks to my employer's tuition assistance program, which pays $5,250/yr.); I'm down to only a pittance of gen ed and electives, which can be met by classes, CLEPS, DSST's, Straighterline, or Saylor Academy (though the tuition assistance only pays for "actual" classes (not sure is Straighterline is included, therein).

    However, I've already just started in my first year of law school via NWCU School of Law. It's intense. I won't finish the classes until next year, so, my 2018 tuition assistance is mostly spoken-for.

    The plan had been to use tuition assistance, this calendar year, in order to pay for classes at the University that will confirm my undergraduate degree, but I am feeling so behind and that I will not have enough time to study law, such that I may not pass the baby bar, which I must pass in June of 2018, in order to continue in the program, that I would be short-changing myself, for the longer run, if I do not just attend to my law studies, because that is going to be more important.

    I am thinking that once I get used to the rigor of law studies that perhaps in the second or third year I can go ahead do the general education requirements either in online classes via Bellevue University or spend the time to take the clips or DSS T's, even though those are not paid for out of tuition assistance, and thereby finish up the JD and the undergraduate degree which will be in banking at about the same time.

    Thank you to any who read this far, and then I advise you might offer. My feeling is that I need to take my time on the thing that will be most important and most visible to my employer towards my getting to the next position, in a few years, should I be able to do it in the minimum time available through nwcu, and bypassing all the bar exams.

    Any feedback, advice, appreciated.
     
  2. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Confirm with Bellevue you can take that much time away. Some schools are unpleasant about that. How many credits do you have to go, and how many of those require actual coursework?
     
  3. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    Thanks for responding, Steve.

    I believe I did check, at some point in my work on the u/g degree w/ Bellevue and the answer, I believe, was - like most things at Bellevue - was quite liberal in what they would allow, which gives me plenty of years, yet.

    It's a good idea to get down to specifics, though, which I'll do.

    I appreciate that note.

    Nothing left has to be an actual class.

    I think I have just three gen ed's and the balance electives, for a total of just 19 or 19.5

    There's an English requirement that I figure I'll knock out w/ a CLEP (I got a perfect "verbal" portion SAT, so, I should be okay, taking it cold), a public speaking course for which they'll accept the DSST for same, which I've borrowed materials, but, after briefest review, would be ready to take, semi-cold, and a math, which will present my greatest challenge, amongst the three. They accept ALEKS for placement, only, and I just phoned in the test in order to see where I really was, which - as it's been some decades since I sat for a math class (all the way back to Algebra II, in high school) - placed me into Bellevue's lowest math class, which was two classes from the required level of algebra, which was not the 101 College Algebra (Bellevue's MA101), but rather, the MA102, or Intermediate College Algebra (Bellevue's MA 102, which is the lowest level they accept, to meet math gen ed requirements).

    The remaining elective credit shouldn't be too tough.

    I'd simply thought that I'd really burrow into the math, taking that lowest-level class, then the next, gladly taking them for elective credit, to build into the one that'd meet Gen Ed, but, now I'm seeing that I'm completely swamped and scared still of doing anything but applying myself to the law studies, so, that plan seems ill-advised - especially for anything that would take the attention that re-learning some math could be.

    Thanks for responding.
     
  4. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    Thanks - yes - plenty of time, yet, a la Bellevue, to complete undergrad, with them.

    Gen Ed English Comp (I think) II - and there's a CLEP for that, which I should ace.

    Gen Ed Public Speaking - for which there's a DSST, which I should ace.

    Gen ED math of Intermediate Algebra (Bellevue's MA 102). Bellevue accepts ALEKS for placement only.

    I placed at the lowest college math Bellevue has - a 100 class.

    I could take that for elective (that was the plan), then, MA 101 College Algebra (ibid), and, finally, MA 102 for the gen ed.

    In total - incl. gen ed - I need only 19.5 credits - so I was either going to take classes at Bellevue or transfer something in that looked interesting (they are pretty liberal, this way), over time, so that tuition assistance would pay (they don't pay for CLEP or DSST, while I think they will allow Straighterline) or just go for greatest efficiency, as soon as I can, and knock off what I can, when I can.

    The math was the only thing that I knew wouldn't be a piece of cake.

    I'd thought to do that math, along, but, my better judgment says to chuck that notion, given the intensity of the law studies, forget that potential tuition assistance I'd not be using for this calendar year, and just take up the math, as time allows.
     
  5. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member


    Where's your first bachelors from?
     
  6. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    Bellevue WILL be the first, actually; NWCU requires 60 credits (I think) be completed towards one's undergrad, in order to accept into first year law.
     
  7. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    it WILL be from Bellevue; NWCU allows folks to start towards a JD, ahead of actually completing one's bachelor's
     
  8. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    19.5 to go

    English gen ed

    Public Speaking gen ed

    Math gen ed

    rest are elective
     
  9. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    not yet conferred
     
  10. With that short amount of credits left you're better off putting the JD on hold right before the Baby Bar. Full time focusing on finishing it up while part time studying for the Baby Bar. Then full time studying for the Baby Bar once it's complete. Hope for the best, plan for the worst...if you fail the Baby Bar and haven't completed your degree it will be a year wasted.
     
  11. TomE

    TomE New Member

    As you're planning out your final electives, inquire if any of your law school classes may carry over or apply as electives (particularly GenEd) at Bellevue. May not lead to anything, but it would be worth a shot and would save some time (possibly allowing you to graduate per your original schedule) if any could be transferred over.
     
  12. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    Great idea.

    Thank you.
     
  13. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Very good idea. I know at Thomas Edison, all graduate work will transfer "down" as upper level.
    Also, 19 credits is cake. You can do that in a week.

    Edit to add: if they accept Straighterline credit (I think they do, but check) you could do each class per day. My 10th grader has completed 12 credits per month with SL. He's in his 3rd month. He should have his associate the summer before 11th grade and his bachelor's at his high school graduation.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 6, 2017
  14. newsongs

    newsongs Active Member

    Straighterline is a great concept. Do you know anyone who challenged a course by studying the course and taking the test by what they call "PLA"?
     
  15. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    yes, but why do that? That's a full tuition approach with no guarantees. Putting together documentation is a big deal - because you're demonstrating competency for each individual course, there is no credit for working a zillion years in some amazing job. An example of where PLA is perfect: you're a musician/artist and can earn upper level music credit. That's great because it is almost otherwise impossible to get upper level music/art credit in distance learning. OTOH, to PLA a business course is silly.
     
  16. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Agreed. I didn't use PLA and my eldest isn't either. Testing out is just too much easier for PLA to be worth it whenever it's an option.
     
  17. novadar

    novadar Member

    This is simply awesome and shows just how much is possible if a person is motivated. For 15/16 year old this is very, very impressive. :notworthy:
     
  18. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    To be fair, it's me that's motivated. He only cares about cars and girls. ;)
     
  19. Slobodon

    Slobodon New Member

    he is a education superstar
     
  20. novadar

    novadar Member

    It's like the saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". Clearly your son is willing to drink. lol. I'm not saying he's a horse by the way -- errr maybe a thoroughbred?
     

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