Beginners Guide To Getting Cheap/Fast College Credit

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by AsianStew, May 10, 2016.

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  1. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

    A few people have asked me to create a BACS/BSIT degree plan for them using primarily SL/Study.com sources as they're not near a CLEP/DSST testing location (yeah, I know how it feels, I am 1.5 hours away from the nearest one). So, here it is for you to compare the programs! If you are near a testing center, just change the SL/Study.com course to use CLEP/DSST instead.

    For the individuals who asked how to get both, you may want to go with WGU as the pricing for both combined is pretty similar, I think it might be slightly cheaper at WGU. For those who want to stick with TESU to get both, the comprehensive tuition is recommended, as you can take up to 36 credits within the year to get the "hard to find sciences/comp sci/IT courses or to use on the two capstone courses, also there will be no residency waiver fee".

    Finally, to the others that asked about a BSBA GM/BALS NC combo with the addition of the two ASNSM Comp Sci & Math. The file is pretty similar to the My Degree Plan!.xlsx file with minor modifications. I have updated the science requirements to use the easiest ones, as well as updated the Associates/Bachelors and Masters sheets, I also added a Cost sheet to it as well and removed the certificates sheet/tab.

    Note: If you look at the "options" of the BALS NC, you can change the optional list of courses around and add the 3 CS/CIS courses instead of taking History to get a BALS NSM instead of no concentration. You can play around with other UL courses on Study.com to get a concentration instead of a no concentration BALS. As again, your two degrees only require a different capstone + 21 credits. "Tweak it" so it uses the 99 credits from the previous degree to lower the cost.

    Study.com transfer: https://study.com/directory/school/Thomas_Edison_State_University.html#transferTab
    TESU CLEP LINK: https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/clep-college-level-exam-program
    TESU DSST LINK: https://www.tesu.edu/academics/catalog/dsst
    Attached Files: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-Beginners-Guide-To-Getting-Cheap-Fast-College-Credit--24842?pid=276872#pid276872

    Happy Holidays, Be Safe! Enjoy your Xmas and New Years with the family!
     
  2. divyapriya

    divyapriya New Member

    Hi i am new to this forum can anyone suggest me ideas for my german classes.
     
  3. Phdtobe

    Phdtobe Well-Known Member

    Try duolingo.com or its free app with ads.
     
    sks972 likes this.
  4. vpassenheim

    vpassenheim New Member

    I second the choice of Duolingo. If you're looking for a more intense course than Duolingo, there are several here: https://www.101languages.net/fsi-courses/

    Another resources that I know of, but haven't used: https://www.deutsch-lernen.com/

    Once you're learning, these are very helpful: http://conjugator.reverso.net/conjugation-german.html , https://forvo.com/languages/de/ , https://dictionary.reverso.net/english-german/concept

    Google translate.

    I don't know of any credit-for-learning site that offers German. However, if you're just looking to learn the language the resources above are excellent.
     
  5. dlbb

    dlbb Active Member

    Please don't use Google translate to learn a foreign language!

    Some colleges have courses for credit online to learn a foreign language, including German. Of course there are other resources.
     
  6. vpassenheim

    vpassenheim New Member

    I beg to differ about Google Translate. I speak 4 languages. There is no single perfect or complete language learning tool, but used in tandem, these tools (including Google Translate) are very effective when it comes to language learning.

    Yes, colleges do have courses for credit, but if you're hoping to spend LESS money, the aforementioned resources are very complete with regards to language learning and are more than adequate not just for learning purposes, but especially for passing a CLEP German language test (I believe you can get as much as 12 credits there).
     
    Johann likes this.
  7. vpassenheim

    vpassenheim New Member

    ***I'm a junior member in this group and not as well-versed in all the topics of online learning for credit. I suggest you read further for yourself, continue to explore this forum, and wait for a more senior member to also answer this question. I'm certain they will have valuable information that I was not aware of. Also, degreeforum.net is another site to post this question at.***

    The following information I'm about 99.9% certain about:

    I don't know anything about questions 3 or 4. I don't know of any "short forms" necessary, but you being from India there might be something involved in that regard with getting admitted as a student to one of the Big 3 schools (Charter Oak State College (COSC), Thomas Edison State University (TESU), or Excelsior College),Yes you can get a computer science and mathematics degree with credit transfer. If you're trying to get credit online for your mathematics degree I believe that will be a little harder to do since usually there are no math courses beyond Calculus given for credit online. As far as online sources for credit learning:

    I have used the following online credit for courses resources: Study.com (my favorite because of its format), Straighterline (possibly the best one to use for math courses), Davar Academy (good for UL (Upper Level) courses because they usually are less rigorous with assignments; their tests are the hardest - usually including 10 essay answer questions and 60 multiple choice in 2 hour period; they have excellent study guides, which I believe they are now charging for them; you do have to buy the books for these courses, but I have found these courses to be the most comprehensive with best resources for teaching the material - they DON'T have tutors, however! Saylor.org courses are all FREE, but you pay for the proctored exam.

    Davar is the most expensive of the 4, but not by much. Saylor is the cheapest and will provide the textbook, but no tutoring and you pay for proctoring.
    Study.com is mid-range in cost, but by far has the greatest offering of courses and I know you can find 12-month discounts. I believe their online tutoring is limited in scope. I know for a fact that Straighterline does offer tutoring and for that reason might be the best go-to on the math courses. Straighterline is about comparable to Study.com (the forum refers to everything in abbreviations: SDC, SL, etc.), but I prefer the format of Study.com.

    Of the 4 choices, only Saylor doesn't cover the proctored exam, but that's because everything else with them is free. There are other online, for-credit learning sources like Schmoop, Lynda, Ed4Credit, Sophia, and others. There's also programs where you can test out of some courses (CLEP, TECEP, FEMA, UEXCEL, etc.). Finally, the schools themselves are sources for financial aid...

    Once you decide what school you might be most interested in applying to (like, what do you want to get a bachelor degree in? Do you think you'll want to continue to a post-graduate program? What are the differences in tuition rates? Remember that COSC requires 2 courses with them, so even though their tuition per credit is a little lower, you pay a little more with them because of the 2 required courses with them vs. the 1 required at the other 2 schools. Also, maybe they have more post-graduation assistance in the way of career development, etc.), you can then map your degree program to the online resources that are the course equivalents for the courses in the program. For example, Study.com has this well laid out for each of the 3 schools (better for some than others):
    Charter Oak: https://study.com/directory/school/Charter_Oak_State_College.html#transferTab
    TESU: https://study.com/directory/school/Thomas_Edison_State_University.html#transferTab (really explicit with this school
    Excelsior: https://study.com/directory/school/Excelsior_College.html#transferTab

    The "Big 3" schools that accept credits from these online learning resources are TESU (Thomas Edison State University), COSC (Charter Oak State College - that's where I'm enrolled), and Excelsior College. TESU, and Excelsior will transfer up to 90 college credits, while COSC transfers up to 87. All 3 require a Capstone course be taken prior to graduating from your major. It's the last course in your program and culminates everything you've learned. COSC also requires a Cornerstone course, which is taken at the start of the program. Those courses are taken straight from the universities themselves.
     
    SteveFoerster likes this.
  8. NMTTD

    NMTTD Active Member

    All I can offer is REGIONAL ACCREDITATION and try to avoid for-profit if at all possible!!! lol
     
  9. SweetsugarNL

    SweetsugarNL New Member

    I really dont understand the steps. Who are the big 3? Im from Europe. I have 120 credit but i dont think that i can transfer these credit. I would like to start a distance study but dont know where to begin. First i need a Toefl exam i think? Iknow study in America is expensive. I would like to earn a bachelor degree.
     
  10. vpassenheim

    vpassenheim New Member

    I recommend you read the 1st page in this thread. There's lots of information there. The "big 3" are Thomas Edison State University (TESU), Charter Oak State College (COSC), and Excelsior College. Another source for information is degreeforum.net. Bottom line, there are study tracks posted there for various degree plans. Since you're a foreigner, you may need to consult directly with the universities in question. Another option is WGU, which I'm currently attending. They will likely not accept as many transfer credits from sources such as the aforementioned (page 1) credit online learning platforms (Study.com (SDC), StraighterLine, ALEKS, Saylor.org, etc.), but they do perform international transfer credit evaluations (https://www.wgu.edu/admissions/international-transfer-credit.html). The advantage with a school such as WGU is that you can learn at your own pace, taking as many classes as you like during a 6-month term and pay only $3,300 for those 6 months. Anyway, good luck!
     
  11. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    If you are in Europe (?where exactly?) there are probably cheaper options available to you. What languages do you speak? What is your preferred field of study? Where did your credits come from?
     
    vpassenheim likes this.
  12. SweetsugarNL

    SweetsugarNL New Member

    Thats right. I live in the Netherlands. I speak Dutch and English. But in my country there are no good distance options. I have 120 ect in communications (hbo bachelor). TESU have also communications. I dont know what is better transfer and translate credits or start from scratch.
     
  13. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

  14. SweetsugarNL

    SweetsugarNL New Member

    That are master courses.
     
  15. baytre1

    baytre1 New Member

    Wow, thanks @AsianStew for this great thread! I haven't been on this board in years. Glad to see it's still up and running with helpful posts.

    Do you have any insight on TESU giving credit for Coursera courses? I'm thinking it would only be available for the portfolio option but I'm just guessing.
    https://blog.tesu.edu/why-moocs-are-good-news-for-tesc-students
     
  16. baytre1

    baytre1 New Member

    Not sure how to edit my post. Anyway TESU said it can be used toward portfolio, that's it.
     
  17. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Couldn't agree more. If you know how to learn, (as you obviously do) Google Translate can be a very educative experience. I'll admit, it is sometimes not very idiomatic - in terms of either input or output languages, but there are precautions you can take against machine-garbling.

    (1) Always run your newly-translated work BACK through Google. You might be surprised and find it doesn't translate back into what you put in.
    (2) If -- or I should say, whenever that happens, try a variation - and keep running it back through. It's a learning experience in using Google and the language itself.
    (3) Try and avoid colloquialisms and less-than-perfect "street"grammar. Google has a case of "beginner's precision." It knows what you say, but sometimes not what you mean.

    I find Google's skill varies depending on the language (and the user). I think Latin is the language Google has the hardest time with - of all the ones I've tried, anyway. And that surprises me because Latin is highly structured - almost regimented, one might say. But we're working on it together.
     
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2020
  18. AsianStew

    AsianStew Moderator Staff Member

  19. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

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