school - quickest way to an associate's degree?

Sarcasmo said:
Can I ask what the point is? Obviously you want into the USMC, but why are you under such a strict timeline?
ERage said:
Maybe I missed this in the OP but why does this absolutely have to be finished by next year?

My enlistment is conditional on me having an associate's degree and/or 60 credits by the end of my time in the delayed entry program. If I don't complete this by then my current contract is null & void and I have to sign another one meaning there will be no way I can meet the age requirements for OCS in the future. There are always waivers but they can be few and far between.
theacoustician said:
Maybe you can explain why exactly you need the AA then. Since you're looking at about 60 hours to get an AA, you're going to have to take 3 straight 20 hour semisters. That's not exactly easy. It will damn near impossible if you also need to work full time while you're going to school.
I have a few credits now and hopefully I will be able to sign up for some late starting or accelerated courses at CLC. I'm going to look at what I can do about student loans so I don't have to work full time which I know will be damn near impossible if I have to take 15-18 hours per semester (depending on whether or not SPJC will transfer my old credits, that's still up in the air).
 
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FlyNavy said:
I have a few credits now and hopefully I will be able to sign up for some late starting or accelerated courses at CLC. I'm going to look at what I can do about student loans so I don't have to work full time which I know will be damn near impossible if I have to take 15-18 hours per semester (depending on whether or not SPJC will transfer my old credits, that's still up in the air).
So when did you sign this contract?
 
I would think that your existing credits would help govern where you end up. Depending on what they are in and when you got them they might not transfer to another school which would worsen your situation. You might want to check on that before you begin applying around. Why not continue where you started?
 
Don't you need a 4-year degree, anyway, for the OCS? Or does your contract specify an entry date farther down the road. I have no idea how that works.
 
FlyNavy said:
I have a few credits now and hopefully I will be able to sign up for some late starting or accelerated courses at CLC. I'm going to look at what I can do about student loans so I don't have to work full time which I know will be damn near impossible if I have to take 15-18 hours per semester (depending on whether or not SPJC will transfer my old credits, that's still up in the air).
Call CLC And get in to see a counsellor ASAP. They will be able to figure all of this out for you.
 
wtf11.jpg
 
People still waste their time and money getting AB's?

Surely you can do something more rewarding and accredited in your timeframe.
 
theacoustician said:
So when did you sign this contract?
Not long ago. The current contract specifies that I am not in the Delayed Entry Program until I can show that I am enrolled in a specific number of classes and have a solid plan for having said degree by the end of the DEP contract. I haven't been sworn in and thus have no legal obligation at the moment but once I sign the DEP contract I will. I can move my ship date up if I pull off the degree before the alloted time but I doubt that's possible.

ERage said:
I would think that your existing credits would help govern where you end up. Depending on what they are in and when you got them they might not transfer to another school which would worsen your situation. You might want to check on that before you begin applying around. Why not continue where you started?
Existing credits are limited to a couple of St Pete Junior College classes (6 credits that I may or may not get, the school is giving me the runaround about sending me transcripts :rolleyes:) and nine credits from CLC. I assumed staying at one school is the best way to go and honestly I didn't get a straight answer from the recruiting commander; from my understanding it's either an AA/AS or 60 credits that can be put toward a BS/BA.

Sarcasmo said:
Don't you need a 4-year degree, anyway, for the OCS? Or does your contract specify an entry date farther down the road. I have no idea how that works.
Yes and that I can worry about once I'm in. The reason I'm not concerned about other schools accepting the credits or diploma is because if the USMC accepts it for my enlistment then they're going to accept it for any kind of education program I take through them. On base schools and a list of schools that work directly with the military will all be accepting of anything I have as well as DANTES credits.

My contract doesn't specify an OCS entry date but there are certain age requirements for flight school, one of them being that an enlisted Marine needs to be accepted into OCS by his 28th birthday and be commissioned by 29.5 years of age. Applications to OCS will only be accepted once I hit Corporal and as a reservist that will take at least three years.

Situation's slightly different if I'm active duty or if six months into my reserve duty I go active - which I may do anyways - but that makes it harder to finish off the bachelor's.
 
FlyNavy said:
Not long ago. The current contract specifies that I am not in the Delayed Entry Program until I can show that I am enrolled in a specific number of classes and have a solid plan for having said degree by the end of the DEP contract. I haven't been sworn in and thus have no legal obligation at the moment but once I sign the DEP contract I will. I can move my ship date up if I pull off the degree before the alloted time but I doubt that's possible.


Existing credits are limited to a couple of St Pete Junior College classes (6 credits that I may or may not get, the school is giving me the runaround about sending me transcripts :rolleyes:) and nine credits from CLC. I assumed staying at one school is the best way to go and honestly I didn't get a straight answer from the recruiting commander; from my understanding it's either an AA/AS or 60 credits that can be put toward a BS/BA.


Yes and that I can worry about once I'm in. The reason I'm not concerned about other schools accepting the credits or diploma is because if the USMC accepts it for my enlistment then they're going to accept it for any kind of education program I take through them. On base schools and a list of schools that work directly with the military will all be accepting of anything I have as well as DANTES credits.

My contract doesn't specify an OCS entry date but there are certain age requirements for flight school, one of them being that an enlisted Marine needs to be accepted into OCS by his 28th birthday and be commissioned by 29.5 years of age. Applications to OCS will only be accepted once I hit Corporal and as a reservist that will take at least three years.

Situation's slightly different if I'm active duty or if six months into my reserve duty I go active - which I may do anyways - but that makes it harder to finish off the bachelor's.


I wouldn't worry to much about time for the BA once you're in. There are plenty of military friendly schools that give you alot of credits just for time in.
 
FlyNavy said:
AB?


:lol: i love that

Associate Baccalaureate, same thing as associate degree.

Is it possible for you to sit IB examinations? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IB) I have a few friends who have done IB's, and from what they say it puts you in the same sort of position as having completed a year of University. This might be desireable for the position you're in. IB's in Maths etc. would pretty much be similar to a diploma in the same thing, but wouldn't be surrounded by the stigma of, as you say, the machinary of diploma's.
 
Galen said:
Associate Baccalaureate, same thing as associate degree.

Is it possible for you to sit IB examinations? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IB) I have a few friends who have done IB's, and from what they say it puts you in the same sort of position as having completed a year of University. This might be desireable for the position you're in. IB's in Maths etc. would pretty much be similar to a diploma in the same thing, but wouldn't be surrounded by the stigma of, as you say, the machinary of diploma's.
AB is not the same as an AA/AS in the US. AA/AS is more like 2 years of a 4 year BA/BS program. There isnt exactly a UK equivalent except for the FdA/FdSc stuff.

IBs arent generally recognized here, we have a domestic system called AP (advanced placement) which you generally do in High School.
 
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You CAN test out of things though. I tested out of all my science and math credits when I got (part) of my t-com degree.
 
Sarcasmo said:
You CAN test out of things though. I tested out of all my science and math credits when I got (part) of my t-com degree.
Yeah that thing I posted in my first response has a program where essentially you write a paper, take some tests and they give you the credits. Welcome to how I graduated HS.
 
FlamingGlory said:
Yeah that thing I posted in my first response has a program where essentially you write a paper, take some tests and they give you the credits. Welcome to how I graduated HS.


Yeah. $500 for a 4-month course or take a test. Hmmm.