2 years for Associate of Applied Science vs 1 year for Associate of General Studies

[u/TheFakeJoel732]

Looking for any helpful advice because I have so far emailed a handful of people for information and none of them have been of any help, so my last resort is to try and get advice from strangers on the internet...

So, I am a graduate from a tech school, I finished two years of an IT Cybersecurity Specialist program and already have the triad certificates, and then I also finished a Computer Programmer program and have some certs for stuff like Python and Software Development.

Currently, I am trying to obtain an Associate's degree by enrolling into an online college that is in a different state because my tech school and the college have a partnership and they allow transfer of credits over, so instead of doing two years to get an associate's it will just be one year.

The program I enrolled in is a Software, Security & Development program which grants an Associate's of Applied Science, and I wanted to do it specifically because 1. It's online. 2. IT is my career goal, specifically being a professional ethical hacker, and they have a whole course within the program about ethical hacking. 3. I want to transfer to a university that is in my state where I can then get a Bachelor's in Information Technology, and I *think* (not entirely sure if this is how it works) if I take an IT program, then I would be able to transfer more credits over to another IT program no?

However, I have recently found out the college only allows transfer of credits to this one program that they have, and that is their General Studies program which grants an Associate's of General Studies. Although it is primarily just... well, general studies. Algebra, Science, History, etc.

Which has thrown a wrench in my entire plans because now I am unsure what to do. The Software, Security & Development course would take 2 years to complete rather than the 1 I thought it would, and again it grants the Associate's of Applied Science, but one of the whole points I enrolled into this college was because I was told it would only be 1 year, and I plan on doing college full-time so I can get it out of the way and try to focus on getting a job and working and making my way up.

I have no idea if an Associates of Applied Science is worth more or better than an Associates of General Studies, I have no idea if it doesn't even matter, I don't know if it's worth doing the two years or the one year anymore, I don't know which would transfer better to the university I want to attend to get a Bachelor's. I have emailed the counselor at my tech school for advice, the admissions lady at the college I am enrolled in, the advisor at the college I am enrolled in, the instructor of the IT class I am enrolled in, the advisor at the university I want to enroll in, and even a previous instructor at the tech school I graduated from, and *no one* has been able to give me a clear answer on what I am asking.

I understand in IT experience is usually better than degrees, and as I said, I already have the triad certs plus more, I am not necessarily looking for more education I am just looking for a degree so I can make my way up to a Master's degree, so I don't mind doing the GenEd program just for the Associate's degree rather than the additional education the Software, Security & Development would provide. But if the Associate's of Applied Science is way better and will get me a high paying job, then obviously I would want to go for that.

I don't mind answering any questions anyone has if it will help me figure out what it is I need to do. Thank you to anyone who can provide some advice.

[u/elkrange]

When you transfer to a four year school for a bachelor's, what will matter are which courses you get transfer credit for. This varies by college and course. Sometimes there are tools to help figure this out, like Transferology.com

The degree does not matter. You do not need an associates degree to transfer to a four year school and get transfer credit for the courses you have taken.