2 portfolio questions: PLA TESU and extra credits

[Joeman200]

I'm most likely going to attempt a PLA later this year to take care of a single course and I have two questions pertaining to PLAs.

1)   In a scenario lets say I use learning counts to assess my portfolio and lets say they don't approve it, can I then try directly at TESU's PLA?   Do they use turn-it-in?  Would TESU care even if they do?       ...I guess what I'm trying to ask is would I have a second chance?

2)  I have additional life experience I can get credit for, however, it looks like I don't need any more electives.   Do extra credits go onto a transcript?  Would it be a good idea to rack up as much credits as possible? Or, do they limit it to 120?

[Ideas]

What would be the reason(s) for not using TESU directly to start with? TESU is affordable especially if you're going for more than 3 credits at once.

The reason to not go for more PLA credits is the cost and time. For each PLA course, you typically have to write many pages.

You can get more than 120 credits on a transcript. Some people have reasons for it, but most people would just be wasting time and money.

[swalke321]

Before doing PLA it might be a good idea to decide what school you want to attend as each school does PLA differently. TESU has their own portfolio process and might not accept portfolio credits from another school. Another school might award credit through Learning Counts portfolio process that TESU might not accept.  TESU allows you to transfer in as many credits as you want but not all will be applied to the degree program but will show on your transcript.  I requested a transcript a couple years ago and it showed all courses that I had transferred in.  Transferring in extra credits might be useful if it is work related or the credits were previously earned.  Most extra credits come from military training, working training, previous college, AP, or other tests for credit that do not specifically apply to a degree.

[Joeman200]

What would be the reason(s) for not using TESU directly to start with? TESU is affordable especially if you're going for more than 3 credits at once.

Redundancy.

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@swalke321
I'm going to TESU and am going to attempt a PLA for a course that I can't test out of.

[dfrecore]

What would be the reason(s) for not using TESU directly to start with? TESU is affordable especially if you're going for more than 3 credits at once.

Redundancy.

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@swalke321
I'm going to TESU and am going to attempt a PLA for a course that I can't test out of.

We understand WHY you want to do a PLA.  But why would you not just go straight through TESU?  Why involve Learning Counts in the first place?

Also, FYI, it is much cheaper/easier to just find other courses to test out of if you're only talking about a single course.  Most people take advantage of the inexpensive costs for this at TESU to get credit for multiple courses.

[swalke321]

You would want to check with TESU first to see if they would accept a learning counts portfolio.  Learning Counts lists TESU as a partner school but I think someone mentioned that it is inaccurate.  It is my understanding that for Learning Counts portfolio that if TESU is not a partner school than you would have to find a partner school.  I think Excelsior might be a partner school with Learning Counts.  I'm not sure what fees would be involved with Learning Counts portfolio, if it is set by Learning Counts or the partner school.  TESU charges one fee for up to 12 credits I think.  What class are you looking to get credit for? I think someone may have done the portfolio process with Excelsior but I think that was an Excelsior student so it might be different for a TESU student doing the portfolio process with Excelsior. As far as not getting credit the first time, if you use Learning Counts than Learning Counts may allow the portfolio to be submitted but not sure. TESU has their own process and would require that you follow a specific format so it would be slightly different than Learning Counts but not sure if TESU would allow a portfolio to be submitted to TESU after being submitted to Learning Counts. For the Learning Counts portfolio process you use a partner school but the portfolio is submitted to Learning Counts.

[Life Long Learning]

Do any of the CC's in your State do PLA?

[Joeman200]

We understand WHY you want to do a PLA.  But why would you not just go straight through TESU?  Why involve Learning Counts in the first place?

Also, FYI, it is much cheaper/easier to just find other courses to test out of if you're only talking about a single course.  Most people take advantage of the inexpensive costs for this at TESU to get credit for multiple courses.

It's for the Criminal Justice requirement, "G. Public Policy and Criminal Justice".  I think we've discussed the course before in previous threads.  Rather than take the course I thought I would first try with the cheaper option of PLA.     

The reasoning behind not starting with TESU is because of what I've read about their employee trying to force the 100/200 courses.    I would think it easier to submit a PLA with learning counts and have them (aren't they NCCRS?) transfer to TESU then to deal with TESU directly. 

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Do any of the CC's in your State do PLA?

I'd have to look into that as I just recently moved to a new state.

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@swalke321    I would think TESU would accept learningcounts.  This says they "offer" it, but you have to submit info to get the details https://imgur.com/a/bHK2f

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TESU charges one fee for up to 12 credits I think.  What class are you looking to get credit for?

The extra credits I could try to get (if I were going through the PLA process anyway) would be for firefighting, CPR, and music theory.

[bjcheung77]

What course or set of courses are you wanting to do the PLA for? If they are LL I recommend doing the courses at the CC or with the current providers, such as Saylor/Shmoop/Study.com/Straighterline, etc. If they are UL and there are no low-cost providers, then I would suggest doing the PLA directly with TESU instead of LearningCounts. Weigh the benefits of LearningCounts vs TESU, it won't really matter which you use, as long as you get credit.

[davewill]

I earned 6 UL credits by PLA from TESU. See the tips thread in my signature (as soon as I fix it again).