ASBA TESC/Saylor -- my tentative degree plan

[CariBerry]

So I looked on both websites- Open Course Option for ASBA « Saylor Academy and Open Course Option for ASBA - and came up with the following "degree plan". I'm thinking about enrolling in TESC just so I can say I am a college student, and then I think I have 6 months to register for my first TECEP exam?

For all these courses, I have it figured that I will use Saylor's courses for all of them (except the PLA 100/200 since that's free through TESC)

General Education Requirements
English Composition 1 – TECEP
English Composition 2 – TECEP (total for both English exams - $216)
College Algebra – NCCRS test $25
Statistics - TECEP $108
Microeconomics – Portfolio
Macroeconomics – Portfolio
Ethics – Portfolio
International Economics – Portfolio
World History – TECEP $108
PLA 100/200 – free
3 credits not sure what yet to replace PLA 100/200

Total for General Education:
$457 in TECEP exams
$25 NCCRS
4 Portfolios
3 more credits, hopefully NCCRS since that's so cheap through ProctorU


Management Core
Financial Accounting – TECEP or Portfolio
Managerial Accounting – TECEP or Portfolio
Business Law – NCCRS test $25
Principles of Management – NCCRS test $25
Principles of Marketing – NCCRS test $25
Intro to Computer Science – NCCRS test $25

Total for Managment Core:
$100 NCCRS testing
2 TECEPs or Portfolios

Business Electives
Business Statistics – NCCRS test $25
Small Business Management – Portfolio

Total for Business Electives:
$25 NCCRS
1 Portfolio

Free Electives
Network Technology – TECEP $108
Political Science – Portfolio or TECEP

Total for Free Electives:
TECEP $108
1 Portfolio

$75 application fee

So far I have my total cost figured as:
$715 for all the TECEPs and NCCRSs + 8 Portfolios (or 6 Portfolios, 2 TECPs) + 3 more credits (let's say $100 for sake of estimating) + $75 application fee + $290 graduating fee

= $715 + $550 (if I do 6 Portfolios) + $216 (2 TECEPs) + $100 + $75 + $290

= $1946

(Or 715 + 750 + 100 + 75 + 290 = 1930 if I do 8 3-credit-Portfolios)

This is assuming I don't have to pay the $233 enrollment extension fee if it takes longer than a year to complete everything (which I wouldn't be surprised, but still, $233 isn't bad to add to that total considering how cheap it is).

Does this look good? Has anyone done any of these courses/exams before and which would be better, going with more TECEPs or more Portfolios? I've never done either.

Thanks,
Cari

[sanantone]

You would have to check on this, but I once read that each portfolio can only cover one subject area. You can group all economics courses into one portfolio, for example. Remember that the first 12 credits are $350 and can include multiple courses within the same subject area. Every subsequent portfolio can be up to 6 credits for a minimum of $200 each. You will not receive college credits for the free versions of the PLA courses. If you decide to take Kaplan's free PLA course, you can earn ACE credits.

Edit: Never mind. I see that you've already planned to replace the PLA courses.

[KayV]

Two things that immediately come to mind:

1. You could take ALEKS Intermediate Algebra, College Algebra, PreCal or Trig, and Statistics, all for ~$20 if you could finish them in one month (costs ~$20/ month). The Intermediate Algebra and Trig could then serve as your free electives.

2. You could complete the TESC PLA open courseware, then also do the Kaplan PLA course to get the 3 credit hours by putting it on your ACE transcripts.

[cathgrl]

You would have to check on this, but I once read that each portfolio can only cover one subject area.

I'm not sure that's the case now:

Upon successful completion of those exams, you should select four other Saylor courses to take. These courses should be courses that you plan to have evaluated through a portfolio assessment, rather than an exam. This will allow you to take advantage of the grouping discount. (For example, enroll in PHIL103 Moral and Political Philosophy, ECON307 International Economics, BUS103 Introduction to Financial Accounting, and BUS105 Managerial Accounting, for which creating a Portfolio is the best/only assessment option.);

You'll find that if you scroll below the graphic.

[sanantone]

I'm not sure that's the case now:

Upon successful completion of those exams, you should select four other Saylor courses to take. These courses should be courses that you plan to have evaluated through a portfolio assessment, rather than an exam. This will allow you to take advantage of the grouping discount. (For example, enroll in PHIL103 Moral and Political Philosophy, ECON307 International Economics, BUS103 Introduction to Financial Accounting, and BUS105 Managerial Accounting, for which creating a Portfolio is the best/only assessment option.);

You'll find that if you scroll below the graphic.

Cool. Thanks for the info. TESC is always quietly changing stuff.

[freedegreefree]

Can someone explain exactly how this PLA TESC/Kaplan works? If I were to take Saylor courses, must they have a proctored exam or accompany a TECEP to be accepted in the portfolio review? I'm trying to avoid the enrollment fee also, along with proctor, tuition and other fees if possible.

[sanantone]

The Saylor courses that are NCCRS-approved require a proctored exam and are worth credit on their own. The other Saylor courses are not worth credit on their own, but they don't require a proctored exam. That is when you would use them to prepare for a CBE like CLEP or TECEP or to complete a PLA.

[jawbreakingrr]

What I'm not getting is on TESC website it says for 12 credits pay by credit costs $4740 for in state. TESC doesn't let you graduate unless your and active enrolled student. I need more explaining, I'm a bit hard headed.

[jawbreakingrr]

Nevermind I spoke with someone at TESC who gave me the answers I need. Thanks

[CariBerry]

What I'm not getting is on TESC website it says for 12 credits pay by credit costs $4740 for in state. TESC doesn't let you graduate unless your and active enrolled student.

Nevermind I spoke with someone at TESC who gave me the answers I need. Thanks

What did TESC say? You don't have to do the $4740 for pay by credit do you?