BA Computer Science TESC

[thepeeps]

Hi,
I am a TESC Alum. I graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor's in Liberal Studies. I was able to test out of my entire degree by using CLEPs and DSSTs. Now my brother wants to follow suit and I am trying to help him, but it looks like things have changed a bit! He wants a BA in Computer Science. Can anyone help me out with these questions?

1. Is it possible to test out of an entire degree anymore? Or do they require that you take courses from TESC now?

2. How can you figure out what CLEPs will meet what class requirements? When I was getting mine, I was able to match it up using this page: Thomas Edison State College: Computer Science
and this page:
CLEP - College-Level Exam Program
But they seem to have removed some of the information that explained what CLEPs would counts as what courses. :/

3. Is the Pay-Per-Credit Plan much more expensive than earning most or all of your credits before enrolling?

Thank you in advance for your help and advice!

[hightecrebel]

1. The only degrees you can test out of now are the BSBA degrees. For the BA in Computer Science, you need to take the capstone, but everything else can be tested out of.

2. Many of us are using this, from Sanantone: Sanantone's TESC General Education Options After July 1, 2015 - Degree Forum Wiki

3. Pay-per-credit is really cheap if you use a bunch of TECEP's to meet the the # requirements, but if he prefers to take classes, the enrolled option will likely be cheaper.

[dfrecore]

1. That degree requires a capstone, although the BSBA in Computer Information Systems does not. That's a full-price course at TESC (approx $1500 for out-of-state tuition now).

2. TESC course equivalencies for
CLEP: CLEP - College-Level Exam Program,
DSST: DANTES
SL: Thomas Edison State College Course Equivalency Guide | StraighterLine
GenEd requirements: Thomas Edison State College | General Education - 2016 or After

There are additional FREE courses you can take, including TEEX, NFA, Kaplan, CPCU Ethics, DreamDegree
Inexpensive courses from Saylor, ALEKS
Exams from UExcel (formerly Excelsior)
Other courses as well, from Straighterline, JumpCourse, Sophia, JavaOnline.org, Propero, TorahCollegeCredits.com, UofArkansas Self-Paced, CSU-Pueblo Independent Study, UofIdaho Independent Study
The course equivalencies are a little harder to find for some courses, but you can search on this forum to see if anyone has taken them and has them transcribed.

3. The Per-Credit option requires a residency of 24 units at TESC, TECEP exams count ($111 each), so he could take 7 TECEP's and the capstone to fulfill his residency. But that has nothing to do with when you enroll (either before or after earning credits elsewhere). After applying and getting accepted, you can enroll in the per-credit plan by registering for a TECEP. As long as you continue to take a TECEP once every 6 months, your enrollment continues to be active and you stay in the same plan (although not sure if that's in perpetuity or if there's a cutoff). You can continue to take online courses, CLEP/DSST exams, etc. while enrolled.

I would recommend enrolling before July 1 of any year, if only to make sure that he stays in that current catalog and rules/requirements aren't changed when he's in the middle of a degree program. For instance they could change the requirements to take TECEP's out of residency, remove the per-credit plan, or change GenEd requirements (which they did this year). So if you start on a path and like it, I would try to get it set in stone as much as possible by applying before July 1.

Tell him to read this forum a little before he gets started! It's a great resource.

[swalke321]

I think the Pay per credit enrollment period is 12 months. If you are enrolled in the pay per credit plan, every time you register for a TECEP the enrollment is extended by 12 months (enrollment period begins 10 days after the semester begins). I wasn't sure how it worked at first but every time I register for a TECEP my enrollment extends another 12 months. After applying (becoming an applicant) you have 6 months to enroll.

It can sometimes be useful to enroll early on. In July TESC made a bunch of changes. When you apply you lock in whatever degree plan is currently in affect. After applying you must enroll within 6 months to remain active. You can remain enrolled by taking 1 TECEP every 12 months. The pay per credit plan is the cheapest if you plan on transferring in almost all requirements and taking TECEPs.

[dfrecore]

Just found this on the website: "A student’s enrollment date is defined as the date the College receives the Annual Enrollment Tuition or Comprehensive Tuition or the 10th day of a term in which the student enrolls under the Per Credit Tuition Plan. This fee or tuition covers a period of one year of service. Students who are enrolled in the Per Credit Tuition Plan must earn at least three Thomas Edison State College credits in each continuous 12 month period to maintain activity."

How I've never seen that in all the time I've been on their website I'll never know!

[sanantone]

You can transfer in everything for the BA in CS except for the capstone, but I wouldn't call it a test-friendly program because there are so many requirements that do not have an equivalent test. There are a few CSU Global CBEs that will make the process a little easier and cheaper.