Cost, Financial Aid, Fees...

[Taxandria]

Hi all,

I checked out all the costs for the Big 3 and COSC is the cheapest if I want an AA.

I saw that TESC charges that $3,000 fee for each year -- does financial aid cover that, btw? It seems weird if I possibly get any kind of grant to "waste" so much of it on just a fee when I should be using it for courses and books, no?

If I applied to COSC, is that just good for a semester, a year? I would need to do 3 credits with them and I could probably test out the rest...

which brings me to another question: can I have any of these schools evaluate the credits I already have before I apply/enroll/pay huge fees? I'm wondering how can I really choose the right school if I can't find out what credits they'll accept. All of my credits are from regionally accredited schools, but is that a guarantee they'll accept them?

I'm studying right now for History of the US I for CLEP, as I have no credits in American history yet (just world history).

Thanks again.

T

[dfrecore]

You missed the part where you can enroll in TESC for free ($75 application fee), and then pay $111 out-of-state for 4 TECEP's to make your residency requirement (or 3 TECEP's plus the capstone).

Each school will evaluate your credits when you apply ($75-$100 each), you don't have to enroll at any of them for that. That being said, they will all accept your credits, it's just a matter of where they'll put them. If you post your courses and credits here on this forum, and say which degree you're looking at at each school, people will help you figure out where everything fits.

Or you can look it up for yourself. When you look at the schools' websites, they tell you what the requirements are for the degrees. Then, you fit your courses you've already taken into the different areas. If you're not sure, the schools will tell you what your class is (humanities, social science, natural science, ethics, etc.). Just go to the website and search for General Education requirements.

[Taxandria]

Thank you! KayV also mentioned this to me in a PM, and I hadn't realized that. So much info, hard to digest and make sense of it.

I put my credits earned in my new signature

Ultimately I want a BA. For a major or concentration I am thinking most likely psychology as I have studied that subject independently over the years because of my anxiety disorder and depression. Plus all the therapists I've seen, lol. But I also was thinking about something in Business because Business helps just about anything you want to do. So since I have a strong interest in photography and writing and other arts, Business would be a help in selling myself and my work/services.

Thing is, because of my anxiety/depression flares at times I get a bit derailed so I thought maybe pursuing an AA right now is a more doable goal for me and once that is completed, continue with COSC or TESC etc. to get the BA. Plus it might give me a little more time to nail down how to USE the BA. An AA is within reach but with me working a full time and a part time job, I'm already biting off a bit much (I do this because work helps keep my depression/anxiety in check. I have to work a lot to keep my mind busy and focused.)

[Westerner]

You actually need 8 TECEPs for the residency requirement

[sanantone]

You actually need 8 TECEPs for the residency requirement

I think Dfrecore was referring to the associate's.

[Westerner]

I think Dfrecore was referring to the associate's.

Oh, ok. Only 4 for the AA, huh? Learned something new today.

[Taxandria]

How about AA vs. AAS in Business?

I think as Kay mentioned to me, the latter is more practical but I just want to make sure that it's a good choice. And can I move on from AAS to a BA? *scratching head*

[sanantone]

How about AA vs. AAS in Business?

I think as Kay mentioned to me, the latter is more practical but I just want to make sure that it's a good choice. And can I move on from AAS to a BA? *scratching head*

COSC only offers an AS and AA in General Studies. TESC doesn't offer different degrees for the same subject. For example, they only offer an AS and BS in Business Administration. They don't offer an AAS or AA in this subject.

[Taxandria]

I looked at the TESC pay per credit plan and it says:

NOTE: Students who select the Per Credit Tuition Plan with the intention of graduating from Thomas Edison State College have academic residency requirements of 12 credits for an associate degree and 24 credits for a bachelor’s degree. Residency requirements are met by earning credits via Thomas Edison State College Online (OL), Guided Study (GS) or e-Pack (EP) courses, TECEP exams (TE) or Portfolio Assessment (PA).

I'd have to take 12 credits of courses from TESC directly (online) to finish everything? (And 24 for the BA or BS.) Hmm. That's doable but you can't test out those, right? Those have to be actual courses you take that they offer? Just thinking about time involved and money of course though I think financial aid would cover them. So if I did say a BA with TESC, I'd be able to transfer in my already earned credits and then test out some and the remainder would be the 24 I'd have to take through their online service? (I know ePack and Guided study aren't paid for by Financial Aid so that's what I'm trying to put together, an actual out of pocket cost.

[Taxandria]

I think what I want in the end is a BA probably in Psychology. Either that or Business or possibly Sociology, but Psych is the one that seems logical for me.

So I could technically just go for that, or I can go for an AA and then when ready use that to get a BA, right?

Thomas Edison State College: Associate in Arts

So is this an AA I could go for?

I was wondering, what is the difference between an Associate OF Arts and Associate IN Arts?

So the BA ultimately would be maybe this:

http://www.excelsior.edu/programs/libera...lor-degree

or this:

http://www.tesc.edu/heavin/ba/Psychology.cfm

or possibly this:

http://www.tesc.edu/heavin/ba/Sociology.cfm

or this?

http://www.charteroak.edu/catalog/curren...hology.cfm

That's a Bachelor's with concentration in Psychology. Is that a BA or BS?