Don't listen to TESC's phone reps. This is how the Per Credit Tuition Plan works.

[sanantone]

As I always say, the phone reps are often wrong. Honestly, students who are new to the Big 3 may not know how to pose their questions and/or fully understand the answers. You do NOT have to pay an enrollment fee in order to graduate under the Per Credit Tuition Plan. This is the email response I received.

Students registered for courses through our Per Credit Tuition Plan are considered enrolled students and may earn their degree while enrolled through this tuition plan.



This plan will require that students complete a minimum of 12 credits through our programs to receive an associates degree through us and a minimum of 24 credits through our programs to receive a bachelor's degree through us.



The first step in getting started with this program will be to complete and submit the application along with the $75 application fee. You must be accepted into a degree program in order to enroll into a degree program.



Once your application has been accepted you may begin to register for courses. You will be considered an enrolled student through this tuition plan once you register for a course. You must register for at least one course each tuition year in order to be considered an active enrolled student. A tuition year will be based on the date you register for your first course once your application has been accepted. If your student record becomes inactive because you are not registered in a course during a tuition year, you will need to update your status by submitting the re-enrollment from inactive status form, another application fee as well as registration in another course. You must be an active student in order to receive your degree through us.

When she says "register for at least one course," that includes TECEPs and the other credit earning options TESC offers.

[SweetSecret]

I just want to add to this & confirm what Sanantone posted.

I sent Thomas Edison State College the following message:

I was considering enrolling under the "Per Credit" tuition option. However, since I may not need many credits at all, and plan to finish mostly via TECEPS/DSST/CLEP exams and PLA credit... I'm wondering - is the "per credit tuition plan" the best option for me? I'm concerned about getting locked into the requirement to complete 24 credits via TESC when I may only need 20 credits. Would I be able to switch to another tuition plan later if my employment situation changes, enabling me to pay more in up-front costs? If I can switch, would the requirement to complete 24 credits via TESC still apply?

Second, I believe I now have an account under "myEdison" that is "student\shannon.good", where I am listed as an applicant. When I make the final decision about which tuition plan to use, how exactly do I designate this via myEdison? I tried logging into the "online student services" and going to "pay my enrollment", but it doesn't give the actual process to enroll under the "per credit tuition" option. I also tried going into the area to sign-up for TECEPS, thinking that maybe this was sort of "pay as you go", but received an error saying "access denied".

This was their reply:

Per Credit Tuition Plan~ You can change your tuition plan at any time during you enrollment. This is the only tuition plan that the College currently has that has a residency requirement. If you were to choose this plan to begin taking courses and later in the year you wanted to change to Enrolled Options you may do so by phone via the Bursar's Office. At that time you will need to pay the out-of-state annual Enroll Options tuition rate and your file would be updated to reflect the change.

Online Student Services~ You are correct, you do have a active Online Student Services account. If you are planning on registering for courses under the Per Credit Tuition option you can just register for courses or tecep exams. Your status will update to reflect your enrollment status ten days into your first term. If you are having trouble registering online please call the Leaner Support Center at 1-888-442-8372 Monday-Friday 8:00am-6:00pm.

Based on this reply, I believe a student could initially enroll in the per credit tuition plan (via registering for a single class or taking a TECEP) within the general time frame of 6 months to lock them in as an enrolled student, thus if they were already told certain credits were accepted at that time, they would be eligible. Case in point, I did all the FEMA courses before actually applying, and even though I was accepted the day they sent out the notice about no longer accepting FEMA courses, if I'd been enrolled via either a single course/TECEP exam prior... that probably wouldn't have been the case.

Second, I believe that even though they did not directly address this in the reply, it looks like a student can start out with the general per credit tuition plan with the 24cr residency requirement, and later switch to another plan in order to no necessarily have to complete the 24 credit residency requirement. Granted, this would probably make it more expensive. However, for people like me who are currently unemployed, this could make a huge difference! At least then you can put on your rÃsumà that you are currently a student at TESC. Another instance where this *might* come in handy is if someone has already completed close to 24 credits through TESC, and has recently become unemployed or experienced other financial hardship, and needs to switch to a less expensive option for tuition.

[dewisant]

One of the keys to life is to see what people or institutions do as opposed to what they say they will do. Action is the key. This is one reason why the Exam Specific Feedback is so important.

[deucess]

Okay, I only have one class to take with TESC - the liberal arts capstone. Do I do then the Enrolled Option or Per Credit Tuition Option? Help!

[bricabrac]

Okay, I only have one class to take with TESC - the liberal arts capstone. Do I do then the Enrolled Option or Per Credit Tuition Option? Help!

Are you in-state? I'm going to use out of state for my example

BA Liberal Arts -

Enrolled Options:
out of state tuition 3062 +1428 capstone +121 technology fee +290 grad fee. Total $4901

Pay Per Credit Plan:
The problem here, you would have to honor the residency requirement of 24 TESC credits to graduate with your bachelors. Which means you would need to take 7 TECEP exams for an additional $756 and loose 21 currently used credits.

An estimated total would be $3295 ($756 teceps +1428 capstone +$121 technology fee +290 grad fee +21cr unused credits, if clep&dsst exams $700). Difference $1600. Plus you would have to wait until you completed all the TECEP exams to graduate. So it's up to you what plan you want to use.


Alternate Pay Per Credit Plan:
if you are interested in a second degree. You could call advising and activate an Associates degree. Then use the (7) tecep exams to fill in that degree plan. Hold off until completion of all your tecep exams then graduate with both degrees on the same conferral date.

WIN-WIN: Estimated cost $2595 ($756 TECEPs +1428 capstone +$121 technology fee +290 grad fee). Two degrees for less than the cost of one.

Plus any other possible CLEP/DSST exams you might possibly need. I think you could find a complementary 2yr plan to meet this scenario without adding additional exams. (ex AA Gen Ed)

TECEP GenEd Options (easier choices):
Hum: COM210, ENG201, JOU110 - SOS: POS101, PSY270, SOC210, HIS126 - NSM: CIS107, MAT105, BIO208

[URL="http://www2.tesc.edu/listalltecep.php"]TECEP Exams
[/URL]
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But just thinking out loud here: You could take a look at the ASBA, it would be an excellent choice with only having to complete a few business CLEP exams and/or SL courses. Of course this scenario depends on what courses you've already taken.

TECEPs for ASBA: ENG201, POS101, CIS107, COM210, MAR321, MAR322, MAR323
3 CLEPS, LAW201, MAN301, MAR301 (+300)

Adjusted Total $2895

* Sorry just noticed you've taken Col Algebra, the Accounting & Economics courses. In my opinion, this is the best case scenario. You've already accumulated quite a few business credits. Why not take advantage?
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Whatever decision you make, good luck on completing your eductional goals!





[URL="http://www.tesc.edu/tuition/Enrolled-Options-Plan.cfm"]Enrolled Options
[/URL][URL="http://www.tesc.edu/tuition/Per-Credit.cfm"]Pay Per Credit Tuition
[/URL][URL="http://www.tesc.edu/tuition/Fees.cfm"]Fees

[/URL]

[deucess]

Thanks Bricabrac,

that does help and give me some new perspective and new headache (lol).

I don't have 5 grand laying around to hand over to TESC. If anything I am trying to come up with $1428 to pay for the capstone for the July term. I have a feeling new curriculum might come out on Friday, for it is the start of registration for July 2014-2015 school year. Right now I am thinking of register for an exam and cancel before June 2nd so I can be enrolled in this current curriculum. I anticipate some funds by then. As long as I am enrolled in this term, I can then register for my capstone in July. I just need to be enrolled in this term, just in case. I am too close to finish, so wish TESC was cheaper.

I looked over at the ASBA, it's doable since I will only need to take Marketing. I am scheduled to take my ENG102 and CLEP PC this Tuesday, I am not sure I will be able to get refund from CLEP. I will have to look into that and maybe take the TECEP instead. I am also going to look at TESC masters program.

[sanantone]

BA Liberal Arts -

Enrolled Options:
out of state tuition 3062 +1428 capstone +121 technology fee +290 grad fee. [B]Total $4901

There is a mistake here. The capstone will only be $687 under this option. That's a total of $4160.

[bricabrac]

There is a mistake here. The capstone will only be $687 under this option. That's a total of $4160.

Oops, you're right; good catch! Sorry about that. (This is why I always provide the source.) Still the alternate plan, adding in a second degree, is the most cost effective and can be completed slowly. Sure wish this option was available a few yrs ago.

I needed the comprehensive tuition for my initial enrollment year. But the PPC plan would have been nice to have for the second year. I thought the in state tuition was a great buy, this would have been even better for my second degrees (BSBA/AAS).