Empire State College-Anyone?

[floppydee]

I know this is not one of the top 3, however they have ALOT of distance learning, and they will accept most, if not all CLEP, DANTES, etc. I really am leaning toward TESC, however I live in NY and I would get a tremendous amount in financial aid. Does anyone on here have experience with this school?? Thanks!!

[Old Rusty Pipe]

I have zero experience with Empire State College.

I don't know if it will have any effect on your decision, but ESC will accept the GRE Subject Exams for college credit.

[ShotoJuku]

.....I live in NY and I would get a tremendous amount in financial aid.......

What about Excelsior College (Albany, NY)?

[floppydee]

Oh awesome, I never realized they were in NY! I have to look into the aid there too. I just wrote them off because their online classes were much more than the other schools! Hmmm something to think about now! Thanks!

[annetravels]

This is my first semester at ESC- March 2008. I am taking three courses, one lower level- Human Biology and two upper level courses- U. S. Multicultural Fiction and Nature in American History- so 12 credits total. Their courses are online through the Angel learning system. The only drawbacks so far that am aware of for ESC is that to earn an associate degree, you must complete 64 credits, with at least 24 earned at Empire State College. A bachelor's degree requires completion of 128 credits- (not 120 like Excelsior etc.), with at least 32 earned at Empire State College. Also you have to complete the the State University of New York General Education Requirement, all of ESC's bachelor's degrees must include at least 30 credits in specified categories. I already had my SUNY Gen ED Requirements because I attended a SUNY community college and completed them there- so no biggie for me. However, it might be a lot more of a pain for someone who didn't and SUNY schools are VERY picky about which courses will qualify. So I am seriously considering Excelsior or one of the other Big 3. If I had know about them before I don't think I would have signed up at ESC. Although the financial aid I get is very nice! If you have any specific questions please let me know and I'll be happy to attempt to answer anything. However, keep in mind that I am still a newbie there.

[floppydee]

Thanks Ann, I too attended a SUNY community college, I have 50 credits and I have been stuck there for a year now! My son got sick and I had alot of stuff going on in life, so I stopped attending some classes, and now I have 2 F's and lost my financial aid. I actually owe my CC like 2K now! OMG! I have been there for like 4 years now, and completely in debt!! Trying to go to classes that you "need" to fulfill the GER's are ridiculous! Especially for a working mother, when the classes you need are during the day!

Anyway I REALLY wish I knew about all this testing and other schools years ago! I am just trying to barely make it through this semester and then I am going to make some serious changes! I am still not sure the "value" of one of these degrees, meaning how they stand up against other schools when sending out resumes and doing job interviews and such.

So good luck to you!!

[annetravels]

I hope everything works out for you too! I totally understand about being a working mother. I also understand about getting caught up in student loan debt- it is so easy and very tempting! This my first and will probably be my final semester with Empire. They are flexible compared to B&M schools. However, when they compare to the Big 3 Empire is not very flexible at all. I would probably spend two more years or more at Empire to complete my B.A. However, at Excelsior, TESC or Chapter Oak I think I could be finished up in about 6 months to a year. I wish I had known about them, and testing out years ago as well.

As far as the "value" of the degrees from the Big 3, I would say it depends on your career field, where you are planning to go, and what you would like to do with your degree.

For me these degrees are a perfect fit.
1) A degree is better than spinning my wheels at a community college for years and trying to fit my class schedule around my chaotic life and never finishing being left with bills and no degree to show for it.

2) Every single graduate school (at least ten schools, some very prestigious) that I contacted in regards to their Education master's programs had no problem whatsoever with accepting a degree from any of the Big 3 (as long as my GPA was high enough).

I was checking before I decided to enroll for my B.A. I have been doing research like crazy! For me, I am planning on teaching at the elementary level. I contacted several elementary schools that I am interested in teaching at in the future. I told them my plans and they were very interested in getting together with me and discussing teaching positions when I completed my B.A. degree. So for me these degrees 'stand up' just as fine as any other degree from a B&M school. Obviously, several other people thought they were just fine as well- at least the ones I spoke to. Also, there are several posts and threads here on this board in regards to how well received degrees from the Big 3 are with potential employers. You could always look them up and see what others have to say about this issue. To each their own. What works for some people isn't practical for others. You are they only one that can answer the question as to if these degrees will work for you. I would also suggest contacting the HR department of the places of employment that you are interested in working at, and seeing what they have to say about it. We are not all 18 years old, with all the time in the world, and no responsibilities anymore. Many of us have rich full lives and vast responsibilities to fill. That would be the best place to get this answer. The rest of the working world seems to be catching on that online and distance education programs are just as good or in some case better than traditional degree programs. It seems like online and distance learning programs are becoming so much more common place, and just as accepted as traditional degrees. Back in February saw a documentary on Austin PBS about 5 women educators that are earning their doctorate degrees at Capella University and Maya Angelou personally congratulated them at a conference. I would imagine that would feel fabulous and spectacularly unreal to have someone as amazing as Maya Angelou to say she was proud of me for attending a distance learning program.

Oh and I am De Anna. Anne just means 'mom' in Turkish

[cookderosa]

Thanks Ann, I too attended a SUNY community college, I have 50 credits and I have been stuck there for a year now! My son got sick and I had alot of stuff going on in life, so I stopped attending some classes, and now I have 2 F's and lost my financial aid. I actually owe my CC like 2K now! OMG! I have been there for like 4 years now, and completely in debt!! Trying to go to classes that you "need" to fulfill the GER's are ridiculous! Especially for a working mother, when the classes you need are during the day!

Anyway I REALLY wish I knew about all this testing and other schools years ago! I am just trying to barely make it through this semester and then I am going to make some serious changes! I am still not sure the "value" of one of these degrees, meaning how they stand up against other schools when sending out resumes and doing job interviews and such.

So good luck to you!!

>>

DeAnna had excellent advice. I wanted to add that all of the big three hold the same regional accreditation as the highest of the highest colleges in the united states. In other words, the big three are real.
Since 54% of those who start college will NEVER FINISH (ever), the question for many "return" students is more about finishing. Is it better to have an unfinished degree from somewhere than earning/completing/finishing a degree from one of the big 3?

The other thing to think about is not necessarily the utility of the degree, but the major, because I think that is HUGE and overlooked. Respectfully, a person with an AA in social sciences isn't gaining an employment edge over anyone really. (not like an associates in business or career/trade occupation- which directly benefits you and plants you firmly into a job) You can see, my BA is in social science, so I am not slamming the field LOL! But, there isn't a "job" that I can walk into because of earning this degree. It isn't specific enough- and it isn't high enough- for real career training. That said, art degrees are great stepping stones, and graduates from the big three have had not trouble using their regionally accredited degrees as stepping stones into graduate programs- and/or PhD programs where you do become an expert in your field.
(she nervously writes while awaiting acceptance from two schools that has not yet come :eek: )

So, in the end, it all boils down to "what do you want to do with your degree?" and only after you have a clear idea of where you want to go, can you really decide on how to get there in the right way. I hope that was helpful and received in the warm manner I intended it.

[floppydee]

Thank you all again!

I REALLY want to work in the Environmental field, whether its on the consulting/business side or conservation/labwork playing with animals sides. I am interested in both. OR I could do ANY administration work which I have done forever and hate it. BUT is I had a degree I would have many more options than I do now. I could do admin work for an environmental company! I guess getting a fast Liberal Arts degree and then then maybe specialize in an environmental degree on the Master level would work.

I am already employed in the place I would like to work for later on, so if I knew about the "Big 3" three years ago I probably would have my dream job by now. We are a non-profit organization in NY building a research tech center on the hudson river and its surrounding estuaries. Now, I just work part time on weekends running the mini gift shop, and talk to visitors regarding our mission and such. When the main research center opens in like 8 years I would have the inside experience to actually work in the "field" and move way up the ladder, but I need that degree and FAST!!

I keep going back and forth between the Big 3, EC seems like they require alot of fees, but I would get the best financial aid from them because I am in NY, so I will most likely go for them. None actually have an environmental degree. Or any science major would do!

OK off to study!

[Babylon13]

Oh awesome, I never realized they were in NY! I have to look into the aid there too. I just wrote them off because their online classes were much more than the other schools! Hmmm something to think about now! Thanks!

I have zero experience with Empire State College.

I don't know if it will have any effect on your decision, but ESC will accept the GRE Subject Exams for college credit.