FREE bachelors from TESC?

[Daithi]

In a different thread Sanantone had mentioned that TESC's new "Per Credit Tuition Plan" now makes them the cheapest of the Big 3 as long you meet their residency requirements by using TECEP exams. It just occurred to me that if these exams qualify for residency then they can probably be used to qualify as a full-time student at TESC with regards to Pell Grants as well.

If you qualify for the maximum of $5,500 (approx.) then it could easily cover the entire cost of a BA in Liberal Studies.
[INDENT]$800 for 8 TECEP Exams
$1,500 for 1 TESC Capstone
$1,800 for 18 CBEs
$40 for 4 ALEKS courses
$0 for 27 free FEMA courses
---------------------------
$4,140 for 120 credits[/INDENT]

Even if you did a BS or BA without any FEMA/ALEKS courses it would look something like this.
[INDENT]$800 for 8 TECEP Exams
$1,500 for 1 TESC Capstone
$3,100 for 31 CBEs
---------------------------
$5,400 for 120 credits[/INDENT]

For the cheapest option, a BSBA in General Management can even be done without a Capstone, but will probably require 3 Penn Foster courses.
[INDENT]$800 for 8 TECEP Exams
$825 for 3 Penn Foster courses
$2,300 for 22 CBEs
$40 for 4 ALEKS courses
$0 for 6 free FEMA courses
---------------------------
$3,965 for 120 credits[/INDENT]

[sanantone]

That's interesting, but I think TESC has to follow federal guidelines, and that's why financial aid can only be used for online and guided study courses. It can't even be used for e-Packs. CLEP and DSST satisfy residency requirements at K-State University, but financial aid won't cover those.

[GoodYellowDogs]

I'd like to think it's free - but it's our tax dollars providing grants - nothing is free from the government

[mrs.b]

That's interesting, but I think TESC has to follow federal guidelines, and that's why financial aid can only be used for online and guided study courses. It can't even be used for e-Packs. CLEP and DSST satisfy residency requirements at K-State University, but financial aid won't cover those.

Sanantone hit the nail on the head. TESC can define whatever they like to satisfy their own residency requirements, but the Feds dictate what can and cannot satisfy their definition of full-time for financial aid.

That said, you could get a free bachelors if your employer does tuition reimbursement, even a modest amount, by spacing the degree timeline out enough so your work pays the full tuition under the Per-Credit plan. That money will go a lot further using TECEPs to fulfill the residency instead of paying an enrollment fee, and be a lot easier to pay the front-end costs (most employers require you to pay up front, then get reimbursed for successful completion) over normal course types.

[Daithi]

Does anyone have a link to the actual regulation that says Pell Grants cannot be used for CLEP and DSST? I've looked and can't find it. I'm sure you're all right, but I like seeing the regs just to make sure.

The only thing I've been able to find, at studentaid.ed.gov, says

"[You must] be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program."

The definition they give for regular student is

"A student who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an institution for the purpose of obtaining a degree, certificate, or other recognized education credential offered by that institution. To be eligible for federal student aid, you must generally be a regular student."

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application has you sign a statement that

"you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes."

[cooperalex2004]

Does anyone have a link to the actual regulation that says Pell Grants cannot be used for CLEP and DSST? I've looked and can't find it. I'm sure you're all right, but I like seeing the regs just to make sure.

The only thing I've been able to find, at studentaid.ed.gov, says The definition they give for regular student is

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application has you sign a statement that

Since the funds are given to the school you enroll at, CLEP/DSST are excluded due to the fact that they require fees to Collegeboard/Prometric. The grant money isn't given to the student directly, rather the school you are at gets paid and any excess money are refunded (noting that the payment of a Pell Grant is based on credits enrolled). Schools usually also list exclusions in their financial aid documents such as TESC which states "Financial aid will not be awarded for
TECEPÂ examinations, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) or e-PackÂ" (See page one of http://www.tesc.edu/documents/Financial_..._13-14.pdf). Essentially as a TESC student you can only get grant money when enrolling in Guided Study or Online Courses. If you were to have any excess funds it isn't going to be more than enough to cover enrollment or books so CLEP/DSST become out of pocket expenses. With or without a regulation, the money simply doesn't stretch that far.

[Daithi]

Thanks, cooperalex2004. Even though they explicitly rule out TECEPs, that's exactly what I was looking for. It's too bad this won't work.