Help with updated academic eval from TESC...it's now a mess

[billchrz]

So I thought I was 1 DSST away from graduating with a BSBA in CIS from TESC. I just received my recent academic evaluation that had an ACE transcript on it. The transcript included the following classes:
Aleks Beginning Algebra
Penn Foster Princ of Management
Penn Foster Princ of Marketing
Penn Foster Structured Systems Analysis (Ace Recommends 2 credits)
Penn Foster System Design (Ace Recommends 1 credit)
Penn Foster Intro to Business

The new evaluation is simply a disorganized mess right now and I am short quite a few credits. I'm not sure why I only received 2 credits for System Analysis and Design and 0 credits for Aleks Beginning Algebra or where the Microcomputer Software class came from under Business Electives.

Please help!

The evaluation is attached.

Thanks!

[BrandeX]

I'd guess the math set as 0 credits was an error, but in your case MIGHT THAT NOT END UP AS FREE ELECTIVE ANYWay, which you already have filled?

[billchrz]

It's the very last item under "Other classes"

2 DMT-002 Developmental Elem. Algeb 0.00 CR DMT-002 *RI*NE

[BrandeX]

Yea noticed it the second look. You'd probably need to check with TESC directly.

[Lindagerr]

But I can tell you whoever did this eval did not know what they were doing.

First it says you need more free electives but they put some of your FEMA under the extra credits????

Second I was approved (and have the letter to show it) for ALEKS beginning Algebra as MAT-102 it is used for my Mathematics requirement Titled General Math I.

I know nothing about your business or computer courses, but with these other things so wrong I would call Dr. Keel if I was you. The excerpt below is from a recent reply to one of my comments on the TESC forum:

Linda: As Director of Advisement, I am always available to speak with students who feel that the service that they received was anything less than stellar. You and any of your classmates can always reach out to me through my secretary at 609-984-1141 ext. 3310 or 3305... We service over 14,000 students over the course of the year and I can safely say that our error ratio in advising a student is next to nil. Do we make mistakes, yes, do we make mistakes often, not at all. Do we work with a student to correct any problems/issues that are caused by our mistakes, we absolutely do.

Please reach out to me should you have a specific issues with an advisor or the information that you receive. I welcome it. My very best to you. Dr. Keel

Good Luck with this, I have usually found Dr. Keel very responsive.

[skyfall123]

Bill,
First off congrats you are almost there. Great job. I have two sons that are working through similar degrees. The one who just completed his BSBA CIS went smooth as silk, the second has an evaluation that is even more messed up than yours. I'm am not concerned since I've been through this before.

Take a deep breath, realize that those evaluations are initially computer generated and many, many students have to ask to have credits reclassified. My recommendation is to handle all of your concerns at once with a detailed letter to Dr. Keel as Linda suggests. By now you are probably better informed about what courses apply to the BSBA CIS than many of the people over at TESC.

Try to craft a letter that details exactly where everything should go....or better yet create a new transcript (reduced to a page or two) that shows exactly where the courses should go, highlight and attach that to the letter.

This is the TESC process. By the time you complete your program you have a better feel than anyone else. BTW it looks like you have a great transcript and have taken a diverse range of relevant CIS courses. Great job!

[lumpylump]

I am having the same problem with TESC. I just got an email from an advisor and the problem may be solved.

I won't go into all the gory details, but basically I had submitted a couple of natural science DSST exams to finish my Natural Science / Math core. I noticed yesterday that one of the exams finally made it on the evaluation, but in the wrong section. In fact, it was allocated to a section that was already complete. Also, I had applied for September graduation but this problem jeopardized that prospect.

I submitted a help desk ticket last night and I marked it Critical due to the graduation application. I received a reply about an hour ago that someone was looking at it, and then an update a few minutes ago that stated the evaluation was manually edited to fix the problem. I logged on to check and sure enough, I'm showing 117 complete / 3 pending and I'm told that it should reflect 120 complete later this week.

Anyway, the interesting part, and yes there was one, was this excerpt from the last email:

"Our apologies for the software glitch that caused this. It's something in the BA Natural Sciences that continues to pester us. We apologize. We're working on it."

I'm guessing this software glitch goes beyond BA Natural Sciences so contact TESC and get a human involved.

[Jason800]

The school has a tendency to screw up the evaluations all the time. My first one had certain classes in the wrong spots that did not let me maximize the credits I had earned previously. You have to either email or call them in such a situation to discuss how to actually lay out the completed work.

My second issue was after I had everything completed for graduation, but I was continuing to register for classes since I already paid for them. That made the evaluation get all screwy. instead of being complete for graduation it was now reading that I was short of credits because they replaced lower level completed courses with upper level classes I was now taking.

I emailed them and they said that the system automatically updates like that and that they would manually change it so nobody would get confused when evaluating my graduation application. They took care of it and I had no problems after that.

[jackzack87]

I've only had success in working with the TESC dept. when I send them emails that are clear and to the point and when I quote them off of their website. Below is a email that I sent to them, very nicely telling the what to do. I received an updated evaluation and responce within 2 biz. days.

You know more about your degree credits and their arrangement then they likely do...use that knowledge and tell them what's what.

Best of luck.

TESC registrar,


On reviewing my evaluation, I see that you have listed me in need of three credits for my nine required humanities credits. I have Technical Writing in my free electives; please put the technical writing into the humanities and move BI105 and CH300, which are not currently being used as awarded credits in my evaluation. According to your website,
"Any of the following areas are considered humanities and may be used as a subject area in the concentration: art, communications (oral: speech; mass media: film; journalism, radio/television), dance, English/literature (includes advanced writing courses, e.g., Creative Writing, Technical Writing), foreign language, music, philosophy, religion, theater."
(Thomas Edison State College | BA in Humanities Credit Distribution)

And since Technical Writing is in a separate department from the 6 credits I have in the humanities in Literature, there should not be an issue with arranging my credits to fill this gap.

Thank you
Jack

[jackzack87]

I've only had success in working with the TESC dept. when I send them emails that are clear and to the point and when I quote them off of their website. Below is a email that I sent to them, very nicely telling the what to do. I received an updated evaluation and response within 2 biz. days.

You know more about your degree credits and their arrangement then they likely do...use that knowledge and tell them what's what.

Best of luck.

TESC registrar,


On reviewing my evaluation, I see that you have listed me in need of three credits for my nine required humanities credits. I have Technical Writing in my free electives; please put the technical writing into the humanities and move BI105 and CH300, which are not currently being used as awarded credits in my evaluation. According to your website,
"Any of the following areas are considered humanities and may be used as a subject area in the concentration: art, communications (oral: speech; mass media: film; journalism, radio/television), dance, English/literature (includes advanced writing courses, e.g., Creative Writing, Technical Writing), foreign language, music, philosophy, religion, theater."
(Thomas Edison State College | BA in Humanities Credit Distribution)

And since Technical Writing is in a separate department from the 6 credits I have in the humanities in Literature, there should not be an issue with arranging my credits to fill this gap.

Thank you
Jack