How can I take online courses at TESC without a GED or diploma?

[tjonsch]

The title pretty much says it all. I'm a home-schooled highschool student, just about to turn 16. I will be graduating from high school in about 6 months. I've got 21 credits from CLEP tests. I've been hoping to take some online courses with TESC starting in February, but I discovered I have to have my GED or my high school diploma to register. Any work-arounds? Perhaps a letter to the director might help? I know that can get you around the age-requirement.

[smf6824]

Doubt there is a way. Focus on DSST and straighterline. Call TESC for a better answer or just wait 6 months

[SweetSecret]

TESC makes so many exceptions on the age, that it seems to me this would be possible, especially given the CLEP credits you've racked up. I'd just call them & ask to speak to someone in admissions about waving the requirement. Also, you may want to ask them about taking the TECEP exams, which offer upper level credits not available through CLEP.

[cathgrl]

Welcome to the forum! Way to go, tjonsch! There are a few threads that talk about getting waivers on the under 21 rule when you have a significant number of credits:

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...under.html

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...g-age.html

I'm not sure how many is "enough" credits to feel safe in requesting a waiver.

To be honest, the search on this site is cumbersome. If you would like to search further, it's best to do something like this at your favorite search engine:

tesc waiver under 21 site:degreeforum.net

Good luck!

[cookderosa]

The title pretty much says it all. I'm a home-schooled highschool student, just about to turn 16. I will be graduating from high school in about 6 months. I've got 21 credits from CLEP tests. I've been hoping to take some online courses with TESC starting in February, but I discovered I have to have my GED or my high school diploma to register. Any work-arounds? Perhaps a letter to the director might help? I know that can get you around the age-requirement.

Of course, there are tons of work-arounds. I'm not sure if you're planning on completing a degree with TESC, if so, there are cheaper courses you can take and then transfer them back in. If you're NOT planning on a degree through TESC, then there is no advantage to using their courses, and your community college is the place to go (they offer online classes).

When you call/email you'll want to use the right wording. You said you are "without a GED or diploma" which IMPLIES that you're a drop out (you're not) but that's not the same thing as being a high school senior. What you are is a high school senior looking for dual enrollment classes. Classes that your mom will put on your transcript and a college will put on a transcript- meaning you're going to get credit from both places at the same time.

Do NOT get a GED. Your high school diploma is valid.

EDIT- if you tell me which state you're in, I might have some targeted advice. Good luck!

[rebel100]

I wouldn't even consider courses through TESC (nor COSC/EC) even if looking for a degree there (other than those specific like capstone), simply too expensive in most cases.

You might look at any number of CC's throughout the country that offer "dual enrolled" classes such as NMJC High School Student - New Mexico Junior College They will treat you as a new student and may require accuplacer or other assessment prior to admission.

I had good success with my young daughter taking individual courses through the University of Arkansas Self-Paced Online Courses They didn't care about placement, only wanted basic info and a credit card number.

BYU, LSU, CSU-Pueblo, and the University of Idaho Independent Studies program all offer classes similar to Uof A above, there may be various qualifiers, but I'm sure one of them will let you in....all are considerably cheaper than TESC. These range from $110-175/credit, all RA, all generally transferable.