How good are the Study.com TECEP prep courses?

[Merlin]

I'm planning to take a TECEP at some point soon to finalize my enrollment with TESU. Though I may end up taking additional ones later.

Since I'm a BSBA student, I'm looking at starting with COM-210-TC (Public Relations) since it looks fairly straightforward and fits into the marketing area, though I might want to do FIN-331-TC (Financial Institutions & Markets) first since I need 3 UL finance area credits too.

I probably have somewhere in the 20-40% familiarity with these two topics from my own business experience. However, through hands-on experience and not academic so it doesn't always translate well to an exam. So, I'll need to find good study materials whichever way I go.

It looks like Study.com has prep courses for both of these exams, but I'm wondering how good their TECEP prep courses are, and whether one can aim for a passing grade on the TECEP only using those courses as the basis. I'd prefer not to have to purchase textbooks if possible, but I will if needs be. Though I'm terrible about reading textbooks and getting anything useful from them (since they are presented in such a boring way, and usually cover a ton of unnecessary extra material). I don't want to spend two weeks reading a textbook if I can avoid it. Which is why I like online options like Study.com over B&M. I prefer more focused instruction when I can find it.

I'm wondering what other's experience are using the Study.com prep materials for TECEPs, and/or general advice on taking them (or on the two specific courses I mentioned.)

Thanks!

[dfrecore]

I took the Public Relations TECEP, I thought it was hard (and I've taken a bunch of tests and courses). The textbook was very dry and boring, and I kind of gave up reading it through after a while and just decided I could probably pass based on what I'd read and the IC cards. I did pass, my grade wasn't great though.

[Merlin]

I took the Public Relations TECEP, I thought it was hard (and I've taken a bunch of tests and courses).  The textbook was very dry and boring, and I kind of gave up reading it through after a while and just decided I could probably pass based on what I'd read and the IC cards.  I did pass, my grade wasn't great though.

Hmm, I've read that Public Relations was one of the "easier" ones, even for folks without domain knowledge in that area. I don't need the Applied Liberal Arts math course which is suggested as the "easiest" TECEP, so I'm curious what you'd recommend instead of Public Relations?

It looks like many of the exams require essay questions now, which I prefer to avoid in a timed exam setting, so the non-essay based TECEP exams I am considering (at least those relating to my BSBA GM AOS) are:

• ACC-421-TE Federal Income Taxation (UL, GM AOS, accounting area)
  
• BUS-101-TE Intro to Business (LL, free elective? not sure if this will fit in GM AOS)
  
• COM-210-TE Public Relations: Thought & Practice (LL, GM AOS, marketing area)
  
• FIN-321-TE Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (UL, GM AOS, finance area)
  
• FIN-331-TE Financial Institutions and Markets (UL, GM AOS, finance area)
  
• MAR-323-TE Advertising (UL, GM AOS, marketing area)
  

I tend to fall asleep if I try to read stuff that is too try and/or boring to keep my interest. Which is why I'm looking for alternatives to textbooks like Study.com since I seem to do well with their teaching style (96%-98% on all the courses I've taken so far).

But, these are not Study.com exams, so I have no idea how close the material they provide matches against the TECEP exams. Given they're a TESU partner, it would be nice to believe they would have some kind of arrangement to make sure the material matches, but I don't see a confirmation of that on the site.

It would be helpful to find someone who has used the Study.com material to prep for a TECEP to get an idea of how close their prep materials matches against the exams. I have to assume there are at least a few people here who have used Study.com resources for this purpose.

[ajs1976a]

Find the text book that the TECEP was based on which might not be the current version of the textbook. Cross reference the study guide and the textbook. Focus on the items covered in both the outline and the sample practice questions. Also review the chapter summaries at the end of each chapter.

If I take more TECEPs, I may use the study.com videos a supplemental resource. This change is more about taking my time to learn the material and not being pressed for time, then needing it as a primary source.

[npk32]

I’ve taken two Study.com prep courses. One for a UExcel exam and one for a DSST. Both courses have been horribly inadequate in preparing for the exam. They were so awful that I’m not sure how Study.com can even claim that the course and the exam have anything to do with each other whatsoever. I’m not sure if this is the case with their TECEP prep but I wouldn’t take my chances.

[Merlin]

I’ve taken two Study.com prep courses. One for a UExcel exam and one for a DSST. Both courses have been horribly inadequate in preparing for the exam. They were so awful that I’m not sure how Study.com can even claim that the course and the exam have anything to do with each other whatsoever. I’m not sure if this is the case with their TECEP prep but I wouldn’t take my chances.

Yeah, it appears they just reuse the material from their existing courses to cover the content areas listed in the test syllabus. So the material provided by Study.com is not directly related to any of the exams other than being the same subject areas. Given that most exams synthesize the material in the textbook(s) they are based on, there is no guarantee that the material covered by Study.com will be the same. So, yeah I don't plan to put a lot of faith in it.

Not to mention, I have decided to focus on BSBA-CIS before BSBA-GM since I'm closer to a degree on that side, so I may not end up needing any of those TECEPs anyway. So if anything I may end up using the networking TECEP or one of the GenEds (public relations still seems like a good option).

Though I really just need something to allow me to officially enroll, so I'm also considering the Medical Terminology or Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics TECEPs for easy passes. I don't need either for my degree so it's really a toss-up at this point.

[jsh1138]

I’ve taken two Study.com prep courses. One for a UExcel exam and one for a DSST. Both courses have been horribly inadequate in preparing for the exam. They were so awful that I’m not sure how Study.com can even claim that the course and the exam have anything to do with each other whatsoever. I’m not sure if this is the case with their TECEP prep but I wouldn’t take my chances.

I used Study.com to prepare for a Uexcel exam and "horribly inadequate" covers it. However I understand that Study.com has recently updated *some* of their study guides for these tests so your mileage may vary depending on how old the one is for the test you're taking. Iirc, the one for World Conflicts since 1900 is supposed to be pretty up to date, for instance

[dfrecore]

I would choose a TECEP that I knew I could pass (I did this myself, since I'm under the old plan where 5 TECEP's gives me residency). I took Applied Math, Tech Writing, English Comp II, Public Relations, and Computer Concepts. Applied Math and Tech Writing were the easiest by far, and I didn't study for them. I passed English Comp & Computers, and didn't study for those either, but my scores weren't fantastic (I was winging it).

[FMitchell5036]

I can honestly say that the Study.com prep course for for the Advertising Tecep was inadequate if only using that as preparation. I have taken, passed and transferred credits 8 Study.com courses with final course grades from 86-92. I took the Advertising tecep prep and passed every quiz with 80-100%, and passed all chapter tests with 85-92% and passed the practice Final exam with an 86. When I took the TECEP last week, I failed. I scored a 57%. I was only 3 points from passing but Failed nonetheless. I'm a pretty good test taker and I watched every video even though 40% were already tested out of from my principles of marketing course. I watched everything again and took all quizzes and tests and still didn't pass. I would say the Study.com course only covers about 50-60% of what's the TECEP exam.

I have paid to take the ADV. TECEP again in August but have purchased the textbook and have been reviewing the Legacy Saylor course.

I should pass the next time I take it.

I am using Study.com as a supplement for the financial inst. & markets TECEP, I purchased the online PDF version of textbook, as I don't trust just Study.com anymore.

[elenlushk]

Hi! Just wanna check-in and see if you guys have any extra comments and tips for taking TECEP? I'm considering them for the BSBA GM AOS ULs. Not sure where I can find study guides either, I'm not the best at reading text books...