English Comp requirement at TESC

[jimfastiggi]

I'm planning a BA in Art and currently I'm awaiting evaluation from TESC. I have more than 90 credits from my first stab at college 30 years ago at New York University. Since then, I've taken many "noncredit" courses and have had considerable professional training in graphic software and design, plus I've been working as a graphic artist and designer for more than 15 years, so I assume I'll be able to collect the bulk of my Area of Study credits form Prior Learning Assessment.

TESC seems to require English Comp before being allowed to take any PLA courses. When I was in college, I never had to take English Comp or Freshman Comp because NYU let me place out due to high SAT scores. (Yes, they had SATs even back then.) However, I was an English Major for a while and took several English Lit classes as well as advanced writing classes (short story, experimental fiction, playwriting, etc.)

My question: Will TESC accept my English Lit and writing credits as a substitution for the English Composition requirement, or will I need to take the CLEP? Also, I would like to enroll and register in time to start in July, but I'm quite sure my evaluation will take longer than the deadline for registering, which is only eight or nine days away. Can I even register for a PLA class without approval?

Sorry for the overly long expository. I would really appreciate hearing if anyone was able to place out of English Comp with more advanced English courses. I'd also be interested in hearing about anyone's experience pursuing a BA in ART from TESC.

Thanks...

[nick94]

I don't know anything about this but I would contact TESC and ask them directly. If you are already enrolled they would tell you if you could (or couldn't).

[jimfastiggi]

I actually answered my own question with a more careful reading of the PLA guidelines. English Comp is strongly recommended if you are taking PLA courses, but not a prerequisite to register for one. I proved that today by registering for two PLA courses for the July term. The real problem for me was a matter of timing. If English Comp were a prerequisite for PLAs, I would have to wait another four weeks for my evaluation and advisement to see if I was covered with my previous credits, or if I'd have to take the CLEP first. I already had my financial aid approved for July and I wanted to be able to make the registration deadline. Since there are no restrictions on applying for standard PLAs, I was happily able to register today. (Hooray!)

English Composition is still a requirement for the BA degree, but now I can wait for my evaluation to see if my previous credits cover it or if I need to take the CLEP.

I also discovered that questions like this can be answered using TESC's "Advisement Expressline" (1-888-442-8372) or by filling out a help ticket from the student portal. (I had a different question concerning a core elective that I had answered this way). I have to say that, so far, my experience with the TESC office staff for both advisement and financial aid has been very positive. I was prepared for the worst, having gone through the process of advisement and registration in my first college stint back in the late '70s. Back then, registering for classes was a Kafka-esque nightmare of waiting in endless lines, dealing with closed-out classes and financial aid snags, and having to run from one building to another. I assumed TESC would be no different except that I'd be waiting on virtual lines. But as I said, so far I've been pleasantly surprised.