I'm new here and here's my situation!

[publius2k4]

publius2k4 - Thank you for the list. If I went this route, who would you then transfer the credits to? I've been researching, but given the massive amount of info I've been consuming about this today I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. TESC or charter oak? I sent an email to Excelsior explaining basically where I'm at and trying to go to get their guidance as well.

I appreciate everyone's responses!

You would transfer it to whichever school you are banking your credits with. For example, if you were banking with Charter Oak, you would specify that you want your scores sent to COSC during the registration process. Just pay for your credit bank ahead of time.

I'd like to point out the cost factor: At COSC, the Credit Registry for a Non-Resident of Connecticut is $433. The cost to apply and become a degree seeking student is $75 for the application, and a $240 enrollment fee. This would give you the ability to both Bank your Exam credits, and pursue the degree you wish to eventually obtain. Once you have all your exams taken, you can still order transcripts even though you're still actively taking courses.

[quickdegree]

If I were in your situation, I would plan an associates with the intent of continuing to a Bachelor's degree in business administration. If you look at my signature, there is a BSBA General spreadsheet listed. This will give you a template for Thomas Edison State College to start plugging in the various Aleks, CLEP, DSST, college courses. You should be able to finish the requirements for an Associates in a year.

Is there a reason you recommended the BSBA specifically? Looks like the core classes would match my 21 hour requirements so I could take the CLEP or DSST tests for those equivilents first to get the min requirement to upgrade my license first and request transcripts then continue on with an associates and continue to a bachelor's.

You would transfer it to whichever school you are banking your credits with. For example, if you were banking with Charter Oak, you would specify that you want your scores sent to COSC during the registration process. Just pay for your credit bank ahead of time.

I'd like to point out the cost factor: At COSC, the Credit Registry for a Non-Resident of Connecticut is $433. The cost to apply and become a degree seeking student is $75 for the application, and a $240 enrollment fee. This would give you the ability to both Bank your Exam credits, and pursue the degree you wish to eventually obtain. Once you have all your exams taken, you can still order transcripts even though you're still actively taking courses.

Ok I think I understand what you are saying. Let me break it down into some basic steps and see if I'm on the right page.

1. Pick a Degree & College
   
2. Study for CLEP/DSST tests
   
3. Take+Pass CLEP/DSST tests that meet the 21 hours required for upgraded license
   
4. Enroll in Charter Oak or alternative
   
5. Request credit bank (also called oneTranscript?) for tests completed
   
6. Request transcript from college after tests convert to credit
   
7. update license after meeting min 21 credit hour core classes
   
8. Continue taking CLEP/DSST tests
   
9. After completing as many as allowed, again request credit bank for tests taken
   
10. Obtain AA or continue on to bachelors.
    

Does this look appropriate? What challenges would I incur? If I take 7 CLEP tests now and then ask they be credit banked and then take more down the road, will I face higher fees? Should I take all tests first? Do you register and enroll at the college first or does that not matter?

You guys are really helping, I appreciate all the feedback and help!

[Gaz]

What the credit bank allows you to do is 'not enroll' but still have a college transcript. Many people here bank credit and plan their degree without being officially enrolled. This is a way of avoiding yearly fees and remain flexible; however, if the requirements for the degree change you will not be locked in and will need to modify your plan.

I signed up for Excelsior's credit bank, what is now called "OneTranscript", in 2004. When I take an exam or course I submit it to Excelsior. Now my many sources of credit are located on one official transcript from a regionally accredited college. This site will help you discover where you can obtain college credit.

I say, obtain AA AND continue on to a bachelors. Once you have an AA (not AS) you essentially lock in the first two years of college for transfer. In many cases you automatically meet the requirements for all general education courses toward a bachelors degree. For example, I graduated with an AA in 2009 from Coastline in California. When I enrolled in nursing school, in Florida, I did not have the exact general education courses that they require. In my degree plan the six courses I did not have say "met with an AA degree or higher." They did require Psychology, Ethics and Statistics as part of the program, so I took a CLEP, DSST and Straighterline Business Ethics. All of which transferred fine.

[quickdegree]

What the credit bank allows you to do is 'not enroll' but still have a college transcript. Many people here bank credit and plan their degree without being officially enrolled. This is a way of avoiding yearly fees and remain flexible; however, if the requirements for the degree change you will not be locked in and will need to modify your plan.

I signed up for Excelsior's credit bank, what is now called "OneTranscript", in 2004. When I take an exam or course I submit it to Excelsior. Now my many sources of credit are located on one official transcript from a regionally accredited college. This site will help you discover where you can obtain college credit.

I say, obtain AA AND continue on to a bachelors. Once you have an AA (not AS) you essentially lock in the first two years of college for transfer. In many cases you automatically meet the requirements for all general education courses toward a bachelors degree. For example, I graduated with an AA in 2009 from Coastline in California. When I enrolled in nursing school, in Florida, I did not have the exact general education courses that they require. In my degree plan the six courses I did not have say "met with an AA degree or higher." They did require Psychology, Ethics and Statistics as part of the program, so I took a CLEP, DSST and Straighterline Business Ethics. All of which transferred fine.

Thank you for clarifying that up. I get it now and that makes a lot of sense to do while taking CLEP/DSST tests.

So based on this info, I could register with Excelsior's onetranscript program and submit my tests after taking them, then once they are transfered to credits request my transcript. From there go on to an AA and bachelors. The more I read about the the more I realize there is really no reason to not for the bachelors.

[publius2k4]

Is there a reason you recommended the BSBA specifically? Looks like the core classes would match my 21 hour requirements so I could take the CLEP or DSST tests for those equivilents first to get the min requirement to upgrade my license first and request transcripts then continue on with an associates and continue to a bachelor's.



Ok I think I understand what you are saying. Let me break it down into some basic steps and see if I'm on the right page.

1. Pick a Degree & College
   
2. Study for CLEP/DSST tests
   
3. Take+Pass CLEP/DSST tests that meet the 21 hours required for upgraded license
   
4. Enroll in Charter Oak or alternative
   
5. Request credit bank (also called oneTranscript?) for tests completed
   
6. Request transcript from college after tests convert to credit
   
7. update license after meeting min 21 credit hour core classes
   
8. Continue taking CLEP/DSST tests
   
9. After completing as many as allowed, again request credit bank for tests taken
   
10. Obtain AA or continue on to bachelors.
    

Does this look appropriate? What challenges would I incur? If I take 7 CLEP tests now and then ask they be credit banked and then take more down the road, will I face higher fees? Should I take all tests first? Do you register and enroll at the college first or does that not matter?

You guys are really helping, I appreciate all the feedback and help!

This is close.....You do not have to complete both steps 4 and 5....you only have to complete one of them. It doesn't matter if you choose to enroll or choose to simply use a credit bank; Either way, your credits will be on your transcript.

Honestly, though....with just those few tests, you could have your upgraded license before summer.

[quickdegree]

This is close.....You do not have to complete both steps 4 and 5....you only have to complete one of them. It doesn't matter if you choose to enroll or choose to simply use a credit bank; Either way, your credits will be on your transcript.

Honestly, though....with just those few tests, you could have your upgraded license before summer.

Thanks, in addition to this I have to fulfill 200 qualifying hours of classroom time for trade specific classes. Both appear doable before end of year though.

I'll spend some more time digging though these forums before I ask more questions that may have been answered already. I'm pretty set now on going for the bachelors degree. I need to spend more time researching the school choices to transfer and which programs would suit me best. Business and computers/eCommerce both hold strong interest to me.

[72Nova]

If I were in your situation, I would plan an associates with the intent of continuing to a Bachelor's degree in business administration. If you look at my signature, there is a BSBA General spreadsheet listed. This will give you a template for Thomas Edison State College to start plugging in the various Aleks, CLEP, DSST, college courses. You should be able to finish the requirements for an Associates in a year.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but if I receive an associates in Business administration, I can still use those credits towards a bachelor's degree given that I go back and receive the credit needed for the bachelor's degree?

[clep3705]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but if I receive an associates in Business administration, I can still use those credits towards a bachelor's degree given that I go back and receive the credit needed for the bachelor's degree?

Yes. When you think about it, a bachelor's degree is sort of like having an associate's degree and taking another 60 hours.

Properly planned, everything you take in an associate's degree program should count toward the bachelor's degree. But if you start off in art in the associate's degree and decide to switch to engineering for the bachelor's degree, not much in the art degree will count toward the engineering degree.

[quickdegree]

TESC will be the quickest for an associates degree; COSC is probably the cheapest.

I have heard that a couple times now, could you elaborate why TESC is probably the fastest? My work (i hope) will cover reimbursement for college, so the cost is not a big deal to me.

[sanantone]

I have heard that a couple times now, could you elaborate why TESC is probably the fastest? My work (i hope) will cover reimbursement for college, so the cost is not a big deal to me.

TESC still has some associates degrees that don't require a capstone like the AA in General Studies or whatever they call it. COSC requires a cornerstone course. I think all of Excelsior's associates programs require a capstone.