Is this true about portfolio assessments under the Per Credit Tuition Plan?

[sanantone]

I figured maybe someone who is currently enrolled under the Per Credit Tuition Plan would have the answer. I'm waiting on a response to my email, which will probably come next Monday or Tuesday. I tried calling admissions on the phone in an attempt to receive a quick answer. I wanted to know if I could add an undergraduate certificate to my evaluation and apply for graduation while completing an associates and/or bachelors under the Per Credit Tuition Plan. I already know that one cannot complete an undergraduate certificate, alone, under the Per Credit Tuition Plan. So anyway, the representative said he doesn't see why that would be a problem since they would be making more money off of me under the Per Credit Tuition Plan. I told him that I plan to take TECEPs and complete portfolios, so I wouldn't be paying $476 per credit hour. He said that was true for the TECEPs, but that the portfolio assessments are only charged at the flat rate under the Enrolled Options Plan. In other words, I'd have to pay $476 for every credit I have evaluated from a portfolio. I did verify that he was not talking about the PLA courses.

[cathgrl]

If you ever hear back from TESC about this, I would like to know the answer.

[sanantone]

I'm still waiting on an email response. Maybe I should check my spam folder.

[sanantone]

My questions were so complicated, TESC took 4 business days to answer them. They usually take 2. hilarious They even had a senior academic advisor respond to me, but I'm still confused.

I was told that undergraduate certificates can be completed under the Per Credit Tuition Plan as long as 24 credits are taken in residence. This is kind of odd since associates programs are longer and only require 12 credits in residence. The second part of the answer concerned the portfolio assessments. The advisor told me that, if I want to submit portfolios, I have to choose the Enrolled Options or Comprehensive Tuition Plan. I am definitely asking for clarification on this. All over the website, it says that portfolio assessments can be used to meet the residency requirements under the Per Credit Tuition Plan.

[jawbreakingrr]

How many courses have you taken with TESC? Were they all tecep's?

[sanantone]

I haven't taken any courses with TESC. When I completed my BA, the capstone wasn't required. I was planning on using TECEPs to finish a BSBA, but then I started looking at portfolio assessments.

[SweetSecret]

The advisor told me that, if I want to submit portfolios, I have to choose the Enrolled Options or Comprehensive Tuition Plan. I am definitely asking for clarification on this. All over the website, it says that portfolio assessments can be used to meet the residency requirements under the Per Credit Tuition Plan.

They need to spell this out if the credits have to be paid for on top of the assessment fee. I can't imagine that this would possibly be the case though. When you take a course you pay a fee for the credits so the instructor can spend time teaching you & grading work. Exams are cheap because their is no teaching involved, but they obviously have to cover their fee to evaluate/grade the level of comprehension. PLAs are still comprehension based, so it would only make sense to be paying for the evaluation versus teaching that isn't occuring. If they answer you insisting that the individual credits must be paid for, I would say this is very deceptive advertising.

I almost wonder if the person is confused by your question. S/he may be saying that you have to pay the $350 assessment fee plus the course registration fee for
both PLA-100 & PLA-200, which would make sense. However, if you take the Saylor or Kaplan PLA course then you should only have to pay the $350 assessment fee... which TESC says directly on their website:

"The fee is $350 for the first 12 credits reviewed (it is not a per-credit fee—it covers up to 12 credits), and then $200 for each additional 6 credits reviewed."

Source: PLA and Portfolio Help

[sanantone]

I'm going to copy and paste the whole response.

We appreciate your patience and thank you for contacting Thomas Edison State College. I apologize in advance for any confusion regarding the different tuition plans during previous communication. The bachelors degree and or undergraduate certificates can be completed under the Per Credit Tuition Plan as long as you take 24 credits at Thomas Edison State College.
In regards to the Comprehensive Portfolio Process you would need to select a tuition plan other than the Per Credit Tuition Plan. PLA-100 (1 credit) and PLA-200 (2 credits) are online courses, and the per-credit tuition for those is the same as for other online courses. Once you successfully complete the PLA-100 and PLA-200 courses and have learned how to write and assemble your portfolio work, there is a Portfolio Assessment fee for the review of your material. Under the 2013-2014 academic year the fee is $350 for the first 12 credits reviewed (it is not a per-credit fee—it covers up to 12 credits), and then $200 for each additional 6 credits reviewed. If you select the Comprehensive Tuition Plan, your PLA-100 and PLA-200 credits are included, but the Portfolio Assessment fees are not covered. If your enrollment plan is the Enrolled Options Plan, you pay for PLA-100 and PLA-200 per credit when you register for the courses, then you pay the Portfolio Assessment fees when you determine which courses you will challenge through your portfolio.
Please let me know if this was helpful and feel free to call or email directly with additional questions.

Best regards,

I clearly said in my original question that I know that the PLA courses have to be paid for by credit. Under the Per Credit Tuition Plan, that cost is $476 per credit hour. I asked if I would be able to pay the flat fee for the portfolio assessments because the admissions counselor on the phone said that I would be charged by credit under this tuition plan. There is nothing on the website that says that portfolio assessments will be charged at a per credit rate in any situation. The website also states multiple times that credits earned from portfolio assessments can be used to meet the residency requirement. I think TESC is freaking out at the idea that someone could meet the residency requirement by only spending $750 for 24 credits worth of portfolio assessments.

[SweetSecret]

How soon are you planning to apply for PLA? I plan to do mine this fall under the per credit tuition plan. If you will be doing yours later I can report back to you any problems I experience regarding this. Or as soon as I sign up for the Abnormal Psych exam & become enrolled, I can try sending a question for further clarification. I agree though, they may be freaking out about this & trying to figure out how to cover themselves.

[sanantone]

How soon are you planning to apply for PLA? I plan to do mine this fall under the per credit tuition plan. If you will be doing yours later I can report back to you any problems I experience regarding this. Or as soon as I sign up for the Abnormal Psych exam & become enrolled, I can try sending a question for further clarification. I agree though, they may be freaking out about this & trying to figure out how to cover themselves.

I'm not planning on submitting until the end of fall. If you find anything out before then, I would appreciate it. I sent another email directly to the senior admissions counselor. As you can see in the message, she said I can call or email her directly. Someone has to figure this out. Maybe the bursar knows more. Their 2014-2015 catalog and tuition and fees are already set in stone. Honestly, completing the residency requirements through portfolio assessment is not that much cheaper than TECEPs. They just raise the price on them anyway. I guess they never thought that people would try to meet the residency requirements only through TECEPs and portfolio assessments. It's their fault that they gave students a workaround for the PLA courses.