Looking for some advice before applying to TESC/TESU

[Archer]

Accepted despite high school degree issues, they didn't even have my community college transcript yet! Awaiting financial aid approval from the school themselves, already have an approved FAFSA. I'll start taking courses in October (had to put off start date due to their financial aid process). In the mean time I think I'll study for and try to pass a course by exam or try and pass a few courses on Straighterline.

Though given I'm not completely set on BSBA in CIS vs. BA in CS at this point I'm uncertain which classes/exams to take. I know I need to take a speech course for the new requirements so I guess I'll look around for that. Is BA in CS particularly hard to test out of under the new requirements? Is anybody aware?

[cptdilbert]

The prestige of the school matters less when you have experience. Plus, once you're done at TESC, you can get your grad degree at Oregon Tech or another great institution

I'd add that after your first job or so post-degree in your field the prestige almost never matters. The exceptions are on the extreme ends of the spectrum. An Ivy League education or well known top 10 program will always have weight. On the other end of the spectrum are the for-profit degree programs, especially if they only hold national accreditation. Even though their reputation is better and they hold regional accreditation now, there will always be people who look down on University of Phoenix, even if your degree is ten years old.

If you have the option, I'd always avoid a for-profit school. Your degree sticks with you forever, and an anonymous state college is much less likely to end up with any widely accepted change in reputation.

The anonymous factor is actually one of the reasons I went with Charter Oak State College over Thomas Edison and Excelsior. Even talking to co-workers, there were no opinions on Charter Oak, but there were opinions on Thomas Edison and Excelsior. One person went to Thomas Edison during their military service and had a positive view. The other finished her degree through Excelsior (when it was Regents College) and thought of it as "the place she finished her degree when she dropped out of UCLA". While unintentional, she will always have a bias linking Excelsior to her failure at UCLA.

[Archer]

I'd add that after your first job or so post-degree in your field the prestige almost never matters. The exceptions are on the extreme ends of the spectrum. An Ivy League education or well known top 10 program will always have weight. On the other end of the spectrum are the for-profit degree programs, especially if they only hold national accreditation. Even though their reputation is better and they hold regional accreditation now, there will always be people who look down on University of Phoenix, even if your degree is ten years old.

If you have the option, I'd always avoid a for-profit school. Your degree sticks with you forever, and an anonymous state college is much less likely to end up with any widely accepted change in reputation.

The anonymous factor is actually one of the reasons I went with Charter Oak State College over Thomas Edison and Excelsior. Even talking to co-workers, there were no opinions on Charter Oak, but there were opinions on Thomas Edison and Excelsior. One person went to Thomas Edison during their military service and had a positive view. The other finished her degree through Excelsior (when it was Regents College) and thought of it as "the place she finished her degree when she dropped out of UCLA". While unintentional, she will always have a bias linking Excelsior to her failure at UCLA.

I agree and given I'm out here in Oregon, nobody around here has even really heard of these east coast schools. Interesting about the "failure" at UCLA, not much reason for her to consider it a failure. I think most folks are switching to these for the flexibility, not the ease.

I cannot imagine calculus courses without professor office hours. I needed those.

[cptdilbert]

I agree and given I'm out here in Oregon, nobody around here has even really heard of these east coast schools.

Interestingly enough I am also in Oregon and was surprised to find any name recognition with Excelsior or Thomas Edison State College.

[Archer]

I cannot find whether this is the case on the website or not (as it seems to not mention it anywhere, usually the search function on TESC brings up something) but is it possible to reuse the same credits for multiple Associate degrees? I was hoping to use credits towards an Associate of Arts and then hit an ASNSM in Computer Science whilst I chewed on a BS in BA - CIS or BA in CS.

[sanantone]

I cannot find whether this is the case on the website or not (as it seems to not mention it anywhere, usually the search function on TESC brings up something) but is it possible to reuse the same credits for multiple Associate degrees? I was hoping to use credits towards an Associate of Arts and then hit an ASNSM in Computer Science whilst I chewed on a BS in BA - CIS or BA in CS.

You only need 12 new credits in the area of study. They call it the "option," but people generally refer to it as the area of study or major.
Award of Degrees

[Archer]

Received my transfer evaluation, does anybody know how willing the school is to forgive .33 credit discrepancies? Sanantone, you said they waived some credits for you correct?

ENC 101, 102 and Information Literacy are all .33 credits short. I think I'd need to speak to an advisor to see if they'd let them slide for sure but I need to enroll before I can speak to them. Worst case, if I do need to find sources of credit for those .33 gaps, I guess I'll look at Straighterline.

Thanks everyone.

[Life Long Learning]

I worked with a USCG Veteran a few months ago and he had three 0.5 credit issues and he was unhappy at how INFLEXIBLE TESC was with him. It was the last of his degree.

Received my transfer evaluation, does anybody know how willing the school is to forgive .33 credit discrepancies? Sanantone, you said they waived some credits for you correct?

ENC 101, 102 and Information Literacy are all .33 credits short. I think I'd need to speak to an advisor to see if they'd let them slide for sure but I need to enroll before I can speak to them. Worst case, if I do need to find sources of credit for those .33 gaps, I guess I'll look at Straighterline.

Thanks everyone.

[Archer]

I worked with a USCG Veteran a few months ago and he had three 0.5 credit issues and he was unhappy at how INFLEXIBLE TESC was with him. It was the last of his degree.

Not comforting but I was prepared for that.

[cookderosa]

I'd like more information about your high school diploma. You said you don't have one "because" you were homeschooled, can you elaborate for me? I might be able to help you with that.