New Member that's interested yet confused... Help please :)

[MD_AJIBULU]

I'm a fan of applying as soon as you're committed to getting your degree. That way you can get your existing credits evaluated. It also counts as a positive step taken towards your goal. The two things that I found it important to manage were uncertainty and motivation. Getting my eval with my credits all neatly slotted into the degree requirements helped me with both.

After you apply, you have up to a year to become enrolled. Enrollment happens when you register for a course or TECEP. Once you've enrolled, that locks in your catalog year. You remain enrolled for a year. You must either graduate within that year, or take another course or TECEP which extends your enrollment another year.

A lot of people who want a BSBA are rushing to apply and register for the capstone TECEP exam for the May and/or June terms. After that, the test option goes away and the BSBA capstone will be a required 12 week online course like most of the other bachelor's degrees have. For the degrees you have mentioned so far, a capstone course is the only option.

Totally agree with Davewill on this, especially since I'm someone that HAS TO celebrate the small victories to remain motivated. I wasn't a member of the forum at the time I applied, I live locally and my mom attended. I knew when to apply (for application waiver and free breakfast) and how to get my transcripts evaluated. It wasn't until I was googling some info from the TESU site that I came upon this band of merry misfits and was able to re-examine my plan. And I learn something new everyday.

Dfrecore also makes a good point, there is no set way to study really. Whatever way you can be consistent is obviously always best. I listen to the course (I don't "watch") through my headphones at my desk. I handwrite my notes in a one subject notebook and review/repeat when I get home. I like study.com and take all the quizzes, practice exams, chapter tests etc. But you may find that watching all the videos from Saturday to Sunday and skipping the practice exams is better. Totally your call.

[Crawdad1075]

Again, awesome replies everyone. You all have been a great help. It seems like each reply, I get a few more questions that pop up. I like the idea of applying to TESU sooner rather than later. I too am one who would prefer to celebrate the small victories. In doing this, how much up front cost should I expect? It looks like $300 for the initial first class, the cornerstone, I believe. Also around $75 for the enrollment fee I'm guessing. Anything else besides the different individual courses through the various other sites? Also with this approach, do you all send over each class to TESU as you pass/complete them or wait until you have a bunch finished? I'm definitely going to apply for the Guardian scholarship either tonight between breaks or when I get off. Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate it. Can't wait to get the ball rollin'!

[dfrecore]

Again, awesome replies everyone. You all have been a great help. It seems like each reply, I get a few more questions that pop up. I like the idea of applying to TESU sooner rather than later. I too am one who would prefer to celebrate the small victories. In doing this, how much up front cost should I expect? It looks like $300 for the initial first class, the cornerstone, I believe. Also around $75 for the enrollment fee I'm guessing. Anything else besides the different individual courses through the various other sites? Also with this approach, do you all send over each class to TESU as you pass/complete them or wait until you have a bunch finished? I'm definitely going to apply for the Guardian scholarship either tonight between breaks or when I get off. Thanks again everyone! I really appreciate it. Can't wait to get the ball rollin'!

You pay $75 for an application fee, but then don't pay anything else right away. If you have the Study.com affiliate membership, you don't have to take the $300 cornerstone, plus it reduces the $2500 Residency Waiver fee to $1800 while it lasts (I'm not sure of the expiration date except that it's sometime in 2018).

No, you don't want to send over classes as you take them, because you will have to pay transcript fees each time; the exception is CLEP/DSST exams, and Straighterline courses which are free to send over whenever.

Everything else, you want to wait until you get the transcript complete before you send your courses. For instance, if you know you are going to take 10 courses at Study.com, you will send each one over to your ACE account as you go. Then, once you are done, you can send if you'd like, unless you're going to take additional ACE courses (Saylor, Shmoop, JumpCourse, Ed4Credit, Penn Foster, Propero, Sophia, etc.).

[Notgodot]

If you apply for and get the Guardian scholarship, you'll be a study.com member. Once you inform TESU of the fact, you won't be required to take the cornerstone course, so that'll save you the $300. All you need up front is the $75 application fee.

It's up to you how often you send your ACE transcript to TESU; there's no real need to do it more than once, in most cases, right near the end of your degree hunt. Once you are enrolled at TESU you'll want to take a Tecep once a year to keep that enrollment active.

To keep myself motivated, every time I pass a course I print out whatever certificate is offered and tape it to the wall. Yes I am a dork.

[a2jc4life]

TESU acceptance is good for a year, so you don't have to reapply or pay for anything else as long as you register for your first class at some point within that year.