Penn Foster Question

[firedome75]

I've searched the forums pretty thoroughly, but no one really explains what the difference between Penn Foster courses and TESC. Is it self paced? Is it like Aleks where I can take a proctored test after a week of studying. Do I have to submit coursework over the course of 3 months like a regular class? If anyone can clear this up I would very much appreciate it as I am thinking of taking a PF Course on Terrorism to satisfy my TESC requirement as long as it is still ACE approved and Thomas Edison will still accept it.

[mrs.b]

Penn Foster courses are self-paced. You have six months to complete the assignments / exams, and can do it all in the first week and finish early, save it all for the last week, or any combination in between as your schedule permits. I say "assignments / exams" because some courses have 5-6 multiple choice, 20-question quizzes and that's it. Others have actual assignments that are more time-intensive. Some of the courses have proctored exams, some do not. You pay around $285 (more or less, given sales, etc.) and books are generally included and sent to you about a week after you enroll in the course, making it substantially less expensive than your average TESC course, particularly once you factor in book expense.

The school is not regionally-accredited, however, so to get credit for the course, you must:
a) make certain the course is already approved through ACE,
b) make certain a TESC adviser approves the course for the degree requirement you think it will fit,
c) once you finish, have the course added to your ACE transcript, and
d) have the ACE transcript sent to TESC for transfer credit.

If you do not know the process of making 100 percent certain the course is approved through ACE, please ask. You could waste time and money if you do not do the footwork yourself and take a PF phone rep's word for it; their customer service is said to be one of the major down sides, and their courses are currently undergoing a 3-year review from ACE, and some have not been renewed, others have, and most are in limbo (assumed still under review). Given the significant cost savings, not to mention time, however, many (who have not been burned) still believe them a great bargain.

[dcan]

+1 to advice already given. Also see this overview at the wiki detailing things to watch for as well as how to confirm ACE status: Penn Foster College - Degree Forum Wiki

mrs. b's advice was so good that I added it verbatim to the wiki to cover this type of question in the future.