Rethinking everything

[Lyanne]

I have spent 3 hours searching through the forum, comparing the big 3, looking for degree plans, and wondering what to do. My main reason for choosing TESC when I started this journey was the absence of a capstone course. Now that they have added the capstone, and I have 2 children going off to college in the fall, cost has moved up on the priority list. I did not have the funds to enroll before July 1 so now I am rethinking my choice. After 3 hours I am more confused than ever.
I am currently working towards a History degree at TESC and have 5 more tasks; ALEKS math, Environment and Humanity DSST, Intro Modern Middle East DSST, War and American Society TESC Class, and World Conflicts ECE.
The COSC and EC degree plan requirements look like Greek to me after looking at TESC for so long. Is there anyone here who is so familiar with this stuff that you can tell at a glance if I will require many more credits by switching to another school? I am afraid my credits won't fit nicely and I'll lose too many by switching.
Thanks!

[NAP]

Understanding the policies at the other schools is going to take some time and research. You are so close to finishing that it may not be worth switching, at this point, since there are some different requirements, especially within the major.

It will help to make a comparison chart of what you need to do to finish at each school. Here is a recent thread about an EC History major:

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...lsior.html

[columbia]

Excelsior is now a significantly cheaper route compared to Thomas Edison, but I don't know how COSC compares.
For evaluating how close you are at ECE look at pages 18 and 30 of ECE's liberal arts catalog (2011). I downloaded it for free.

[rebel100]

I'm giving this a quick glance, but for COSC I see the need for the following:

General Education: Ethics (3, DSST), Speech (3, DSST), Math (3, DSSST/CLEP College Math/SL), 1 Credit in Science (they require 4 credits, Astronomy DSST is good for 3), Did you take Eng. Comp. 2? If not add the DSST Technical Writing...it's an easy three credits. Charter Oak State College - General Education Requirements 4-5 Exams/Courses

A link to the Exams Master List is here: Charter Oak State College - List of Exams

Here is the History Concentration: Charter Oak State College - History You are close, they will likely want the 15 electives at the Upper Level, you have 6 credits UL now (in the concentration) so you would need 9 more History at the UL plus another 12 at the UL to make a total of 30. You have 3 credits from SA and 3 from the capstone...So 6 more credits at the UL. So it looks like a total of 15 credits needed at the UL via exam or course.

The three courses (9 credits) in History at the UL will really be the trick. It doesn't look like COSC will accept many exams at that level. The other two classes (6 UL credits) can likely be anything they count at the UL (EC Exam, TECEP, etc...)

In summary 8-9 exams and perhaps 2-3 courses depending on how you slice it to concentrate in History. Move over to Liberal Arts as the Major and you could at least find tests for the 9 UL mentioned above in History (in LA they could be from nearly anything).

I suspect that TESC will be the better bet for you at this point.

[rebel100]

Excelsior is now a significantly cheaper route compared to Thomas Edison, but I don't know how COSC compares.
For evaluating how close you are at ECE look at pages 18 and 30 of ECE's liberal arts catalog (2011). I downloaded it for free.

This is really subject to where someone is in their quest for a degree. Why would you assume that EC is cheaper? It really depends on what EC will require in the way of UL credit and in their Capstone. I suspect Lyanne is better off staying the course at TESC...but would love to hear different. If someone is starting from scratch EC would likely still be higher since they charge for FEMA...of course there may be other legitimate reasons to pursue EC not related purely to cost.


Lyanne,

COSC does offer payment plans to break the cost up http://www.charteroak.edu/prospective/tu...tplans.cfm

Have you applied for Financial Aid? With 3 people in college you might qualify for a PELL grant...with that you could be done in a year for free...just saying.

[LaterBloomer]

Stupid comment alert! You might have to pave the way in discovering the answer, but could the capstone be covered by a course somewhere else, or a test? I thought that the business capstone (at TESC) could be covered by other courses and/or tests. Maybe the same will hold true for you. Good luck. My concern is that you'll do something that puts you further away from your degree by changing schools.

[Lyanne]

Wow, thanks everyone! NAP, how did I miss that thread in my search? I'll check it out and make a comparison chart as you suggest. Rebel, thanks so much for looking it over, I think from what you posted that your suspicions are correct that TESC may be better for me at this late stage. What I may save in initial tuition outlay, I would lose in extra tests/classes and associated costs. And LaterBloomer, I have always been denied financial aid in the past, but you're right, I should apply again now that things have changed. I also may make a phone call or shoot an email to TESC about the capstone and if I receive any earth-shattering answer, I'll share it here. Columbia, thank you, I will look at those catalog pages. I do think EC IS significantly cheaper enrollment fee wise, but with the extra classes I may need, maybe not so much.
Thanks again all for your replies. I really love the helpful community we have here!