TESC Is No Longer Accepting Community College Credits As Upper Level?? (Need advice)

[kurlovich]

Well, I got a reply. No one here is going to like it. I sent them this last week:

"I've been told that TESC will not accept community college transfers for upper level credit. I'd like to know
what your official policy is on this.

Please provide me with a link to the written policy (catalog or website) and/or documentation detailing it."

And got this in return:

"That is correct, as of January 2013 community college courses do not transfer in as upper level credit.

Our records show that you...did not enroll until May 2013. Since...the requirements changed in January 2013, you
have to follow those requirements. If you have any further questions you may contact the School of Business and
Management at sbt@tesc.edu or 609-984-1130."

Look out everyone, TESC is now implementing by a policy that they never publicly published and that no one here knows
anything about.

Gotta say, it really pi**es me off that they decided to pull this double standard with me. BIPolarGuy's post clearly shows
that they were giving UL CC credit after January 1st (thanks for the post BIPolar). Needless to say, I'm going to fight them
on this.

Also, this is something that should be stickied or on the Wiki, so more people aren't duped like I was.

[BIPolarGuy]

That very nice of them... igh:

one note.. I applied in november so I'm probably not under that rule. at least i hope..

[kurlovich]

I applied in July of last year.

I only enrolled in May because it took them 5 months to send me
my application confirmation and login. I had to complain to
admissions before they even emailed me back.

[LaterBloomer]

If you search, "transfer credits" on the tesc.edu website, you will find the following:
[QUOTE]Awarding Credit for College Courses Taught
Thomas Edison State College recognizes that teaching a course at the college or university level requires the mastery of the material being taught. Therefore, if the courses have been taught at the university or college level within five years of the student’s enrollment in the College, a credit award up to the equivalent of the same or similar course offered by Thomas Edison State College will be made./QUOTE]

You should appeal the decision. It states that you will get credit up to the equivalent of the same course from TESC. While I didn't read the whole page, they don't make a distinction regarding whether the course taught at a 2-year college (LL credit), or a 4-year college (possibly UL credit) would determine how TESC would award credit. To say that you will get LL credit for a class of the same description as one offered UL by TESC is arbitrary when it isn't stated in the catalog.

Good luck.

[sanantone]

That's not right. How can they silently change a policy? The policy should only be changed in July when the catalog is updated.

[ejcompere]

WOW! That's big trouble for me . Please... if anyone appeals this... let us know what happens!

[cooperalex2004]

[quote=LaterBloomer]If you search, "transfer credits" on the tesc.edu website, you will find the following:
[QUOTE]Awarding Credit for College Courses Taught
Thomas Edison State College recognizes that teaching a course at the college or university level requires the mastery of the material being taught. Therefore, if the courses have been taught at the university or college level within five years of the student’s enrollment in the College, a credit award up to the equivalent of the same or similar course offered by Thomas Edison State College will be made./QUOTE]

You should appeal the decision. It states that you will get credit up to the equivalent of the same course from TESC. While I didn't read the whole page, they don't make a distinction regarding whether the course taught at a 2-year college (LL credit), or a 4-year college (possibly UL credit) would determine how TESC would award credit. To say that you will get LL credit for a class of the same description as one offered UL by TESC is arbitrary when it isn't stated in the catalog. Until they write that in their prospectus, catalog, or elsewhere it doesn't really make much sense. If the content matches then it should be matched to UL credit. For many courses that isn't the case but for others UL is the logical match.

Good luck.[/QUOTE]

That policy is for people who have taught in a college so it doesn't apply to transfer credit. That sounds like a great deal for instructors though! This sounds a lot like TESC changing to the requirement of an AAS capstone. In that case the same thing happened where a change was made without any notice and done outside of the normal July 1st date which Sanantone mentioned is part of the normal catalog year change. For existing students I'd recommend you appeal but new ones should know that once TESC changes something like this it isn't going to be easy to get around. I'm wondering if there was a reason for the change or if they are hoping students take more courses at TESC.

[Ladyplf]

Looks like Thomas Edison is really trying to make it harder to get a degree. I wonder what their plans are for the future; they just made a huge land deal in Trenton possibly for brick and mortar classes and they have the new general education degree requirements. Who knows what new changes may be coming down the pike next? Maybe almost being absorbed by Rutgers pushed them to raise their academic standards.

[NAP]

I feel your pain!

Does anyone know when TESC is getting reaccredited?

Excelsior went through that process last year and it seemed to be a factor in many policy changes over the past few years.

[Daithi]

According to this it does look like they are going through reaccreditation. The end of first paragraph states

After a comprehensive institutional selfstudy and a site visit by the Middle States Evaluation Team in April 2002, the College was
reaccredited through 2012.