TESC Overhauling Gen Ed Reqs. Not enrolled, watch out!

[DSH2007]

All of my general ed requirements are met and I am 18 credits away from completion of a BA in English. That's four correspondence courses (all creative writing related--one in progress), plus two TESC classes (non-western lit and capstone) left. I've applied to TESC, but was not intending to enroll until finished with the correspondence courses, to ensure I would not be paying a second enrollment fee.

So this changes things. I've been taking only one course at a time and allowing 12 weeks each to complete. Looks like I need to up my game plan and enroll by 7/13 and finish by 7/14 or meet the new requirements. It's a little early to know just how many additional courses that will be--by my count it's at least four or five more.

I've been a member of this forum since (*looks at user name*) 2007 and have been inspired by the many success stories posted here (you guys rock, by the way ). Many of you have completed your degrees in an amazing amount of time; for an old slow-poke like me (my avatar is my POTUS), it's taking quite a bit longer.

New goal: Enroll by 7/13, finish by 7/14. Time to double up on courses.

I can do this!

[cooperalex2004]

All of my general ed requirements are met and I am 18 credits away from completion of a BA in English. That's four correspondence courses (all creative writing related--one in progress), plus two TESC classes (non-western lit and capstone) left. I've applied to TESC, but was not intending to enroll until finished with the correspondence courses, to ensure I would not be paying a second enrollment fee.

So this changes things. I've been taking only one course at a time and allowing 12 weeks each to complete. Looks like I need to up my game plan and enroll by 7/13 and finish by 7/14 or meet the new requirements. It's a little early to know just how many additional courses that will be--by my count it's at least four or five more.

I've been a member of this forum since (*looks at user name*) 2007 and have been inspired by the many success stories posted here (you guys rock, by the way ). Many of you have completed your degrees in an amazing amount of time; for an old slow-poke like me (my avatar is my POTUS), it's taking quite a bit longer.

New goal: Enroll by 7/13, finish by 7/14. Time to double up on courses.

I can do this!

Make sure you enroll before July, doing so in July will be on the new system. Their payment system isn't instant either so you might want to enroll about a week prior, maybe go for June 20th to be sure. Time may end up being a great motivator to finish for you, I wish you luck on finishing your degree.

[IrishJohn]

I'm not too worried about these changes. Right now I have a "wait and see" attitude about this. That's probably easy for me to say since I finished my BA back in 2010 at TESC, but there is a slight chance that I may go back and complete the BSBA I had almost finished if I get the job I applied for recently. In that case I may get "hit" by this change too but I'm confident it won't take too much to work through it all.

[Ace_King]

Wow, all these changes I don't know what much to say. I get my diploma this month (hopefully) and I am glad I stuck too it before all these changes. I am not saying these changes are bad at all, It's just a shocker TESC has implemented a capstone and now these changes. I think TESC should name themselves a university next, lol j.k!

[HorseManiac]

Okay, so I've been thinking about this since I first read the article and I have a few questions. I know that there probably won't be any answers right now, but I just thought I'd ask.

1) I read the article and it says that all bachelor programs will be affected, but everyone keeps talking about only the BA. Is there any to find out if this will affect the BSBA program?

2) Does anyone know if I pay the $75 application fee if TESC would be able to look at my credits and plug them into a degree plan under these new requirements? How long would it take before they could do this or will they not be able to until after July?

3) How long will it be before we have a definite answer on what (if any) CLEP/DSST will fulfill these new requirements?

Maybe Collegeboard and Prometric will start working on some new tests to fulfill these requirements if there aren't any right now.

I'm not sure at this point what to do. If there are going to be tests to fulfill these new requirements, then I might not worry about enrolling by July. However, I don't want all the credits I already have to be wasted because they don't fit anywhere. I guess if I don't have any definite answers by April, then I'll enroll before July.

How long does it take once you apply before you can enroll? If I apply in April, will I be good to enroll before July?

[topdog98]

I'm not experienced enough with this whole process (only 3 CLEPs down) to give anyone any practical advice on this situation.

I fall on the conservative side of the political spectrum, and it does concern me that they have eliminated their general education requirements and have copied and pasted the Essential Learning Outcomes from Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP). LEAP | Vision

LEAP's Essential Learning Outcomes:
Knowledge of Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World
Intellectual and Practical Skills
Personal and Social Responsibility
Integrative and Applied Learning

TESC's New General Ed. Requirements:
1.) Intellectual and practical skills (15 credits)
2.) Human cultures and the physical and natural world
3.) Personal and social responsibility (9 credits)
4.) Integrative and applied learning (18 credits).

Their vision for education does not fit mine. I am not complaining. They can allign their requirements with whomever they wish, and I have other choices.

[defscarlett]

Glad I'm enrolled, those sound like classes I do not want to take.

[Ace_King]

It was already hectic completing my degree before the changes took effect/or will be in effect soon. Before I thought it was going to be a breeze but I was wrong. With all these new changes, like I said, I'm not bashing or saying it's bad...It's just something the new comers have to do, it is what is is.

[Can219]

I was hoping to enroll at the end of summer since we live overseas and only get back home once a year. I didn't want to be taking classes while on vacation......GRRRRR....this is going to affect me too..................Decisions ..................decisions..............

[Katzepatra]

banghead

Right when I was just figuring out my degree plans, BAM something to ruin it all!

I'm a tad confused by the wording since I was attempting to find out what would count for what via CLEP/DSST/whatever under the new requirements. I do know I'm planning on enrolling in May once my CC classes are finished and since I'm now considering a duel degree in Business and Communications or just jumping to communications. I realize I will be putting in for both to get grandfathered in if I do make it before July. If not, I don't oppose the changes so long as I have ways of testing out of the classes or finding fast and cheap alternatives.

On the note of being bothered/indifferent by the changes, I'm irritated that some on here see this politically and have made references toward the changes as liberalism as if its a bad thing. I do understand not everyone likes the changes and I hope people seek out alternate means of education that align with their personal morals/beliefs. I can't understand why it is necessary to target any part the population, including people who frequent this board. I was raised by an extremely intolerant "Christian" mother - I'm using quotes because the church she went to was more like a cult then what most Christians believe in. Her views are hateful, cruel and disgust the conservative friends I have.

I'm sharing this because I could assume that like her, all the conservatives on this board are the same and I could rant all about their responses. I don't think doing so helps anyone - if a person wants to go to TESC, they have to follow the rules regardless of what side of the fence they are on. I'm not so narrow minded as to paint everyone with the same brush and I would appreciate that no one do the same to me. Yes, I am left leaning, not a socialist but I would say I'm a liberal and calling something or someone liberal/conservative shouldn't be an insult.

If possible, could we please all focus on the problem everyone faces: how on earth do we make the new rules at TESC work in our favor? I don't know what classes qualify under each requirement and as I want to test out of as much as I possibly can as fast as I can, I need help figuring that out. Even though I plan on enrolling before July I am concerned about the possibility of having to go later then earlier due to work. I was actually just called into human resources this week for requesting dates off (unpaid) to take up coming CLEP and DSST tests. She said if it "becomes a pattern" I will need to change my availability which would severely limit the hours they scheduled me (I have no current restrictions).

With my brain now turning into pea soup from trying to figure out everything out, I figured someone here may be able to answer another question: if I'm "graduating" after the September commencement, will I have to go to next years or will I be invited to 2013? I'm concerned about getting everything done for July 1st which is listed as a deadline for graduating in September. If I miss that deadline, I'll be lumped into the next graduation, which is fine, I just want to go to commencement this year so will that be possible or is my deadline now July?