TESU - Best Academic Advisor?

[Toastmaster]

Hi all, who has worked with a GREAT Academic Advisor? I need help on an issue, and really don't want to waste time on a dufus. Sorry to put it bluntly, but after working with TESU's financial aid department, my view of the school has dropped considerably (never had to work with anyone before...thanks to this forum)

If you had a great Advisor, please let me know who? Thank you!

[davewill]

Sorry, I can't say that anyone I worked with was really good. The best advice is to keep your interactions limited to a single question. Any time I tried to ask a multipart question, they answered the easiest part (sometimes misconstruing my question to make it easy), then closed the ticket. In fact, you can count on them closing the ticket every single time they respond to you, whether they give you a meaningful answer or not. That said, not every interaction was horrid, many advisers gave me correct information both in emails and on the phone. But you should already more or less know what the right answer, (or at least what it is you really need to ask) from coming here.

[dfrecore]

The best question I can ask before answering: what do you need an Academic Advisor for?

I'm not sure if you're surprised by the "customer service" you received, since it's been said on here MANY times? But it might be better to come here, ask your question, and see what we say before you deal with someone at TESU. I will admit that sometimes we can't help, but the majority of times we can.

[Johmford]

The best academic advisors are the people on this forum.

If you put your questions out here more than likely you will get some quality answers, though there will be things you will want to call them and ask that we simply cannot help with here.

[Toastmaster]

I've been here for a few years (as you can see) and I agree that the best help for *most* issues is here, but I don't believe that you all can help with this one, or I would have asked. (As you can see by my post history).

But, in the spirit of Mental Health Week next week, I'll clue you in. I have diagnosed Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD (Typically, well controlled nowadays). It is amazing and a miracle in some ways that I have been able to progress through my degree the way that I have. A large part of my success is the ability to more or less go at my own pace with the different course providers out there.

However, now, I am going for an undergraduate cert in organizational leadership that has a couple of classes that I can't get elsewhere, so I've taken them through TESU (October Term) via financial aid.

Well, a couple of weeks in, and I am overwhelmed by deadlines that I can't commit too because of other commitments, but, really, when I do have the time, my illnesses come into play.

So, basically I'm trying to find out how to take medical leave without it affecting my future financial aid, or, modify the courses to my needs by making the deadlines more flexible.

For info on Mental Health Accommodations, see the following link. Thanks.

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/takin...-need-know

And please celebrate Mental Health Week for all of your affected loved ones.

[davewill]

You're looking for course extensions!

https://www.tesu.edu/current-students/course-extension

I had a new job and a large amount of travel when I took my Capstone. During the course, simply emailing the mentor (before I was late) was sufficient to get more time to turn in assignments, but I kept falling further behind. At the end, I had to request and pay for a course extension to get more time to turn in the final paper. You have to finish at least half of the course material to qualify.

[Toastmaster]

Sir, I think this is it! This might work! This might work!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

I had saw this link earlier when searching for "medical leave tesu", but I didn't delve into it because the title *sounded* like something else. But yes, after reading the description, this sounds almost exactly what I am looking for. THANK YOU Davewill!!!! Omg, THANK YOU!!!

I just have to reach out to the Mentors to see how the discussion form pieces will work...but this is doable! THANK YOU!!!!!!

You're looking for course extensions!

https://www.tesu.edu/current-students/course-extension

I had a new job and a large amount of travel when I took my Capstone. During the course, simply emailing the mentor (before I was late) was sufficient to get more time to turn in assignments, but I kept falling further behind. At the end, I had to request and pay for a course extension to get more time to turn in the final paper. You have to finish at least half of the course material to qualify.

[dfrecore]

I too had to get an extension for the Capstone, due to a family emergency. I told the mentor I was going to request it (I think he had to sign off saying that I was at least 50% done with the course) and then I had 2+ months to complete it. I think Dec 15th-ish was the end of the capstone, and I got until Feb 28 to complete it (I think that was the timing) so basically until the end of the month, then 2 months. It was very helpful.

BTW - you can't get another extension.

[davewill]

...
BTW - you can't get another extension.

You can for a medical problem.

[MNomadic]

In addition to what everyone else said and what I sent you in a PM, consider looking into this: https://www.tesu.edu/about/ada/
It can't apply to your current semester, but if you sign up for it before your future classes, they will be federally required to make reasonable accommodations for you.