TESU: UL credit for community college courses?

[studyingfortests]

Hi, folks

I completed my BA LSSS at TESU in December.  As part of that, I had some community college credits.  My community college lists a few of their advanced classes as upper level (example: Honors Abnormal Psychology, PSY-498, or Pharmacology, PSY-402.)

When Edison evaluated my transcripts, they applied at least one, maybe both of these, to my UL LS course requirements. It went through audit, and I got my diploma.


I have a friend who is enrolled at Edison, and took the exact same classes at the same school.  But his advisor is telling him that since 2013, Edison does not allow *any* community college classes to be considered upper level (which actually makes sense, if you think about it), and that if mine were credited that way, it was an error.

So... what do y'all think?  Was it an error that slipped past both multiple reviews by the advisor *and* graduation audit, or are there exceptions to the "no upper level credit for community college classes" rule?

It isn't that big a deal - he can take some Coopersmith courses that will beef up his grad school application anyway, but it will save him some time and $ if he doesn't have to.

[rachel83az]

Does the CC also offer 4-year degrees? If not, I think you slipped through the net. If so, there is probably some sort of miscommunication.

[bjcheung77]

Well, there are those two possibilities, a mistake or it should be upper level - It depends what the name of your community college is and the course/program they offer. Could you tell us the college and the program you applied for at that community college? Was it at Buffalo State college?

[ss20ts]

Well, there are those two possibilities, a mistake or it should be upper level - It depends what the name of your community college is and the course/program they offer.  Could you tell us the college and the program you applied for at that community college?  Was it at Buffalo State college?

Buffalo State College is not a community college.


I've had other schools transfer in community college courses as UL. I've never applied to TESU. I doubt you somehow got past all of those screenings if the course you're talking about wasn't legitimately given UL credit. Also keep in mind that many folks at TESU aren't great with advising for some reason. It's not up to advisors how courses transfer in.

[dfrecore]

Your credits slipped past the auditor somehow; I'm guessing they didn't check well, and the school name does not say "community college" in there, so the registrar didn't notice.

[studyingfortests]

It was American River College. It is a California community college and does not offer anything beyond associate degrees.

ARC is pretty large (33K students at peak) and somewhat well known school.

I was hoping (for my friend) that it might be like their database of equivalencies, that once they know that study.com course so-and-so equates to TESU course so-and-so, it's in the database... thus when they see American River College course so-and-so they know it comes in as TESU so-and-so.

And the advisor my friend spoke to is one I've referred several friends to, and used myself, and he's never given inaccurate information.

But in any case... we'll see. I'll update once TESU reviews the appeals.

[dfrecore]

It was American River College. It is a California community college and does not offer anything beyond associate degrees.

ARC is pretty large (33K students at peak) and somewhat well known school.

I was hoping (for my friend) that it might be like their database of equivalencies, that once they know that study.com course so-and-so equates to TESU course so-and-so, it's in the database... thus when they see American River College course so-and-so they know it comes in as TESU so-and-so.  

And the advisor my friend spoke to is one I've referred several friends to, and used myself, and he's never given inaccurate information.  

But in any case... we'll see.  I'll update once TESU reviews the appeals.

ARC is large, but it's only well-known locally in the Sacramento area.  I lived in the Bay Area and San Diego, and I know lots of people had never even heard of it.  CC's are a local thing.  TESU will probably never have heard of it.

They do use a non-"normal" course numbering system of 300- and 400- instead of 100- and 200- (or 1000- and 2000-).

I guarantee that TESU made a mistake in bringing in your credits as UL, and then was missed in the audit.  100% that they don't bring in ANY CC credits as UL any longer (and I know of a time when they did).  It's been MANY years since they did this.

Your friend needs to go ahead and get those UL credits from elsewhere.  Now that the registrar has figured out that ARC is a CC, they won't mistake credits from them any longer - they will flag the school as a CC.

[LevelUP]

This was my situation as well.  I had CC credits and they said all had to come in as LL.

[studyingfortests]

I guarantee that TESU made a mistake in bringing in your credits as UL, and then was missed in the audit.  100% that they don't bring in ANY CC credits as UL any longer (and I know of a time when they did).  It's been MANY years since they did this.

Your friend needs to go ahead and get those UL credits from elsewhere.  Now that the registrar has figured out that ARC is a CC, they won't mistake credits from them any longer - they will flag the school as a CC.

I figured that was most likely the case. I guess I lucked out :

Not that big a deal, another friend just did the Coopersmith courses. Not the best course materials, and a bit out of date, but pretty easy to knock out. So I'll probably suggest that.

[bjcheung77]

Just an FYI, the course you mentioned was not only placed as UL at TESU, but COSC took that course as upper level as well. Excelsior did not, what I think it to be is that there may have been an honors program that allows transfer to specific colleges/universities and the courses go in as third year/junior level (UL). It's not a "one off" as another college takes it as an upper level, it again is most likely that there is this agreement/articulation for the honors course to transfer in as an upper level elective for transfer. I would not worry about this and go ahead and get an upper level from whichever provider is their recommended choice.