What to do: ThomEd or Excelsior?

[oak1day]

Hi,

I hope to get credit for some of my professional experience through a portfolio. I am 55, have been a cartographic and engineering draftsperson/designer and last ten years am in transportation planning. I have statewide responsibilities in the area of sustainable transportation, am on my County's transportation board, and also administer three alternative transportation programs, one with over 6,000 members for a large University/Hospital complex. I have about 12-15 credits including undergrad and grad courses (not distance ed) in GIS (geographical information systems).

Due to health reasons, I need a more secure future than before. I really want to get going! I need to get my transcripts sent. But where to send them? I understand that all three hold regional accreditation. I get the impression that Charter Oaks is pricier. If that So if this is true, it's down to the remaining two. I would appreciate any feedback.

[Sunshine]

Welcome to the forum!

Each of the "big 3" schools (Excelsior, Thomas Edison, & Charter Oak) has its advantages depending on your goals and situation. Personally, I'm partial to Excelsior, but I am biased . The requirements and costs vary a little with each, but none have a residency requirement, and all three have generous transfer and exam credit policies.

Have you decided which degree you want to pursue? You can earn a bachelor's degree in liberal studies (fewer specific credit constraints), or you could choose to major at EC or TESC; COSC also offers a concentration option that functions as a major. From there, you can begin to narrow down the best choice for you. For example, EC offers a major in geography, which, given your GIS credits, might be a great route for you.

As for portfolio credit- I don't know much about it, so perhaps someone who does will chime in. I did find this link- http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...llege.html. It sounds like a lot of work to put a portfolio together, but if you have extensive experience, it may be worthwhile.

The next step will be to apply to one or two of your choices and have an unofficial evaluation done. This will show you how far your credits will go with each school, which may help you decide where to enroll. You can also do a cost or program comparison to find out which one best suits your needs. A quick search should pull up some comparisons other have done.

Hope this helps get you started!

[oak1day]

I am very grateful for your response.