When exactly should I enroll in one of the big 3?

[Yung Bukket]

Hello, so this is degree-by-examination concept is all very new to me, but came just at the right time. One thing I can't seem to figure out though is when exactly should I enroll in one of the big 3? I have around 18-21 transferable credits from my local 2-year college and will probably end up going for Excelsior. In order to take a CLEP or other similar exams, should I take them as a student of my local college, or as an Excelsior student. Is it possible to sign up for CLEP exams without being a registered student at all and then end up transferring those into Excelsior later? Thank you so much in advance. I feel like I can finally(almost) see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[Ideas]

For TESU, a lot of us recommend enrolling fast. But the other Big Three are different, because you end up paying per year or semester. It depends on how quickly you plan to graduate, but even if you plan to graduate sooner, sometimes it's best to delay paying. Some of us learned the hard way that unexpected things come up in life, and then regret that we got locked into the time-based fee(s).

Yes, you can take CLEP, DSST, UExcel, TECEP, Saylor, and others without being enrolled.

[TrailRunr]

If it is TESU, I would not wait around because the cost to lock in a catalog and to avoid some of the policy changes is less than $200. Most changes are to the detriment of the student and will make it cost more and take longer to graduate. Although there are way more alternative credit options than ever, it's actually more expensive and more time consuming to graduate than ever. The cost to get enrolled at TESU is $75 (app fee) + $117 (TECEP fee) = $192. Then sign up for a TECEP every 11 months to avoid a lapse in your enrollment. In addition, taking more time to graduate will cost you money and time since schools like TESU are adding requirements and increasing costs fairly frequently. So I would try to be on the express path to graduate and not take your time. Hopefully unexpected stuff from life won't happen to you.

[Yung Bukket]

hmm ok so a lot of you(not just on this thread but elsewhere on this forum) mention TESU whereas my original assumption would be that Excelsior would be the most talked about College. Is there a reason for this? are there more credit-by-exam opportunities as a TESU student?

[dfrecore]

hmm ok so a lot of you(not just on this thread but elsewhere on this forum) mention TESU whereas my original assumption would be that Excelsior would be the most talked about College. Is there a reason for this? are there more credit-by-exam opportunities as a TESU student?

At this point, the degrees cost about the same from any of the Big 3 (assuming the Study.com affiliate membership at TESU, and the POAG affiliate membership at EC).

So the major differences between TESU and EC/COSC are that TESU only requires 12-18cr of UL coursework (depending on the degree) while EC & COSC require 30cr of UL coursework. Also, TESU requires that all 12/18cr of UL are in the AOS (area of study), while EC & COSC require that some be in the AOS, and some throughout the rest of the degree.

UL courses are a bit harder to come by than LL, so that's where it starts to get more difficult to complete the different degrees.

Also, for some degrees (like business), EC requires precalc while TESU and COCS don't.

Also, TESU does not charge you to be enrolled. You pay the $75 app fee, and then "enroll" at some point for a course or TECEP exam, at which point you are enrolled for a year, and it will cost you nothing (except, obviously, the course/exam, but you get credit for that). EC and COSC both require you to pay fees for each term than you're an enrolled student, which can add up if you take too long.

So for TESU, you would enroll sooner, and then work your degree plan. For COSC and EC, you work your plan and then enroll later when you're ready to take your capstone course.

[Life Long Learning]

EC is 50% nurses and 40% military/Veterans and they tend not to hang out here. All three of the Big 3 are good. Its what fits you best. What degree do you want?

hmm ok so a lot of you(not just on this thread but elsewhere on this forum) mention TESU whereas my original assumption would be that Excelsior would be the most talked about College. Is there a reason for this? are there more credit-by-exam opportunities as a TESU student?

[Ideas]

My general feeling is that EC is less flexible on courses.

Most of us want to test out as much as possible, and since they are less flexible, there aren't as many degrees that are cheaper. Testing out is cheaper.

But if you are looking at a cheaper one, it won't be that different. Or if they have a program that you really want. They have some good ones which other schools do not have.

[Life Long Learning]

The EC Liberal Arts degree is the most flexible available. TESU is not flexible with too many GEN ED's that they pick.:ack:

TESU said 27 credits for a HSEM degree for me and EC said 4.:hurray:

I always say to apply to all three as they are not the same. I did apply to all three to see who fit my background best.

[Ideas]

The EC Liberal Arts degree is the most flexible available. TESU is not flexible with too many GEN ED's that they pick.:ack:

TESU said 27 credits for a HSEM degree for me and EC said 4.:hurray:

I always say to apply to all three as they are not the same. I did apply to all three to see who fit my background best.

Great!

Yeah, that's wise for someone with any credits in applied fields, or anything courses or certifications with unknowns.

What is HSEM?

[Life Long Learning]

Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM).

Great!

Yeah, that's wise for someone with any credits in applied fields, or anything courses or certifications with unknowns.

What is HSEM?