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BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - strawberrygreen - 08-24-2016
Just found out I've been cleared for September graduation at TESU! I'll be getting my BA in Music. The past few months have been a whirlwind - 65 credits in about 7 months - and I still can't believe it's actually over. I'm reminded of Isaiah 42:16: "And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them."
God has smoothed my paths and has continued to guide and sustain me throughout the whole process, and there is no way this could ever have happened without His strength and direction. I've seen Him work in miraculous ways over the past few months and it's been amazing to watch.
I'm also so very grateful for these forums - I know there are so many of you who have posted on here, and I'm not even sure who all I've stalked, lol. So, THANK YOU to all who participate - I know everyone says this, but it really does make a difference.
That said, I thought I'd go ahead and share my experiences with TESU and my various PLAs, TECEPs, CLEPs, APs, and online courses (including ALEKS and Straighterline). Feel free to send me a PM if you have questions about any of this and I'd love to try to help.
Summary:
2 APs: English Literature & US History
2 CLEPs: Analyzing and Interpreting Literature & Spanish Language
3 ALEKS: Precalc, College Algebra, and Intermediate Algebra
7 TECEPs: Applied Liberal Arts Math, College Algebra, English Comp 1&2, Sociology, Critical Reasoning, and Music History II (see below) (some of these TECEPs repeated prior credits earned because I realized I needed residency credits. This was back when TECEPs counted for residency.)
9 PLAs: Elementary Piano I and II, Intermediate Piano I and II, Advanced Piano I and II, Senior Piano I, Hymn Playing, and Music History II. See below.
4 Straighterlines: World Religions, Anthropology, Personal Finance, American Government
1 TESU Capstone
Other courses at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary which I just wanted to take. (My music theory and 1 upper-level music course were taken here.)
I'll attach a file with my feedback on all of these, but I'm including the music course feedback in the post itself here.
Music History II:
This was the first (and only) exam I've ever failed (I scored a 60). (For comparison, I got in the 90s on five other TECEPs I took.)
Two friends and I prepped for months, with multi-hour study sessions at least once, sometimes as often as three times per week. We dug through the recommended textbooks and made 100 flashcards with detailed information on each, drilling the flashcards till we knew them cold. We studied harder for that TECEP than any other TECEP any of the three of us ever took. Perhaps the problem was the vagueness of the TECEP test description - the outline listed composers' names but gave no direction as to the specific biographical/compositional information for each. We tried to focus on the most important life events/details and most significant compositions but the test asked for such obscure, specific details that the three of us concluded that further studying would not have made a significant difference. In some ways, I suspect the exam may have been an attempt to force music majors to take the course (or perhaps it was the result of a disgruntled professor who wasn't happy with the idea of students testing out of his course). In any case, it was nothing like any other TECEP the three of us have ever taken (and we've taken a lot). If you're a music major and need this course for your degree, I would avoid the TECEP at all costs. Instead, I would recommend doing a PLA through LearningCounts (see below) - I took what I'd studied for the TECEP, did some additional prep under the guidance of a music professor at my local school, and received a perfect score on my PLA submission.
PLAs:
I completed about 25% of my degree through portfolio assessments at LearningCounts. Four of those PLAs counted as some of my upper level music courses, and one of them counted as my Music History II requirement (see TECEP discussion, above). So, needless to say, PLAs were a HUGE blessing and ultimately made my music degree possible, saving me thousands of dollars I would have had to spend on other online music courses.
The PLAs I did were Elementary Piano I and II, Intermediate Piano I and II, Advanced Piano I and II, Senior Piano I, Hymn Playing, and Music History II.
Originally, I planned to start doing PLAs through TESU. However, after talking to Todd Siben, who immediately wanted to know my age, I realized PLAs through TESU would not be a wise choice. (He informed me that I would not be viewed as an adult and would have a hard time getting upper level piano credit because of my age).
That was when I discovered LearningCounts, and they have been nothing short of amazing throughout the entire process. All nine portfolios I submitted received 27 or 28 points out of 28 and transferred to TESU without a problem. The total cost was just over $1,000 (less than the cost for one upper level course at Berklee's online music program). And I was able to earn credit for all my remaining upper level and music history requirements. I was beyond thrilled.
LearningCounts has also been incredibly helpful in the behind-the-scenes of fixing transcript problems and dealing with questions I had. I cannot recommend them highly enough. I am sure Todd Siben has been helpful for some, but based on the discrimination and condescension I experienced from my conversation with him compared with the kindness and respect I received from the support team and porfolio assessor at LearningCounts, there is no question that I would wholeheartedly recommend LearningCounts. They helped make my degree possible!
Other courses:
I started Music History I at Valley City State University (VCSU) and really, really disliked it; the professor's standard of ethics and morality left a good deal to be desired and I grew so frustrated I ended up withdrawing for a partial refund. The rest of my "traditional" coursework was done at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC and I absolutely LOVED it. I just started my MA there as well.
Well, I didn't mean for this to be so long, but I hope parts of it will be helpful to someone! Please feel free to PM me, or to track me down on Quizlet (my first name is Molly) if you have questions about any of these topics and I'd love to help! Thanks again to all who have shared on here and helped forge a path for those of us who are following in your footsteps.
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - sanantone - 08-24-2016
No one likes Todd Siben. He's TESU's worst employee and should have been fired a long time ago. He's rude and dumb. That's a terrible combination.
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - KayV - 08-24-2016
What a great review! Thanks for sharing. And congratulations!
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - keepsingin - 08-24-2016
Super happy for you! Great detail and review! I like how you studied with someone else...that's the only thing I miss from the regular route of college!
How long did it take you, start to finish? Did you combine some HS with college?
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - FallingWaters - 08-25-2016
sanantone Wrote:No one likes Todd Siben. He's TESU's worst employee and should have been fired a long time ago. He's rude and dumb. That's a terrible combination.
Oddly enough, Todd Siben was the only reason I was able to finish my TESC BA in Music! He spent hours with me on the phone, was never less than polite, and helped me work out the many issues I had with TESC. I'm sorry OP had a negative experience.
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - sanantone - 08-25-2016
FallingWaters Wrote:Oddly enough, Todd Siben was the only reason I was able to finish my TESC BA in Music! He spent hours with me on the phone, was never less than polite, and helped me work out the many issues I had with TESC. I'm sorry OP had a negative experience.
I'm glad you had a positive experience, but several people here have complained about him over the years. He's notorious for giving misinformation and snapping at people when they question him. I prefer to talk to the person above him, Marc Singer.
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - strawberrygreen - 08-26-2016
keepsingin Wrote:Super happy for you! Great detail and review! I like how you studied with someone else...that's the only thing I miss from the regular route of college!
How long did it take you, start to finish? Did you combine some HS with college?
Thank you!! While I was in high school, I took one class dual enrollment at a local college and also did 2 AP exams, but all the rest I did after high school graduation. I finished 2 years and 2 months after I graduated from high school. Total cost was $5641 including tuition, books, fees, exams, and everything else. (That's after subtracting off $3,000 in scholarships and $7500 in American Opportunity Tax Credits.) It would have been less if I hadn't wanted to take some in-person classes at a local school.
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - Mamasaphire - 08-26-2016
That's great that you are so close to graduation!!! Congrats!!
sanantone Wrote:No one likes Todd Siben. He's TESU's worst employee and should have been fired a long time ago. He's rude and dumb. That's a terrible combination.
FallingWaters Wrote:Oddly enough, Todd Siben was the only reason I was able to finish my TESC BA in Music! He spent hours with me on the phone, was never less than polite, and helped me work out the many issues I had with TESC. I'm sorry OP had a negative experience.
sanantone Wrote:I'm glad you had a positive experience, but several people here have complained about him over the years. He's notorious for giving misinformation and snapping at people when they question him. I prefer to talk to the person above him, Marc Singer.
I definitely have to agree with sanantone. Todd Siben called me unexpectedly a few months ago, and basically spend half an hour or more berating me and telling me that what I wanted to do (alternative credit, and at that point possible PLA) was ridiculous, wrong, and impossible (even though it isn't and I am doing parts of what I was wanting to do after talking to another TESU employee). He came across as rude, arrogant, and antagonistic. Maybe that's just NJ personality, but it isn't polite, kind, or more importantly, professional.
On the other hand, the one time I have talked to Marc, I was impressed that he seemed to really listen to my educational goals, respected me as an adult learner, and seemed very factual and encouraging.
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - cookderosa - 08-26-2016
That is a WONDERFUL review, thank you for all your feedback. This will be exceptionally helpful to others pursuing a BA in Music, which isn't done that often around here!
I don't know much about music, what would your age have to do with your PLA? Just curious.
(P.S. Todd Siben was my advisor as well. I've been out of TESU for a while, but when I was enrolled, he was by far the best of the bunch)
BA in Music from TESU: Feedback on PLAs, TECEPs, LearningCounts, etc. - Mamasaphire - 08-26-2016
cookderosa Wrote:(P.S. Todd Siben was my advisor as well. I've been out of TESU for a while, but when I was enrolled, he was by far the best of the bunch)
That's almost unbelievable to me (but I do believe you, lol)... maybe something happened and he is now grumpy all the time? He was literally one of the harshest, rudest people I have ever spoken with, anywhere, from the very moment I answered the phone. :confused: