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+--- Thread: To College or Not To College (/Thread-To-College-or-Not-To-College)
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To College or Not To College - AutumnCrown - 11-18-2017
After chewing on this, researching dozens of schools, and lurking the forum trying to learn as much as possible, I thought I'd reach out to you guys for help.
I have 100 credits toward my Bachelor's degree in Lib Arts, according to TESU. I thought I had a good plan there: test out of my 20 remaining credits and get my degree. But then I discovered I'd have to take their cornerstone and capstone for $2000. Not cheap, but ok. Then they tell me that because I'm not taking at least 16 credits through them, I have to pay an additional $2500 residency fee. Then add the cost of testing out of classes, about $700, and it blows my plan clean out of the water.
So, now I'm debating.
~ University of the People - $2,500ish, but nationally accredited, and I couldn't test out because I already have the maximum transfer credits
~ Charter Oak - $3,500, if I'm able to test out of everything except the cornerstone and capstone
~ Continue educating myself with the wealth of free resources and try not to chafe at my ongoing student loan payments for a degree I won't get.
(Ok, end of pity party)Do you guys know of any other good options?
Thank you so much for your help!
RE: To College or Not To College - Ideas - 11-18-2017
With the Study.com affiliation, if you graduate quick enough, you can get $700 off the residency waiver. They also waive the cornerstone and give you a discount on the capstone. Your costs would be $1800 waiver + $0 cornerstone + $1098 capstone + $332 graduation fee, plus application fee. You can get 6 free courses at Study.com and get some others free through Modern States. Or there are cheap Saylor exams.
RE: To College or Not To College - eriehiker - 11-18-2017
I would finish up the TESU degree. Take a study.com course to knock the residency fee down to $1800. It is the easiest best option. The return on investment for a degree vs. no degree blows that 4 to 5 thousand out of the water.
RE: To College or Not To College - quigongene - 11-18-2017
There's also this:
https://study.com/blog/guardian-s-personal-finance-scholarship.html
RE: To College or Not To College - AutumnCrown - 11-18-2017
Oh man, you guys are good! I didn't know about the discounted residency waiver!
So, let's see:
~TESU - $1800 waiver + $0 cornerstone + $1098 capstone + $332 graduation fee = $3230 + the cost of tests
~COSC - $0 residency waiver + $1200 cornerstone + $1200 capstone + $400 student fees = $2800 + cost of tests
~UoPeople (is that name the WORST??) $2060 for tests and fees.
Or does Study.com have a similar arrangement with Charter Oak? Is the National Accreditation for UoPeople really a problem?
(11-18-2017, 08:42 PM)quigongene Wrote: There's also this:
https://study.com/blog/guardian-s-personal-finance-scholarship.html
Whoa! That's awesome! I'm on it.
RE: To College or Not To College - eriehiker - 11-18-2017
If you are going to spend thousands of dollars, make sure you get the sure thing. Regional accreditation is the gold standard and that is what you should go for. I also recommend TESU because it is so flexible in terms of credit transfer. If something comes up, you'll have options.
RE: To College or Not To College - Ideas - 11-18-2017
Yes, don't go for NA when you're so close.
Your cost of tests might be only $50 depending on what you need. Especially if you're willing to do CLEP
COSC doesn't have a graduation fee?
RE: To College or Not To College - Life Long Learning - 11-18-2017
I would pick COSC over UP. $1000 is nothing in the course of your life.
I have in the past been required to have an RA degree (US Gov.).
RE: To College or Not To College - Ideas - 11-18-2017
Are you sure the capstone and cornerstone are only $1200 each for you?
At either school you could probably get a loan for the cornerstone/capstone.
RE: To College or Not To College - AutumnCrown - 11-18-2017
(11-18-2017, 09:56 PM)Ideas Wrote: Yes, don't go for NA when you're so close.
Your cost of tests might be only $50 depending on what you need. Especially if you're willing to do CLEP
COSC doesn't have a graduation fee?
Oop, looks like you're right. The COSC graduation fee is $215. The student services fee is 275 per semester (minimum of two) and the technology fee is $68. That raises the estimate by about $430.
And I think you're right about the NA. It's not THAT much more for TESU.
(11-18-2017, 09:54 PM)eriehiker Wrote: If you are going to spend thousands of dollars, make sure you get the sure thing. Regional accreditation is the gold standard and that is what you should go for. I also recommend TESU because it is so flexible in terms of credit transfer. If something comes up, you'll have options.
I think you guys are right. And I'm already registered at TESU and have had my credits evaluated. Plus, they have the degree program that I like the best.
Next steps:
- Figure out which courses will fill the requirements for my degree
- Find the cheapest source of said classes
- Take all courses except two from Study.com
- Take Capstone
- Graduate
Does that sound about right?
(11-18-2017, 10:01 PM)Life Long Learning Wrote: I would pick COSC over UP. $1000 is nothing in the course of your life.
I have in the past been required to have an RA degree (US Gov.).
Oh, see that would suck to have an NA degree and still get denied.