Low residency requirements

[rebel100]

As a rule of thumb Community or Junior Colleges require 15 hours and 4 year schools require 30. Or you could say that schools typically have a 25% residency requirement. There are exceptions both ways. The big three are the big 3 mainly due to very low residency requirements.

I will have around $4000 in my batchelors (in finishing it at COSC). And will have 6 credits in residency. COSC was also fantastic about handling the distribuion of my financial aid even though the hours were mostly received from Colorado State University Pueblo.

Creativity is the key!

[jansroots]

These 6K - 7K schools... I would *LOVE* to find a cheaper online solution than $500/credit. I'm looking at $13K over 9 months to get a BBA in Contract Administration. (1st qtr at 2 classes and my CLEPs, then 2nd two at 3 classes each.)

Anyway, I could always transfer at the end of my next quarter w/ my ABA, if they aren't transfer friendly. I'm taking 3 months off for work and to do my 10 (2 down, 8 to go) CLEPs, so I'll have the degree in January. All the other "real" schools in my area that *said* they had online classes, also had higher residency, would have still required classroom work to get my degree, and were sooo *not* transfer friendly. For me, speed and working on my own are tied for first, but quality and applicability are very close. I need those for my resume to "pop" on contract proposals.

BTW - I over estimated on costs - For someone just starting - $20 K and 18 months for a BBA. It's $18K [$500/credit] plus abt $2K in CLEPs, and about $1K in books. If you're working, it'll take you 18 months... (1 semester = 11 weeks, with 2 wks between classes.)

BTW - If you aren't working full-time, you could probably do it in 12 months, just take 3 classes / qtr. I tried it while working, but didn't have any spare time to study for CLEPs, and was exhausted at the end of the quarter.

I'm going to push it to 3 for my last to BBA quarters so I can take the extra 2 classes for my major in Contract Administration. I have to take 2 for the student loans.

I might continue on for the MBA in Contracts w/ minor in IT Mgmt, after a semester off, though... At 3 classes/quarter, no CLEPs that apply, and still online, I should be good to go with 12 months.

[Yenisei]

There are lots of options under 500 per credit hour. No one should be paying that kind of tuition for any undergrad course, and you usually can find a grad program for even less tuition than that.

[burbuja0512]

These 6K - 7K schools... I would *LOVE* to find a cheaper online solution than $500/credit. I'm looking at $13K over 9 months to get a BBA in Contract Administration. (1st qtr at 2 classes and my CLEPs, then 2nd two at 3 classes each.)

Contract administration isn't something that you can get easily through an all or mostly CLEP/DSST program at the Big 3. It sounds like you're happy and what you have is working very well for you. What is the maximum number of credits through CLEP/DSST that you are allowed at Strayer?

What sort of career path would you be looking at with an degree in contract administration? When I hear contract management or administration, I think of the contract specialists that I work with in my legal dept. I'm in B2B sales and whenever I'm negotiating a contract, I'll work with the attorney and also the contract specialist to get the deal closed. Is this the sort of thing that you're studying for or is it something else?

[addision]

Ok, I have searched nearly every state for colleges and universities that have lower residency requirements. Now I only searched public institutions and private schools with well known B&M campuses (USC as an example).

As many of you posted the average in residency requirement is about 30 units. What I came to find out is that many states set these limits for state schools. Unless a school has an agreement with a community college system or another college, the 30 units is fairly standard.

Yes, there are some private institutions that will allow you more leeway, I was looking for a more traditional well known college for distance learning. However, Strayer looks a little better thanks to its history (thanks Jansroots).

So, unless you are looking to go the route of the Big 3, you should expect to have to complete 30-33 units at the school you want your degree from. This was a big bummer for me. I was hoping to at least find a few schools that would fall in the middle somewhere about 15-20 units. Yet the only schools where that could be found were those that had specific degree plan agreements with a community college or college system. So that would not work if you were out of state unless you wanted to commit to taking all your GE from one particular community college to qualify for the transfer agreement.

[rebel100]

I think the next step is to identyfy where you can go and get the cheapest all around price per credit. FOr Example Colorado State offers a freat deal of relatively cheap courses online or distance learning (CSU Pueblo has 3 credits for just under $500). Colorado has an interesting education system. You should review it closely to see if there is a decent option. LSU courses are inexpensive as well.

Where could one go, complete 90 hours via clep or local CC then get the remaining 30 inexpensively with a decent option regarding degree choice.

Cookderosa had a great thread on AMU and the CC's they allow block transfers from.....might be something worthwhile there as well.

[IgnazSemmelweis]

These 6K - 7K schools... I would *LOVE* to find a cheaper online solution than $500/credit. I'm looking at $13K over 9 months to get a BBA in Contract Administration. (1st qtr at 2 classes and my CLEPs, then 2nd two at 3 classes each.)

FHSU is like $200/credit.

[sanantone]

Ok, I have searched nearly every state for colleges and universities that have lower residency requirements. Now I only searched public institutions and private schools with well known B&M campuses (USC as an example).

As many of you posted the average in residency requirement is about 30 units. What I came to find out is that many states set these limits for state schools. Unless a school has an agreement with a community college system or another college, the 30 units is fairly standard.

Yes, there are some private institutions that will allow you more leeway, I was looking for a more traditional well known college for distance learning. However, Strayer looks a little better thanks to its history (thanks Jansroots).

So, unless you are looking to go the route of the Big 3, you should expect to have to complete 30-33 units at the school you want your degree from. This was a big bummer for me. I was hoping to at least find a few schools that would fall in the middle somewhere about 15-20 units. Yet the only schools where that could be found were those that had specific degree plan agreements with a community college or college system. So that would not work if you were out of state unless you wanted to commit to taking all your GE from one particular community college to qualify for the transfer agreement.

Except, I mentioned Ashford which requires you to take 21 credits in residence, but it's not cheap. But if you transfer in 99 credits, you'll only have to worry about one year of school with them which will cost you around $15,000 instead of $30,000. To be honest, Strayer is not going to look any better on a resume than Ashford, Grand Canyon, or any other similar school. I still think the Big 3 are the best choices. TESC has zero residency requirements and they have a comprehensive tuition plan rate for out-of-state students that is cheaper than some in-state tuition rates at public universities. If the last representative I talked to was correct, as long as you take 6 credits of online or guided study courses per semester when receiving financial aid, they will not charge you extra for TECEPs, FlashTracks, PLAs, and e-Packs.

By the way, I just got an email from TESC saying that they had the highest CPA passing rate out of all of the schools in New Jersey.

[IgnazSemmelweis]

By the way, I just got an email from TESC saying that they had the highest CPA passing rate out of all of the schools in New Jersey.

Probably has more to do with the type of students who go to TESC than TESC itself.

[Ace_King]

You could do all of that at one of the schools with the big three and actually save a lot more money! Than you can get a Master's. Never was a fan of for-profit schools. I rather have *State College* in the name and even Excelsior on my resume That's just my opinion though. If it works for you great, as long as it's accredited. Whatever floats your boat....