Why does it seem to me that EC is all about the money?

[jkfuss]

I'm not trying to accentuate the negative at all. The overall cost of a degree can be quite low. My main worry with EC is this:

An unofficial evaluation may not be accurate. To get an accurate evaluation, you must enroll for $900. If the eval changes, i.e. upper level credits turn into lower level credits, or certain exams or classes turn out not to cover certain requirements, then I couldn't afford the extra requirements. My degree would be dead in its tracks, and I would be out $900.

I know the overall cost would still be lower than finishing at a traditional school. I definitely can't afford that. But if the official evaluation turns out as anything other than I have planned for, then I can't afford EC either, and I'm out $900.

With about 40% of my take-home going to health care, $900 is an amount I can't gamble with. And I can't just charge it and worry about it later.

So if that sounds negative, I'm sorry, this was never intended to be a flame or a rant or anything like that. We can close the thread as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sorry I brought it up.

[Sharkfin]

I understand your frustration with new requirements and tests being taken away or no longer accepted. I am not too happy about EC's requirement for Info Literacy as well as being forced to take their Business Strategy. I did not realize they were so restrictive with the English requirement...I am hoping my freshman composition class will be enough so I don't have to deal with this.

[skyfall123]

So if that sounds negative, I'm sorry, this was never intended to be a flame or a rant or anything like that. We can close the thread as far as I'm concerned, and I'm sorry I brought it up.

No!!! Keep moving forward and gathering information. If that means the thread goes on for 10 pages then so be it. You've already found you can take Information Literacy at Penn Foster for $70 and apply it at Excelsior and ENG 100 for a little over $200. Don't let anything or anyone stop you from accomplishing your goal of a college degree!

[Epiphany]

My main worry with EC is this:

An unofficial evaluation may not be accurate. To get an accurate evaluation, you must enroll for $900. If the eval changes, i.e. upper level credits turn into lower level credits, or certain exams or classes turn out not to cover certain requirements, then I couldn't afford the extra requirements. My degree would be dead in its tracks, and I would be out $900.

Don't be sorry you brought it up. But look for ways it can work instead of ways it won't.

Has your unofficial eval arrived? What courses on there do you feel won't be accepted, or have a risk of being changed? How likely is it all of them will be changed from your unofficial to official evaluation? 50% of them? 25%? 10%? What is your threshold when this stops becoming a possibility?

If you can accept some changes/challenges: How many CLEP/DSST's can you afford to fill in the gaps? 3? 4? 6? More? Can you afford 1 CLEP a month? 1 every 2 months? Maybe instead of a degree next month you have one in February. Is there a time limit within which you need this?

Finally, and I mean this in the nicest way. Why a liberal arts degree? Is this for personal satisfaction or is there a larger plan in the works for why you need this or how it will help you?

[Nato76]

I think this is a great and informative thread. I am finding several tips on saving money. Keep them coming and thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

[jkfuss]

I guess the reason for a LA degree is that I have put together a bunch of credits (both classes and exams) in two different domains of study. Creating a transcript with both areas of focus listed would document my academic achievement in both areas. The only other way to do that would be to do two majors or a major and a minor, something only possible at a traditional school, if it's even possible there.

To move forward into the grad school and master's program that I am interested in--if I get that far--it doesn't matter if I have a major, concentration, or area of focus in any particular discipline. This is a local B&M grad school with reasonable tuition for which I can use financial aid. I have two friends who did their master's degrees there and loved it, and who are reaping the financial rewards they had hoped for.

So this bachelor's degree is a means to an end, hopefully within a few months so I have the chance to take a short break before starting grad school next summer (again, if it works out).

So that's my plan of attack.

[Degreeasap]

Jkfuss,

My official evaluation at EC after enrolling left me with fewer credits to complete than my unofficial one. I am happy about that. I used the enrolment payment plan option, $164 per month. I understand that you can use a payment plan for exams as well but the downside is you don't get to do the exams until you've finished paying for them.

The Info Lit. requirement is both overpriced and unnecessary IMO. I mean, for someone working towards a degree in this day and age (where you have online classes, research, presentations etc), computer literacy is almost second nature. And the hefty $300 fee for just 1 credit doesn't sit well with me, they could have been more reasonable and made it $100 or less, but Oh well!

All in all, EC is still one of the quickest and economical ways of getting a RA degree. I wouldn't let these requirements stop me from my goal: grad school and you shouldn't either.

[BrandeX]

I guess the reason for a LA degree is that I have put together a bunch of credits (both classes and exams) in two different domains of study. Creating a transcript with both areas of focus listed would document my academic achievement in both areas. The only other way to do that would be to do two majors or a major and a minor, something only possible at a traditional school, if it's even possible there.

I believe this is possible at COSC.

[barcotta]

An unofficial evaluation may not be accurate. To get an accurate evaluation, you must enroll for $900. If the eval changes, i.e. upper level credits turn into lower level credits, or certain exams or classes turn out not to cover certain requirements, then I couldn't afford the extra requirements. My degree would be dead in its tracks, and I would be out $900..

The key word in the quote above is MAY. Many bad things MAY happen--but I try to look at things in terms of odds. Are the odds stacked for me or against me.

Based on your test scores, you have one of those minds that operates in overdrive and you habitually analyze things on a much deeper level than those of us who just kind of hum along in second gear. I work with lawyers all day and many of them fit that description as well. I find that certainty and consistency are far more important to them than they are to the rest of us--who just sort of accept that there's not much certainty and consistency to be had out there--even though it SHOULD be that way.

So--here's my shot at allaying your concerns in two areas:

1. Unofficial evaluation. I believe EC has around 25,000 students. That's a lot of evaluations. They accept all kinds of credit from all kinds of institutions. There are thousands of institutions from which they accept credit. They probably have intimate familiarity with hundreds. For the rest, they have to do a little more research. They probably have more than a few people who perform evaluations with varying levels of competence and experience. In order for them to keep their OVERALL cost structure low--they have to be efficient and not put too much time and effort into the "looky-loos". If they were, in fact, all about the money, they could just charge more for everything. No reason they can't raise any of their fees any time they want. So despite the fact that some people have ended up on the short end of the stick, you now know from this thread that MOST people either make out better after their official review or at least about the same. Mine was exactly the same. Don't get hung up on what MAY happen. Sure--you should be aware--and you are. But I can tell you from personal experience that there was NO SIGN of a bait and switch or anything else untoward in my EC experience. A great example of this is my #2.

2. Information Literacy. Soon after I enrolled. I asked them if a certain class at my local community college would satisfy the IL requirement. Here is the response I received the next day:

"I reviewed the courses from College of the Canyons and added them to the Course approval screen. As you will see COUNS 070 does not meet Information Literacy, it would be a developmental course and would not be acceptable for credit. LMTECH 100 Introduction to Research will meet the requirement."

So--instead of just telling me no--or even SUGGESTING I take their $300 class--they, WITHOUT MY EVEN ASKING--found for me a class I could take, mostly on-line, at the institution for which I was inquiring. Guess how much that class cost. $20. It took me a month and I was done. Click on that link in my signature if you want more info.

That to me was the clearest signal that EC acts in the best interest of its students--NOT in the best interests of its bank account.

Right now EC is offering four COMPLETELY FREE exams worth three credits each which you can learn about here in this forum--so if you can take any or all of them, that should more than off-set any unexpected surprises.

Good luck with your decision.

[originalbigjim]

I feel you pain on the price. I think a lot of us who did not finish college right after high school had many reasons why we didn't, one of the biggest reasons is that we couldn't afford it. We over the years not much has changed for some of us, we still can't afford college. Now excelsior seems like it costs a ton but you need to do a cost benefit analysts. they way I see it that is that the we must monetarily sacrifice for a short time to be able to have a greater earning power. investing in yourself is the safest bet you can make. You can be fairly certain that you will get that money back.