New Change to Enrollment at Excelsior U. -- Not Good

[milah1]

This is a message I just got from Excelsior University:

Dear Student,
 
This message is to inform you of an upcoming change to our Admission and Enrollment policy. The new policy will take effect on February 12, 2024.
 
What does this change mean for me?
 
As a currently enrolled student in your degree program, the new policy means that you need to plan to take Excelsior courses consistently to remain enrolled. Students may take off a maximum of either a) two consecutive 8-week terms or b) one 15-week term.
 
Why is this change being made?
 
Data shows that student success is closely tied to consistent degree progression. Students with continuous degree progression are more likely to complete their degrees at Excelsior and reach their academic goals.
 
If you have questions about these changes, contact your academic advisor at advising@excelsior.edu or 1-888-647-2388.
 
Respectfully,
 
Kat McGrath, MBA
University Registrar


This seems to mean that you have to take most of your classes with Excelsior U. (at exorbitant prices) to get your degree from Excelsior University.  Should Excelsior University be recommended any longer if this is their new policy?

[smtGate]

Reading closely, I think it just means that next year starting Feb,2024, you have to take at least one course at Excelisor every 16 week semester. It says you can take off two consecutive 8-week terms so that just one semseter or half the acadmic year. So take at least one class at Excelsior and tried to use ACE courses to finish up as fast you can before the next semester starts.

[jch]

Combined with their recent punitive evaluation fee change, this means that Excelsior no longer works like TESU. Students should complete all of their external and alt credits first before enrolling and not plan to continue bringing stuff in while an Excelsior student. That's not the end of the world; UMPI works kinda similarly.

[milah1]

Reading closely, I think it just means that next year starting Feb,2024, you have to take at least one course at Excelisor every 16 week semester. It says you can take off two consecutive 8-week terms so that just one semseter or half the acadmic year. So take at least one class at Excelsior and tried to use ACE courses to finish up as fast you can before the next semester starts.

Hi smtGate - What type of classes are ACE classes?  I don't have too far to go.  If you could let me know where to find the ACE classes, that would be great.

[bjcheung77]

For most of our board members going for the Excelsior University BSLA, it won't really matter... you just need to follow through with what our member jch mentioned... Complete all your requirements first for the degree that can be transferred (113 credits), apply, get everything evaluated, complete the info lit, cornerstone and finish with the capstone...

[davewill]

So the answer to people not finishing their degree is to disenroll them to make sure they can't continue?

[bjcheung77]

It really depends on where the student is, they can complete all the requirements and transfer them in, then take the required 7 credits at Excelsior if they're almost done... If they're half way done at 60 credits, applied, completed more ACE/NCCRS, and haven't completed any of the residency credits at Excelsior, then they just need to complete the required classes at Excelsior accordingly, so one course each term, they can do the Info Lit... then next term, do the Cornerstone, and last term, do the Capstone. Not much has changed to the requirements of the degree itself, but strict time management requirements are in place to help students progress further... This kind of makes me wonder, it's like someone poking you in the back telling you to finish faster or else you'll have enrollment issues, does it help the student progress further is one persons view...

[Kab]

So the answer to people not finishing their degree is to disenroll them to make sure they can't continue?

Seems so. Is a very unfriendly move. They force you to spend money non stop with them. If you have everything ready to go changes nothing but very few people has everything at once...and each evaluation is to pass for the 300$ fee barrier. So each time looks less interesting. Each time UMPI looks more interesting.
What will improve is their statistics of success (since people that do not progress gets kick out and money revenue since you have to keep paying every 16 weeks.
Did I understand it wrong?

[rachel83az]

So the answer to people not finishing their degree is to disenroll them to make sure they can't continue?

It's an urgency thing. Buy now or you'll never get this sponge-mop-toaster-vacuum-oven on sale again!!!

It'll work quite well for a segment of students. It's not going to work well for everyone, though.

[bjcheung77]

"This kind of makes me wonder, it's like someone poking you in the back telling you to finish faster or else you'll have enrollment issues, does it help the student progress further is one persons view..."

I think this makes perfect sense to place, they want people to succeed by continuously completing requirements. As I mentioned in the thread, you don't even need to worry about the transfer of other credit, do all of those first, apply to Excelsior, then do one course at a time from them, or do the Info Lit with the cornerstone, and then the final course for capstone. Don't look at things as an obstacle, use it as a vehicle to get things done faster...