beginner help: tesc, clep

[meatballcheeze]

Hello everyone, my name is Johnnie, I'm from boston.
I got laid off a while ago. So I decided now is the best time to go back to finish up my degree.

Anyways, I decided TESC is the school I'm going to go to.

What are the steps I should take?
Should I apply with my transcript and see what classes will count to my liberal arts degree?

Do you recommend taking clep exams before or after I am officially enrolled.

Do they charge for taking clep credits?

I apologize if these questions have been asked a hundred times before.
I am just super anxious to get the ball rolling. Any additional info would be very much appreciated.
Thank you, Johnnie.

[Lindagerr]

TESC has an application fee of $75 fill out the application and have All previous colleges send transcripts. TESC will then send you an unofficial Evaluation from this you will have a better idea of what you need to complete your degree. Take all of the CLEP/DSST/ECE exams you plan then enroll at TESC they do not charge anything to add credits to your transcript once you are enrolled. Once you enroll you pay a yearly "tuition" which is really an enrollment fee there are two types of enrollment Comprehensive enrollment which is ~$6700 the first year and includes 36 credits of courses or TECEP exams. Or you can pay the enrolled options plan which is ~$2500 for out of state and then you pay a per credit tuition for each course or TECEP exam you take.

So if you plan on taking mostly CLEP/DSST/ECE exams you can take them before enrolling then just enroll for the last year and take any classes or TECEp's and graduate in that one year.

I hope this helps. I did not understand this in the beginning and I have paid 4 years tuition and only taken 2 courses and 2 TECEP's

[meatballcheeze]

thanks for the response,

do you know how excelsior costs compare?

[Rhashad]

Welcome to the board and the education "super-highway." The information and resources found here are worth their weight in gold.

[Lindagerr]

But Jennifer/ AKA Cookderosa did an analysis it is available here http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...light=cost

[ZsaZsa]

Lindagerr,
Can you clarify- did you mean that you can pay the $75, have your transcripts evaluated, and NOT officially enroll until you are almost ready to graduate? I would like to have them evaluate, so I know what I still need for sure, but do not want to pay out big bucks right now (I'm laid off- lots of time to study, but no money honey!)
Thanks!

[Lindagerr]

For $75 you get an unofficial evaluation. It tells you what they will probably accept from your previous credits and it tells you where you will need more credits for the degree you inquire about. They just can not be held officially to what they recommend. You will not get any help from their advisors so you are not positive what will work, but with help from others on this board you can be 90% sure. The unoficial evaluation is good for 6 months I think after that you will need to reapply.
If you are laid off and on unemployment you should check out some of the grants they offer it could be as much as $4000 from what I have heard.
I hope this makes it clear.

[bawhitsett]

I would definitely obtain the unofficial evaluation, beef up on credits needed to fulfill the missing requirements (through testing or coursework), then officially enroll. No need in paying the annual enrollment fee after the first year if you don't have to. And don't just assume you have to take the coursework through TESC, a lot of times an acceptable course can be found elsewhere for a lower price. Good luck!

[ZsaZsa]

Thank you both- I will probably get that "unofficial" eval once I have finished with my colonial history and Aleks (algebra...bleechh! Although Aleks is the best option I have found for the math-phobe that I am, and I owe it all to this site for finding out that it exists!)

[meatballcheeze]

so, while not officially enrolled, do I still send the clep results to the college

or just have them send me some letter after passing the test?