How many courses do you have to take through TESC to graduate?

[cookderosa]

Yep. I'll take those at the local community college though.

As for the enrollment, let me see if I understand this. If I CLEP everything I can and take the rest of the classes at my local college, all I have to do is send TESC a check for $1350 plus graduation fees and I get a diploma? Would this be considered a "diploma mill"? I mean, wouldn't it be looked down on out in the job market?

>

A diploma mill is a very real problem, but TESC is not one. TESC is regionally accredited- the highest accreditation available. This is the same accreditation as your local community college, your state university and the ivy league schools.
There are many colleges that are not accredited, but are still not diploma mills. (a lot of the strip mall technical colleges as well as career schools fit this category. Think massage therapy, cosmetology, culinary, truck driving....when these schools are free standing they are often not accredited nationally or regionally) A mill on the other hand, exchanges a degree for money- no work necessary. TESC is simply allowing you to submit LEGITIMATE credits you already earned to them without a residency requirement. They do, however, have classes for their students who are going the traditional route.
When I had my classes at TESC, it was rare that anyone else in my class was testing extensively (I tested out of 60 credits). TESC is a very popular school with the locals in Jersey, many had no idea it was "known" for being one of the "big 3" or even what that was. They simply have zero residency (unless you are military) requirement, so they have rock star status here .