excelsior

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by rina, Dec 17, 2003.

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  1. rina

    rina New Member

    I have an applied science associate degree and I want to proceed to my masters without having to lose my credits. schools in my area do not take credits from technical schools.

    i am interested in www.excelsior.edu but i would like to know how legit it is?

    will i be able to proceed to a masters program with no complications?

    also how exactly does excelsior work at getting you a degree, i ask because i know of students who are told one thing by enrollment reps (uop & others) and when they join a school things are different.

    can any successful graduates of excelsior please shed some light???






    http://www.excelsior.edu/
     
  2. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Excelsior is an RA school. The other schools tat you could look jnto are - Charter Oak and Thomas Edisonn State College .

    Also, you could look at tthe BA in 4 weeks site site for a quick path to finsh your BS/BA.

    COSC help me get a degree this way - They assessed my credits and told me what classes/credits/tests I needed to finish my degree. It is that simple.

    Good luck
     
  3. I'm not a graduate but a current student, and I've found Excelsior to be exactly what I wanted/needed - nothing more and nothing less.

    If you want a regionally accredited school where you can take exams to prove prior experience/knowledge and receive credit and have a very low cost this is one of the better options out there.

    If, however, you prefer a guided learning environment then I would recommend a different option such as an online bachelor's program - note that these will be considerably more expensive than the "Big Three" mentioned by Randell.

    You should have no problems entering a Masters program assuming the undergrad degree you complete meets both the GPA and course pre-requisites.

    Before enrolling at Excelsior you may want to investigate their Credit Bank option - it will consolidate what you currently have and even if you end up applying elsewhere it may "disguise" the technical school nature of your credits.

    Cheers,
    Mark
     
  4. rina

    rina New Member

    i assume RA stands for regionally accredited..............

    i am just hoping to get my undergrad done and get into a masters program with the least complications. my frustration is being made to disregard the course load i have covered so far.

    i have actually been accepted into a traditional school but i am opting out because of the loss of my credits.
     
  5. cmt

    cmt New Member

    Alumni from Excelsior, Charter Oak, and TESC have gone on to complete graduate programs at Harvard Business School, Yale Medical School, and Columbia Law School - just like any other RA school.

    If you can not get into the masters program you want, it will not be because your degree is from Excelsior.
     
  6. anthonym

    anthonym New Member

    I enrolled at Excelsior for the very same reason: to quickly enter a graduate program. And I quickly finished and began a masters program a few months later, at Tiffin U, which I will finish tomorrow. I was also accepted into another graduate program at Columbus State U. in Georgia. My Excelsior degree worked fine in both cases. Regional accreditation is the most important factor, which Excelsior has from Middle States: http://www.msache.org/

    Also, check out the Excelsior alumni magazine which includes many graduate school success stories:

    http://www.excelsior.edu/pdf/Live_&_Learn_Spring_2003.pdf
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 17, 2003
  7. wfready

    wfready New Member

    Rina,

    Excelsior is a good idea to complete a degree from (I have an AAS from Excelsior my self and they would take ALL of my credits towards a BS). There is no reason why you can't find a masters degree program w/ an excelsior undergrade degree either (plenty of people do it).

    Keep in mind, however, there are a few colleges that have "degree completion" programs that are design to transfer AAS degrees in a technical field towards a degree in technical management, IT, etc.

    ODU's BSET in General Engineering Technology is one. I think AIU has a BIT that accept AAS in computers (not sure if it will take any or not). I am looking for more (I know there is). Fort Hayes evaluated my AAS degree a year and a half ago and I wound up getting MORE than 60 credits transferred (they found some extra credits on my SMART transcript that they threw in). Embry Riddle's BS in Technical Management might be one. There are a whole lot of non DL ones as well (I googled a million of them).

    I'll post again if I find anymore (there was one in particular I was thinking of that was accelerated like Baker or Bellavue that specifically said it would take an AAS in virtually anything... of course I can't find it now).

    Degree completion programs (not just ones that specifically say that they accept AAS's) are general very liberal when it comes to transferring. You have to find a program that has a really large section for free electives. TESC's BA programs have a hefty free elective slot I believe.

    Hopes this helps,
    Bill
     
  8. wfready

    wfready New Member

  9. drwetsch

    drwetsch New Member

    Rina,

    Excelsior (formerly Regents College/USNY) opened the door for me to pursue graduate study. It is an excellent program and allows you to optimize the credits you have already earned.
    Excelsior also has an alumni base of over 100,000 and has an enrollment of over 20,000.

    Good luck with your decision. Others have also recommended some excellent choices such as COSC and TESC.

    John
     
  10. rina

    rina New Member

    can anyone give a rough estimate on TUITION for attending EXCELSIOR? it's kinda hard to figure out from their site.

    also thanks for all the good feedback you all have given me.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 18, 2003
  11. Rina,

    Tuition schedule for prospective students can be downloaded at:

    http://www.excelsior.edu/pdf/fees_prospective_undergrad.pdf

    There is a $975 enrollment fee (i.e. when you start), an annual fee of $455 (for each year you are enrolled beyond the first), and a $490 graduation fee (i.e. when you complete).

    If you decide to apply prior to enrollment, there is a $60 fee. If you want to "bank" your college credit WITHOUT enrolling there is a $240 fee.

    Basically it's $1500 if you enroll and complete a degree within 1 year, $2000 for 2 years, $2500 for 3 years, etc.

    On top of this are exam fees or courses taken elsewhere, book fees, etc. This is JUST for Excelsior enrollment/graduation.

    Cheers,
    Mark
     
  12. rina

    rina New Member

    assuming i enrol in Jan 2004

    my first year would be

    $975 enrollment fee +
    $455 annual fee of +
    $60 enrollment fee
    ---------------------------------

    total $ 1490 (about 1500) my first year not including graduation ?

    by the way, do you get education credit during tax time for enrolling at excelsior, I know I did when I enrolled at my local college?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 18, 2003
  13. Actually, it would be $975 only.

    You don't need the $455 until after 1 year, and don't need the $60 unless you want to apply (to get an idea of what may transfer, what courses you may need, etc.) before enrollment.

    Note that the $60 gives you a "may" answer - you "may" transfer x of your credits. After enrollment you will get the definite answer after they evaluate your requirements more fully.

    As to education credit I'd probably consult someone more qualified (like a tax advisor), but my guess is that if you're eligible for your local college you'll still be eligible with Excelsior - after all, it has the same level of accreditation.
     
  14. rina

    rina New Member

    thanks, i'll consult my tax person on the other question....
     
  15. Tygibson

    Tygibson New Member

    ---------------------------------

    total $ 1490 (about 1500) my first year not including graduation ?

    by the way, do you get education credit during tax time for enrolling at excelsior, I know I did when I enrolled at my local college?>>>>>>>>>.

    I did both years because I entered as a Freshman and the law stated (at the time, I don't know now) that you could only take the Hope 2 times and couldn't be considered higher than a Sophomore excluding credit-by-exam

    Gibson
     
  16. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    Ask about the IRS Lifetime Learning tax credit (publication 970). I use it every year to lop off up to $1000 of my tax liability.
     

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