No response from Thomas Edison

Hi all!

I've requested information from Thomas Edison State College about their distance learning undergraduate degree programs twice -- once online and once on the phone. To date, I have yet to receive anything at all from them.

I'm somewhat surprised, assuming that they'd respond promptly since I'd heard good things about them. Does anyone know anything about TESC and how they do business? Frankly, I'm very disappointed. I'm quite serious about getting a DL degree and based on other information I've seen from other colleges, TESC seemed like it might have just what I need.

But their apparent disregard of my request makes me leery of ever enrolling in any of their programs if this is how they handle their (potential) business.

Thanks!

Sincerely,
Michelle

 

I've never been enrolled at TESC, but I did have to order a examination from their testing department. In summary, I received awful service. For details, you can read this thread: http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11173

You may want to try either COSC or Excelsior, they have very similar programs to TESC. I've had good luck with Excelsior's service, and I've heard wonderful things about COSC's service.

 

when I queried them they did not provide me any info via email. They instead asked for my mailing address and send me brochure and other material through normail mail which arrived I think after 2 weeks.

 

Yep!

I had a similar experience and that put the final nail in the coffin for me. I went to COSC. If you want to switch, call Kerry Ann Kowar at Charter Oak. I get six hundred bucks per referral!
.........


In my fevered dreams
But seriously, they were flat out rude to me so, anyway, goood luck.

 

My assigned advisor at TESC was fantastic. Fast and helpful responses to inquiries / program changes / course substitutions, and worked with me to get every last inch of mileage out of my existing credit before planning the courses needed for completion.

Likewise, the folks at the Office of Portfolio Assessment (when they were still the Office of Portfolio Assessment) were on the ball, even when I wasn't.

As for the most of the remaining "support" offices? I'll be charitable and assume that they were all coincidentally having VERY bad days on those instances when I called, from the "lost" application (funny, the application fee went right through) to the bunch of transcripts that went out to grad schools with the wrong degree posted to 'em, and all the myriad annoyances in between. My salvation was living and working within a half-hour drive of the offices. Problems tend to get solved more expeditiously when you're live person at their desk rather than a disembodied voice from hundreds/thousands of miles away.

TESC was the best choice for me in the big picture, but I fully understand why they seem to scare off so many potential students. Welcome to New Jersey.. if something is working well, state government will immediately set out to remedy the situation.

 

I just ordered info from them (as I do every year or so) and it arrived quite quickly in about a week.


Tom Nixon

 

When I contacted them with a request for information last summer, it arrived within 2 weeks. The thing that took longer than I anticipated was my credit review. That took about 7 weeks caused me to start classes a month later than I had planned.

There are some things I don't like about the school, like the fact that it can take 2 months to find out your grade for a class(it should NEVER take that long) and the fact that apparently nobody is watching their myedison.tesc.edu web site on weekends to make sure it's working...

...BUT, there are definately good things about the school too, and for me, the good outweighs the bad by far. I don't think that I would have liked doing my entire undergrad degree this way, but for my last 29 credits it's more than fine.

 

One thing the original writer did not mention is how he or she contacted TESC in the first place - by email? Regular mail? Phoen call? My take is that the phone always works best - you can touch base with a live person.

I never had a complaint about them but, like Dennis, I lived only an hour away and actually went there to meet with my progra advisor, do the few exams that I took, drop off my portfolios directly with my portfolio advisor, etc. I started with only six credits and did the whole program, matriculation to graduation, in one year and ten months.

Personal contact does mean a lot, espceially since TESC has actual majors (as opposed to COSC, which is more of a general studies degree).

 

Just to add a little credence to the original poster's comments, I also requested information on TESC about two weeks ago and have yet to receive anything by email, snail mail, or otherwise. I filled in the online "Request Information" form and also emailed separately ([email protected]). I was planning to give them another week to see if that follow-up email produces any results before bothering someone by telephone.

I requested information from COSC the same day as the first TESC request and received it about four days later. Their program appears to be something I would be interested in and suited for, but it would be nice to be able to compare the two.

Emily
Most likely a prospective COSC student...

 

My experience has been good..so far

-Great site- I've been lurking for a bit. Anyway

I requested materials by web a few years ago and received the materials promptly. I've decided to get my degree and this time called and received a packet in a little over a week.
After I sent my $75 for the application in November(2003)
I received a call from admissions asking if I had any questions??
Awesome..very friendly and helpful lady I might add.
I just sent in my enrollment last week and they have all my trascripts..so I'll update with how long the "credit review" will take

But so far so good!!

*Newbie

BTW, I've requested info from Charter Oak and they've been prompt and helpful as well. Some of the "passing" scores for clep/dantes were a little too high at the time

 

POOR Student support at TESC

I am a student at TESC. THEY ARE HORRIBLE at student support! My advisor was a joke, with attitude. The VA department has messed up my paperwork every semester. Then I have to call 4-5 times to get it fixed. They rarely return my phone calls, or emails. I would recommend you save yourself the aggrevation and go to COSC or Excelsior. The TESC tuition has gone through the roof, and the service is horrible. BAin4wks.com hits the nail on the head.

Another rant is they no longer have Portfolio Assesment, they replaced it with PLA. You have to wait for TESC to provide a proctor at their timetable, not yours.

At every turn, they have been a pain. Look elswhere.

 

It's a shame, because I think it's a good school with good credentials, but, you guys are so right about TESC! The advisors have been great, but the mentor and student services are deplorable. I don't understand why these schools don't realize that they are a business and we are their customers! It took me eight weeks to get my proctor choice straightened out--and that was after they told me it was done! Numerous phone calls and emails went unanswered.

The worst for me at TESC is their "Comprehensive Tuition" program, which is 36 SH per year. What is not explained very well--although they made me feel pretty stupid for not understanding it all--is that as a financial aid student I can only register four times per year at my quarter marks. That means I have to take four classes each time. So much for understanding working students.

I am currently looking diligently to find where I want to take my AA when I receive it next year.

 

This is disturbing. I guess if the service is this bad, some of the alums should contact the school. You never, ever have enough students. I never received this treatment, but I guess there are those in customer service that dont care. I am speculating here, but I guess the alums should help this situation.

 

This is disturbing. I guess if the service is this bad, some of the alums should contact the school. You never, ever have enough students. I never received this treatment, but I guess there are those in customer service that dont care. I am speculating here, but I guess the alums should help this situation.

 

Re: Re: No response from Thomas Edison

Well duh! That's probably because you are THE Tom Nixon, who everyone knows writes all these books and reviews about distance learning programs.

No offense, but....

 

My Experience was great

I just graduated from TESC in December. My experience was great. They sent me info right away. My advisor was great and helpful. All my mentors were great (although I have heard of bad ones).

Overall, it was a great experience. I graduated with a BS AST so if you have any questions on that degree program I can help. Since my experience was good, some of my co-workers have enrolled also. Their experience has been good so far.


I hope you make the right choice for you.

Mike
BSAST in NET, TESC

 

Did you do most of the coursework at a local school, or did you find online courses to satisfy BSAST requirements? Did you find any of the upper level ET courses online? How about lower level?

Best Regards,
Bill

 

TESC Graduate

Hi,

I am personally sorry that you are experiencing problems with TESC. I graduated from there in 1999 and I had a wonderful experience with counselors, my instructors, the faculty, and all staff that I encountered. I know in 5 years that they have grown a whole lot and their growth may have stifled their responsiveness a bit but they were great when I was there.

Just as a side note, I have been accepted at nearly every graduate school that I have applied to, whether it be Brick and Mortar or DL and I have applied and been granted acceptance at several law schools as well. Not to mention promotions at work. So, if you find that you get to a point where you feel that you are willing to try TESC, I think that it is worthwhile.

Just my two cents

Mike
AA Burlington College, NJ
BA TESC, NJ
MS SMSU, MO
PhD NCU (Feb, 04)

 

My wife graduated last December with a BS in business. She enrolled and completed her last 42 credits within one year. She enjoyed her experiences with TESC and is accepted into all B&M graduate schools she applied. Maybe things are going down hill after December or she just got lucky.

 

I took 24 credits from a local community college. I took about 30 credits (both guided study and online-- I took no cleps or dantes or tecep) from TESC. TESC does offer at least one course in electronics. It is a lower level course, CTR-211-Electronic Instrumentation and Controls ( I took this course and can answer questions if you have any). I am sure there are upper level ET courses online (not at TESC) but I did not need them so I did not look for them--sorry.