Excelsior's Cost

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by shirleyngan, Jun 23, 2004.

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  1. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    I would like to know the fee of Excelsior College for BLS program, thanks.

    I could find it in the website.
     
  2. nobycane

    nobycane New Member

    The cost is entirely depended on how you approach the program.

    If you have XX amount of credits transfering in from other universities....then need to complete YY amount to graduate, then your best choice is to "farm" out the remaining credits from other DL colleges as a non-degree'd student.

    I did that for my BSLS. I had like 9 classes left in order to graduate. I utulized Excelsior's Distance Learning Data base (which consisted of hundreds of various courses from colleges from all of North America) and chose the best courses that met my particular degree concentration(s).

    It was a lot cheaper that way and I had a large catalog of courses to chose from.
    Excelsiors' main catalog of courses do not contain that many courses to chose from (very limited), and the cost is on the high side IMO.

    Besides, Excelsiors advisors may encourage you to browse their DL data base anyways....to assist you in competing your program.

    To give you an example.....my remaining 9 courses, the annual fee, program fee, and graduation fee (minus the scholarship award) was less than $8,000.
    ____________________________________________________
    Enrolled Student Services:

    Associate Degree Programs $825
    Associate Degree Programs for Military,
    Family Members, Veterans, and DoD Civilians $575
    Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in
    • Administrative/Management
    • Aviation Studies
    • Technical Studies
    Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) in Aviation $450
    Baccalaureate Degree Programs $975
    Baccalaureate Degree Programs for Military,
    Family Members, Veterans, and DoD Civilians $785

    Degree Completion/Graduation:
    Program Completion
    and Graduation Fee
    Associate Degree Programs $450
    Associate Degree Programs in nursing * $475
    Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in
    • Administrative/Management
    • Aviation Studies
    • Technical Studies
    Associate in Occupational Studies (AOS) in Aviation $225
    Baccalaureate Degree Programs $490
     
  3. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    For the Program Fee and Graduation Fee, the total would be US$1465.

    I would like to know why you need to pay about US$8000 for 9 classes including the above fee?

    How the transferred courses shown in the transcript?
     
  4. anthonym

    anthonym New Member

    You choose where you earn your credits ($8k is a bit high) and you can search the market for independent study courses, many of which are about $210 each. Also, you can take DANTES, CLEP and GRE exams to earn credit for much cheaper. You can earn 30 semesters for one GRE subject exam!


    Excelsior lists the school the courses came from and uses the original course number and name. Excelsior also sends a letter with each transcript describing how the system works.
     
  5. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    Could you recommend some independent study courses with cheaper fee?
     
  6. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    Could you recommend some independent study courses with cheaper fee?
     
  7. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Ballpark, current rates - $2,000 - $5,000, depending upon how you do it and what you bring with you to the table, credit wise.

    See bain4weeks.com FAQs Q. 9, for a breakdown of exam and enrollment/graduation costs. A little out of date now.

    Excelsior College, perhaps fearing interested learners might enroll, have deleted key online documents, and are busy redesigning their website to make access and navigation as time consuming and difficult as possible. Access now requires SSL enabled browser, obscure, non-customizable, username and password, and prior graduate study in non-linear data structures, if the site is to be navigated successfully.

    On the off chance the more persistent and learned explorer might negotiate these hurdles, they have worked diligently to ensure no information of consequence with regard to enrollment and fee structures is present in the PDF database or in any html file.

    Is it any wonder that those who brought us the much loved title, “Excelsior College”, have crafted this new confection?

    .
     
  8. anthonym

    anthonym New Member

    I don't know if there are any cheaper courses. The $210 is the total cost of a course, not the semester hour rate.
     
  9. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    Then, what courses can be offered with the fee of 210?
     
  10. anthonym

    anthonym New Member

    Louisiana State University and the University of Arkansas both offer courses at about that rate. Texas State University at San Marcos is a little more expensive, but still reasonable.

    www.is.lsu.edu

    http://www.uacted.uark.edu/CreditStudies/IndependentStudy/IScourses.asp

    www.ideal.swt.edu

    However, once you're an Excelsior student you can search a database of independent study courses within various price ranges. There are many schools offering courses.
     
  11. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    Thanks a lot for your info!

    I would like to know whether Thesis or Research Project is available, since I would like to apply Clinical Psychology program in Hong kong after completing the BS Psychology from Excelsior, and thesis/research project is required as one course of the Bachelor Degree.

    Indeed, to admit to the Master's degree in Clinical Psychology in Hong kong, two courses must be included:
    1. Research Method
    2. Thesis/Dissertation

    Thanks.
     
  12. anthonym

    anthonym New Member

    I do not think Excelsior offers them directly. However, you have the option of meeting those requirements at any accredited institution and transferring the credit to Excelsior to be included in your degree plan. Many schools offer learning contract options that allow you to design a course for credit, which could be done through a project or thesis. You also may be able to meet these requirements at an institution near you and tranfer them to Excelsior (you check with Excelsior on that point).

    Good luck!
     
  13. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    Do you have any recommendation on the thesis credits?
     
  14. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    If I recall correctly to earn a second bachelor degree at Excelsior one has to take an aditional 30 semester units. So maybe you should consider a masters degree for the same amount of effort (actually I found both my masters degrees easier than my BS degree).
     
  15. shirleyngan

    shirleyngan New Member

    Re: Re: Excelsior's Cost

    For Master Degree, I also need a Psychology one.
     
  16. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Re: Re: Excelsior's Cost

    Really . . . Easier than the USNY BS . . . Guess I've found the next target graduate programs for infiltration and review. Thanks for that reflection, Ian.




    Relevant here: note that if the Psychology major comprises the new credit of the second degree, the required thirty semester hours can be earned by a suitable pass in the Psych GRE subject exam, augmented by the 3-credit ECE exam, "Research Methods in Psychology". Cost of these exams - under $400 total. Time to complete both exams - under six hours.

    .

    .
     
  17. Myoptimism

    Myoptimism New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Excelsior's Cost

    I believe that Excelsior would also require a stats class if one was not taken for the first degree.

    Tony
     
  18. nobycane

    nobycane New Member

    Well, all my courses were science courses...atmospheric sciences and geological sciences...plus they were upper level undergradute courses too.
    So UL are a little more expensive than compared to LL (lower level undergradute).

    And...I had anywhere from 2-4 textbooks per course...so that costs $$$ too!

    So adding all the textbooks, the courses, enrollments fees (per college), tracnscript fees (sent to Excelsior College), and various misc fees, graduation fees, program fees, application fees.......all that adds up!!

    So my final bill was LESS than $8K total !!!
     
  19. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Excelsior's Cost

    Indeed, and certainly if the GRE is not involved. However, as I recall that exam, it contains a statistics component that may fulfill that core requirement, as do other components of the exam fulfill other elements of the Psychology major. Certainly, at the time I sat the test and looked to earn that major/concentration, I cannot recall a concern about need of separate Statistics credit, but I * was * exercised by the difficulty fulfilling the Research Methods core component (the relevant ECE exam was not yet offered). So it is the case that I was alert to possible residual deficiencies post GRE. No Stats worries, though. That may have been due to the fact I had long before earned such credit, mind you, but I never offered it for consideration, least not until I did the Business degree sometime after.

    I’ll seek clarification from Excelsior but I’ve no great confidence of early reply (or any reply for that matter).

    .
     
  20. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    Re: Re: Re: Excelsior's Cost

    Almost all my BS courses were engineering, science and math courses so this foundation together with years of experience using this knowledge in my jobs helped to make my master degrees relatively easy.

    To clarify my statement further I believe a masters degree is easier than a bachelor degree providing that the subject of the masters is the same as the bachelor major, and that the student has had a few years of work experience in the same subject area. In both my master degrees there was a heavy emphasis on research with at least one class presentation being required for most courses.

    I have looked at doing masters degrees in other subjects not in my field (such as astronomy or museum studies) and it looks such a masters would be harder than my BS or Master degrees.

    It would be interesting to hear other views in this area.
     

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