Penn Foster Career School?

Hey folks,

I remember these guys when they were "ICS". Then it was Harcourt Learning Direct, then it was Thomson Education Direct...now Penn. I can't keep up...(perhaps that is their point). I was just wondering if the name change (again) has been reflected in the quality of their programs? I once (years ago) started a course from them in Private Investigation. One of the components of the course was doing crossword puzzles(?). Are they just filing a Chapter 7 (hence the name change), or have they really improved their program offerings? Are they reputable, or an embarrassment? Input appreciated.

http://www.pennfoster.edu/

- Shawn

 

I see your pending graduation from Excelsior College ...

Do you think Excelsior is reputable, or an embarrassment ?


Excelsior has accepted transfer credit from Penn Foster !


Penn Fosters dates backs to 1890.. There name change from ICS (International correspondence school) was becuase Harcourt publishing bought the school but didn't have the rights to the ICS name. The school was once again bought by Thomson Learning hence the Education Direct name. The Penn Foster name is really just a re-branding because the Education Direct name was a turn off for prospective students.

It has nothing to do with the quality of Education. There nationaly accredited
by DETC and have been since 1974. Also approx 140 of there course are in the National Guide to College Credit.

 

and as Far as Chapter 7,

Penn Foster is a division of the Thompson Corp.. The company trades on the New York stock exchange Ticker sysmbol "TOC "

$39.60, P/E 26.52, EPS $1.49

doesn't look like there going bankrupt any time soon

 

Excelsior is a good school. Just make sure you double check their transferring of any credits you submit - course by course, credit by credit. (And if you are transferring credit from quarters to semesters...you need to know the formula to calculate the transfer credit value). They missed a course of mine in my intial evaluation when I enrolled eight months prior, and it caused me some hassle for a while at the end of my program. They got the credit value right (it was a semester based course anyway), they just failed to transfer it to my evaluation of credit ("Status Report).

In the end they fixed the error, and I will be graduating from them on amicable terms. (They did not notice the missed credit until I told them about it at the very end - like nearly two months after my degree was complete). They get so busy, they occasionally miss details. Follow up with their evaluation using your own official copies of any transcripts from previous schools.

Other than that, I enjoyed working with them and for their overall value of services they are pretty well respected from folks on this site.

- Shawn

 

I'm a Excelsior student also. I have transfered 45 sh cerdits from Penn Foster to Excelsior.

I hope that Answerer's your question about Penn Foster being reputable, or an embarrassment

 

Actually, the question asked in the first reply posted was about whether Excelsior College is reputable, or an embarrassment...though it could also be asked of Penn.

- Shawn

 

Shawn,


Your Question was is PennFoster reputable or Embrassment.
Then your tied there name change to there finacial health.

I think you misunderstood my answer to your question. So I'll explain it to you

I answer your question with question seeing that the school you attended (Excelsior) accepts transfer credit from PennFoster..

I would think if PennFoster wasn't reputable then the school that you attended wouldn't accept there transfer credit along with any other school that use's the ACE national guide for college credit

 

Is Penn Foster College reputable

Penn Foster College and Career Schools have existed since 1890. The College is accredited by the DETC and the High School and all the Vocational Courses are accredited by the Middle States Accrediting Association. They have to meet the standards as all schools accredited by these agencies.
The name comes from the schools origion and existance in Pennsylvinia since 1980 and the name of the founder of the school.
Thus, the name Penn Foster.
The schools are part of Thomson Learning which is a world wide corporation thats trades on the NY stock Exchange.
For your information ICS still exists in Canada and is a part of Thomson.
Have their courses changed over the years? Certainly they have to include modern technology and business practices.
I do not know anything about Excelcior University, but I certainly read enough about it here on this board.
As for myself, I am an Alumnus of ICS, Harcourt “Learning Direct”, Thomson “Education Direct” and a Student at Penn Foster College. In addition, I’m in the “Grandfather Category”, since I’m in my late sixties.
Now a little about myself. Throughout my lifetime, I have pursued one educational goal after another. Beginning with my desire to complete High School, to become a radio and television Repairman, an Electrician, an Electronics Technician, an Amateur Radio Operator. All these educational goals were met through the aid of distance learning, and in particular, Penn Foster and all its former names.
Starting with ICS in the late sixties, I completed my High School on the GI Bill. Following that, I was enrolled and graduated from an Industrial Electrician Course through ICS. Later in my career I was a Student of Harcourt Learning, and finally, I graduated from Thomson Education Direct’s CDS with an Associate Degree in Electronics Technology (AST) in December 2002.
All of the career goals I set for myself would not have been possible without the education that I acquired through Penn Foster. Having been an Electrician (40 years), Electronics Technician (18 years), Teacher, (adult Vocational) Writer (Micro Magazine, Compute Magazine, 73 Amateur Radio) and numerous other career objectives. Much of this I attribute to my lifelong association with this institution of learning.
I am currently enrolled in the AS in Electrical Engineering Technology at Penn Foster College, and as I said, I graduated from their AST in Electronics Technology program which took 21 months, I found the quality of the material for both lessons, textbooks, and labwork to be up to date as any other school of this type. Most of Penn Foster courses are ACE listed which means credits earned are normally transferable to other colleges and universities. Some of the lesson materials are in single lesson format and others are commecially published books with study guides. I have found that the present AS in Electrical Engineering have mostly been commercially published textbooks with additional course outlines and study guides. The Final Lab for the course was an eleven day stay in Harrisburg Pa., where we used the facilities of the university.

Now finally I must say, I am proud to be among the Alumni of this excellent Educational Institution and I'm sure the school will be around for another hundred years.

Bill AST in Electronics Technology, Penn Foster. AS in Electrical Engineering Technology, Penn Foster (in progress-fourth semester)

 

Error in last post

It seems that I made an error in my last post.
Penn Foster has been in existance since 1890 instead of 1980.
Bill947

 

Question:

MGKRILL

Hello:
In your last post you mentioned your transfer credits to Excelsior College from Penn Foster.
I'm curious as to what course you have taken at Penn Foster and your major. I viewed the Excelsior webpage and it seems that their programs do not include engineering. Only some credits for digital and such are listed.
I'm sure things like English Composition and business related courses would transfer. Please inform me if that is correct.
Bill947

 

Bill,

I'm in enrolled in AAS Technical Studies w/ a speacility in Computer Technologies.

Link to Excelsior Techology programs

https://www.excelsior.edu/portal/page?_pageid=57,52764&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

I complete 3 semesters in ASB Applied Computer Science with PennFoster

Also I was able to enroll in a indivual courses from PennFoster that where evaluated by ACE. (This is a little tricky you have to get a hold of the right person at the school)

I was able to transfer approx 45 Sh credits from Penn Foster.

Link to Penn Fosters ACE evaluated course;

https://www.acenet.edu/nationalguide/results/index.cfm?sid=34493


I have a total of 66 Sh credits at Excelsior. I need 7 sh to finish my degree 3 in written english, 3 natural science or math, and 1sh in Excelsior's Information Literacy

 

I've completed two diploma programs from Penn Foster back in their ICS days. I use the learned skills from both avocationally daily. If I decided to work in either of those two areas, I would not hesitate to include a summary of the ICS coursework on my resume and job application.

With regard to crossword puzzles, a course that I'm taking from a brick-and-mortar, regionally accredited, Vanguard School of Excellence includes crossword puzzles as part of elective homework drills.

 

MGKRILL

MGKRILL


Thanks for the info. on your transfer credits and your degree major. I'm checking it out. I see all the courses that I have taken could transfer should I decide to do so.
I'm taking the Autocad as my next course. I did the Mechanical Drawing in my last semester which I see could be a transfer course at Excelsior.
Well again Thanks and keep on learning.
Bill947