Update with my TESC credits question and why TESC will NEVER receive a cent from me.

So as some may remember, I had my local CC send TESC my transcripts. Well TESC gave me partial credits for my CC credits. Blah blah blah--we have already been over this in an earlier post.

Fast forward to this morning. I had an appointment to speak with Dr. Keel this morning about my credit situation along with a couple other questions.

So I called for my appointment, and I was informed that Dr. Keel was not in the office today--but I could talk to the next "highest" person.

So I was transfered to this lady. She goes on and explains to me that out here on the west coast, we are on the "quarter" credit hour and the east cost is on the "semester" credit hour--thats why I only received partial credit. I am still confused about this. If I need 120 credits to graduate here in Oregon and New Jersey requires 120 credits to graduate--I don't understand what it matters if you do it in quarter or semester credits. Maybe someone can help me understand this.

I am no really upset about the credit thing. Sure it sucks because there are like 9 credits I will not transfer which equals about 2200 dollars. I am sure TESC is correct on this--I just don't understand it.

The reason I am not going to attend TESC is because the lady I spoke to today was rude and not helpful at all. At one point when I was asking here about the difference between quarter and semester credits--she informed me to do my own research because she didn't really have the time to go over it with me.

Also when she first got on the phone with me--she asked me if I was sure that my appointment was for today. I told her YES. I explained to her I had spoke to somebody there just yesterday, and was told to call back at 12:30 today. The way she responded was like I had my dates mixed up because it was not on his schedule. I guess you just had to here how she told me. Mmm OK, well what can I do for you.

Now I know that TESC has the worst customer service. I felt like I was an inconvenience to her. I was expecting maybe a bit of a warmer welcome and better answers to my question. If a potential student is getting this treatment now--I can only imagine once I was a student.

I am not bashing TESC. I am sure its a great school. I think this school is really good for students that have done the "distance" thing before and really understands how it works. But for me that has questions and looking for some guidance, Its not going to work for me. I even had a couple other questions I needed to ask, but felt very rushed and was a bit intimidated.

SO now I am back to the drawing board.

 

So I tired to edit my post--but I guess you only have 10 minutes to do so. But I wanted to REMOVE "TESC will never receive a cent from me" from my topic. I should not say that. I may transfer to TESC after I receive my AA from another school. I was just a bit worked up when I made this post.

 

Thanks MC,

I guess you are right. What they are "great" at is the ease of transferring credits.

It just seemed like the best priced school in the "distance" realm. I am not really going to test out of many classes, if any.

Before I came across the forum, I was enrolling at University of Phoenix. When I found this site, I realized that there is much cheaper schools to attend that did the whole on-line thing.

Its sad to say this but I have contacted many schools--and the one school that really seemed they cared and answered ALL my questions was UofP. If they weren't so expensive, I would enroll with them; and I still might--at least for my AA (credts for AA are $365 at UofP).

Another option is Troy U. at like 250ish per credit. .

IDK. I just have to keep looking at options.

 

gopens,

You're correct about Phoenix's tuition. If I hadn't been getting my tuition payed for via Post 9/11 GI Bill, I wouldn't have enrolled either.

Best of luck.

 

I got the same attitudes from TESC employees during my time there. Not sure if it's something in the water in Trenton, or if it's part of the bureaucracy that you deal with when enrolled in a public school, but it just seems to come with being a student there. Not saying it's right. But just think of it as a means to an end. Or, you could always give COSC a shot, if you're not concerned with actual majors.

 

Quarter hours and semester hours are different. Maybe the chart below will help with your understanding of this. 120 quarter hours = 80 semester hours.

conversion tables

 

yeah,
Ohio University's course credit by exam is also quarter hour
Combined

 

I took several classes through TESC and thoroughly enjoyed them. I never had an issue that wasn't corrected promptly with either a call or email either, always move up the chain to get things done. I personally don't get why people expect such a high level of customer service from a state school. Try calling many other schools with the questions you have when you call TESC and you will get the same responses. Yes, there are some that have exceptional customer service, COSC comes to mind. If that is vitally important to you then I am sure COSC would love to have your business.

Also, I never had to talk to Dr. Keel about anything but have heard amazing things about him helping people through the system. Maybe there was a mix-up with the scheduling and the person who scheduled it didn't know he had the day off. Either way, decide what is important to you and continue on your journey undeterred.

 

Really? The $895 fee for enrollment and $495 for graduation = a degree that's not worth it? Especially with the fact that you can xfer everything in (well, except for 1-2 classes now, generally). Hate to say it, but they gotta pay people to do the reviews on transfered classes to make sure the credits and stuff transfered in is of a level that won't piss off their accreditors and maintain a level of compliance. That's fricken cheap when you look at some of these B&M vo-techs who charge $30 grand for an associates degree of limited use... Besides, they offer the partnership agreements as well which, while yes, incurs an obligation of 12 credits, also drops both of these fees down to $130 each, as well as giving a break on the cost per credit hour. And they offer partner 'scholarships' that can cover the cost of a course.

Just curious, have you ever looked at the out of state enrollment fee at TESC?

Shrug.

 

Is that all Excelsior costs? Somehow I had come up with $1905 to enroll and graduate without taking any classes. I hope that your numbers are right instead of mine!

 

don't forget to add in the cost of Excelsior's "research/internet literacy" course or whatever its called
I know you said you didn't take any classes, but Excelsior has required this course for quite a few years (perhaps you were able to transfer it in?)

 

Hey man sorry you had a bad expierence with TESC. I had read all that about bad customer service, and when I started dealing with tesc myself I had figured maybe it was "old" news. I have a credit bank with them, and before I opened it and gave them any money I asked them quite a few questions, they were all answered by a few different people with nice attitudes. Then once I opened my credit bank and started transferring in credits, I ran into one problem (read my thread on NFA Q534). But it was met with good attitudes and quite a few call backs from a lovely woman in the admissions office. My goal in June starting with 18 cc credits was to accumulate 48 credits for Army promotion, Iam shipping out Sunday with 49 credits and a rank of E-3. Once I have the time I plan to have the Army help me pay for my BA from TESC.

You can't beat the easiness of transferring credits for $450 bucks(credit bank), $40 bucks for an ace transcript. I got 31 credits in 4 months.

 

Wait, what? You said:

"Although the reality of Excelsior is that their fees make their degrees not worth it for, probably, most students (including myself ..."

I read that as Excelsior fees make their degree not worth it for you.