I submitted an application and the $75.00 application fee to Thomas Edison State College. I had three transcripts sent to the school with a total of 131 hours of credit. I received a letter of acceptance. I called the school yesterday to find out what credits they will accept and what I would need to do to finish my degree at TESC. They will give no advice unless I pay a $350 assessment fee or pay the complete enrollment fee. Is this common practice at this school? The other schools I attended have provided pre-enrollment counseling. Thanks, Scott3
I'm not a TESC graduate or even current student yet, but am in a similar situation as you. Here is my TESC experience. I paid the $75 application fee through the online application at the beginning of February and received an acceptance letter within days. I had already completed my FAFSA application online (2003-2004 and 2004-2005), so I immediately completed a 2003-2004 financial aid packet and sent it. I was told it was received and complete as of 2/19. I never did hear anything back on that. I emailed 3 times, and each time, was told it was on the director's desk for review and I would recieve an award letter shortly. Well...it's now too late for me to get my transcripts reviewed, get finances squared away, and get enrolled to take advantage of the summer semester, so on 4/09, I finally told them to scrap the 2003-2004 packet that the director is apparently working on - it's too late to bother. My current position is that I completed a 2004-2005 financial aid packet and sent that 4/09. I called (I'm getting nowhere with emails) at the beginning of the week to check the status (I know it is not late arriving (yet), but after my previous experience with the 2003-2004 I thought I'd be proactive) - they have not begun processing 2004-2005 packets yet because they're installing software this week to assist in the processing. They'll start next week and an award letter should arrive in 2 to 3 weeks. So in 2 to 3 weeks, if I have not received the promised letter, I'll be getting in touch with Charter Oak State College; it's getting close to the 6 months I have to enroll after application is approved, and I am not paying another $75 application fee to waste another 6 months waiting for some mythical award letter. On the other hand, I've heard excellent things about COSC, for instance, I hear they respond to things in a timely manner. Oh yeah, and in the meantime, I've compared my transcripts to the requirements at both TESC and COSC and am taking the CLEP tests that both will require. I'm applying the CYA approach. I'm not going to sit here wasting my time while a financial aid department goofs around, and I can't enroll without financial aid (no employer assistance, and a single mom so not a whole lot in the bank). CLEP and DANTES aren't covered under tuition anyway, so I'm losing nothing by starting now. My first CLEP is today at 3pm, American Government. Sorry if I tarnished your opinion of them a little more, but thought I'd share for those that may be considering the same path.
TESC Good Morning, You will have to pay the fee to have an evaluation . I would do this immediately and send it registered mail or charge it. I believe fees will go up 7/1/04 and I believe all credits for graduation have to be evaluated by 7/15 for a fall graduation. Hille ( please feel free to contact me about TESC) I am a TESC grad as well as my husband and daughter*****[email protected]
EmilyM, Please keep me posted on your adventures with TESC. I am concerned about Thomas Edison not reviewing what credits will be acceptable until I pay them. I have nearly 50 credits that I took through a vocational program. I could have taken the same courses through an academic program but I chose to earn two certificates in Computer Technology. I filled out an FAFSA for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 and listed Thomas Edison as a school I wished to attend. I was told they would not my look at my FAFSA until I was admitted. Now I am told to pay more money before they will look at my credits. I don't want to pay $350 to be told my vocational credits are not acceptable. I may write off the $75 application fee and apply to COSC. Scott3
if I have not received the promised letter, I'll be getting in touch with Charter Oak State College; I am currently enrolled at COSC, have been dealing with them for over a year, and have only received excellent customer service! Tom
Me too. I waffled for a while with Excelsior but finally went where the people were helpful and the answers given without forking over big bucks.
I have considered TESC and Excelsior but when with COSC due to the excellent customer service. I asked them detailed question for a year BEFORE I gave them a nickel. They were always helpful and returned my calls promptly. I was on a first name basis with some of the staff BEFORE I enrolled. You can't beat that!!!
I asked them detailed question for a year BEFORE I gave them a nickel. They were always helpful and returned my calls promptly. I was on a first name basis with some of the staff BEFORE I enrolled. I had exactly the same experience! Tom
If they told you they wouldn't look at your FAFSA until you were admitted, I would definitely call and talk to a real person to get a better answer. I doubt they'd look at the FAFSA until you're accepted, but you said you've already received an acceptance letter. I do think the beginning departments (fin. aid and admissions) are slower than most would like, but that policy seems like it would cause a ton of problems. For myself, I wrote an email to their Advising department at the end of March, and another at the beginning of April explaining that I do intend to enroll but that my financial aid is holding up the process. While they didn't give in-depth answers, they did answer a few of my questions (if TESC requires the English Comp with or without Essay, and whether the CLEP Principles of Accounting would satisfy the Accounting I and Accounting II requirements). I received a response to the first email within 24 hours, and a response to the second email within an hour...so I am holding out faith that once I get through the bottle-neck of financial aid and admissions, that response time and helpfulness will improve. Randell, thank you for asking. I scored a 68 on the American Government. It isn't as great as I'd hoped for (I'd been scoring a pretty consistent 77ish on practice tests) but for my first CLEP, I'm happy with it.
You caught me in a good mood, so I'll be slightly diplomatic. Some of you idiots sounds like a dude at a cocktail party who meets a doctor and immediately starts asking for free medical advice. Guess what, kiddies - before you get advisement, you have to pay for it. Stop whining about it. TESC and other schools are used to people asking for free advice and, when they get it, they go elsewhere. Of course COSC may give a little more free - they're the smallest of the "big three," so obviously they will market a little harder. But COSC will also give you only a general studies bachelor's degree rather than a focused bachelor's degree like TESC or Excelsior. (The free advice principle is also the root of people complaining that Union faculty would not advise them prior to the filing of an admission application. Faculty know that most people who ask them for advice will not enroll, so why be bothered with putting out a lot of energy for nothing?) Get over it, campers, the old adage is that you get what you pay for. If you're not willing to pay for a service, don't bitch when you don't get it. Remember, also, that people tend to favor their own alma mater (or the school in which they are currently enrolled). TESC students and grads will favor TESC (as I do), those who decided on COSC will favor COSC. Do your own research, and take everyone's advice with a grain of salt - all they're doing is puffing their own choices. Finally, never accept so-called "pre-enrollment counseling" from an admissions representative. Their job is to sell you on a program, and they are not the ones with the power or authority to make decisions about what is or is not acceptable. That is the job of an academic advisor, and at most schools you will not even get your foot in their office door until you have paid for the privilege. If you listen to a sales rep, you deserve what will ultimately bounce back on you. So, would y'all like a little cheese with your whine?
Good points Steve. I would like to add that before I enrolled with Excelsior they were cool as a fan on the phone with me everytime I called. Very helpful and answered all my questions and never once said: "When you enroll..." If I hadn't checked things out for myself I would have never went with Excelsior after what I read from many. So I second what Steve said, look for yourself and take advice as exactly what it is, someone elses opinion about what could or should be done, key word: opinion.
TESC and FEMA EMI Good Morning, TESC is the only college that accepts FEMA EMI Independent Study courses "as is". You can fill your free elective area with these credits and graduate at a quicker pace.These courses are also considered for CE in public schools. While you are waiting for your evaluation you can proceed with these. I have urged high school seniors to take advantage of this situation also. Hille TESC grad.
