big 3

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by dean7777, Jan 19, 2006.

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  1. dean7777

    dean7777 New Member

    I want to get my AA and maybe BA from CLEP and existing college credits. I would like opinions about Charter Oak, Thomas Edison,
    and Excelsior. Thank you
     
  2. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    There are many threads about this. I can tell you that I went with COSC for several reasons bu the big one was customer service. Excelsior was OK but they were not as flexible / accepting of my electronics classes that were over 10 years old. I found this very odd because Ohm's Law does not change. I understand technology changes but they were basic classes.

    Anyway, back on track...TESC was the worst. They would not answer any questions and guarded their information as if it was a national secret. That was my impression anyway.

    Overall, I went with COSC and just about everyone will agree that they are the most flexible. Also, for the BS, they offer a Individualized Studies concentration. This allows you to "build" your own degree as long as the GenEd classes are complete.

    Hope this helps and good luck.
     
  3. philosophicalme

    philosophicalme New Member

    I'm happy with Excelsior. I just completed my A.S. Liberal Arts degree there. The counselors always answer my questions within 24 hours (and I ask A LOT of them). They also tend to be more lenient with prior credit acceptance than the other two (so I've heard). I plan to continue my B.S. at Excelsior and hope to graduate this year. Good luck!

    Rhonda
     
  4. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Charter Oak!

    I was extremely happy with Charter Oak, and have commented on it at length in other threads.

    Good luck!

    -=Steve=-
     
  5. B.N.

    B.N. Member

    I'm completing my BS at Excelsior. I enrolled last fall and have found the customer service/ counselors to be very helpful. One complaint I have is that you have to take the Information Literacy course. That's a waste of money but an easy credit. They also don't accept the transfer of PE courses, but that seems to be a general rule (?).

    Brandon
     
  6. mattchand

    mattchand Member

    I did my AA at TESC and my BA at Charter Oak, and would recommend the latter over the former. I had made telephone enquiries at Excelsior as well, but the person I had spoken with, at least, had not been very helpful at all.

    Peace,

    Matt
     
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Again, please include weblinks when starting a thread, if you name specific schools. Yes, the Big Three are very well-regarded around here, as you've probably already found out. Also, there is another really good distance learning board, called www.degreeforum.com , which tends to emphasize getting degrees by testing out procedures as AP, CLEP, DANTES, ECE, PEP, TECEP, etc. Good luck on your degree search and pursuit.
     
  8. james_lankford

    james_lankford New Member

    I believe COSC now requires a speech class. It can be met with the DANTES public speaking exam.

    Excelsior requires the Information Literacy for a BS degree. I don't know about the AS degree.

    COSC accepts the CLEP English Composition exam. Excelsior does not.

    I think, but am not positive, that Excelsior is the cheapest to enroll in.

    Hate the name Excelsior. Actually like the name Charter Oak State College.

    I have always gotten quick and informative responses to my inqueries from Excelsior.

    Gotta love the Excelsior exams. Of course Excelsior accepts them all. I don't believe COSC does. Could be wrong.


    list of exams accepted by COSC
    http://www.cosc.edu/Advising/StandardizedExamsGE2005.cfm
     
  9. Lauradglas

    Lauradglas New Member

    I'm a TESC alum. I have nothing but good things to say. However, I never communicated with them online. I did everything on the phone. I've heard horrendous things about trying to get info from them via the net. That said if you're planning to test out I think Lawrie's got the right of it.

    If you have a high GRE and don't need financial aid go to Excelsior.

    If you have a low GRE but high enough for credit and/or need financial aid and want to be bothered with all of their learning domains and graduation proposal requirements go with COSC.

    If GRE isn't an issue and you need financial aid go with TESC.

    Bottom line: Excelsior gives the most GRE credits (a full year if you pass in the 80th percentile)
    COSC gives 18 credits for a relatively mediocre GRE score, and gives financial aid but has many required domains as well as the graduation proposal.
    TESC gives absolutely no credit for the GRE, but it gives financial aid and there's no extensive domain requirement or graduation proposal.

    Each of the big 3 is a valid option, all are regionally credit, and each has something different to offer particularly to the credit by examination learner. HTH
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 20, 2006
  10. mattchand

    mattchand Member

    Actually, as the list James linked above notes, Charter Oak accepts most if not all of the Excelsior exams. In my case the exams from my Thomas Edison AA which didn't transfer were the TECEP exams in Political Science and in Alcohol Abuse, and the New York University Foreign Language Proficiency Exams (NYUFLP, which I did in Bengali). The latter was expecially painful, as it was a matter of 11 credits.

    Anyway, I got over it. (;->

    Peace,

    Matt
     
  11. eckert16

    eckert16 New Member

    I've continued to recommend COSC over TESC and Excelsior simply for their responsiveness to questions.
    Good luck choosing.
     
  12. Hille

    Hille Active Member

    TESC

    Hi, I am a TESC grad as well as my husband and daughter. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail for some ideas on high speeding the degree. Hille
     

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