How to earn credits by testing out of courses

I'll add my 2 cents - I've had excellent service from Excelsior. My advisor has been invaluable in getting me where I am now. I know that others have found it difficult to work with Excelsior, but for me it's been fabulous.

 

Sounds like either is a winning choice

 

Any of the Big 3 will work, I went to COSC but that may not be the best choice for everyone. Here are a few things to consider.

Based purely on cost I actually think COSC will edge out the others by a few hundred bucks, they recently reduced their fee structure to be based on semesters rather than a hole year. The difference between them is less than $1000 however...A thousand bucks is a good bit, but not enough to wring your hands over. COSC will also break your costs down into payments...a useful tool if your financing your own education. They are also very efficient at managing your financial aid bending over backwards to allow articulation agreements and such with other schools to help you manage the task of schooling and helping to reduce your overall cost.

COSC and TESC are "State Colleges" to me this sounds better than Excelsior...but that is purely a personal bias and not reflective of the quality of education. To me, an interviewer will read state college, make their own assumptions, and move on. To me, the name Excelsior College just sounds like a potential degree mill (it most definitely is not) but it might cause an interviewer more questions and closer scrutiny...but again this is all in my head and may or may not really exist. Excelsior does have some great programs and even some (like the RN bridge) that are not offered elsewhere.

TESC has a couple of big pluses. They take more credit by exam (DSST/CLEP) as upper level credit and they require less upper level credit in some degree programs...this can be enough on its own to sway the decision. Just depends on what you want, and what you bring into the program credit wise. TESC requires the most up front in the form of fee's, they have the best selection with EC coming in second place in regards to allowing you to actually select a Major like Business Management or homeland Security. COSC only offers the liberal studies degree. Even my COSC concentrations are not listed on my diploma nor my transcripts.

This likely does not apply to you...but FEMA credit applicable to some degrees as professional credit and useful as free electives are FREE at TESC and COSC....the saving can be significant. EC requires this to go through another college first and that bumps the cost up to $76/credit. You already have 120 hours so this is likely a moot point anyway.

Note that you can send your transcripts and $75 to COSC and TESC to apply and get a really good idea of what you need to finish up in a degree plan. EC does this too but they charge $80.

You should spend some time diligently searching all three before making your decision. Other than broad topics as outlined above and anecdotal evidence like "I received great customer service" at XYZ university we really can't help you without knowing exactly which classes you have taken and what degree you hope to earn.

Again, any of the Big 3 is a solid choice, the difference is in the details.

Best,
Reb

Below, quick calculations I recently did for another post:

EC:
$80 Application
$1170 for a 3 credit Capstone
$1015 Multi-source Enrollment option
$485 Annual Enrollment fee
$495 Graduation fee
$3245 and there are 15 free electives that you will have to pay for somehow...so $400is?

TESC:
$75.00 Application
$663.00 Cornerstone
$2559 Enrollment fee
$280 Graduation Fee
$3577.00 But there is room for 6 free FEMA in the plan, and TESC is very generous in awarding UL credit for courses like CLEP Management/Marketing and a couple of Straighterline.

COSC:
$75 Application Fee
$456.00 Semester Fee (2) (to allow for cornerstone and capstone)
$1932.00 Tuition (6 credits, cornerstone/capstone)
$205.00 Graduation Fee
$2668.00 Charter Oak is a bit more picky about what you can use at the UL in Business. They do accept FEMA free.

Anything wrong with the calculations....worked them up quick and might have missed something???

 

Oh, also....all of the Big 3 require a capstone course to be taken via distance at the School. COSC also requires a cornerstone course. So at a minimal you will have to take 3 credits at TESC and EC, and 6 at COSC. This is regardless of what you bring in for credit. (TESC may still have a few non capstone degree options, but that appears to have changed effective Fall 2012...seems a bit unclear still).

All three will require slightly different General Education classes, and 30 credits at the upper level (300-400 level classes)...TESC does have a few degrees that only require 18 UL credits, not certain what they are.

 

I gotta agree. I went to FHSU, and now teach online for them. but with the hours you have one of the big 3 would likley be a better (faster) choice..