TESC Fulltime so confused

[CrazyCarla]

So, I finally got all registered at TESC, got my financial aid in and am about to register for classes. :hurray:

I know I need 12 credit hours per semester for full time. But this monthly term thing has me lost. Do I sign up for 4 classes to do at once and then not sign up for next month classes? or do I spread them out? How many credits per month is that?

I searched all over and I cant find any explanation of this. :ack:

Can someone help?

[cookderosa]

So, I finally got all registered at TESC, got my financial aid in and am about to register for classes. :hurray:

I know I need 12 credit hours per semester for full time. But this monthly term thing has me lost. Do I sign up for 4 classes to do at once and then not sign up for next month classes? or do I spread them out? How many credits per month is that?

I searched all over and I cant find any explanation of this. :ack:

Can someone help?

I don't know what you mean by monthly term- unless you are picking the month you start in (there are options, not everyone starts in August or January) so that's up to you andyour financial aid award.

4 classes is 12 credits (most of the time). You'll do this 4 times over the next year (4 quarters=1 year). Each of your classes will last 12 weeks.

So, pick 4 now, and then plan your next 12 with your advisor. Good luck!

[sanantone]

TESC doesn't really have semesters. To be considered full-time for financial aid at schools without terms, you have to take 12 credits per 6 months or 24 credits per 12 months. Since TESC courses are 12 weeks, I would assume that you can take 6 credits at a time four times a year to be considered full-time. I'm not 100% on this; maybe another member has experience with this. Taking 4 classes at one time four times a year is 48 credits and will probably be difficult to handle. Taking 4 or more courses at once is best done at schools with 16 week terms. TESC courses are heavy on writing, so I wouldn't recommend taking more than 3 at a time. You can only take up to 36 credits a year under the comprehensive plan anyway, so the system is pretty much built around taking 3 courses at a time.

[mrs.b]

sanatone is correct. I'm on financial aid and explained in more detail in this thread:
http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...lease.html
Dig out your financial aid award letter and see exactly what it says. It will dictate which calendar terms you're approved to register.

If you are on the Enrolled Options payment plan, do not enroll in terms outside of those detailed in your financial aid award letter at all; you will be billed out of pocket because financial aid will only pay for what is specified in your award letter. Likewise, if you are on Enrolled Options payment plan, you may only take online or guided study course types, else you will be billed out of pocket for any other course type (e-pack, PLA, TECEP).

If you are on Comprehensive Tuition plan, you must take the 6 online/GS credits for the terms specified in the award letter (this will total 24 of your allowed 36 over the year). For the remaining twelve credits, you can enroll in other course types or terms as you wish, because it just ticks from your 36 credit pool after the financial aid requirements are met.

[cookderosa]

It is true you only have to take 6 credits to receive financial aid, but 12 credits is full time. Some people have to be full time status for a number of reasons, financial aid only being one of them. TESC's website can help you decide which is the best value and if you end up doing Comprehensive, how to work the credits to get the full award. Thomas Edison State College | Selecting the Right Tuition Plan

[sanantone]

12 credits per 6 months is full-time, so a student can take 6 credits every 3 months and still be considered full-time. I attended Western International University which has no terms. They automatically put students in two courses every 9 weeks. While I didn't take 12 credits at a time, I ended up taking at least 12 credits every 6 months and was considered full-time. This should also apply to a school like TESC since it has no semesters or quarters; courses start monthly and the school charges by semester hour. The CC I attend does have semesters, but they also have 8 week courses. As long as I register for four 8-week courses, I'm considered full-time and I get the full disbursement. You're not allowed to take more than two 8-week courses at a time, so you take two of the 8-week courses the first half of the semester and you take the other two the second half of the semester. You're only taking 6 credits at a time, but you end up taking 12 credits by the end of the semester.

[CrazyCarla]

Thanks everyone, this really helps. I registered for 12 credits, now Im thinking its wiser to drop some of those to sart a little later for my first semester so I'm not too overloaded.

[cookderosa]

12 credits per 6 months is full-time, so a student can take 6 credits every 3 months and still be considered full-time. I attended Western International University which has no terms. They automatically put students in two courses every 9 weeks. While I didn't take 12 credits at a time, I ended up taking at least 12 credits every 6 months and was considered full-time. This should also apply to a school like TESC since it has no semesters or quarters; courses start monthly and the school charges by semester hour. The CC I attend does have semesters, but they also have 8 week courses. As long as I register for four 8-week courses, I'm considered full-time and I get the full disbursement. You're not allowed to take more than two 8-week courses at a time, so you take two of the 8-week courses the first half of the semester and you take the other two the second half of the semester. You're only taking 6 credits at a time, but you end up taking 12 credits by the end of the semester.

Ok, I see what you are saying. Thanks for the clarity.