Cost analysis of big 3 - breakdown

[jonasling]

They require 36 hours for a concentration

Thanks for your reply.

But consider that only 15 of those needs to be upper level compared to Excelsior which requires 30 hrs of upper level and the mandatory requirements of the concentrations seems easier and more flexible than Excelsior's requirements for their majors. Also, Excelsior has a requirement to have at least 2 areas of depth which requires 12 credit hours each, of which 3 needs to be upper level.

[cookderosa]

Thanks for your reply.

But consider that only 15 of those needs to be upper level compared to Excelsior which requires 30 hrs of upper level and the mandatory requirements of the concentrations seems easier and more flexible than Excelsior's requirements for their majors. Also, Excelsior has a requirement to have at least 2 areas of depth which requires 12 credit hours each, of which 3 needs to be upper level.

>>


Hopefully we can keep this on target for cost comparisons and take the academic debate to the other folder. (pretty please)

[jonasling]

I think it's been a while since anyone broke down the dollar-by-dollar costs for the big 3. Would anyone from EC and COSC be willing to do a cost breakdown for the least expensive bachelor's degree plan starting with zero credits? I'd do one for TESC if I can find 2 other willing helpers This might be a good thread for newbies to start.

Criteria- degree plan must meet all the graduation requirements with no prior transfer credit, but can include other schools (ie writing requirement at EC) if appropriate and cheaper. Include all fees, registration costs, graduation fees, tuition for courses required, etc. I'll post mine later tonight for TESC.

Sorry for going off topic Jen.

From what I've read there is a big difference in the enrollment/graduation fees for international students. I believe Excelsior and Charter charges the same fee for out-of-state and international students while Thomas Edison charges about $2000 more.

Between Excelsior and Charter, the requirements for Charter's General Education seems a lot more complicated and detailed than Excelsior's.

[alissaroot]

Sorry for derailing your thread, Jennifer. I'll try and stay on topic from here on out.:o

jonasling, thank you for letting me know that about the 15 upper level credits at COSC. I am working on a sample degree plan for COSC, and I plan to go back and update my earlier post, where I have listed out all COSC's Gen. Ed. requirements, once I come up with something. Then we can actually have a side by side by side comparison of cost at the Big Three. Like Jennifer said in her original post, this will be very helpful for newbies.

[alissaroot]

Okay, I did go back and update my earlier post about COSC on page one of this thread. I would have just put it all in a new post but I didn't want to go posting all COSC's degree requirements in one thread repeatedly. I would like some feedback on it, to make sure that a) it actually meets all the degree requirements at COSC and b) to see if anyone knows what cheaper alternatives COSC will accept. I'd like to try to bring the cost down in my sample plan by about $300, to make it around the same price as a BS from TESC or Excelsior. Hopefully someone will find it helpful. Thanks for checking it out!

[Jonathan Whatley]

Alissa: A beautiful Charter Oak degree plan!

A few things. I certainly wouldn't expect an unadvertised fee for the academic autobiography. I don't know if Charter Oak accepts ALEKS, but for Statistics, at last account they offered an enrolled exam in Business Statistics worth 6 sh lower-level, but offered to enrolled Charter Oak degree-seeking students alone. Or of course there's a DSST, an AP, and said to be upcoming a UExcel in Statistics.

And Ohio University uses the quarter hour system, a quarter hour being two thirds of a semester hour, so 4 quarter hours ("credit hours") there will transcript as 2 2/3 semester hours at a semester hour school like Charter Oak. But Ohio U. has three Great Books exams at 4 qh each to choose from, at either the upper or lower level at the student's choice, and these should surely apply to this here concentration in Literature.

[alissaroot]

Thank you so much for taking a look at it! I will update it with a couple more Ohio U exams and see what else would be appropriate for statistics. I'm trying to lower the cost of a COSC plan, and adding exams won't help it any! I saw there was an upper level Shakespeare I TECEP, but it looked like the cost was $160 per credit for non-enrolled students, and I thought that was too pricey. I actually think I may scrap the Literature concentration and try out a COSC plan with a Psychology concentration instead. I think that with ECE exams, that would bring the price down a bit. Thanks again for your input!

[cookderosa]

You guys are doing great! Keep it coming!

[alissaroot]

Okay, my first plan was too expensive, in terms of the Big Three comparison, although still cheaper than most B & M schools or other distance learning options. Seriously, the Big Three are so affordable! Anyway, here's my second try at a degree plan for COSC:

Charter Oak--Degree Requirements & Fees-Bachelor of Science, with a concentration in Psychology

120 credits, with a minimum of 60 Liberal Arts, and a Concentration consisting of a minimum of 36 credits

General Education Requirements
Literature and Fine Arts (a) 3CR Required
CLEP Humanities--$80--6LL
________________________________________________
Social/Behavioral Sciences (b) 3CR Required
CLEP Social Sciences & History--$80--6LL
________________________________________________
Ethical Decision-Making (d)* 3CR Required
DSST Ethics--$90--3LL--Essay is required
________________________________________________
Information Literacy (y)* 1-3CR Required
Penn Foster Information Literacy--$90--1LL
________________________________________________
Communication
6 (written) CR Rquired CLEP English Comp.--$80--6LL

3 (oral) CR Required DSST Principles of Public Speaking--$90--3LL
________________________________________________
U.S. History/Government (u) 3 CR Required
CLEP American Government--$80--3LL
CLEP U.S. History I & II--$160--6LL
________________________________________________
Non-U.S. History or Culture (n) 3 CR Required
CLEP Western Civilization I--$80--3LL & CLEP Western Civ. II--$80--3LL
________________________________________________
Global Understanding (g) 3 CR Required
DSST Intro. to the Modern Middle East--$90--3LL
________________________________________________
Mathematics (q) 3 CR Required
CLEP College Mathematics--$80--6LL
________________________________________________
Natural Science (s) 4-6 CR Required
CLEP Natural Sciences--$80--6LL
CLEP Biology--$80--6LL
CLEP Chemistry--$80--6LL
________________________________________________
Free Electives/Applied Professional--up to 60CR
CLEP American Literature--$80--6LL
CLEP English Literature--$80--6LL
CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature--$80--6LL

Concentration Requirements: I am using Psychology as my sample Concentration for this plan. All general studies degree of more than 60 credits at COSC require a concentration.

Concentration - Psychology

COSC Infant/Toddler Growth & Development--$75--3LL**
CLEP Intro. to Educational Psychology--$80--3LL--need to check and see what exams duplicate the GRE...
GRE Psychology--$130--15LL, 3UL
ECE Abnormal Psychology--$205--3UL
ECE Psychology of Adulthood & Aging--$205--3UL
ECE Research Methods in Psychology--$205--3UL
ECE Social Psychology--$205--3UL

________________________________________________
Academic Autobiography Requirement

Application Fee: $75
Connecticut Resident Enrollment Fee: $1015
Non-Resident: $1335*
Graduation Fee: $205
*COSC offers a payment plan for all fees over $200
**I am still looking for a fee schedule of COSC exams, but this is the fee listed on their exam registration page
# If you can pass another GRE Subject exam or foreign language exam, then you can drop this final total by at least $160, if not more depending on the exam.

Total: $4280
For in-state residents, this plan would be:$3960
I am still investigating military pricing at COSC...

[cookderosa]

This looks good. When we get all 3, I'll do an "at a glance" summary chart that displays the costs w/o degree plans.