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Degree for free
#11
jshzglr Wrote:I never said it was expensive. I have plenty of money, I just don’t like spending it when I don’t have to. I’m simply trying to find the fastest way to achieve my bachelors without spending any money. It sounds like going through one of the big 3 is still the best choice. It just might take me slightly longer than if I paid out of pocket for the extra exams. Any recommendations between TESU and EC?

Sorry, when you said "minimizing expenses", I thought that meant you thought it was expensive.
[/quote]

Firstly there are no "free degrees" for you and in a short amount of time you're looking at, apply to Excelsior and TESU as they will need to "evaluate" your credentials BEFORE we find out what courses are missing, we can't provide a plan of action until we know "what degree you want" and "what credits you already have/need".

TESU and EC are more popular than COSC - COSC does require courses that are harder to find, but the price is right. $75 Application Fee, $150 deposit (used for tuition later), $250/credit for 6 credits, $275 Student Services Fee, $68 Technology Fee, $215 Graduation Fee. Grand total - $2133 for a 4 year degree (if you do every test with a CLEP/DSST).

For all of the Big 3 schools, again, you need to be able to finish the degree with every CLEP/DSST or other cheap options.
Excelsior - $760 Enrollment fee, $250/credit for 3 credit capstone, $495 Student Services Fee, $495 Graduation Fee. Grand total - $2500
For military students, Excelsior is their top choice, and was my first recommendation for the last dozen years. (For IT it still is!)

TESU - $75 Application Fee, $250/credit for 3 credit capstone, $332 Graduation, $39/credit for TECEP X 21. Grand total - $1976
But now, depending on the degree you want (anything but IT), I have recommended TESU for the last two years to everyone.
You might also want to take a look at WGU as they have a free application waiver going from time to time...

Last but not least, if you can transfer in 90 credits to Patten University, you can get a BA Management for $1316 in 4 month term.
It's doable, but you will have NO time to do anything else. Basically, I would only recommend this option if you as a last resort.
It's perfect for civilians that have 90 credits already as this is the cheapest I have seen for a BA Management (Leadership).
Further to that, If you ever want to get a MBA afterward, Patten U has one available for $1996 in 4 months as well.... oh yes!
In Progress: Walden MBA | TESU BA Biology & Computer Science
Graduate Certificate: Global Management & Entrepreneurship, ASU (Freebie)

Completed: TESU ASNSM Biology, BSBA (ACBSP Accredited 2017)
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  • Life Long Learning, slmartin
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#12
(11-05-2017, 03:01 PM)Life Long Learning Wrote: It depends on your background on which of the Big 3 is best for YOU.  They are all different.  Depends on what degree you want also.

Generally and historically, EC has been way better for military and Veterans (40% of their enrollment).  That being said TESU has some unique degrees.  COSC is an option for some but is very small.  I applied to all three and EC was the better one for me.  You should also apply to all three to see.  Tons of barracks attorney's located here but only the real colleges' review will be your real answer.

I don't think EC is still the better bet for military, I just think they advertise to the military more than the other 2.

TESU is faster/cheaper if you don't have any credits, because though they are a little less flexible than the others, it is easier to find the credit needed for most of the BSBA degrees.  Also, TESU only requires 12cr of UL, whereas COSC and EC need 30cr of UL.  COSC requires a lab science, which is going to be more expensive than a normal course.  And EC requires Precalc, Stats and Quantitative Analysis, whereas TESU and COSC only require College Algebra and Stats.  So if you're not a math person, EC is definitely going to be harder.

EC also doesn't accept the CLEP English exams, so you have to pay to either take the UExcel exam ($470) or SL course ($99 + $79 each).  Not sure if they take Study.com English, which would be $199.

For EC, the cost for the degree would be $1750 for fees, $750 for the capstone, $158 for the SL English I & II courses (if did in 1 month with no discounts), $150 for the UExcel QA course, and the remaining cost for 108cr.  That also does not include the fact that you won't be able to find 21cr of UL in the Business area through CLEP/DSST, meaning it will be at least $100 per course to take 7 courses.  Then, when you max out there, you still need an additional 3 business courses for $100 each.  Info Lit will cost you $250.  I show it being about $4350 out of pocket.

For COSC, they are going to have some of the same issues as EC, so you're going to have to take UExcel or DAvar or something else that you pay for, beacuse there aren't enough Business courses that are UL through DSST.  Their fees are low though, only $348, plus $750 or the Capstone and $750 for the Cornerstone.  So I show the minimum you'll pay for the degree there is $3000.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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#13
(11-05-2017, 04:48 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 02:21 PM)jshzglr Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 01:34 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 10:25 AM)jshzglr Wrote: So I'm guessing the TECEP exams aren't covered by the military. If this is true would it make sense for me to find a more "prestigious" college and simply transfer in as many CLEPS and DSST's as possible. It sounds like maybe this isn't the best route for somebody in the military and trying to minimizing expenses as much as possible.

I'm not sure how you think getting an entire degree for $1500 is expensive???  That's about the craziest thing I think I've ever heard.  You will NOT be able to find anything cheaper, ever.

Obviously, if you can have the military pay for the entire degree, then your out of pocket costs will be nothing.  But that would be a major waste when you have this amazing opportunity to get a degree this way, for this cheap.  You could save up $100/mo for 8 months, pay $117/mo for 7 months (for TECEP's), and be ready to take the capstone completely paid for in less than a year (assuming that you've taken and passed all of the CLEP/DSST exams that you need for the degree).

Stretch it out longer if you can't come up with that amount each month, I guess.  Take a TECEP every other month, save $50/mo towards the capstone. Whatever you need to do.

I never said it was expensive. I have plenty of money, I just don’t like spending it when I don’t have to. I’m simply trying to find the fastest way to achieve my bachelors without spending any money. It sounds like going through one of the big 3 is still the best choice. It just might take me slightly longer than if I paid out of pocket for the extra exams. Any recommendations between TESU and EC?

Sorry, when you said "minimizing expenses", I thought that meant you thought it was expensive.

No need to apologize. I realize you’re just trying to help.
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#14
When you said retire by 2034, you have a lot of time. But then you want to have it quick and cheap or close to nothing. You have to spend if you want it quick. All CLEP/DSST are free and there is no cap, unless you failed and retake it. But if you want to have the military pay for your degree, I suggest Ashford University.

They will accept maximum of 90 credits nontraditional courses for a bachelor's degree. the remaining 30 (at least 10 courses), on a 5 weeks per course, that's 50 weeks or 1 year. Remember that you are only limited to 16 credits per fiscal year. I've heard that it was done before where you can apply for FAFSA, and use TA for the same course. You will get that refund for the course since it was paid 2x. That will give you $4000(16 credits x $250) which you can use for the remaining 14 credits that you need. The good thing is, the books are FREE.

So in 1 year, you can finish a bs degree, depends on what specific degree you are trying to get.
Thomas Edison State University
ASNSM in Mathematics - 54/61  (Graduate by June 2020)
ASNSM in Computer Science - 55/61 (Graduate by June 2020)
BS in Health Services Technology - 106/120 (Graduate by December 2020)
BSBA General Management - 72/120 (Graduate by December 2020)

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Certificate in Medical Secretary - Earned in 2019
Certificate in Dental Assisting - Earned in 2019
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#15
(11-05-2017, 05:44 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 03:01 PM)Life Long Learning Wrote: It depends on your background on which of the Big 3 is best for YOU.  They are all different.  Depends on what degree you want also.

Generally and historically, EC has been way better for military and Veterans (40% of their enrollment).  That being said TESU has some unique degrees.  COSC is an option for some but is very small.  I applied to all three and EC was the better one for me.  You should also apply to all three to see.  Tons of barracks attorney's located here but only the real colleges' review will be your real answer.

I don't think EC is still the better bet for military, I just think they advertise to the military more than the other 2.

TESU is faster/cheaper if you don't have any credits, because though they are a little less flexible than the others, it is easier to find the credit needed for most of the BSBA degrees.  Also, TESU only requires 12cr of UL, whereas COSC and EC need 30cr of UL.  COSC requires a lab science, which is going to be more expensive than a normal course.  And EC requires Precalc, Stats and Quantitative Analysis, whereas TESU and COSC only require College Algebra and Stats.  So if you're not a math person, EC is definitely going to be harder.

EC also doesn't accept the CLEP English exams, so you have to pay to either take the UExcel exam ($470) or SL course ($99 + $79 each).  Not sure if they take Study.com English, which would be $199.

For EC, the cost for the degree would be $1750 for fees, $750 for the capstone, $158 for the SL English I & II courses (if did in 1 month with no discounts), $150 for the UExcel QA course, and the remaining cost for 108cr.  That also does not include the fact that you won't be able to find 21cr of UL in the Business area through CLEP/DSST, meaning it will be at least $100 per course to take 7 courses.  Then, when you max out there, you still need an additional 3 business courses for $100 each.  Info Lit will cost you $250.  I show it being about $4350 out of pocket.

For COSC, they are going to have some of the same issues as EC, so you're going to have to take UExcel or DAvar or something else that you pay for, beacuse there aren't enough Business courses that are UL through DSST.  Their fees are low though, only $348, plus $750 or the Capstone and $750 for the Cornerstone.  So I show the minimum you'll pay for the degree there is $3000.

In 2017, when I applied to all three of the Big 3 Excelsior College was way better than TESU in accepting credits as you can tell I have many non-traditional credits.  I like TESU as they have some funky degrees like Military Technology Leadership that has nothing to do technology and very little to do with leadership, but I wish I had gotten one as it sounds cool to me.  The Excelsior College IT and HSEM (what I just finished) degrees are a better deal, especially for the military.  Excelsior College accepted all my HSEM Gov't school (EMI Resident, NFA Resident, TEEX F2F, etc) credits and TESU did not.  The general Liberal Arts is the most flexible.  TESU has great things also.  So does COSC except it so small and has less cheerleaders here!.
Non-Traditional Undergraduate College Credits (634 SH): *FTCC Noncourse Credits (156 SH) *DSST (78 SH) *CPL (64 SH) *JST Military/ACE (48 SH) *CBA (44 SH) *CLEP (42 SH) *FEMA IS (40 SH) *FEMA EM (38 SH) *ECE/UExcel (30 SH) *PLA Portfolio (28 SH) *EMI/ACE (19 SH) *TEEX/ACE (16 SH) *CWE (11 SH) *NFA/ACE (10 SH) *Kaplan/ACE (3 SH) *CPC (2 SH) *AICP/ACE (2 SH) *Sophia/ACE (2 SH) and *FRTI-UM/ACE (1 SH).
Non-Traditional Graduate College Credits (14 SH): AMU (6 SH); NFHS (5 SH); and JSU (3 SH).
 





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#16
(11-05-2017, 07:00 PM)Life Long Learning Wrote: In 2017, when I applied to all three of the Big 3 Excelsior College was way better than TESU in accepting credits as you can tell I have many non-traditional credits.  I like TESU as they have some funky degrees like Military Technology Leadership that has nothing to do technology and very little to do with leadership, but I wish I had gotten one as it sounds cool to me.  The Excelsior College IT and HSEM (what I just finished) degrees are a better deal, especially for the military.  Excelsior College accepted all my HSEM Gov't school (EMI Resident, NFA Resident, TEEX F2F, etc) credits and TESU did not.  The general Liberal Arts is the most flexible.  TESU has great things also.  So does COSC except it so small and has less cheerleaders here!.

I think it really just depends on whether or not you are bringing in credits - if you're not, then I think TESU is a much better bet.  Also, a lot of times, the credits you're bringing in are not going to be of much use in a BSBA no matter where you go, so that starts to be an issue as well (the OP said he/she wanted a BSBA).

I think it's been said before on here that sometimes, trying to make the courses you've already taken "FIT" into a degree can be more of a problem than just getting a degree from scratch.  You might think that the EC degree is better because they will accept more of your courses, until you figure out that you need so many UL credits that it's going to cost more overall to get the degree because of that.

For a military member who has few credits, and wants to maximize the CLEP/DSST thing, TESU is definitely the better way to go.  Just because of the lack of CLEP/DSST exams that are UL, if nothing else.  TESU is where you'll get the most bang for your buck with CLEP/DSST exams for sure (because they count a bunch as UL when EC and COSC won't).
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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  • jsd, Muldoon
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#17
(11-05-2017, 07:16 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 07:00 PM)Life Long Learning Wrote: In 2017, when I applied to all three of the Big 3 Excelsior College was way better than TESU in accepting credits as you can tell I have many non-traditional credits.  I like TESU as they have some funky degrees like Military Technology Leadership that has nothing to do technology and very little to do with leadership, but I wish I had gotten one as it sounds cool to me.  The Excelsior College IT and HSEM (what I just finished) degrees are a better deal, especially for the military.  Excelsior College accepted all my HSEM Gov't school (EMI Resident, NFA Resident, TEEX F2F, etc) credits and TESU did not.  The general Liberal Arts is the most flexible.  TESU has great things also.  So does COSC except it so small and has less cheerleaders here!.

I think it really just depends on whether or not you are bringing in credits - if you're not, then I think TESU is a much better bet.  Also, a lot of times, the credits you're bringing in are not going to be of much use in a BSBA no matter where you go, so that starts to be an issue as well (the OP said he/she wanted a BSBA).

I think it's been said before on here that sometimes, trying to make the courses you've already taken "FIT" into a degree can be more of a problem than just getting a degree from scratch.  You might think that the EC degree is better because they will accept more of your courses, until you figure out that you need so many UL credits that it's going to cost more overall to get the degree because of that.

For a military member who has few credits, and wants to maximize the CLEP/DSST thing, TESU is definitely the better way to go.  Just because of the lack of CLEP/DSST exams that are UL, if nothing else.  TESU is where you'll get the most bang for your buck with CLEP/DSST exams for sure (because they count a bunch as UL when EC and COSC won't).

That is NOT true.  EC counts some DSST as UL.  The DSST Civil War and DSST USSR are two of them I just used.  Where did you get that fact?
Non-Traditional Undergraduate College Credits (634 SH): *FTCC Noncourse Credits (156 SH) *DSST (78 SH) *CPL (64 SH) *JST Military/ACE (48 SH) *CBA (44 SH) *CLEP (42 SH) *FEMA IS (40 SH) *FEMA EM (38 SH) *ECE/UExcel (30 SH) *PLA Portfolio (28 SH) *EMI/ACE (19 SH) *TEEX/ACE (16 SH) *CWE (11 SH) *NFA/ACE (10 SH) *Kaplan/ACE (3 SH) *CPC (2 SH) *AICP/ACE (2 SH) *Sophia/ACE (2 SH) and *FRTI-UM/ACE (1 SH).
Non-Traditional Graduate College Credits (14 SH): AMU (6 SH); NFHS (5 SH); and JSU (3 SH).
 





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#18
(11-05-2017, 07:31 PM)Life Long Learning Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 07:16 PM)dfrecore Wrote: For a military member who has few credits, and wants to maximize the CLEP/DSST thing, TESU is definitely the better way to go.  Just because of the lack of CLEP/DSST exams that are UL, if nothing else.  TESU is where you'll get the most bang for your buck with CLEP/DSST exams for sure (because they count a bunch as UL when EC and COSC won't).

That is NOT true.  EC counts some DSST as UL.  The DSST Civil War and DSST USSR are two of them I just used.  Where did you get that fact?

Again, the OP is specifically asking about a BSBA, and using CLEP and DSST exams.  Please tell me which BUSINESS EXAMS are considered UL at EC?

I KNOW there are UL exams through DSST, but we are discussing the BSBA.  The BSBA requires 51cr, 21cr of which must be UL.  Please list the CLEP or DSST exams that meet this requirement.  Besides Money & Banking.  Tell me which CLEP or DSST fulfills the International Business, Managerial Accounting, or Business Comm requirements?

Please don't state that people are lying.  It's rude.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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#19
(11-05-2017, 05:30 PM)sanantone Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 11:52 AM)Life Long Learning Wrote: DOD has never paid for TECEP exams.  TECEP is new compared to CLEP, DSST, ECE (UExcel) exams.  More "prestigious" colleges rarely accept more than 30 SH of CLEP and DSST vs. the Big 3 that accept 117/120.  That's what makes them the Big 3.

Are you sure that TA won't cover TECEPs?

If they do its new.  They even stopped UExcel to cut costs.  CLEP/DSST are cheap.  UExcel and TECEPs are more expensive.
Non-Traditional Undergraduate College Credits (634 SH): *FTCC Noncourse Credits (156 SH) *DSST (78 SH) *CPL (64 SH) *JST Military/ACE (48 SH) *CBA (44 SH) *CLEP (42 SH) *FEMA IS (40 SH) *FEMA EM (38 SH) *ECE/UExcel (30 SH) *PLA Portfolio (28 SH) *EMI/ACE (19 SH) *TEEX/ACE (16 SH) *CWE (11 SH) *NFA/ACE (10 SH) *Kaplan/ACE (3 SH) *CPC (2 SH) *AICP/ACE (2 SH) *Sophia/ACE (2 SH) and *FRTI-UM/ACE (1 SH).
Non-Traditional Graduate College Credits (14 SH): AMU (6 SH); NFHS (5 SH); and JSU (3 SH).
 





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#20
(11-06-2017, 01:01 AM)Life Long Learning Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 05:30 PM)sanantone Wrote:
(11-05-2017, 11:52 AM)Life Long Learning Wrote: DOD has never paid for TECEP exams.  TECEP is new compared to CLEP, DSST, ECE (UExcel) exams.  More "prestigious" colleges rarely accept more than 30 SH of CLEP and DSST vs. the Big 3 that accept 117/120.  That's what makes them the Big 3.

Are you sure that TA won't cover TECEPs?

If they do its new.  They even stopped UExcel to cut costs.  CLEP/DSST are cheap.  UExcel and TECEPs are more expensive.

There's a difference between the program that covers CLEP and DSST and TA that covers college courses and vocational training. At a little over $100 for all TECEPs and most Uexcels, they are a lot cheaper than the maximum $250 per credit hour TA covers for college courses. CLEP and DSST aren't being covered by TA; it's a separate DANTES program.
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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