TESU Evaluation of Outside Credits Term Limit

[bjcheung77]

@schristian10, TESU costs:

Application Fee: $50
Graduation Fee: $298
16 Credits: $3579 if you are in-state, $4639 if you are out of state.

And that is it! These are the only fees required at TESU. 

Note: You can transfer in 114 credits into their degree, just make sure to have 24 credits RA as you need the cornerstone and capstone to be completed at TESU.

[schristian10]

The TESU advisors, unfortunately, often don't know what they are talking about. Either that or they do a very poor job of explaining how things work.

It is possible that they are planning on introducing such a limit in the future but I do not think so. A new term starts at TESU every single month, though, so you'd still be able to transfer in 200+ credits over the span of a year.

TESU currently:

• Has NO monthly/yearly enrollment fees - beyond paying for the medical terminology TECEP (and that's not required, it's simply the cheapest way) once a year to remain an active enrolled student
  
• Allows up to 90 alternate credits (Sophia, Study.com, Davar, etc.) per degree
  
• Allows a further 24 credits from RA sources
  
• Does NOT charge additional fees (either per credit or per class) for transferring in credits from outside sources
  
• REQUIRES SOS-110 + the capstone (LIB-495 for a BA or BUS-421 for a BSBA) to get a Bachelor's degree
  

• If you do not take at least 16 credits with TESU itself, pay about $3k for a residency waiver.
  

If you take 1 year to get a degree and you only take the bare minimum classes at TESU, your approximate costs for an "average" degree would be:

• Tuition: $519 x 6 credits = $3114
  
• Application fee: $50
  
• Medical Terminology TECEP (to become fully enrolled): $50
  
• Residency waiver fee: $3192
  
• Graduation fee: $298
  

Total: $6704

Additional costs include:

• 24 RA credits @ approx $50/credit (TEL/ONU/TECEP): $1200
  
• Sophia, 3 months (approx 70-80 credits): $237
  
• Study.com, 24 credits - 8 courses (some degrees require more, some degrees require less): $800
  

Additional costs total: $2237

Total cost for an "average" TESU degree: approximately $9k. But this will vary heavily depending on personal circumstances and the degree(s) being sought.

As SOS-110 is required for the BSBA degree, is that considered the cornerstone course? If not, is SOS-110, as well as the cornerstone and capstone the only three required classes for the BSBA?

[rachel83az]

SOS-110 is the cornerstone course. You only NEED the cornerstone & capstone (6 credits) at TESU.

[schristian10]

Hi schristian10, you might want to decide on the degree first.  It's not necessary if you're caught up on either/or, such as a BALS or BSBA.  You may want to do the general education courses first and then decide.  You also want to see if you're going for the residency waiver fee or if you're going to take 16-18 residency credits.  Do you have tuition assistance or reimbursement?  Are you an active service person?  Do you have previous credits or know another language?  Providing more details would help us create a plan of attack and help you navigate the world of alternative education easier...

Hey there, If I am going to attempt to receive a Pell Grant, is that something to retain prior to getting started or could it wait for another better time? I will be enrolled and starting in August.

[bjcheung77]

You apply for $50, enroll now with the Medical Terminology TECEP for $50, and you complete the bulk of your courses with Sophia.org for Lower Level and Study.com for Upper Level until you're about done. You only need to apply and take the Pell Grant on the term you start taking courses at TESU, I repeat, courses not TECEPS for enrollment purposes. Remember, in the thread, you need at least 30 RA credits, 16 have to come from TESU if you want the residency waiver fee removed.

[schristian10]

Sorry there. This example and hopeful misunderstanding of my own might make more sense... If the Full-Time Flat Rate tuition is $4,639, would that be per three month term? So, if the degree requirements are not completed by the end of the three month term then would there be another $4,639 tuition fee?

In addition to what Rachel83Az mentioned, there will not be another tuition fee or residency waiver fee if you complete 16 credits in that one flat rate term.  That term fee is exactly what it says, a fee for just one 3 month term, you can take a minimum of 9 credits and many maximize the credits within that one term.  There are other options to maximize the credits and lower the costs...

Having said that, if you need to extend a course or two, it's $236/course extension each course.  Some people who take X courses and X e-packs would maybe just extend the courses when needed and focus on completing everything accordingly.  If you can't finish 16 credits in 1 term, my suggestion is to take 16-18 of easy courses in that term, and then just the capstone alone in another term.

I want to rephrase my question just for clarity. You said the fee is for one 3 month term. If the fee is $4,639 for one 3 month term and you're enrolled and taking classes directly from TESU for two terms, would the cost be $9,278?

[bjcheung77]

Sorry there. This example and hopeful misunderstanding of my own might make more sense... If the Full-Time Flat Rate tuition is $4,639, would that be per three month term? So, if the degree requirements are not completed by the end of the three month term then would there be another $4,639 tuition fee?

In addition to what Rachel83Az mentioned, there will not be another tuition fee or residency waiver fee if you complete 16 credits in that one flat rate term.  That term fee is exactly what it says, a fee for just one 3 month term, you can take a minimum of 9 credits and many maximize the credits within that one term.  There are other options to maximize the credits and lower the costs...

Having said that, if you need to extend a course or two, it's $236/course extension each course.  Some people who take X courses and X e-packs would maybe just extend the courses when needed and focus on completing everything accordingly.  If you can't finish 16 credits in 1 term, my suggestion is to take 16-18 of easy courses in that term, and then just the capstone alone in another term.

I want to rephrase my question just for clarity. You said the fee is for one 3 month term. If the fee is $4,639 for one 3 month term and you're enrolled and taking classes directly from TESU for two terms, would the cost be $9,278?

NO. You do not, you only pay for the final course if you need to spread it out into two terms. The reason I mentioned to do a few course in the first term and the final term to do the capstone alone is, the capstone is a "harder" course than the majority of courses offered at TESU (or any uni for a matter of fact). You only pay the tuition for that extra course.

Having said that, if you're "feeling rich" and you want to get a "second" bachelors degree. Be my guest, you can take another term for that flat rate to get an additional 15 credits, that can be courses used toward that second degree, such as the second capstone and any other outstanding requirements, such as upper level courses that are harder to find for transfer.

To elaborate: $4,639 for 15 credits in one term. $1557 in one term just for the capstone. Now, if you are really good at testing and have tonnes of time for homework as you don't have any commitments, there are strategies to hit all 18 credits in one term. Take the cornerstone/capstone + 4 easy course/e-packs.

[schristian10]

Sorry there. This example and hopeful misunderstanding of my own might make more sense... If the Full-Time Flat Rate tuition is $4,639, would that be per three month term? So, if the degree requirements are not completed by the end of the three month term then would there be another $4,639 tuition fee?

In addition to what Rachel83Az mentioned, there will not be another tuition fee or residency waiver fee if you complete 16 credits in that one flat rate term.  That term fee is exactly what it says, a fee for just one 3 month term, you can take a minimum of 9 credits and many maximize the credits within that one term.  There are other options to maximize the credits and lower the costs...

Having said that, if you need to extend a course or two, it's $236/course extension each course.  Some people who take X courses and X e-packs would maybe just extend the courses when needed and focus on completing everything accordingly.  If you can't finish 16 credits in 1 term, my suggestion is to take 16-18 of easy courses in that term, and then just the capstone alone in another term.

I want to rephrase my question just for clarity. You said the fee is for one 3 month term. If the fee is $4,639 for one 3 month term and you're enrolled and taking classes directly from TESU for two terms, would the cost be $9,278?

NO.  You do not, you only pay for the final course if you need to spread it out into two terms.  The reason I mentioned to do a few course in the first term and the final term to do the capstone alone is, the capstone is a "harder" course than the majority of courses offered at TESU (or any uni for a matter of fact).  You only pay the tuition for that extra course.

Having said that, if you're "feeling rich" and you want to get a "second" bachelors degree.  Be my guest, you can take another term for that flat rate to get an additional 15 credits, that can be courses used toward that second degree, such as the second capstone and any other outstanding requirements, such as upper level courses that are harder to find for transfer.

To elaborate: $4,639 for 15 credits in one term.  $1557 in one term just for the capstone.  Now, if you are really good at testing and have tonnes of time for homework as you don't have any commitments, there are strategies to hit all 18 credits in one term.  Take the cornerstone/capstone + 4 easy course/e-packs.

Different question, kind of. I wasn't really thinking of the super savings TESU transfer credit method, but rather if I ended up taking courses directly from TESU. Say, if I took 15 credits per term from TESU for multiple terms, would there be one Flat-Fee Tuition cost, even if I went for two years continuously?

[bjcheung77]

Different question, kind of. I wasn't really thinking of the super savings TESU transfer credit method, but rather if I ended up taking courses directly from TESU. Say, if I took 15 credits per term from TESU for multiple terms, would there be one Flat-Fee Tuition cost, even if I went for two years continuously?

Yes, that's a rhetorical question, you pay for whatever you need to pay for when you enroll at TESU. It will be the same for each and every college/university in the entire world, you pay your tuition as per their tuition rates. The flat-rate is just a cheaper option to take X credits per term. If you take X terms, you multiply by that credit amount or per course.

Any course you take at TESU requires you to pay for the course. It depends on how much you want to spend and how many credits you need. If you just want to take 2 courses and be done, it's just $1557/course and you pay the residency fee. If you are wanting to take more courses, the flat rate is there to lower the tuition for anyone taking over 9 credits.

So, if you are going to take 30 RA credits at TESU over the course of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 , 21 or 24 months, heck, if you wanted to take longer, you can... you pay for the amount of credits you take that term. If you went for two straight years, just taking 1 course a year, it will be $1557 for that course. If you take 15 credits, it would be split by how many terms/courses you take.

[schristian10]

Different question, kind of. I wasn't really thinking of the super savings TESU transfer credit method, but rather if I ended up taking courses directly from TESU. Say, if I took 15 credits per term from TESU for multiple terms, would there be one Flat-Fee Tuition cost, even if I went for two years continuously?

Yes, that's a rhetorical question, you pay for whatever you need to pay for when you enroll at TESU.  It will be the same for each and every college/university in the entire world, you pay your tuition as per their tuition rates.  The flat-rate is just a cheaper option to take X credits per term.  If you take X terms, you multiply by that credit amount or per course.

Any course you take at TESU requires you to pay for the course.  It depends on how much you want to spend and how many credits you need.  If you just want to take 2 courses and be done, it's just $1557/course and you pay the residency fee.  If you are wanting to take more courses, the flat rate is there to lower the tuition for anyone taking over 9 credits.  

So, if you are going to take 30 RA credits at TESU over the course of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 , 21 or 24 months, heck, if you wanted to take longer, you can... you pay for the amount of credits you take that term.  If you went for two straight years, just taking 1 course a year, it will be $1557 for that course. If you take 15 credits, it would be split by how many terms/courses you take.

I was only talking about terms in which a student might qualify for the Flat-Fee Commission and not paying for credits individually. I was genuinely curious if you'd take 120 credits at TESU if the only cost would be one Flat-Fee or not. It wasn't rhetorical to make any points.