UMUC - Credit Award Fee ?

[matt]

Hey all,

Hope everyone is doing well. I've got an interesting situation. It was about a year ago that I determined that there was never going to be the "right" time to get back into school and finish up my degree. I had 38 credits from Univ MD College Park (fear the turtle ....)

In the family of UMD schools is Univ of MD University College. I applied and met with an academic advisor. She suggested that I may be able to save some money by taking some distance learning credits at the local community college. So I have been taking classes ... and this fall is my third semester. I also stumbled upon the clep program which has led me to this fine group. I've taken and passed three exams so far, with eight more in my sights. At that point I will hit that barrier where UMUC has a residency requirement.

I have not enrolled in UMUC. However, I have been specifying their college code on my clep / dantes exams - and they have been applying the credit. I can verify this online. I will not officially enroll next Spring semester.

While preparing for the tuition costs, I stumbled upon this menu of fees - which includes a $90 per hour credit by exam award fee from UMUC.

Fall 2008 Undergraduate - Tuition and Fees - UMUC

My question is this ... I haven't received any sort of bill from UMUC since I have not enrolled. Does anyone know (or think) that UMUC will do the following:

1. Once I enroll they will bill me for all the credits by exam.

2. They will only bill me for credits by exam after I am officially enrolled.

3. I'm reading this wrong and they don't bill for clep / dantes credit hours at all.

Thanks all for your help. I'm so glad I stumbled upon this site.

Matt

[categ]

Hi Matt,

I also am applying my exam credits to UMUC. I have had an exam applied to my transcript and have not been charged a fee. I am an enrolled student. I will ask my advisor about it and see if I can get a straight answer from her.

I just looked at the information through the link you provided. I believe that fee is for Prior learning credits where you arrange through a UMUC employee (probably a professor) to take an exam that he has put together in order to gain credit. OK I am too tired to explain well. Here is an excerpt from the UMUC website:

Academic credit may be earned for any UMUC undergraduate course for which a suitable examination can be prepared and administered. See the list of courses not eligible for a course challenge. Course challenge examinations are comprehensive tests of the material that is normally presented through a semester-long course. The examinations provide the opportunity to establish academic credit for competencies gained outside the classroom for which academic credit has not already been earned.

While the majority of course challenges consist of a final exam, the challenge can include other requirements based on the course chosen. These can include research papers, computer programs, language tapes, or other documents that exhibit the competency for which you are seeking credit. Requirements are set by the applicable academic department.

Course challenge examinations are created individually, so timelines can vary greatly. You should be aware that the course challenge process can take more than four months. For that reason, it is strongly suggested that students not attempt a course challenge during their final semester prior to graduation.

Cate

[SIZE="1"]9/11...never forget[/SIZE]

[Blitzstudie]

The fee doesnt have anything to do with CLEPS....here is the info from the page..

Prior Learning
Course-Challenge Examination (Undergraduate tuition rates apply. See above.)
EXCEL (Undergraduate tuition rates apply for EXCL 301. See above.)

Enrollment fee, nonrefundable (Charged when you register) $30
Portfolio evaluation (first evaluation) $250
Each additional evaluation $125
Credit award fee (per credit) $ 90
Reevaluation fee (Available only in special cases) $125

If you enroll in the prior learning program by applying and paying your 30 bucks,you then submit a Portfolio of past things you have done that have "learned" you..oh and 250 bucks,dont forget. If they think you have had experience that is equivalent to what you would laern in a course,they grant credit..for 90 bucks a credit...hhhmm think I will stick with CLEPS myself.

You also can challenge a class ie take the final,like a CLEP,but instead of the 60 bucks or whatever for the CLEP per the above you pay the normal undergrad tuition per credit.

To quote an old joke "Im from the government and here to help you"

The big 3 all have the same type of program for awarding credit.

A little off the subject but have you looked into any of the big 3 ? Unless you have a particular program you are it would prob be a cheaper,quicker path. I live on the other side of the bridge here in VA and I know that even instate UMD isnt cheap.

[matt]

A little off the subject but have you looked into any of the big 3 ? Unless you have a particular program you are it would prob be a cheaper,quicker path. I live on the other side of the bridge here in VA and I know that even instate UMD isnt cheap.

It's just a personal pride thing for me to finish up a UMD. Almost my entire family is Terp red. After undergrad @ UMUC ... I will probably enter either a graduate MBA or or MIM (M.I.M = Master of Information Management) from Maryland College Park.

Thanks for the help,

Matt

[ctumbleweed]

Matt,

I am currently enrolled at UMUC and will, hopefully, be finished in December.

Eleven CLEP and Dantes exams have been applied to my degree requirements with the only cost being an additional transcript fee because I took some of the exams before enrolling. UMUC does have a 30 credit residency requirement meaning that you have to take 30 credits at UMUC. UMUC is very generous with accepting up to 60 credits via transfer, CLEP, Dantes, ECE, and challenge exams. I did all of those. Some of my upper and lower level requirements for my BS in Information Assurance were met by exams. I even challenged a course. However, as a previous poster said, a challenge exam costs the same as taking the course but it does save you some time.

My advisors at UMUC are awesome. I cannot offer any advice about your enrollment in the community college alliance with UMUC because I have not done that. But I was offered the choice to be enrolled simultaneously with the enrollment fee for the CC free and just paying a fee for UMUC. I would definitely speak with an advisor at UMUC so that you don't take exams that may not be transferred or count for your particular degree requirements.

I chose UMUC because it is a well respected school that caters to working adults. I have taken classes evenings and weekends in a combination of accelerated 7 week classes, online, and the traditional semester long classes and it has worked well for me.

So all the best to you in what you decide.

Go Terps!

J.

[matt]

I'm definitely going to UMUC in the fall.

Does anyone know if UMUC awards credit for MCSE certification? I've heard of other schools giving 9 hours. I have an old (NT 4.0) MCSE - which is technically still valid w/ Microsoft.

Matt

[categ]

It's just a personal pride thing for me to finish up a UMD. Almost my entire family is Terp red. After undergrad @ UMUC ... I will probably enter either a graduate MBA or or MIM (M.I.M = Master of Information Management) from Maryland College Park.

Thanks for the help,

Matt

I have the same pride thing going on. Most of my family are UM graduates including: father, mother, sisters, husband (and his whole family), daughter-in-law, and son. My son even played football there so can't even think of hanging a different degree on my wall. Wish I had stayed in when I was supposed to 30 years ago. Good Luck!

[matt]

Good to see so many of you on the board. Do any of you plan on doing any graduate work there? I would imagine the MBA programs are pretty vigorous - considering the caliber of the business school now. I was at College Park 1994, 1995 - and back then a 3.2gpa and 1100 on your SAT's would get you in. I understand that the bar has been substantially raised. In state tuition was about $1,600 semester full time. My how times have changed. How I wish I had finished up back then! In any event, better late than never! Good luck all.

[matt]

By the way, if it impacts anyone - UMUC does NOT accept credit for MCSE certification. A little hypocritical considering they offer classes to obtain the same. :confused:

I meet with an advisor tomorrow, just to make sure I'm road-mapping all of these exams correctly. My goal is to have the maximum allowable transferable credits (90) by the start of the Spring '09 semester.

If anyone has materials for any of the exams below - aside from sociology which I'm set, please let me know. I have a bunch of business related books I'd be happy to barter.

Best,

Matt