When should I apply to TESU?

[Herb191]

I am currently working on my plan to get a BA in Psychology from TESU. Because of my schedule am not sure how long it will take to complete all the requirements for the BA. I am not in a rush and just plan to set aside time each week to work on one requirement at a time.

My general outline currently looks like this (please let me know if I am missing anything):

1. Do English requirements at Sophia.org (3 credits already done)
   
2. Do math requirements at csmlearn.com
   
3. Take 8 TECEPs from TESU to fulfill my RA credit requirements
   
4. Take the required Capstone and SOS-110 Critical Information Literacy courses from TESU 
   
5. Take remaining credits from ACE sources
   

My question is about registration at TESU. Because it will likely take me a while to complete all the requirements, I don’t want to apply too soon and pay more fees than needed, but at the same time, I want to ensure the courses I am taking will actually apply to my degree. I know they can change regularly.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[rachel83az]

It's recommended that you apply and enroll as soon as possible. The cost for remaining enrolled is approximately $52 per year (paying for, but not taking, the Medical Terminology TECEP). Or you can just take your planned TECEPs on a regular basis. If you take one every 6 months, that will keep you enrolled for approximately 2.5 years. However, if you want to put off the TECEPs until later, compared to the cost of having to retake one or more classes if TESU changes its requirements, $52 is a really low price to pay.

FYI, you probably won't be able to take the capstone until you've taken at least 100 credits toward your degree. So, I would probably swap steps 4 and 5. And, since you're in no rush, work on step 3 over the course of your whole degree in order to maintain enrollment.

[Herb191]

It's recommended that you apply and enroll as soon as possible. The cost for remaining enrolled is approximately $52 per year (paying for, but not taking, the Medical Terminology TECEP). Or you can just take your planned TECEPs on a regular basis. If you take one every 6 months, that will keep you enrolled for approximately 2.5 years. However, if you want to put off the TECEPs until later, compared to the cost of having to retake one or more classes if TESU changes its requirements, $52 is a really low price to pay.

FYI, you probably won't be able to take the capstone until you've taken at least 100 credits toward your degree. So, I would probably swap steps 4 and 5. And, since you're in no rush, work on step 3 over the course of your whole degree in order to maintain enrollment.

Thank you, this is really useful advice. I will update my general outline based on your feedback. 

I have a few questions about paying for, but not taking, the Medical Terminology TECEP part.

Does paying for it but not taking it affect my GPA?
In theory, could I do this indefinitely?
Am I correct that we are paying for the Medical Terminology TECEP because it is the cheapest?

[rachel83az]

GPA is not affected whether you take the TECEP or not. They're pass/fail exams, not graded. If you want grades for a future Master's degree, you might want to take some TEL Learning or ASU Universal Learner classes for the grade. If you pay for a TECEP and don't take it or fail, it doesn't show up on your transcript.

In theory, yes, you can pay for the TECEP and not take it indefinitely. At least until TESU changes its policies.

The Medical Terminology TECEP is the only 1-credit TECEP. So, yes, it is the cheapest. And that is, indeed, why it is recommended. A student who plans to take other TECEPs as part of their degree plan may choose to do that instead of the Medical Terminology TECEP.

[Herb191]

I have now enrolled and have been sent this link.

I am now stuck on steps 4 and 5. Selecting a tuition plan and scheduling an appointment with an academic advisor to choose courses.

Can I skip choosing a tuition plan, pay for the Medical Terminology TECEP, and only when most of my credit requirements have been fulfilled choose a tuition plan and take the capstone? The cheapest tuition plan they have for out-of-state tuition is $1,605.

As far as scheduling an appointment with the academic advisor goes,  I don't know what to say. Basically, I need a list of courses from places like ASU and Sophia that will fulfill my degree requirements so I can build my degree plan. I plan on doing this by taking as few TESU courses as possible, but I can't imagine that the academic advisor will like that strategy or even help with it.

[davewill]

I have now enrolled and have been sent this link.

I am now stuck on steps 4 and 5. Selecting a tuition plan and scheduling an appointment with an academic advisor to choose courses.

Can I skip choosing a tuition plan, pay for the Medical Terminology TECEP, and only when most of my credit requirements have been fulfilled choose a tuition plan and take the capstone? The cheapest tuition plan they have for out-of-state tuition is $1,605.

As far as scheduling an appointment with the academic advisor goes,  I don't know what to say. Basically, I need a list of courses from places like ASU and Sophia that will fulfill my degree requirements so I can build my degree plan. I plan on doing this by taking as few TESU courses as possible, but I can't imagine that the academic advisor will like that strategy or even help with it.

Choose the per credit tuition plan. When/If you want to change to the Full-Time Flat-Rate plan, you can do so easily. In fact, as I recall, it happens automatically if you register for 9 or more credits in a term.

No, the TESU advisor won't help you with external courses. You can tell them you are taking certain external courses, and they can put them into your academic plan, but they won't suggest or answer much in the way of questions. To work up your degree plan, keep coming here.

[Herb191]

Choose the per credit tuition plan. When/If you want to change to the Full-Time Flat-Rate plan, you can do so easily.

To clarify if I choose the per-credit tuition plan, I don’t get charged for anything until I register for a class, and since TECEPs are exams and not classes I should be fine?

No, the TESU advisor won't help you with external courses.

As far as the advisor not answering any questions, how do I confirm an external course will satisfy the degree requirements I am working on before taking it?

[davewill]

To clarify if I choose the per-credit tuition plan, I don’t get charged for anything until I register for a class, and since TECEPs are exams and not classes I should be fine?

Correct, you won't be charged until you actually register for a class or TECEP.

As far as the advisor not answering any questions, how do I confirm an external course will satisfy the degree requirements I am working on before taking it?

Most of the time, you're better off asking here about a particular external course fitting in your degree plan. Then you can ask them to add the course to your academic plan. When they do, it will show the equivalency and how they fit it into your degree plan. BTW, if what they do doesn't match the info you got here, there's a good chance it's their error. I recommend interacting via email rather than the telephone. That way you have a record of their answers.

Also be wary of asking more than one question at a time. Every time I tried to ask two questions in one email, they invariably only answered one of them, sometimes miscontruing what I asked, or conflating the two questions into some third question that wasn't what I wanted at all. They also had a tendency to move courses or add them even if I was only asking for information about such things.