FEMA & FREE College Credit courses

[Katterina]

I just got off the phone with Jennifer (x1331) at Excelsior. She's a Business program advisor. I first spoke to her this morning re. this issue. She informed me that she would not expect that FEMA credits transferred through Thomas Edison would be accepted at Excelsior because Excelsior does not accept "3rd party" credits. She explained that, for example, if I had taken CLEP exams while enrolled at Thomas Edison that they would not accept the credit from Thomas Edison. Instead, they would transfer it directly from the College Board. I'm not sure if all this is true or if it even matters--but I figured I'll get everything down and those who have been exploring this longer and more intently than I may or may not benefit.

I then explained the cost issue and what had been discussed on this forum. She said she would research and call me back. When she called me back she informed me that FEMA credits transferred from Thomas Edison WOULD be accepted at Excelsior as elective credits. She also said that was true of Frederick Community College, Clackamus CC and Lewis & Clark CC. Turns out Lewis & Clark CC no longer supports this program and Clackamus CC is $60 per unit--just like Frederick. What we need is a California Community College to get in on this. My community college is only $20 per unit! In any event, Jennifer made it a point to tell me that FEMA credits are OK, but NETC (National Emergency Training Center?) credits would NOT be accepted this was. NETC would have to come through another channel (of which I'm not familiar and don't recall at the moment--since I had never dealt with NETC until this phone call).

Also, Jennifer told me that the Excelsior policy on this changed in November (assumably 2006) so anyone inquiring prior to that date may have received a different answer. Finally, to make sure I had this 100% correct, I called back and spoke with another advisor named Sandy, and Sandy confirmed for me that the credits could be transferred in to Excelsior specifically through the Thomas Edison credit bank.

I just got off the phone with my liberal arts advisor and got the same answer. She said several times that Frederick is the preferred place to transcript them and that they might not transfer as well from TESC, but later said that non- NETC FEMA credits should transfer from TESC. I'm going to try banking them with TESC and transferring them to Excelsior. I hope they transfer okay and I'm not wasting my time and money. :confused: