COSC gen ed classes, from SL or credit by testing

[pluggingalong]

Wow, a lot of good information here. I am a little confused about the process of going to COSC. Would I try to get all the credits-by-exam done first, then join the college and take the remaining the classes - or first join the college, and tell the advisors I will skip their class and take it somewhere else that is cheaper? It seems risky to do all the exams first, without talking to an advisor at COSC, but I don't think they would help unless I was a student.

Also at COSC, can you join, but just take a few courses? I didn't see anything on their site about minimum course load. I was wondering in case I joined, and saw that I could take a class cheaper somewhere else, and go take it, then come back to COSC a month or two later.

At COSC, their literature says you work at your own pace, but isn't there a fixed academic calendar, so they can manage their teachers? I'm guessing you can't take the classes as fast as you can, and that you have to take classes when they say you can.