GET STARTED, PART 1There's a lot of information here. So much, it's probably making your head spin. That's all right. Believe me; I understand. People ask me all the time, "How do you know all this?" The simple answer is: I've been researching this and working with my own family's pursuit of college degrees for years. It's certainly nothing I picked up over night! And you aren't going to totally "get it" after a short perusal of this site, either. It's going to take some research on your part, too. I'm still learning new things all the time, and new options and opportunities seem to crop up just about every month.
Okay, and the really simple answer is: Google. Without the internet, none of this would be possible. So, here's what I want you to do. Go grab some notebook paper or a notepad, and something to write with. Yes, even you "can't-make-a-single-move-without-my-iPad" folks. We're going to draw up a plan of action. You can transfer it later to a nice, typed document if you feel so inclined, but for now, it will be easier if you can read what's on the screen and take notes. |
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BEFORE WE GET STARTED:
You need to decide just what it is you're doing here. Oh, sure, you probably think you already know, and maybe you really do, but there's a good chance you'll alter your plans at least once as you learn more about all the options you have.
Are you:
While it's important for you to decide what you're doing here, for obvious reasons, I encourage you to keep reading regardless. You should take the time to find out all the different ways you can earn college credits and what you can do with them.
STEP 1 to EARNING YOUR DEGREE:
You want to begin with researching The Big Three. A Google search will tell you there are many Big Threes out there. For our purposes, the Big Three are Charter Oak State College, Excelsior College, and Thomas Edison State College. Each of these schools has regional accreditation. This is very important. Although it sounds strange, regional accreditation is the highest form of accreditation available. Any "national" accrediting (such as DETC) is considered lesser or lower than regional accrediting. If you want to know more about regional accreditation, you can visit this website. Yes. I agree. It's somewhat disconcerting that an organization with as much influence and importance as the CHEA would have a website that looks like it was built in 1996 using a cheesy, free graphics program for their design, but I assure you, I am sending you to the official page. You can also look regional accrediting up in Wikipedia, if you want. Actually, go ahead and do that right now. There's a short passage explaining the difference between regional and national accrediting and you'll understand after reading it why I say it's important that COSC, TESC, and Excelsior have regional accreditation.
So why do we call these schools in particular The Big Three? Unlike the vast majority of colleges and universities out there, these three are much more generous with their credit transfer policies. Most schools place a strict limit on what you can bring in from outside sources. With the Big Three, you can transfer in between 114 - 117 (out of 120) of the credits you need. The schools do require a "capstone" course - basically a 3-credit thesis writing course you take online to round out your degree. Charter Oak also has a "cornerstone" requirement - a course that deals with online learning. The Big Three accept credits from other regionally accredited schools and credits that have ACE approval. We'll get into that more when we discuss your ways to earn credit, but for now, just understand that the Big Three offer a flexible and affordable way to earn your degree from home.
Also? The schools have open enrollment. The application process is painless - no essays, no scrambling to make your transcripts "stand out." No SAT or ACT scores needed. Because by the time you apply to the school you will have most of your credits already completed, they don't need you to jump through all the hoops demanded by the majority of colleges and universities. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not terribly fond of hoop-jumping, so this particular aspect of the Big Three really appeals to me. There are no worries about getting a "REJECTED" letter in the mail. You choose your school, fill out the simple application, and pay your application fee. Easy as that!
Spend some time on the websites for all three schools. Go on. It's all right. I'll still be here when you get back. You don't necessarily have to choose a school right off the bat. For the most part, their policies are very similar. But still, as they do have varying requirements for their degrees, you'll need to eventually decide on a school before putting together your final degree plan. Don't panic! If you find you do change your mind down the line and want to switch schools, you will likely be able to make adjustments to your plan without losing too many, if any, credits.
So go ahead and start your research with exploring the Big Three and what they have to offer. Make some notes before you come back here. You'll probably have a lot of questions, and that's fine. Write them down. We'll get to them in due time, and if for some reason you find you have a question that's never addressed here at HC USA, feel free to drop us a line and ask. Quick note for you homeschoolers: Don't get hung up on the fact that TESC and Excelsior in particular advertise as colleges for adult learners. Even though TESC says you must be 21 to enroll, they do take younger students who come in with many credits already completed. Excelsior does the same. For now, just look the schools over and make notes of things you want to know more about.
CAUTION: Hey, you! I see you there! You're so excited about all this, you're ready to enroll TODAY! Don't do it. You'll end up paying way more than you need to. You want to complete and accumulate most of your credits before you enroll in your college of choice. There's no reason to keep paying the yearly fees while you are still working on the courses and exams you'll be transferring in. You won't actually enroll until you are almost finished with your degree.
STEP 2 to EARNING YOUR DEGREE:
Now that you're more familiar with the Big Three, it's time to look at the many different ways you can earn your college credits. No, at this point you do not have to have a major or area of study in mind. What we're going to discuss next is the different avenues to credits, so you understand your choices. Later we'll look at actual degree choices.
As mentioned above, the Big Three will accept credits from other regionally accredited schools. Just note there is some limit there. Not much! For instance, TESC states you may only bring in up to 80 credits from a regionally accredited community college. So don't worry. It's very unlikely you have or will exceed any limits anywhere.
If you already have earned some credits from another school, you're that much closer to finishing your degree! Also, homeschoolers, you may want to look into the possibility of dual enrollment if your state offers it, as you can earn college credits while still in high school and later transfer them on.
Since we're discussing other schools, let's begin there. Even if you've never set foot on a college campus before, you may want to investigate your local community college and what options they have. It never hurts to find out.
You have ways of earning credits online through different colleges and universities. Just note that of all your options, this is generally the most expensive. On the flip side, if you are a high school grad who qualifies for student aid (in particular the Pell Grant, which is not a loan and does not need to be paid back), then this may be a good option for you.
CLOVIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Clovis Community College is located in New Mexico, and if you happen to live there, lucky you! In-state tuition is only $39 - $42 per-credit-hour, depending on if you are in-district or out-of-district. Compare that to the national average for state schools - over $150 per credit hour - and you can see what a bargain Clovis is. But even if you aren't a New Mexico resident, Clovis is still relatively inexpensive, at $89 per-credit-hour. No, you don't have to move to Clovis to take advantage of their offerings. They have many courses online. Just note that there is an extra $50 fee for online classes. In all, a 3-credit, out-of-state, on-line Clovis course will cost you $317, plus whatever you pay for your textbook. Again, this is more expensive than many other options, but Clovis does accept federal financial aid. And - BONUS! - (Oh, I love bonuses!) At Clovis, you can get 13 - 18 credits per semester for the same price as 12. Woo!
Many other regionally accredited colleges offer online courses for credits. These are just some of them:
Did you see that? All the schools I listed are state, regionally accredited schools with online/distance learning options. And they aren't the only ones. Take a moment to see if any schools in your state have programs, because you may qualify for in-state tuition and that's always a good thing!
Also, be aware the Big Three offer online courses, too, so you may find you want to take some classes directly with your college of choice.
I would like to take a moment now and speak to some of you skeptics out there. Yes, I've heard you clamoring in the background! Let's talk for a few minutes, okay?
First, you, ma'am. Quit glaring so hard. That can't be good for your eyes. I'm betting it'll cause wrinkles eventually! I understand why you feel online learning is too open to cheating and therefore shouldn't be considered valid, but there are things you need to consider. Did you know 75 - 98% of college students surveyed each year admit to cheating? Cheaters are always going to cheat and they are always going to find ways to do it without getting caught. If you're inclined to think that just because they attended a class in a classroom (versus an online course) that they weren't cheating, the numbers say you're probably wrong. In fact, a student who independently studied a topic and then took and passed a CLEP exam is a lot less likely to have cheated than one who spent a semester at school. Believe me, it would be much harder to cheat on a CLEP than buy your essays off the internet and pay for the test banks used by your school for all your exams. (DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AT ALL CONDONING THE PRACTICES OF THESE TWO WEBSITES! I'm just pointing out their existence so you can understand how easy it is to cheat these days.) Also, you may not be aware, but many online courses require proctoring of their exams, either in person at a testing center, or with an online, camera-based service like Proctor U. Now, you may be thinking, "Well, maybe so, but it would still be much harder to cheat on an exam in a traditional college, than online!" Allow me to call your attention to this. As I said, cheaters are everywhere. If they're going to such lengths as to get fake IDs in order to take tests for others, nothing really is going to stop them.
Now you, sir. Did I hear you correctly? Did you just say, "Well, if I had two candidates applying for a job and one had an online degree and the other went to a traditional school, of course I'm going to hire the person who did it the 'right' way and didn't skimp on his learning and degree?" Have you been on a college campus recently? Exactly how many hours do you suppose the 'right'-way-student spent actually devoted to his education, versus the student who lived and studied at home? Consider this. A student who earns his degree in the way we are describing here must be self-motivated, diligent, and dedicated to his studies because he's the only one in charge of his success or lack thereof. He's also decided to forego four years on campus in an effort to avoid going deeply into debt. Doesn't that sound like someone you would want working for you? He thinks outside-of-the-box, knows how to get something done even without someone looking over his shoulder, and has a responsible attitude toward money. Does he really show so unfavorably compared to the other candidate in your eyes?
And, yes, sir - you in the green shirt - I've heard you voicing your objections, too. I get that you believe college is a time where students "grow up and find themselves." Did you know that only about one-third of adults in America today actually have a bachelor's degree? I'm reasonably sure that the millions of people who never went off to school aren't all struggling with an identity crisis because of it. A lot of the "traditional" college grads though? Have found that the fun, four-year party ended with a twenty-year hangover, once those loans came due. What do you think is really better for a student? Four years of football and frat parties followed by decades of paying off student loans, or earning a degree from home so that his start in life does not include being $80,000 in debt? It would be great if everyone either had wealthy parents who could foot the bill or huge scholarships to cover all the costs, but that's just not reality. For all those people out there who genuinely want a college degree but don't have buckets of money behind them, they must weigh the pros and cons of saddling themselves with so much debt. There are plenty of people out there now who offer cautionary tales.
Ma'am, please. I'm not ignoring you. I'm simply addressing one person at a time. That's the only way to do this. I appreciate your belief that students need to be in a classroom to learn from professors, but I'm going to ask you to look at things a little differently. While, sure, it's possible that a professor is going to say something in a lecture that no one has ever heard anywhere else, (nor will ever repeat ever again), it's equally possible that a student learning from home using multiple resources is going to learn something the students at school never do. Learning does not always have to take place in a classroom setting. I'd like to paraphrase a quote for you from the movie Good Will Hunting. (I have to paraphrase thanks to a rather colorful use of language.) "One day you're going to realize you dropped a hundred and fifty grand on an education you could have gotten for $1.50 in late charges at the public library." Think about that for a little while.
Right, so... where were we?
We're going over ways you can earn college credits, and so far, we've been focused on courses through state colleges and universities. But there's more. So much more! A cornucopia of more! Woo!
GO ON...
You need to decide just what it is you're doing here. Oh, sure, you probably think you already know, and maybe you really do, but there's a good chance you'll alter your plans at least once as you learn more about all the options you have.
Are you:
- Looking for a free high school curriculum? Then you need to click over to the HIGH SCHOOL STUDIES pages.
- Studying for one or two specific CLEP or DSST exams? You can find the free study resources organized by subject on the main page.
- Wanting to draw up a degree plan in order to earn your college degree from home? Then you should just stay here for now and keep right on reading.
- Completely confused and highly suspicious because you think there's no way someone can actually earn an accredited degree from home so this must be a scam or diploma mill or some for-profit school about to pull a bait-and-switch on you? You should stay here for now, too.
While it's important for you to decide what you're doing here, for obvious reasons, I encourage you to keep reading regardless. You should take the time to find out all the different ways you can earn college credits and what you can do with them.
STEP 1 to EARNING YOUR DEGREE:
You want to begin with researching The Big Three. A Google search will tell you there are many Big Threes out there. For our purposes, the Big Three are Charter Oak State College, Excelsior College, and Thomas Edison State College. Each of these schools has regional accreditation. This is very important. Although it sounds strange, regional accreditation is the highest form of accreditation available. Any "national" accrediting (such as DETC) is considered lesser or lower than regional accrediting. If you want to know more about regional accreditation, you can visit this website. Yes. I agree. It's somewhat disconcerting that an organization with as much influence and importance as the CHEA would have a website that looks like it was built in 1996 using a cheesy, free graphics program for their design, but I assure you, I am sending you to the official page. You can also look regional accrediting up in Wikipedia, if you want. Actually, go ahead and do that right now. There's a short passage explaining the difference between regional and national accrediting and you'll understand after reading it why I say it's important that COSC, TESC, and Excelsior have regional accreditation.
So why do we call these schools in particular The Big Three? Unlike the vast majority of colleges and universities out there, these three are much more generous with their credit transfer policies. Most schools place a strict limit on what you can bring in from outside sources. With the Big Three, you can transfer in between 114 - 117 (out of 120) of the credits you need. The schools do require a "capstone" course - basically a 3-credit thesis writing course you take online to round out your degree. Charter Oak also has a "cornerstone" requirement - a course that deals with online learning. The Big Three accept credits from other regionally accredited schools and credits that have ACE approval. We'll get into that more when we discuss your ways to earn credit, but for now, just understand that the Big Three offer a flexible and affordable way to earn your degree from home.
Also? The schools have open enrollment. The application process is painless - no essays, no scrambling to make your transcripts "stand out." No SAT or ACT scores needed. Because by the time you apply to the school you will have most of your credits already completed, they don't need you to jump through all the hoops demanded by the majority of colleges and universities. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not terribly fond of hoop-jumping, so this particular aspect of the Big Three really appeals to me. There are no worries about getting a "REJECTED" letter in the mail. You choose your school, fill out the simple application, and pay your application fee. Easy as that!
Spend some time on the websites for all three schools. Go on. It's all right. I'll still be here when you get back. You don't necessarily have to choose a school right off the bat. For the most part, their policies are very similar. But still, as they do have varying requirements for their degrees, you'll need to eventually decide on a school before putting together your final degree plan. Don't panic! If you find you do change your mind down the line and want to switch schools, you will likely be able to make adjustments to your plan without losing too many, if any, credits.
So go ahead and start your research with exploring the Big Three and what they have to offer. Make some notes before you come back here. You'll probably have a lot of questions, and that's fine. Write them down. We'll get to them in due time, and if for some reason you find you have a question that's never addressed here at HC USA, feel free to drop us a line and ask. Quick note for you homeschoolers: Don't get hung up on the fact that TESC and Excelsior in particular advertise as colleges for adult learners. Even though TESC says you must be 21 to enroll, they do take younger students who come in with many credits already completed. Excelsior does the same. For now, just look the schools over and make notes of things you want to know more about.
CAUTION: Hey, you! I see you there! You're so excited about all this, you're ready to enroll TODAY! Don't do it. You'll end up paying way more than you need to. You want to complete and accumulate most of your credits before you enroll in your college of choice. There's no reason to keep paying the yearly fees while you are still working on the courses and exams you'll be transferring in. You won't actually enroll until you are almost finished with your degree.
STEP 2 to EARNING YOUR DEGREE:
Now that you're more familiar with the Big Three, it's time to look at the many different ways you can earn your college credits. No, at this point you do not have to have a major or area of study in mind. What we're going to discuss next is the different avenues to credits, so you understand your choices. Later we'll look at actual degree choices.
As mentioned above, the Big Three will accept credits from other regionally accredited schools. Just note there is some limit there. Not much! For instance, TESC states you may only bring in up to 80 credits from a regionally accredited community college. So don't worry. It's very unlikely you have or will exceed any limits anywhere.
If you already have earned some credits from another school, you're that much closer to finishing your degree! Also, homeschoolers, you may want to look into the possibility of dual enrollment if your state offers it, as you can earn college credits while still in high school and later transfer them on.
Since we're discussing other schools, let's begin there. Even if you've never set foot on a college campus before, you may want to investigate your local community college and what options they have. It never hurts to find out.
You have ways of earning credits online through different colleges and universities. Just note that of all your options, this is generally the most expensive. On the flip side, if you are a high school grad who qualifies for student aid (in particular the Pell Grant, which is not a loan and does not need to be paid back), then this may be a good option for you.
CLOVIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Clovis Community College is located in New Mexico, and if you happen to live there, lucky you! In-state tuition is only $39 - $42 per-credit-hour, depending on if you are in-district or out-of-district. Compare that to the national average for state schools - over $150 per credit hour - and you can see what a bargain Clovis is. But even if you aren't a New Mexico resident, Clovis is still relatively inexpensive, at $89 per-credit-hour. No, you don't have to move to Clovis to take advantage of their offerings. They have many courses online. Just note that there is an extra $50 fee for online classes. In all, a 3-credit, out-of-state, on-line Clovis course will cost you $317, plus whatever you pay for your textbook. Again, this is more expensive than many other options, but Clovis does accept federal financial aid. And - BONUS! - (Oh, I love bonuses!) At Clovis, you can get 13 - 18 credits per semester for the same price as 12. Woo!
Many other regionally accredited colleges offer online courses for credits. These are just some of them:
- LSU - Independent & Distance Learning
- BYU - Independent Study
- WKU - Independent Learning
- CSU Pueblo - Independent Study
- Adams State University - Distance Learning for Undergraduates
Did you see that? All the schools I listed are state, regionally accredited schools with online/distance learning options. And they aren't the only ones. Take a moment to see if any schools in your state have programs, because you may qualify for in-state tuition and that's always a good thing!
Also, be aware the Big Three offer online courses, too, so you may find you want to take some classes directly with your college of choice.
I would like to take a moment now and speak to some of you skeptics out there. Yes, I've heard you clamoring in the background! Let's talk for a few minutes, okay?
First, you, ma'am. Quit glaring so hard. That can't be good for your eyes. I'm betting it'll cause wrinkles eventually! I understand why you feel online learning is too open to cheating and therefore shouldn't be considered valid, but there are things you need to consider. Did you know 75 - 98% of college students surveyed each year admit to cheating? Cheaters are always going to cheat and they are always going to find ways to do it without getting caught. If you're inclined to think that just because they attended a class in a classroom (versus an online course) that they weren't cheating, the numbers say you're probably wrong. In fact, a student who independently studied a topic and then took and passed a CLEP exam is a lot less likely to have cheated than one who spent a semester at school. Believe me, it would be much harder to cheat on a CLEP than buy your essays off the internet and pay for the test banks used by your school for all your exams. (DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT AT ALL CONDONING THE PRACTICES OF THESE TWO WEBSITES! I'm just pointing out their existence so you can understand how easy it is to cheat these days.) Also, you may not be aware, but many online courses require proctoring of their exams, either in person at a testing center, or with an online, camera-based service like Proctor U. Now, you may be thinking, "Well, maybe so, but it would still be much harder to cheat on an exam in a traditional college, than online!" Allow me to call your attention to this. As I said, cheaters are everywhere. If they're going to such lengths as to get fake IDs in order to take tests for others, nothing really is going to stop them.
Now you, sir. Did I hear you correctly? Did you just say, "Well, if I had two candidates applying for a job and one had an online degree and the other went to a traditional school, of course I'm going to hire the person who did it the 'right' way and didn't skimp on his learning and degree?" Have you been on a college campus recently? Exactly how many hours do you suppose the 'right'-way-student spent actually devoted to his education, versus the student who lived and studied at home? Consider this. A student who earns his degree in the way we are describing here must be self-motivated, diligent, and dedicated to his studies because he's the only one in charge of his success or lack thereof. He's also decided to forego four years on campus in an effort to avoid going deeply into debt. Doesn't that sound like someone you would want working for you? He thinks outside-of-the-box, knows how to get something done even without someone looking over his shoulder, and has a responsible attitude toward money. Does he really show so unfavorably compared to the other candidate in your eyes?
And, yes, sir - you in the green shirt - I've heard you voicing your objections, too. I get that you believe college is a time where students "grow up and find themselves." Did you know that only about one-third of adults in America today actually have a bachelor's degree? I'm reasonably sure that the millions of people who never went off to school aren't all struggling with an identity crisis because of it. A lot of the "traditional" college grads though? Have found that the fun, four-year party ended with a twenty-year hangover, once those loans came due. What do you think is really better for a student? Four years of football and frat parties followed by decades of paying off student loans, or earning a degree from home so that his start in life does not include being $80,000 in debt? It would be great if everyone either had wealthy parents who could foot the bill or huge scholarships to cover all the costs, but that's just not reality. For all those people out there who genuinely want a college degree but don't have buckets of money behind them, they must weigh the pros and cons of saddling themselves with so much debt. There are plenty of people out there now who offer cautionary tales.
Ma'am, please. I'm not ignoring you. I'm simply addressing one person at a time. That's the only way to do this. I appreciate your belief that students need to be in a classroom to learn from professors, but I'm going to ask you to look at things a little differently. While, sure, it's possible that a professor is going to say something in a lecture that no one has ever heard anywhere else, (nor will ever repeat ever again), it's equally possible that a student learning from home using multiple resources is going to learn something the students at school never do. Learning does not always have to take place in a classroom setting. I'd like to paraphrase a quote for you from the movie Good Will Hunting. (I have to paraphrase thanks to a rather colorful use of language.) "One day you're going to realize you dropped a hundred and fifty grand on an education you could have gotten for $1.50 in late charges at the public library." Think about that for a little while.
Right, so... where were we?
We're going over ways you can earn college credits, and so far, we've been focused on courses through state colleges and universities. But there's more. So much more! A cornucopia of more! Woo!
GO ON...
