Virtually all schools accept some credits for examination. Three accredited schools allow students to use exams for their whole degree program. Two of the schools, Charter Oak State College and Thomas Edison State College are state schools which have access to public funds like student loans and grants. One of the colleges, Excelsior, is a private institution.
These colleges offer credit for traditional and online courses and various exams. Some of them offer credit by portfolio. Though it may take longer for some students, it is possible for a student to earn a BA in a month exclusively via testing and/or life experience portfolio assessment.
The Big Three in Distance Education
Thomas Edison State College (TESC), Charter Oak State College (COSC), and Excelsior College are known as "The Big Three" in the distance education community. Each of these colleges is accredited by their regional accrediting body, and all three allow students to earn a college degree via non-traditional means.
The big three accept credit for examination, portfolio, online coursework, and traditional coursework. It is possible to use these schools and a variety of examinations to earn a BA in just one month. Some of the exams accepted by these colleges include:
- AP Advanced Placement (College Board) Examinations
- CLEP (College Board) College-Level Examination Program
- COSC Charter Oak State College Examination Pathways Exam Registration Form
- DANTES (DSST) Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support
- GRE Graduate Record Examination Subject Tests
- ECE Excelsior College Examination Program (These exams were formerly Regents, ACT PEP, CPE & REDE tests of The University of the State of New York.)
- TECEP Thomas Edison College Examination Program
Thomas Edison State College
Thomas Edison State College (TESC) is located in Trenton, NJ. It is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. As a state school, TESC offers financial aid and is able to accept federal student grants and loans.
TESC has its own credit by examination program called the TECEP (Thomas Edison State College Examination Program). These exams are accepted for credit at a variety of institutions of higher learning including Charter Oak State College and Excelsior. TESC also accepts a variety of other credit by examination programs including:
- COSC
- CLEP
- DANTES/DSST
- ECE
- AP
TESC grants life experience credit and has a life experience portfolio assessment program. TESC also has a liberal credit transfer policy. Unlike Excelsior and Charter Oak State Colleges, Thomas Edison State does not accept credit for the GRE exams. They also do not assign letter grades for coursework by examination. This can be a problem if a student is planning to enter a graduate program which has a GPA prerequisite.
Charter Oak State College
Charter Oak State College (COSC) is located in New Britain, CT. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. COSC accepts credit for all of the tests Thomas Edison State does. It administers the Charter Oak State College exams. Like TESC it has a life experience credit portfolio assessment program, and as a state run school it can accept government funds.
One of the advantages of COSC is that it will grant up to 24 semester units of credit for the GRE subject examinations depending on the percentile. COSC will award credits as both lower and upper division units in that subject. That is of significant benefit to students, as 24 semester units is equivalent to one full year in the subject. COSC does assign grades for some tests, but not all. As in the case of TESC, this can be a problem if a student needs a GPA for a graduate program.
Excelsior College
Excelsior College is located in Albany, NY. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. As a private school, Excelsior does not participate in the federal student grants and loans programs. Excelsior accepts credit for all of the exams recognized by TESC and COSC. Although it doesn't have a portfolio assessment program, it does accept life experience credits which have been conferred elsewhere. Excelsior college administers the Execelsior College Examinations (ECE).
One of the benefits of Excelsior, is that it offers a Registered Nurse Program almost exclusively by examination which is accepted for licensure in most states. It also has a liberal GRE subject exam credit of 30 semester units. Excelsior does confer letter grades for all exams, and assigns a GPA to students. This allows students who are seeking graduate level degrees to include programs with a GPA requirement. Excelsior also has extensive online resources including study guides for the ECE tests.
Whether choosing Charter Oak State, Thomas Edison State, or Excelsior college, it is possible for a student to earn a BA in just one month by testing out of all of the degree program requirements. Excelsior offers the quickest option because of its liberal 30 semester unit credit for qualifying GRE scores. Earning a degree quickly can be of benefit to professionals who seek career advancement or a higher pay scale, as well as those who would like to advance to a graduate degree program more quickly.
Source:
Charter Oak State College
Excelsior College
Thomas Edison State College
Laura Holst - Laura Holst is a substitute teacher and writer. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and is ...
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