After soo much research I think I'm leaning most towards Empire State College..I like that its a SUNY school and very inexpensive! Does anyone have any experience with their undergrad online programs? Any feedback would be much appreciated.

Now that you mention it, we haven't had much discussion of Empire State College on this forum, which is kind of strange because SUNY is certainly a good institution to have on one's resume.  If you move forward with them, can you tell us about it?

-=Steve=- 

I was thrilled to find a SUNY school..I will be transferring in from a different SUNY school so I really have no worries or concerns..For those of you interested in distant learning with them, the tuition is $181 per credit and the classes are 4 credits each! They can also customize a degree for you and you are able to combine onsite learning with online learning if one of their locations is close to you. The only drawback is I haven't been able to view their classroom setting. They use a system called Angel as opposed to Blackboard..If anyone is familiar with that please let me know how you like it..

Not one person on this forum has attended Empire State College??

Hi Heather,

I'm looking at SUNY Empire State, Columbia College, Excelsior and Peru State College.  Columbia gets high marks as a "top" college in the midwest from US News & World Report (not sure how relevant their rankings are, though), only requires 120 credits (most classes are only 3 credit) for graduation and is $205/credit.  Excelsior is more expensive ($320/credit--most classes are three credits) and only requires 120 credits for an undergrad degree, but is rumored to have a very generous transfer credit policy, so you could end up saving by not needing to take as many credits overall.  SUNY Empire State and Peru State require more credits for graduation (128 and 125, respectively), but have lower per credit fees. I would love to hear discussion about Columbia College and Empire State, as well.  I am having trouble deciding between these four colleges and it would help to hear personal experiences. 

This is such a great site!  I get frustrated when I go to other review sites and it is clear they are simply advertising vehicles for some of the private online schools. 
 

Every class at Empire State is 4 credits and they are only $181 per credit!

mmanion:

Excelsior is more expensive ($320/credit--most classes are three credits) and only requires 120 credits for an undergrad degree, but is rumored to have a very generous transfer credit policy, so you could end up saving by not needing to take as many credits overall.  SUNY Empire State and Peru State require more credits for graduation (128 and 125, respectively), but have lower per credit fees.

Since Excelsior College is an assessment college, which means you can transfer up to 100% of the credit you need there, you could have your cake and eat it too by getting your degree through more lenient Excelsior but taking your courses through lower tuition Peru or ESC.

-=Steve=- 

I am curious to know about non-matriculated courses transferring. I applied to late to Empire State to be matriculated in May so I am doing Non-matric until September. I am curious to know that if for any reason I am not happy will the non-matric class transfer? I'm thinking no but curious to hear other answers.

If you're taking them for credit they should transfer just fine whether you're in a degree program there or not.  Plenty of people take courses at schools all over without being in a degree program, often explicitly intending to transfer them.  Undergrads who take courses in the summer at their local community colleges while visiting home are a good example.

-=Steve=-
 

I know they'll transfer into their degree program I was wondering if it would transfer to another school.

 

Thanks..

Yes, it will.

-=Steve=-
 

I am a student at SUNY Empire State College. I just started this March and I am taking 3 classes, one lower level- Human Biology and two upper level courses- U. S. Multicultural Fiction and Nature in American History- so 12 credits total. Their courses are online through the Angel learning system which I am not that thrilled with it seems slow and you have to backtrack a lot. The only drawbacks so far that am aware of for ESC is that to earn an associate degree, you must complete 64 credits, with at least 24 earned at Empire State College. A bachelor's degree requires completion of 128 credits- (not 120 like Excelsior etc.), with at least 32 earned at Empire State College. Also you have to complete the the State University of New York General Education Requirement, all of ESC's bachelor's degrees must include at least 30 credits in specified categories. I already had my SUNY Gen ED Requirements because I attended a SUNY college before and completed them there- so no biggie for me. However, it might be a lot more of a pain for someone who didn't and SUNY schools are VERY picky about which courses will qualify. So I am seriously considering Excelsior or one of the other Big 3. If I had know about them before I don't think I would have signed up at ESC. This will probably be my final semester with Empire. They are flexible compared to B&M schools. However, when they compare to the Big 3- Empire is not very flexible at all. I would probably spend two more years or more at Empire to complete my B.A. However, at Excelsior, TESC or Chapter Oak I think I could be finished up in about 6 months or so. I wish I had known about them, and testing out years ago as well. Although the financial aid I get is very nice! If you have any specific questions please let me know and I'll be happy to attempt to answer anything. However, keep in mind that I am still a newbie there.

Thanks DeAnna, that was very informative.  Which of the big three are you looking at going to?

Thank you. I just wished I had more information before I signed up. Although, I think that is is a wonderful school and many students can be very successful there. I actually think that my experiences there have lead me to to investigate other options and avenues that I wouldn't have even known about so I am grateful for having attended Empire State College. If just for that fact that I have found all of these other non traditional routes to finishing up my degree.

I have applied to all three of the Big Three and Western Governors University as well.  I sent out my transcripts for evaluations. I wanted to see at which one I could finish up my B.A/B.S. the quickest. I am interested in taking a lot of exams- CLEP, DSST, ECE and possibly the GRE in Psychology or Literature, or maybe both. I want to get as many of my credits filled up with exams as can.  I think I learn more by reading and studying for tests. I am having a hard time fitting in classes- online or in person and around my busy extremely high needs14 month old son. I can't be online in class discussions, working on projects and writing immense amounts of papers and essays that I don't feel like they are actually teaching me something helpful towards my career goals. I don't mind doing the hard work. I just want to make sure that I am actually gaining critical skills not just doing busy work or going through the motions by jumping through some instructors hoops. I am going to be 36 in ten days and I just feel like I can't waste anymore of my time doing things that aren't getting me closer to my dreams.

 

DeAnna:

I am interested in taking a lot of exams- CLEP, DSST, ECE and possibly the GRE in Psychology or Literature, or maybe both. I want to get as many of my credits filled up with exams as can.

Hi DeAnna.  Of the Big Three, Excelsior College is the one that awards the most credit for high scores on the GRE Subject Exams, but Charter Oak offers more credit for middle-of-the-road scores.  If you really want to take those exams, you may want to go ahead and do so, see how you do, and then enroll at either Excelsior or Charter Oak depending on which offers more credit for your specific scores.

-=Steve=-