Crushing Your Degree at Charter Oak State College 🚀

Hey folks! If you’re aiming to earn a degree fast and cheap, Charter Oak State College (COSC) is a gem among “The Big Three” (alongside Thomas Edison State University and Excelsior College) for its test-friendly policies and low residency requirements. Based in Connecticut, COSC is like a lightweight Arch Linux install—flexible, efficient, and perfect for DIY learners. 📚 This guide, based on COSC’s degree plans from 2015, focuses on the B.S. in Business Administration, showing how to test out of ~95% of credits using exams and free sources like FEMA. It’s a blueprint for non-traditional students, but confirm current requirements with COSC advisors, as policies evolve.

Big thanks to student communities for their tips on navigating COSC. Let’s build a degree plan as sleek as a custom bash script! 😎

Note: Always verify exam equivalencies and degree requirements with COSC’s registrar (info@charteroak.edu). Policies can shift like a buggy package update, so get approvals in writing.

Table of Contents

• Why Choose COSC?
• COSC Degree Structure
• B.S. in Business Administration Plan
  • Required COSC Courses (6 Credits)
  • General Education (40 Credits)
  • Business Major (33 Credits)
  • Upper-Level Electives (9 Credits)
  • Free Electives (32 Credits)
• Cost Breakdown (2015 Estimate)
• Tips for Success
• Final Thoughts: You’re Ready to Graduate!

Why Choose COSC?

COSC, a regionally accredited public college, is designed for working adults, offering 100% online degrees with no on-campus requirements. Among “The Big Three,” COSC shines for:

• Test-Friendly: Test out of up to 114/120 credits for the B.S. in Business Administration using CLEP, DSST, UExcel, and alternative providers like Sophia.org.
• Free Credits: Accepts FEMA and TEEX credits (free, quick electives), unlike TESU (no FEMA) or Excelsior (high fees for FEMA).
• Affordable: ~$5,200 total for a B.S. (2015 estimate), comparable to TESU, cheaper than Excelsior.
• Clear Planning Tools: Master Exam List (COSC Exams) maps exams to requirements, similar to TESU’s CLEP/DSST charts.
• Excellent Support: Known for top-notch customer service, rivaling Excelsior, surpassing TESU.

COSC’s B.S. in Business Administration requires fewer major credits than TESU or Excelsior, making it ideal for test-takers prioritizing ease and speed.

COSC Degree Structure

COSC bachelor’s degrees require 120 credits:

• 40 general education credits: English, math, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences (including 1-credit lab).
• 48 business major credits: Including 15 upper-level (UL) credits for B.S. in Business Administration.
• 30 UL credits total: Across major and electives.
• 32 free electives: Flexible credits (e.g., FEMA, TEEX).
• 6 COSC credits: Cornerstone (IDS-101) and Capstone (BUS-499, UL).
• 114 transferable credits max: From exams (CLEP, DSST, UExcel), alternative providers (Sophia, StraighterLine, ALEKS), or other colleges.

Residency: Only 6 credits (Cornerstone, Capstone) must be taken at COSC, with no residency waiver fee, unlike TESU’s $3,354 fee.

B.S. in Business Administration Plan

This plan, optimized for testing out ~95% of credits, prioritizes ease and cost (2015 data). Confirm current equivalencies with COSC’s Master Exam List.

Required COSC Courses (6 Credits)

| Course | Credits | Notes | |——–|———|——-| | IDS-101 Cornerstone Seminar | 3 | Intro to college skills, fulfills Information Literacy. ~$1,333 (2015). | | BUS-499 Strategic Management Capstone | 3 (UL) | Final business course, requires 30 business credits first. ~$1,333 (2015). Use international textbook edition (~$50) to save costs. |

General Education (40 Credits)

| Requirement | Credits | Suggested Exam/Course | Notes | |————-|———|———————–|——-| | Written Communication | 6 | CLEP College Composition | Easy, ~$100. | | Literature/Fine Arts | 3 | CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature (6 credits) | Very easy, ~$100, covers extra elective credits. | | Social/Behavioral Sciences | 3 | CLEP Macroeconomics | Part of business major, ~$100. | | Ethical Decision-Making | 3 | DSST Business Ethics & Society (UL) | Part of business major, ~$100. | | Oral Communication | 3 | DSST Principles of Public Speaking | ~$100, waive with public speaking experience (petition to Provost). | | Non-U.S. History/Culture | 3 | DSST Intro to World Religions | ~$100, also fulfills Global Understanding. | | U.S. History/Government | 3 | DSST Civil War & Reconstruction (UL) | ~$100. | | Global Understanding | 3 | DSST Rise & Fall of Soviet Union (UL) | ~$100, also fulfills Non-U.S. History. | | Mathematics | 3 | ALEKS Business Statistics | ~$20, non-proctored, part of business major. | | Natural Science | 7 | Saylor Bio101B (3) + StraighterLine Biology Lab (1); Saylor Chem 101 (3) + StraighterLine Chemistry Lab (1) | ~$125 total, lab required. |

Business Major (33 Credits)

| Course | Credits | Suggested Exam/Course | Notes | |——–|———|———————–|——-| | Intro to Macroeconomics | 3 | StraighterLine Macroeconomics | ~$50, easier than CLEP. | | Intro to Microeconomics | 3 | StraighterLine Microeconomics | ~$50, easier than CLEP. | | Business Statistics | 3 | ALEKS Business Statistics | ~$20, non-proctored. | | Business Law | 3 | Saylor Business Law & Ethics | ~$25, or CLEP (~$100). | | Financial Accounting | 3 | CLEP Financial Accounting | ~$100, or StraighterLine (~$50). | | Managerial Accounting | 3 | StraighterLine Managerial Accounting | ~$50, easier than UExcel. | | Finance | 3 | Penn Foster Financial Management | ~$237, easier than DSST Principles of Finance (~$100). | | Management Info Systems | 3 | CLEP Info Systems & Applications | ~$100, or DSST (~$100). | | Principles of Management | 3 | Saylor Principles of Management | ~$25, or CLEP (~$100). | | Organizational Behavior | 3 (UL) | UExcel Organizational Behavior | ~$145, UL vs. DSST’s LL. | | Principles of Marketing | 3 | Saylor Principles of Marketing | ~$25, or CLEP (~$100). | | UL Business Electives | 12 (UL) | DSST Business Ethics (3, UL), UExcel Human Resource Management (3, UL), UExcel Labor Relations (3, UL), Penn Foster Employee Benefits (3, UL) | ~$100–$237 each, high pass rates (>94%). |

Upper-Level Electives (9 Credits)

| Exam | Credits | Notes | |——|———|——-| | DSST Substance Abuse | 3 (UL) | ~$100, very easy, >90% pass rate. | | UExcel Psychology of Adulthood & Aging | 3 (UL) | ~$145, straightforward, prep with InstantCert. | | UExcel Social Psychology | 3 (UL) | ~$145, overlaps with Adulthood & Aging. |

Free Electives (32 Credits)

• FEMA Credits: Free, 1-credit courses, completable in hours. Stack multiple for electives.
• TEEX Credits: Free, 1–2 credit courses, quick to finish.
• Other: CLEP Social Sciences (6 credits, ~$100), CLEP College Math (6 credits, ~$100), or prior college credits.

Cost Breakdown (2015 Estimate)

Total: ~$5,225 (out-of-state, no prior credits, 2015 prices). Confirm 2025 costs with COSC.

• COSC Courses: $2,666 (Cornerstone + Capstone, ~$1,333 each).
• General Education: $870 (CLEP, DSST, Saylor, StraighterLine, ALEKS).
• Business Major: $960 (Saylor, CLEP, StraighterLine, DSST, UExcel, Penn Foster).
• UL Electives: $390 (DSST, UExcel).
• FEMA/TEEX: $0.
• Fees: $340 (application $75, ALEKS $20, ACE transcript $40, graduation $205).
• Optional: InstantCert ($105/6 months), practice exams (~$200).

Example (KittenMittens, 2015): $5,440 total, reduced to $2,425 with employer reimbursement for exams ($1,455) and two courses ($1,560). Costs vary based on prior credits, exam choices, and reimbursements.

Tips for Success

Approach COSC like a sysadmin debugging a server:

• Confirm Everything ✅: Email COSC’s registrar (info@charteroak.edu) to verify exam/course equivalencies. Get approvals in writing to avoid backtracking.
• Prioritize Easy Options: Choose Penn Foster (Financial Management, Employee Benefits, ~$237) over hard DSSTs (Finance, Money & Banking). Use Saylor (~$25) and StraighterLine (~$50) for cheap credits.
• Stack FEMA/TEEX: Knock out 32 elective credits for free with FEMA/TEEX courses. Complete in hours, no proctoring.
• Use Prep Resources: Leverage InstantCert flashcards, Free-Clep-Prep.com, official practice exams ($5–$25), and sample questions for >90% pass rates. Budget ~5–25 hours prep per exam.
• Waive Public Speaking: Petition to waive DSST Public Speaking (~$100) with proof of experience (e.g., work presentations). Contact the Provost.
• Manage GPA: COSC GPA comes only from Cornerstone/Capstone. UExcel exams (A/B/C) and Penn Foster grades (A/B/C) show on transcripts but don’t affect COSC GPA. CLEP/DSST are pass/fail. For grad school, aim for high UExcel grades (3.0+ GPA equivalent).
• Transfer Strategically: Use Sophia.org for general education (e.g., Microeconomics) or business electives. Claim credits via Credly. Check COSC’s partner restrictions for ACE credits.
• Track Credits: Log credits in Excel (CTRL+C/CTRL+V) to hit 120 (40 general education, 30 UL, 15 UL business).

Associate’s Option: Earn an A.S. in General Studies (60 credits) with general education (40 credits), Cornerstone (3 credits), and 17–20 free electives (FEMA/TEEX for $0).

Final Thoughts: You’re Ready to Graduate!

There you go—a roadmap to crush your COSC degree, as streamlined as a custom CLI tool. With ~95% of the B.S. in Business Administration testable via CLEP, DSST, UExcel, and free FEMA/TEEX credits, you can graduate for ~$5,200 (2015 estimate). Your next steps:

• Apply at COSC and confirm requirements with the registrar (info@charteroak.edu).
• Test out general education/business credits with CLEP (~$100), Saylor (~$25), StraighterLine (~$50), and Penn Foster (~$237). See my Sophia Guide for alternatives.
• Stack FEMA/TEEX for 32 free elective credits.
• Take IDS-101 and BUS-499 (~$2,666 total) at COSC.
• Track credits in Excel to hit 120 (40 general education, 48 business, 30 UL).

You’re building a degree as efficient as a well-optimized codebase. Questions? Reach out to COSC advisors or student communities. Now go test out those credits and land that diploma! 🌟

Based on COSC degree plans from 2015 and student insights. Confirm current requirements and costs with COSC advisors.