Charter Oak State College (COSC) is one of the original Adult Degree Completion Colleges established during the 1970s. These innovative institutions (Regents/Excelsior College, Thomas Edison State College and COSC) are true forces in providing opportunities for documenting education without boundaries for a diverse student body. Students who have learning from multiple sources and schools, including military and other migrant workers, can aggregate their credits and earn a degree with minimum residency requirements. The American Council on Education (ACE) makes credit recommendations which can be relied upon by over 2000 institutes of higher learning. COSC has decided against accepting ACE recommendations for upper-level military DSST examinations and establishes separate criteria that puts roadblocks in the way of military students. Given COSC's mission. This decision to second-guess ACE to the detriment of their students, when they could ethically follow ACE guidelines, is not easily understood. It is entirely their decision to make and I hope it doesn't represent institutional self-contempt or shame about the role they play in higher education, or an anti-military bias. Except for this one confusing deviation from their mission, the school provided caring counselors, talented instructors, engaging course work and an opportunity to complete and earn an accredited bachelor's degree. read more

Awful. They'll teach you about bureaucracy then use the system to leave you in debt, and without anything to show for it. The first time I was nearing graduation they found an excuse to deny my financial aid so I became unenrolled. When I became eligible to re-enroll their catalog had changed and there were more courses for me to take. A couple years later I'm graduating, and they tell me I got a "D" in a class I needed a "C" in. After doing everything I possibly could (which was nothing because it's a set-up) to get the grade changed, the provost refused to help me out. I spoke with the president of the school who offered to waive the course fee if I agreed to retake the course. I agreed, but informed him that I needed a break first. I was really exhausted from all they had put me through. Plus I needed some time to focus on my family and get my head right after a few back-to-back tragedies we had experienced. I was feeling like crashing out. Eventually, about 18 months later, I retake the course and pass it, but the catalog had changed-- and once again, I've gotta take a bunch more courses. Only now I'm at 129 college credits (3.0 GPA) and I won't qualify for financial assistance towards this degree, ever again. I have offered professional certificates, real-life work projects, letters from employers and businesses partners, but nothing has been sufficient. I'm a single mother with two daughters, what do these evil people expect me to do now? I don't want their "next catalog year" degree, I want the one I earned and paid for. This is gatekeeping. It's sick to think they get away with this. Reading these reviews is infuriating. I wish I had done my research. read more

I would have given zero stars if I could've. Do not go here. They're almost exclusively accelerated courses, and don't offer much for the full semester. The course load for these is astronomically obscene. Not sure how the professors expect students to work full time while taking these courses and being able to pass. Trying to get a hold of any other department besides the advisor was like pulling teeth. They do not work with students who are trying to get clarification or help in dropping a class. It seems like this institution only cares about their money and not the academic aspect of the student life. Highly disgusted that I wasted money and still can't get any answers in regards to the program(s). Waste of time and money. read more

Please do not enroll. They are scammers. Enrolled in a course and had so many issues trying to log in and access Blackboard. Contacted their IT and they never answered. It takes a miracle to get anyone on the phone. Once I finally did, they dropped me from the course. Refused to refund me my money so I lost over $1300. Refused to even transfer the funds to another semester. Staff are rude, condescending, and greedy. Do not enroll or you risk being robbed. read more

Avoid this school at all costs... ive never had so many issues in my life and ive gone to other CT colleges. The application process is absurd along with the financial aid process. Don't even get me started on the expectations required for each class, a big LOL. You'll be writing about 5 papers a week PER CLASS (even if you're not an english major). Along with having a job, You wont even have time to take more than one at a time! It is impossible to get in touch with staff when it comes to advising and general questions. I can go on and on, If I could give it zero stars i would. They make absolutely everything complicated when it comes to logging in, or picking classes. Steer away. read more

I am disgusted by this university. I called to make a payment and was told that I was two hours late, and that I had already been dropped from my courses for the semester. I was also told that there was absolutely no way for me be re-registered and that I would have to wait. As a veteran, I find this policy appalling. There is no understanding for individual situations, such as my own where I had to bring my wife for last minute ultrasound. It is clear that the staff at this university (at least in the bursar's office) do not care about their students, only their bottom lines. Very disappointed, especially considering that one of the selling points of this university is it's flexibility (it's right there on the homepage). read more

[This might violate Yelp's 'conflict of interest' rule, but yeah, I am a matriculated senior at Charter Oak with only a few credits left and have attended off and on for a few years.] I really don't mean this part-review, part-rebuttal to 'Jodi W' and 'Todd D' as an attack on them but to trash my future alma mater because one feels self-entitled to a degree tailored to her schedule and the other failed to budget for student fees(?) is absurd. I couldn't let it go. Much like the traditional colleges we earned most of our credits at years back, the typical COSC student should know college is time-demanding and ain't cheap. While Charter Oak has no choice but to market themselves as an "online school" (it is how they offer courses) you could graduate from there without ever taking a single course at COSC (maybe the orientation). Along with Thomas Edison College in PA and Excelsior in NY, Charter Oak was founded in the 70's (long before the internet) as a correspondence college with a unique vision for giving adults the opportunity to earn credits (and finish what they started) through non-traditional means -- testing, projects, courses at any accredited school, work experience to name a few. And the schools I mentioned, by the way, are the only three "online schools" with regional accreditation. It's not University of Phoenix or whatever other shady for-profit scam. Charter Oak students all arrive having earned at least 15 credits but most a lot more. Because of its good health industry major, a lot of students already have their degree, once even I met an MBA, to put it into perspective. Courses at COSC are hard, and if you disagree, you probably didn't do your work. COSC deserves to be taken seriously, sorry, it's not a diploma mill. Which is why, for instance, people are disappointed when suddenly they realize this fancy website seems an awful lot like college. Papers? Tests? Having to submit an assignment on a -Monday-?? So yeah, why **** ? Because I dislike how Charter Oak markets itself (no doubt how we end up with some of the reviewers there) and its unwillingness to experiment with a lot of what Blackboard has to offer in course design. Can't be easy running a place like that though. Well, I yelped. read more

Charter Oak State College - Colleges & Universities Near Me - New Britain, Connecticut

Very disappointed in my experience. From their literature, they seem like a very student / education oriented instituion, but that illusion fades quickly once you engage and move past the thin veil that good marketing creates. It seemed that everything was about fees, and committing my FASA funds rather than giving me the information I requested. I started withn an inquiry about the school and how my existing credits would transfer. I was told that I should apply and pay the fee and then I would be assigned a councilor. After that I requested information again and was told that I should pay the matriculation fee etc etc etc. Once I got approved for student aide, the emails never stopped. I received more than 25 emails reminding me to check my award status and talk to an entrance loan councilor, and make sure to sign an electronic master promissory note. Sometimes I would receive 3-5 emails a day on the subject of funding and fees. All of this before I even took one class. I got the overwhelming impression that COSC is more about money than education. A truly disheartening experience. read more

COSC is a great institution. I have learned and retained so much from this institution than any other prestigious institutions I had attended. The courses are challenging and taught by excellent faculties which will bring out the best in you. For those who has family obligations and working full time, this is a great institution for you because you have access to your online courses 24/7. However, COSC is actually suitable for all students who have self motivation to learn independently. All in all, COSC courses are vigorous, so be prepared to do a lot of reading, writing and complete your assignments on time; otherwise you will fall behind. So, if you have trouble with self motivation to learn. Then Houston, "we have a problem." read more

Transferring to Charter Oak State College was the best decision I could have made for getting my bachelor's degree. I started out taking online classes at Tunxis Community College which is a great school, but if I had stayed with them I was tracking 7 years to finish a 4 year degree program which felt impossible. A year into my degree completion a colleague of mine told me about Charter Oak, and I transferred into their business administration program. If you are lucky enough to get Ashley as your academic counselor, your college experience will be fantastic. She listens to your needs and helps guide you through proper degree completion but also has respect for the fact that your time is valuable. This school caters to the working adult, the classes usually have no more than 25 students at a time, and the professors are great. Most classes through charter oak are available in an 8 week term with the exception of a few full term ones. The cost is very affordable compared to other online degree programs. You also have the option to utilize institutions such as Straighterline which help reduce costs and get you through your lower level electives quicker. If you like the testing option, you can also test out of some classes completely through CLEP and DSST exams. I ended up finishing my bachelor's degree in 3 years total compared to the 7 years I was tracking (though I did take the 3rd year off from work to finish early). Since the institution is accredited, you will have no problem transferring the credits to another institution as I did for my MBA. Thank you Charter Oak! read more

I used to like Charter Oak State college. But now the classes are canned packages from Jones and Bartlett. No longer do you get the personalized structure from the course teachers. The homework requirements are not ridiculous. I have no need to write 5 papers a week along with all the other assignments. I am not an English major nor does my job require me to write. It is total over kill. Also, it's frustrating when you are working on a lab and you keep getting kicked out. You really need to review and find a better method for learning. I am switching to another school as I am totally disappointed. read more

I am currently enrolled in a BS program with Charter Oak. The experience here is like EVERY WHERE ELSE - you get what you put in. COSC is a respected, accredited institution. Chances are if you are having issues - it's MORE THAN PARTLY on you. I have NOT experienced changes in costs as I go....it's just absurd! If you are interested in COSC I urge you to got to other sites and see the additional positive reviews as well! read more

COSC is a complete grab bag for anyone with a lot of college credit but no degree. The residency requirement is only 6credits It's regionally accredited, they offer a fully online format, and prices per credit are comparable to any university in the country. Anyone complaining about COSC had a bad isolated experience which absolutely can happen or didn't perform due diligence before diving in head first... read more

I really enjoyed completing my Bachelor of Science at Charter Oak State Collage. Very knowledgeable instructors and diverse peer environment/s. I recommend COSC to any adult learner completing their degree while working and raising children. read more

I went here to finish my BA degree and with work paying for it I would be dumb not to go. This is a full accredited college just go to http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ and they not for profit which is a good thing. This online college IS ACCREDITED by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation or the US Department of Education. This college has: REGIONAL ACCREDITATION (the highest form of college accreditation in the USA). What does REGIONAL ACCREDITATION mean? When employers ask if you have an "accredited" online degree they commonly mean a "regionally accredited" degree. Regionally accredited college degrees enjoy wide acceptance for employment purposes and for transfer credit purposes nationwide in the USA. Most state colleges and name brand universities, such as Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan State University are REGIONALLY ACCREDITED. The majority of distance learning schools are regionally accredited.COSC is not a degree mill like university of phoenix and the rest of those profit scamming schools you see advertising on TV. The school just got CAHIIM accreditation for their HIM program which is hard to attain and not many schools can say that. The classes were hard, and if you did not study and read the material you will fail. I had nothing, but helpful instructors except one, and from my understanding talking to my adviser that teacher was let go. When I had issues with class material they responded to my emails within 24hrs and if I called and left a message they would call me back within a day. The one thing I disliked was group projects. I had a good group, but in 2 classes you had the one person that would never do their half of the work and never show up for online meetings or group phone calls to discuss material. This is a real brick and motor college and I learned a lot in my 4 years going here. Just like any schooling you take you will only get out of it what you put into it. I finished my last class on Dec 20 2015 I am done and graduated. This is my honest review I have no affiliation to school or work here. read more

I'm am close to graduating at Charter Oak but have been close a few times. The amount of classes I need to graduate seems to keep changing. There are a significant amount of fees for classes and now their curriculum seems to have changed. What used to be convenient for me as I have a very busy full time job that requires me to travel has now become difficult. Professors are now requiring homework on a nightly basis rather than at the end of the week, where most students probably need their weekend to get homework done. An online class is actually more difficult to navigate now than trying to just take a once a week class. I've had assignments due at noon during the week. For a school that prides itself on being geared toward the working adult, it's significantly misses the mark. read more

I was surprised to read the disparaging comments regarding Charter Oak. One of the reasons I decided to pursue a degree there is because they are regionally accredited (very important) and they were generous with my transfer credit. When I received my credit assessment I was shocked to learn that I could complete my degree in just two semesters. I started off by joining their "chat" at 1PM EST which COSC offers almost every Monday. They were informative and answered my questions right away. I sent numerous emails prior to enrolling which they always addressed timely and I was surprised at how much attention they showed me when I hadn't even paid the application fee yet. It made me feel confident that they would continue this behavior once I enrolled. After I enrolled, I was assigned an academic adviser who has been a godsend with her guidance and patience. They give you a pretty clear picture of what you need to graduate when you receive your credit assessment. I've found that many times the problems people have is that they try to test out of a class using CLEP or DSST or some other form of credit before clearing it with their academic adviser that credit for that course will be applied as expected. The other source of frustration might be if you thought you had a certain amount of transfer credit but COSC wouldn't accept it all because of internal policies. Well, if that's the gripe, you'll have the same issue at other colleges with more rigid credit residency requirements. At any rate, if you have concerns about COSC, don't. It's not uncommon for people with grievances to post reviews. People who tend to be content with their services are less likely to hop on Yelp and complain. The only reason I'm posting this review is because I don't think some of the reviews here are fair. Rather than name calling why not just calmly give a detailed account of your situation so that others can figure out things for themselves. I never ran into the morons that were part of faculty. You are bound to run into some not so bright students at any college unless you go Ivy League. Anyway, a great source of information about COSC, Thomas Edison State College, and Excelsior (the big three) can be found at http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-thomas-edison-charter-oak-specific/ The people here know how to navigate the system and I'd encourage any disgruntled reviewer to go over to that board before giving up. read more

I had hopes of transferring to Charter Oak after discovering they have a Healthcare Administration program. After submitting a FORMAL transcript from a certificate based healthcare program that I completed successfully, I was told that wasn't good enough and that I needed to submit a letter from an employer. For a college that prides themselves on offering credits for a variety of programs, they have made it impossible to move forward with them due to ridiculous requirements. They couldn't even bother to take the time to understand what my credentials and schooling are. My current university provided me with credits upon submission of the formal transcript without requiring me to jump through hoops, and I will stay put. read more

My advisor was clueless. He couldn't add. He couldn't explain why a course taken within my concentration (i.e. major) could not count toward degree completion. The school's M.O. seems to be to drag out a student's enrollment so that they can keep charging tuition while providing a very low level of service. They won't even tell you what it will take to graduate from their program until you pay them a large, NON-REFUNDABLE fee. The school offers concentrations in many areas for which they offer NO courses! I have taken online and correspondence courses from several universities and have never had as many problems as I had with Charter Oak. read more

This school is miserable...full of morons who know nothing about grammar. I had two classes and they were not worthy of any education whatsoever. I swear the people in the forums were as dumb as a rock, and their grammar was proof of that. Half of them couldn't spell jack and were talking as though were on-line on Yahoo Messenger or something. Some people were piggybacking off of my comments(I took Political Science courses so we had to talk about everyday politics) most of the people who go to this school are retards who don't want to put in the work(I don't care what your schedule is obligating you to do!!!) that is placed on to them when going to college. The professor gave you 30 pages to read every day. EVERY DAY, do you know how much that is in a week. even on Sundays and Saturdays you'd get some type of homework. I realize that this on-line learning nonsense is in it's infancy stages, but these professors need to get off of their high horses. I couldn't debate most of the people because they didn't know what the hell they were talking about. On top of all of that, when I left the school they had the nerve to charge me still for some fees. While paying for these fees, they managed to take $1.10 more from my payment plan. I swear I'm starting to hate state-run institutions as I observe how greedy they are getting and using the people who really need them but are too dumb to realized they are being fleeced. I doubt anybody has gone on to become something great after going to that school. The Police Chief of Hartford went there and he was nothing but a buck-passer as the head of the Hartford Police Department(look at his record, and you'll see what I'm talking about) I would not recommend this school to anybody because it is nothing but a cash chasing machine and nothing more. read more

Complete SCAM. I only need a few courses to complete my Bachelor's degree. I signed up for the Cornerstone class. After learning that many of my assignments were unable to be opened by my professor, I decided to withdraw from class BEFORE THE DEADLINE to receive some reimbursement. The IS department is useless and clueless when it comes to computer issues. The college refuses to reimburse any money stating the "My petition for reimbursement has been refused". Buyer beware. STAY AWAY FROM THIS COLLEGE. read more

Excellent school for adults considering a degree program. This is not a school that hands out degree, you have to work for your grades. I completed my undergraduate degree at COSC and was admitted into several graduate programs at flagship universities. I am currently completing my doctoral program and using COSC's excellent model in my dissertation. read more

Their staff gives inaccurate and flat out wrong information. Admissions staff will tell you what you want to hear to get you to apply, telling you that different credits will transfer in, and then they try to pressure you into taking their expensive/overpriced courses. They do not respond to emails, and even lied over the phone about calling back. Do not trust the information on the website particularly in regards to what may or may not be transferred in. They force you to apply first before getting simple questions answered, and then when you're suckered in, you feel cornered given the time, energy, and money you put into pursuing a degree here. Look into Thomas Edison State College, or Excelsior College which are also degree granting colleges that follow their policies correctly. Like others have said, their staff is either incompetent, lazy, or apathetic, and don't give any proper feedback. You have to do your own homework to jump through the cracks here. read more

If it were possible to give this "school" lower than a 1 star rating I would do it. I have never in my life experienced such an incompetent "establishment" full of lazy, stupid people who can't get a thing right. I've attended 5 different schools so far, and not one is even close to how truly awful this place is. I applied to Charter Oak and after almost a month of emails and calling (on my part, not theirs, most attempts at contact were ignored) I finally found out I was indeed granted acceptance, but they would not give me my student id number (two months later, I still don't have one) or my school email address, or any information needed to do my fafsa and enroll in courses. When I finally spent countless hours and days on the phone with their awful staff, taking time out of my busy working schedule to do so, (the whole point of coming here was so as not to deal with these kinds of issues) I received an email address, still not student id, and was immediately directed into financial aid, because apparently that was way more important than looking into what classes transferred and what classes I need to complete my bachelors degree. When I emailed my counselor, typical to my experience thus far, he told me to take whatever classes I thought I would enjoy, with absolute zero direction on the requirements of what I would NEED in order to graduate, which is obviously the end goal here. I am not here just to take random classes for fun. Back to the financial aid debacle. After continuously calling the office in the few spare moments I have in my days, I was constantly directed to someone else and given the run around in every aspect. Every time I submitted one document, I needed another, then another, and when I called and told them to let me know everything I would need at once so we could get this done before the deadline (today) so I would not lose my classes, they told me I had everything in that they needed and I would receive a financial aid award within the next two days. Then the next day I would wake up to an email saying my application was yet again incomplete. This cycle has repeated several times now. And half the people I've spoken to cannot even speak proper english. Now here we are at the deadline date, I still do not have financial aid, my counselor still hasn't made a single suggestion of classes that would be useful, typically he does not even respond to my emails. I still do not have a student id number in order to log in and order books or complete anything online the school may need. And when the financial aid office told me to call the business office and explain the situation and the fact that my fafsa is not complete on time due to financial aid office incompetence, not my own, they informed me they cannot hold classes and there is nothing else they can do, which seems to be the theme here at Charter Oak. What a joke. Over 2 months of my time and money wasted only to find out what is supposed to be a convenient online school geared towards the working students, turns out to be the worst decision I almost made. Thanks for nothing, Charter Oak. Can't wait to see you fail, it's only a matter of time if these practices and polices keep up. read more

I see some fake reviews here. Charter Oak is simply a money grab. If you have a bunch of credits already and don't care what your degree says at the top, these people will gladly tell you what you want to hear, charge you whatever tuition they can, and get you your BA/BS degree. Their marketing tactics are similar to DeVry or University of Phoenix. read more

As a graduate in the 80s, I recommended COSC to my daughter. New subjective graduation requirements thwarted her efforts in an unprofessional, costly, and disheartening manner with no value added, except to warn others to beware. read more

This is a great school with wonderful faculty. They are regionally accredited, have a variety of programs, and offer free torturing. I graduate in a month with my Bachelor of Science majoring in Health Care Administration. COSC mostly has programs up to the baccalaureate level but did add a new master's degree program. I do not remember what it is in specifically but this makes me wonder if they are going to start adding graduate level programs to their school. I already know when I graduate I will miss this school tremendously. Having gone to both traditional and online schools I learn more in online schools. I can review lectures, ask questions anytime, and cannot just sit in the back of the class hoping not to get called on. You have to participate and demonstrate that you understand the material. It is difficult, but there is a lot of support offered so you grasp the material. It is a fantastic school and I am looking for a similar program to earn a graduate degree. read more

THIS SCHOOL IS HORRIBLE! I have transferred a couple of times during my college career, and BY FAR this was the worst school I have ever dealt with, in every aspect! This is my first review of a company, so please know I do not do this often, and even wish I could give a star rating of ZERO. Every experience I had in this school from enrollment to registering to payments I have had an issue with. I tried registering in March, and had all of my transcripts sent over to them, because I wanted to meet the registration deadline. I was constantly asking the advisor if I would be able to attend the school for that semester, and she notified me I could. At the very last minute, she decided to tell me that I was missing paperwork and I was too late to register for classes, and would have to wait until June. So I waited. In June, I went back, and the school said I had been dropped from the college, and would need to re-enroll and pay another fee for it! After speaking with the advisor, she informed me I would have to speak to admissions, and admissions told me it was a mistake on my advisors part, but I would also need to speak to the financial department about it. After getting the run-around for days, I almost missed the June registration deadline as well! I will be furthering my education at a better institution, because it's plain to see they are only after profits, taking your money. read more