The Top Questions
The following is a list of general questions we have received from students. Feel free to call us to discuss any matter – 800-833-1884.
How Does this Work?
"What if" and Timing Questions
Content and Pricing Questions
Support Questions
Technical Questions
How Does this Work?
Why should I consider online or Home Study courses instead of in-person classes?
- You can take online courses anywhere and at anytime provided you have a computer with an Internet connection.
- You don't need to take time off during business hours,
- you don't need to spend time and money traveling to another city (paying even more for meals and lodging).
- Our online courses are extremely flexible.
- You can take them at your own pace - stopping and starting whenever you want.
- The enrollment cost is lower than in-person classes.
- Finally, our online schools give you many course options to choose from.
How do your courses work?
Our courses are provided either by "Home Study" or entirely online, through the Internet. You don't need any special software other than your web browser.
Online courses are broken into several modules - each containing a number of related pages. Short pages consist of only one or two paragraphs relating to a single concept. Our research has shown that splitting courses up into small "bite sizes" helps most students get through the material quickly, with little fatigue. Still, if you prefer to look at a printed copy of our course material as you navigate through the course window, you can download all courses in a pdf.
You may encounter quizzes and exams throughout the TREC-required CE courses. Quiz and exam questions are straightforward and presented in a True/False or multiple-choice format. You may always retake a quiz if you do not pass with a 70% score. No charge for this.
When you go to a physical school remember that you must take the course(s) they are teaching, even if you have no interest in those topics. With our AbsoluteCE courses you have a variety of unique course choices to choose from.
Are all your courses TREC approved?
Yes. Absolute CE is an approved school for MCE courses (we are TREC Provider #437-CEP); and all core or SAE courses are approved (under our TREC Provider #4704-QP).
How do I get credit?
Once you have finished a MCE course and a short evaluation form, your course credits are automatically reported within seconds to TREC (the Texas Real Estate Commission).
However, CORE or SAE courses are required by TREC to be handled differently. After completing a core or SAE course the student is presented with a cover sheet and a completion certificate to print and fax to TREC. No school is allowed to report those courses directly.
Do I need to submit any completion certificates to TREC?
No, we report your MCE credits to TREC within seconds! This process will replace the slower, error-prone fax system TREC has used for years.
However, for CORE (including SAE) courses, you will be required to fax a completion certificate directly to TREC. For your convenience, we immediately provide all completion forms at the end of the course.
To check your course status, please visit TREC's website at www.trec.texas.gov/newsandpublic/license holderLookup/.
How do I know I have received credit?
We report your MCE course credits to TREC within 20-seconds. Review your own TREC records to determine if they have processed your credit. TREC gets busy during the last half of each month. It may take them several days to record the credits we sent them immediately. Note: you will receive credits for the dates the courses were completed even if TREC is running behind processing them.
To check your course status, please visit TREC's website at www.trec.texas.gov/newsandpublic/license holderLookup/.
Is there any testing?
Absolute CE's quiz (and any required exam questions – for CORE or SAE courses - are plainly written and easy to answer. They are simply designed to reinforce the important points of the course. If you have read our course material you should be able to answer all questions without difficulty.
All questions are presented in True/False or multiple-choice format. You will not be required to write narrative answers or perform lengthy mathematical calculations. Quizzes and exams – if required - are graded immediately upon completion so there's no wait to receive your score.
If you do not pass a course, don't worry. We will gladly re-enroll you at no cost.
What if I fail a course, or fail to complete a course in the allotted time?
Don't panic! We will re-enroll you in the course for no more cost.
Can someone else take the course for me?
No. TREC requires all brokers and salespeople to earn their own education credits. If it is found that someone has helped a broker or salesperson complete a course, credit will be denied, and other disciplinary action may be imposed by TREC.
"What If" and Timing Questions
What if the courses I want add up to more hours than I need?
TREC does not allow additional MCE hours to carry over to your next renewal period. However, "extra hours" do count towards the hours necessary to become a broker.
What if I lose my Internet connection in the middle of a course?
Your work is automatically saved every time you flip between pages in a course. So don't worry. Just get back onto the Internet when the problem is resolved. Select the course you want to resume and you'll be right back where you were last working -- even if you were taking a quiz.
When is the latest I can complete my courses?
TREC considers the deadline for license renewal and completion of continuing education requirements to be the last day of a license holder's expiration month before midnight Central Standard Time.
For example if your license expires 12/31/2015, you must complete all MCE courses on or before 11:59pm CST 12/31/2015. TREC rules won't allow you to get credit if you wait to sign up and complete a course on the Last day of your expiration month (known as "the 24-hour rule"). Simply sign up before the last day to avoid problems.
How long do courses take?
Each real estate course represents a stated number of hours of continuing education credit. The number of hours of credit is generally how long the course will take -- as estimated by state regulators and our own internal testers. However, different students read and learn at different levels so some finish quicker than others. Your courses are self-paced. Generally you can take them at your own speed.
Content and Pricing Questions
Who writes your courses?
The director of Absolute CE oversees the creation of our courses and our technical writing staff. We draw from decades of real brokerage experience. A variety of human and published resources are used to create our courses. We routinely rely on expert peer reviews before releasing them. We do not buy the same bland courses most other schools purchase from a national company. You deserve better.
Can I print the course material?
Yes, Absolute CE makes the content for all our courses available for 90-days on the My Courses page. You can access this page by clicking the My Account link on the top of any page on our web site.
The printable course manuals have everything the online courses have except for graphical images or any tests. They are provided strictly as a convenience. You do not need to download a manual to receive course credit. All text is stored in a PDF file format so you will need to install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader utility if you want to view it. You also have the option to save these manuals to your computer for future use. Printing is always optional.
Can I go back and review a course once it's completed?
Yes. We created this benefit for students wanting to apply some of what they had learned to their real estate practices. The course material will not be available indefinitely but it will normally be available for at least 90 days. Please be aware that quiz and exam questions, if required, cannot be reviewed once taken (per TREC Rules).
How can I get a copy of my invoice?
Yes. Click on the My Account link at the top of any page on our web site. You will find a link to your invoices here. You may also have a copy of an invoice in your archived email messages because we automatically email a copy of an invoice when an order is placed. If you didn't get the email, make sure your email address is correct and also check your spam or Junk Mail folder.
Can I pay by check?
Yes. But you will have to contact us by phone first. Once you have paid, we will provide a code that will allow you to access your course(s) immediately. (By the way, most bank debit cards work just fine, so give them a try before you write a check.) We routinely take "electronic checks" over the phone. This is much more convenient than having to mail one.
Do you offer financial aid for students?
While we do not offer financial aid we have been known to extend credit trusting a student will pay when they can. Call us to discuss this option. We'll try to figure out some way to help you.
Can I get a refund?
Yes. We will gladly refund your money for any uncompleted courses.
Support Questions
What if I need technical support?
Contact us if you need help:
- Logging into our system
- Navigating or using our web site
Consult your own administrator or technician if you have problems:
- Establishing a connection to the Internet
- Installing or updating your web browser
- Configuring your cookies or other browser settings
- Sending or retrieving email
How do I get help with any course content?
Please call or email our Instructor, Elliott Flick. He will be happy to assist you.
What if I find an error or disagree with certain course content?
Please contact us immediately. We want to provide the best content possible to our students, so all feedback and criticism is welcome. We really want to know!
Where do I find answers regarding TREC regulations?
If you still have questions you may want to review your license status with TREC at www.trec.texas.gov. TREC will answer any of your questions. Call them at 512-936-3000. Or, call us at 800-833-1884. We will always try to help!
Do you have a school policy?
Yes. Click here.
Technical Questions
What kind of computer do I need?
Our web site and courses are designed to be as simple and undemanding as possible, so almost any personal computer with a stable Internet connection will work just fine. We support most current operating system, browser, and hardware configurations -- and many older ones. We require no technologies that require you to install additional "plug-in" applications, or configure special network or security settings.
Some have taken our courses on their smart phones (but an iPad is much better).
Can I take the course on more than one computer?
Yes you can. You can work at home and then properly quit when you are ready. You can resume your course on any other computer (that can connect with the Internet). The key is to quit off one computer before you login on another.
Why don't you use fancier web pages using Flash, ActiveX, and Java?
Our research has shown that most license holders value their time and peace of mind more than a "rich multimedia experience". License holders have increasingly looked at the Internet as a tool -- valuing content, usability and reliability over presentation. They want access to sites that deliver what they need, quickly and with as few compatibility issues as possible. (And network administrators - particularly in large corporate environments - do not want to change network policies to accommodate technologies like Active-X and third party applications.)
