CLEP/DSST transfer equivalence to Excelsior Bachelor requirements?

[ss20ts]

I've taken CLEP Psychology which came in as LL Social Science.

CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Lit came in as LL Humnaities. I didn't submit the essay and was awarded 3 credits instead of 6.

Excelsior does not accept CLEP College Composition. They don't accept DSST English Comp exams either.

EC says on their website that they don't accept CLEP College Comp. Been that way for ages.

[elenlushk]

Thank you for all the suggestions! How are your experiences with Sophia? I haven't used that learning platform before. Does each course take a long time to go through, and is it difficult to pass?

[rachel83az]

Thank you for all the suggestions! How are your experiences with Sophia? I haven't used that learning platform before. Does each course take a long time to go through, and is it difficult to pass?

For the most part, Sophia courses are going to be relatively easy to pass. There are a few that are more difficult (Principles of Finance and Intro to Ethics are harder ones for many people but not for the same reasons) but many of the classes can be completed relatively quickly. There are some suggestions on the wiki to optimize your Sophia experience: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sophia.org If you're taking the courses ONLY for Excelsior, not everything will apply to you but it should give you a good idea of what to expect.

[elenlushk]

Thank you for all the suggestions! How are your experiences with Sophia? I haven't used that learning platform before. Does each course take a long time to go through, and is it difficult to pass?

For the most part, Sophia courses are going to be relatively easy to pass. There are a few that are more difficult (Principles of Finance and Intro to Ethics are harder ones for many people but not for the same reasons) but many of the classes can be completed relatively quickly. There are some suggestions on the wiki to optimize your Sophia experience: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Sophia.org If you're taking the courses ONLY for Excelsior, not everything will apply to you but it should give you a good idea of what to expect.

Thanks! I've been using study.com and am wondering if I should try some courses at Sophia. After reviewing the course list and trying to assume equivalency with the info I found, it turns out TESU might work better for me than Excelsior. I'll probably go in the TESU direction and see if I should apply to both when I'm almost ready to. It's so tricky to rush on the transfer credits just because I know if I'm too slow on the transfer credits when I'm enrolled I'll likely become inactive or have to re-apply. That would seem like a nightmare lol. It's so tough to take things one step at a time as I really wanna get this Bachelor's degree and move onto a program of my interests!

[rachel83az]

If you are (probably) going with TESU, it would be a good idea to apply within the next month to lock in the current academic calendar. Changes might happen on January 1st. (TESU publishes changes on Jan. 1st and June 1st.)

This locks you into the current catalog for 1 year. If you take longer than 1 year, you can spend $50 on the 1 credit Medical Terminology TECEP (you don't have to actually take this exam) to extend your enrollment for another year.

With TESU, it's a good idea to be fully enrolled from the beginning, however, so that you can send in your transfer credits periodically. This will allow you to see where you are and how much further you have to go. Without being fully enrolled, you're limited to only 2 academic evaluations. If TESU decides to stop accepting a certain class but it is already on your transcript, you're still good to go. If TESU decides to stop accepting a certain class but you haven't already sent in your transcript then you're out of luck.

[elenlushk]

If you are (probably) going with TESU, it would be a good idea to apply within the next month to lock in the current academic calendar. Changes might happen on January 1st. (TESU publishes changes on Jan. 1st and June 1st.)

This locks you into the current catalog for 1 year. If you take longer than 1 year, you can spend $50 on the 1 credit Medical Terminology TECEP (you don't have to actually take this exam) to extend your enrollment for another year.

With TESU, it's a good idea to be fully enrolled from the beginning, however, so that you can send in your transfer credits periodically. This will allow you to see where you are and how much further you have to go. Without being fully enrolled, you're limited to only 2 academic evaluations. If TESU decides to stop accepting a certain class but it is already on your transcript, you're still good to go. If TESU decides to stop accepting a certain class but you haven't already sent in your transcript then you're out of luck.

Thanks so much for your suggestion! I'm an international student and my IELTS score is actually expiring by the end of Jan so I was planning to enroll before then. Now it makes sense to apply even sooner. Do I have to enroll into the cornerstone course right after I'm accepted, or I just have to do so within the year after applying?

I'm not sure I understood the 1 credit Medical terminology TECEP though, how come I can pay $50 for it without actually taking it, I'm assuming I wouldn't get the credit?

[rachel83az]

TESU expects you to enroll in the cornerstone course immediately. However, you are not required to do so at any particular time; you simply need to have finished it before you graduate.

TESU counts you as being an actively enrolled student so long as you have enrolled in a class OR a TECEP within the past 12 months. However, in the case of TECEPs, you don't actually have to take the test; paying for it is sufficient. Medical Terminology is suggested because it is the only 1-credit TECEP but paying for (whether you actually take it or not) any TECEP will extend your enrollment period.

[elenlushk]

TESU expects you to enroll in the cornerstone course immediately. However, you are not required to do so at any particular time; you simply need to have finished it before you graduate.

TESU counts you as being an actively enrolled student so long as you have enrolled in a class OR a TECEP within the past 12 months. However, in the case of TECEPs, you don't actually have to take the test; paying for it is sufficient. Medical Terminology is suggested because it is the only 1-credit TECEP but paying for (whether you actually take it or not) any TECEP will extend your enrollment period.

Question though, don't I have a 12 month period from the time I send in my application to enroll in a course? So wouldn't that mean I can wait a while and work on my SDC credits before I enroll in the cornerstone?

Also I'm not sure if I understood what you meant in your second sentence, so it IS okay that I enroll in the cornerstone later? Or do you mean I must enroll in the cornerstone right after I'm accepted but I can delay completion of the course till before I graduate?

[rachel83az]

You do NOT have to enroll in the cornerstone immediately. You can do this later. Do not enroll in the cornerstone until you are ready to take it. It's a regular class and not finishing the cornerstone, unlike not taking a TECEP, will result in a bad grade on your transcript.

If you do not enroll in a course or a TECEP and are only in application status, TESU limits you to two transcript evaluations. Depending on what transcripts you're sending in from where, delays could mean that both evaluations are used up before all of your initial transcripts even arrive at TESU. This is not ideal, especially if you intend to take the capstone and cornerstone at the same time and very last of all. TESU does not unlock the ability to take the capstone until you have 100 credits on your TESU transcript.

[elenlushk]

You do NOT have to enroll in the cornerstone immediately. You can do this later. Do not enroll in the cornerstone until you are ready to take it. It's a regular class and not finishing the cornerstone, unlike not taking a TECEP, will result in a bad grade on your transcript.

If you do not enroll in a course or a TECEP and are only in application status, TESU limits you to two transcript evaluations. Depending on what transcripts you're sending in from where, delays could mean that both evaluations are used up before all of your initial transcripts even arrive at TESU. This is not ideal, especially if you intend to take the capstone and cornerstone at the same time and very last of all. TESU does not unlock the ability to take the capstone until you have 100 credits on your TESU transcript.

Do the two transcript evaluations limit include the initial transcript evaluation when I send in my application? I have GED, IELTS, CLEP, and DSST transcripts I have to send. I'm working on Study.com credits now so might also send that in, and I also have some credits from another Online program. Am I able to send all of these to them when I apply? Or am I already limited to 2 out of all of these transcripts if I don't enroll in the cornerstone course immediately?