ENG COMP I & II - SDC, SL or Sophia

[Phyexial]

Not 100% sure, but it looks like you can just do the College Composition CLEP (with essays, not the modular) and UMPI will count that for both ENG I and II (See: https://www.reddit.com/r/UMPI/comments/1..._question/ & https://www.reddit.com/r/UMPI/comments/1..._question/ & https://mainestreetcs.maine.edu/psp/CSPR..._GUEST.GBL? - you'll definitely want to confirm with an advisor or something). I just did this a few months ago to bring into TESU (which knocked out both ENG I & II), and and the exam was both free through Modern States, and pretty easy; I definitely spent way less total time doing the single CLEP than trying to do 2 separate courses - maybe 3-4 hours of review in total and the 2 hours for the exam.

To note - I did not do any of the English courses at Sophia, but I have done a bunch with writing assignments/touchstones over the last 2 months, and every paper has been consistently graded between 40-60 hours after submissions, I think you can safely plan each written paper/project at Sophia to take ~2.5 days to grade (incluidng weekends).

@Phyexial, thank you for your well-thought reply.  It would be nice to get both Eng Comp I and II done in a few hours, however, that's unlikely as I find it very challenging to write on demand.  The more on demand something is, the more I become anxious.  Great suggestion, though, especially for someone that doesn't experience anxious moments when commanded to write.

I took several classes on Sophia.org in 2022 and 2023 and remember having a good experience with touchstones being graded fairly and most of them being graded in timely manner.  Time, while it is a concern, isn't as much of an issue as some of the comments I've read about professors not following the rubrics and Sophia taking the side of the professors as well or professors unhappy with the essay topics chosen by the students and subjecting the student to a lower grade due the Professors' opinions not matching those of students.

Perhaps those issues are few and far between in the grand scheme of things and I should just take a leap of faith.

So this is a bit embarrassing, but it seems like it might be a helpful story, so here goes. When I took the exam, I didn't realize that I was not allowed to take any bathroom breaks once the test had started (at home online proctor), and so after 40 minutes, 2/3 of the way through the multiple choice section, I am basically rushing as quickly as I can through the test because I am about to pee myself... Then because of that, I misread the instructions for the first essay - it sounded like it wanted notes about the article in this first text box, and then on the next page it was going to be the actual writing portion in a new text box. This was not the case - so what I submitted for the first essay was just some light notes on the article and not a persuasive essay at all. For the second essay, I had barely more than a skeleton of what I had actually wanted to write; I had a 5 paragraph essay where most of my paragraphs were 2 sentences and didn't do much more than just show what arguments I would have made if I had more time (and focus on the essay instead of desperately fighting my bladder!).

You need to get a 50 to pass the CLEP... I got 61. Based upon your writing skill in this forum, I am extremely confident you would pass the exam. The essay grading is pretty lenient; if you can write some ideas in a somewhat coherent manner and then break them up into a paragraph structure (your writing in this forum already clears this bar), that seems to be enough. Also, you can take the CLEP for free through modern states, so the only real risk is the loss of a few hours skimming through the modern states course and the 2 hours of testing.

Obviously don't want to pressure you (and anxiety really sucks) - but I also did feel it was worthwhile to make sure you understood this was not a particularly hard CLEP.

[Ares]

Word on the street is Sophia's English Comp II is the most difficult course on the platform.

I recommend English Comp I and Workplace Writing II at Sophia. WWII (lol) was very straightforward.

Hey Ares - great user name, btw - thank you for your reply.  

I might be missing something.  The Sophia to UMPI transfer equivalents page doesn't seem to include Workplace Writing II,  https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM..._GEC_Table , however this page does:  https://mainestreetcs.maine.edu/psp/CSPR..._GUEST.GBL   There's a conflict.  Any idea how frequently UMPI updates this web page?

Thanks!

The wiki is poorly maintained in some parts, this list shows it transferring https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List but this is based on feedback here or personal experience.

The UMPI transfer guide is more "official" but as was stated nothing is set in stone, still I would put more weight behind the transfer guide than the Wiki. Personally I would have high confidence of it transferring in if it is on the UMPI transfer guide.

[any4yeardegree]

UMPI updates the transfer database only when courses are transferred in. It's a record of how courses were transferred in previously with the most recent being the one on record. It's not a guarantee of any kind. It's a guide not something that is carved in stone. Transfer acceptance changes often especially ACE credits. WW in the past has been accepted but UMPI made a lot of changes last year to their acceptance of ACE credits and it may have changed.

Great advice!  Thank you!  

I should ask, in a separate thread, whether UMPI has denied credit for WW this year.  Of course, anyone who has experience with this, concerning whether WW from Sophia has been accepted in lieu of Eng Comp II, please feel free to chime in.

[any4yeardegree]

So this is a bit embarrassing, but it seems like it might be a helpful story, so here goes. When I took the exam, I didn't realize that I was not allowed to take any bathroom breaks once the test had started (at home online proctor), and so after 40 minutes, 2/3 of the way through the multiple choice section, I am basically rushing as quickly as I can through the test because I am about to pee myself... Then because of that, I misread the instructions for the first essay - it sounded like it wanted notes about the article in this first text box, and then on the next page it was going to be the actual writing portion in a new text box. This was not the case - so what I submitted for the first essay was just some light notes on the article and not a persuasive essay at all. For the second essay, I had barely more than a skeleton of what I had actually wanted to write; I had a 5 paragraph essay where most of my paragraphs were 2 sentences and didn't do much more than just show what arguments I would have made if I had more time (and focus on the essay instead of desperately fighting my bladder!).

You need to get a 50 to pass the CLEP... I got 61. Based upon your writing skill in this forum, I am extremely confident you would pass the exam. The essay grading is pretty lenient; if you can write some ideas in a somewhat coherent manner and then break them up into a paragraph structure (your writing in this forum already clears this bar), that seems to be enough. Also, you can take the CLEP for free through modern states, so the only real risk is the loss of a few hours skimming through the modern states course and the 2 hours of testing.

Obviously don't want to pressure you (and anxiety really sucks) - but I also did feel it was worthwhile to make sure you understood this was not a particularly hard CLEP.

@Phyexial, thank you for your bravery and for being vulnerable enough to share your story.  It totally helps!  I appreciate your confidence in me and will definitely reconsider CLEP for Eng Comp I and II.

[any4yeardegree]

The wiki is poorly maintained in some parts, this list shows it transferring https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List but this is based on feedback here or personal experience.

The UMPI transfer guide is more "official" but as was stated nothing is set in stone, still I would put more weight behind the transfer guide than the Wiki. Personally I would have high confidence of it transferring in if it is on the UMPI transfer guide.

@Ares, Thank you for your helpful reply.  I feel better about Workplace Writing II rather than Eng Comp II.  

I prefer Sophia over SDC because Sophia has PDFs.   While I haven't taken a course on SDC, it seems like they only provide audio.  I'm primarily a visual learner and I need to see printed text.

[ss20ts]

@Ares, Thank you for your helpful reply.  I feel better about Workplace Writing II rather than Eng Comp II.  

I prefer Sophia over SDC because Sophia has PDFs.   While I haven't taken a course on SDC, it seems like they only provide audio.  I'm primarily a visual learner and I need to see printed text.

I also really liked the PDFs provided by Sophia. I could read them anywhere which was great. I would read some here and there while waiting at appointments, waiting on friends, etc.

[Mint Berry Crunch]

The wiki is poorly maintained in some parts, this list shows it transferring https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List but this is based on feedback here or personal experience.

The UMPI transfer guide is more "official" but as was stated nothing is set in stone, still I would put more weight behind the transfer guide than the Wiki. Personally I would have high confidence of it transferring in if it is on the UMPI transfer guide.

@Ares, Thank you for your helpful reply.  I feel better about Workplace Writing II rather than Eng Comp II.  

I prefer Sophia over SDC because Sophia has PDFs.   While I haven't taken a course on SDC, it seems like they only provide audio.  I'm primarily a visual learner and I need to see printed text.

It's been a while since I've completed any courses via Sophia, but I always had a great experience with the platform in general. I've also heard that the CLEP alternative is pretty straightforward as well. As far as more bang for your buck goes, it would probably be best to do Sophia or Study.com (especially with their new subscription offerings for Gen Ed).

[any4yeardegree]

I also really liked the PDFs provided by Sophia. I could read them anywhere which was great. I would read some here and there while waiting at appointments, waiting on friends, etc.

Excellent observation!  We wait in line or commute so much of our lives, it feels good to make the best of it by doing something constructive.  With today's tech options, we can have the PDFs read aloud while we're driving.  For people like me who need to see the printed version, it's a nice touch to have the docs read aloud, in hopes that some of the info is retained.

[any4yeardegree]

It's been a while since I've completed any courses via Sophia, but I always had a great experience with the platform in general. I've also heard that the CLEP alternative is pretty straightforward as well. As far as more bang for your buck goes, it would probably be best to do Sophia or Study.com (especially with their new subscription offerings for Gen Ed).

@Mint Berry Crunch, good observation.  Thank you.

I have to complete a few additional GECs so Sophia is a better choice than CLEP.  Plus, I live in a rural area, and sometimes my Internet connection can be great one minute and poor the next.  That's not conducive to a situation with a proctor as required with online CLEP exams.

[myriam555]

CLEP exams are online now? Is that a since COVID thing? I never knew that happened..

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I took Eng comp 1&2 @ Sophia and I had a good experience. Believe this was 2021 and my grading experience was great. If I had to take it again, Id do Sophia again, even if there are some recent complaints.


I had touchstones graded recently for Sophia Science labs and I think SDC grading is significantly more harsh. Sophia grading was more supportive and uplifting, but SDC allows up to 3 submissions per assignment that is straightforward. Not saying Sophia doesn't do that/something similar. SDC grades super fast/same day, usually couple hours.