E&H IC Dilemma

[KyleH]

I want to take an old DSST exam to see if I could get a GPA out of a community college because I need a GPA ASAP (feel free to let me know if there's no possible way this would work).

My plan is to study like crazy for the Environment & Humanity test which, according to this post should require getting around a 56.

Can I do that without buying instancert? Is IC even helpful for this one? I'd have nothing but a few posts on this forum to study off of, and no practice tests, but I'm really reluctant to spend the money on IC. So, is IC worth it? Can I get a good grade without it?

[marianne202]

Hi, I used IC specific feedback forum which provided some great videos and resourses to study for this exam. I also did use IC. Overall, I studied for about 3-4 days and passed the first time with a 62 which was an A at Excelsior. It wasn't a hard exam, but did require specific knowledge of various science related subjects, so if you are very good at science and you know a lot about the environment and its terminology you should be ok. You could probably research it and find some info. If you only plan on doing one exam, I'm not sure you would find it worth the $20 to join IC, but if you plan on doing more exams it is a great deal and worth every penny. Good Luck!

[P00057870]

My first thought would be have you verified that the community college will give you a GPA for that test, as my local community college DOES NOT. They only give you credit as a pass but it does not show a grade, nor is it included in the GPA computations.

Marianne gives you good advice but I see it a little differently. If you price the cost of taking the course at your community college plus the cost of the textbook required, it is probably over $500 for those 3 credits -- not to mention the time invested. $20 for IC plus the cost of the test and the testing center fees (combined less than $100 down here in FLA), is still a bargain.

Spend the $20, get access to the cards and the specific forum information and suggestions.

The bonus will be that if you plan on any more tests, you have the balance of your month to plan ahead and get studying. eeya:

[KyleH]

Overall, I studied for about 3-4 days and passed the first time with a 62 which was an A at Excelsior.

Wow, that is pretty good.

If you only plan on doing one exam, I'm not sure you would find it worth the $20 to join IC, but if you plan on doing more exams it is a great deal and worth every penny.

Right, no, I would try to cram as many in as I possibly could.

My first thought would be have you verified that the community college will give you a GPA for that test

Thanks, I will do that first.

Marianne gives you good advice but I see it a little differently. If you price the cost of taking the course at your community college plus the cost of the textbook required, it is probably over $500 for those 3 credits -- not to mention the time invested. $20 for IC plus the cost of the test and the testing center fees (combined less than $100 down here in FLA), is still a bargain.

True, that's what's so great about CLEP, but it is even cheaper if I can just take some extra time and manage a pass without the subscription.:coolgleam:


Yeah, I think the fact that I could probably knock out 4 or 5 tests with Instantcert in a month is going to do it for me. I'd much rather manage it on my own, but if I can take out Environment & Humanities in less than a week, that gives me plenty of time to study for other tests....

Thanks for the advice, you two.

[P00057870]

Hard work will put you over the top on these tests. Take them seriously.

In the meantime, remember the Specific Exam Forum that is available to paying members is invaluable. Once you have paid, click on discussions. In the upper right hand corner of the next page is another area where you sign in a second time. Once you have done that, the forum selections go from 3 to 4 and the last one is the Specific Exam one. In the right-hand corner of that forum, you will see a search box that you can put in the name of the exam you are interested in and it will take you to any and all threads that mention that test. Scan through it to find the specific one for that test, as it will have the most information. You can always look at the others too, if you wish.

Happy hunting.

[KyleH]

Awesome, thank you. That's very valuable.

And this is sort of subjective, but assuming common knowledge and slightly above par studying skills, how long do you think it would take me to knock out six tests using IC with crazy, non-stop studying?

Particularly these six:

Environment and Humanity
Rise & Fall of the Soviet Union
Civil War and Reconstruction
Introduction to the Modern Middle East
Contemporary Western Europe Since 1945
A History of the Vietnam War