EC Swapping Out Grades to Improve GPA Question?

[marianne202]

Hi All!

I have a question for EC students (current or former). I have a couple of "C" exams that I would like to remove to up my GPA. These courses were from 15 years ago and are in my applied prof. credits. I talked with an EC advisor in LA where I'm graduating from next week and know nothing can be done for my AS degree, but for my BSHS majoring in Health Care Mgmt that I have already started working on I understand I can request these be removed within 30 days of my official eval for HS.

My question is has anyone done this with EC? Were they receptive to doing this? I would be removing 2 EC nursing exams and replacing them with some CLEP/DSST exams. Preferrably DSST that will have a letter grade. All my other grades are "B" & "A" and these old "C's" are really dragging down my GPA. Should I start taking the replacement exams now before the official Eval or wait? Will it be more harmful to my overall transcript / major to remove nursing exams in place of DSST or CLEP exams in non-health / related areas? I just don't want to improve one area of my transcript and pull down another area. This is all new to me so I want to make sure I do the right thing. I'm seriously considering applying to a masters in education program when I finish and I'm worried that my GPA will be a factor in getting in. Right or wrong?

I really would appreciate any and all advice from the wonderfully smart and helpful people here! I know many of you have walked this line before me and can offer some great insight. Thanks in advance for your help!

[creationstory]

Hi All!

I have a question for EC students (current or former). I have a couple of "C" exams that I would like to remove to up my GPA. These courses were from 15 years ago and are in my applied prof. credits. I talked with an EC advisor in LA where I'm graduating from next week and know nothing can be done for my AS degree, but for my BSHS majoring in Health Care Mgmt that I have already started working on I understand I can request these be removed within 30 days of my official eval for HS.

My question is has anyone done this with EC? Were they receptive to doing this? I would be removing 2 EC nursing exams and replacing them with some CLEP/DSST exams. Preferrably DSST that will have a letter grade. All my other grades are "B" & "A" and these old "C's" are really dragging down my GPA. Should I start taking the replacement exams now before the official Eval or wait? Will it be more harmful to my overall transcript / major to remove nursing exams in place of DSST or CLEP exams in non-health / related areas? I just don't want to improve one area of my transcript and pull down another area. This is all new to me so I want to make sure I do the right thing. I'm seriously considering applying to a masters in education program when I finish and I'm worried that my GPA will be a factor in getting in. Right or wrong?

I really would appreciate any and all advice from the wonderfully smart and helpful people here! I know many of you have walked this line before me and can offer some great insight. Thanks in advance for your help!

i asked them recently.. and was given this reply..


"Any Excelsior College course or exam that you take will be listed on your transcript whether it applies to your degree requirements or not. If you have any questions, please let me know."

question
"If there is a poor grade will it affect my gpa? Even it it shows on my transcript, will it apply towards my degree GPA? thank you"

response

"Yes, any Excelsior College course or exam grade will count towards your GPA including D and F grades, and they will show on your transcript."

you can though swap other grades with relative ease

[perrik]

you can though swap other grades with relative ease

Relative ease? How?

EC just sent a response to my variety of questions, one of which was regarding exchanging nasty old grades for shiny new ones. The advisor said I could use exams to replace identical courses (CLEP sociology to replace a Intro To Sociology class) but couldn't use exam credit in place of a different course (CLEP sociology couldn't replace a Intro To Film class). But I got the impression that if I took an actual class in sociology instead of the exam, or took any other actual class at the same level, I could use it to replace the Intro to Film class.

No idea if this is accurate, so I sent a reply asking for clarification. So what's the scoop? Can I really ditch a C from 1986? Unfortunately I enrolled at EC in July 07, but life got in the way and I didn't start accumulating new credit until the last month; any time restrictions on editing one's transcript would no doubt be long past. Fortunately, if I recall correctly, EC wouldn't accept any classes below a C so my GPA wouldn't be horrific. And I think I got an A in intro sociology anyway!

[marianne202]

Here is the response I received last week from my LA advisor:

With regard to removing "C" grades, you cannot remove those courses or exams from the AS degree, as they applied toward completion of the degree. However, when you re-enroll in to the BS in Health Sciences, your matriculation date will be set at the time your initial evaluation is completed. You will then have 30 days from the date of your initial evaluation to make changes to your record. As such, when you receive your initial evaluation for the BS in Health Science degree, then contact your Academic Advisor to discuss changes you want to make within the 30 days. Please keep in mind that the "C" courses and exams will stay on your transcript from the AS degree.


I was hoping someone here had done this already and would have some words of advice on how to make this happen smoothly. I am concerned about your understanding that it would have to be an "even" swap, because I don't want to retake the nursing exams, I would prefer to replace them with something related to my current studies that would still be considered applied prof. credits.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? Has anyone done this with EC?

[tvelasquez]

Here is the response I received from EC on 9/1/08:

I have the following 2 courses on my transcript COBOL and PASCAL both with a letter grade of a C? which is listed under Applied Professional. My question, other than retaking these 2 courses to improve my GPA can I replace them with another exam? If not what are my options?

"As of January 2008 we no longer allow students to remove credit from his or her record. You could take the exact same coursework to replace the "C" grades and then we would apply the higher grade to your GPA. However, the older courses would remain on your official record with a repeated course notation. We would not approve you to take different courses to replace the work, as it is coursework you do not need to make degree progress."

[Joel]

Here's the reply I received when asking the same type question

Hello Joel,

Thank you for your inquiry. Initially the credits on file that were used towards the Associates Degree will be used towards the initial evaluation for the Bachelors of Science (BSL) degree. Once this initial evaluation has been completed, you will have a grace period of 30 days to make changes to your academic record. During this period you can elect to not have the credits from outside sources used towards the BSL degree.

I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if you have additional questions or concerns.

[perrik]

Here is the response I received from EC on 9/1/08:

I have the following 2 courses on my transcript COBOL and PASCAL both with a letter grade of a C? which is listed under Applied Professional. My question, other than retaking these 2 courses to improve my GPA can I replace them with another exam? If not what are my options?

"As of January 2008 we no longer allow students to remove credit from his or her record. You could take the exact same coursework to replace the "C" grades and then we would apply the higher grade to your GPA. However, the older courses would remain on your official record with a repeated course notation. We would not approve you to take different courses to replace the work, as it is coursework you do not need to make degree progress."

Ah, that's clearer, thanks! I'm not going to fret about it until I take a set of graded DSST exams and get the updated GPA. (well, I will fret, but won't whine about it here)

[dharmachic]

I'm in a similar situation as you, but after enrolling several years ago, I let my enrollment lapse since my studies had stalled and I didn't want to pay the student annual fee.

I am planning to re-enroll and am close to finishing up my credits needed. According to the information I received from an advisor, after you're considered withdrawn, you start over and can choose to take those bad grades off your record. That is what I'm told anyway. See below.

Since you are withdrawn, once you reenroll you start with a clean slate. That is to say that we would not have to include the Calculus II course if you did not want it applied to your degree. When you reenroll, if you do not want a course includecd on your record, let us know. The Calculus CLEP exam would duplicate the AP credit you have in Calculus so do not take this.

Sincerely,
Christine Foley, M.A.
Senior Academic Advisor

Hope this helps,
Helen