Easiest Straighterline...

[rebel100]

OK Gang,

So I'm mentoring this student who is intelligent but REALLY lacks self confidence. He keeps coming to me ofr advice, but psychs himself out before he gets out of the gate. I had sort of forgotten about him as last time we talked I told him to accomplish something before he approaches me again...I was tired of going over the same stuff over and over again. SO today he contacts me having completed the FEMA PDS, took him awhile, but he got it done. I want to find a confidence builder for him that has more structure and is more like a college class.

So I'm thinking he should try one or two Straighterline courses. What is the absolute "easiest" SL in your opinion (asking those familiar with them). I'm thinking Intro to Communications, but anxious to hear from those who have done a few.

Thoughts?

[rebel100]

Anyone taken Personal Fitness and Wellness? That looks pretty straightforward too.

[rebel100]

Open to options other than SL too. Has to be cheap, straightforward, high probability of success, and have the "feel" of a legitimate and organized college level course.

I'm hoping he will either prove to himself and me that he can do it, or figure out its just beyond his grasp (I believe it's the former of course, tired of constantly working with him but having nothing to show for it).

[AngelaP]

What about SL's Intro to Religions or anything from PF?

[rebel100]

Penn Foster is aninteresting idea....same question, what's a good initial success course with PF?

[kb4ns1]

Having done quite a few of them (see signature below), I'd probably recommend either Intro. to Nutrition or Intro. to Communication - just depending on which one he thinks he'd enjoy most given his particular likes or aptitudes. If he thinks he may like them, American Gov't or US History I wouldn't be bad choices either. I enjoyed and breezed through American Government and the History courses, but I know plenty of people who hate all things Social Studies that would want to avoid them the same way I avoid Chemistry & Biology.

Intro. to Communication would probably be a good place to start since it isn't particularly difficult and it's a required class at most schools you'd transfer it to. Just so long as he understands that the webcam speech part of it is unique and won't be a part of the other SL courses.

Anyone taken Personal Fitness and Wellness? That looks pretty straightforward too.

Although I did not take this one, I considered it when I needed to fill some some elective slots. Then I saw that there are also things you have to do outside of the regular coursework - like complete a 5K. This class probably still wouldn't be super "hard", but I don't think I'd recommend it to most folks unless they're already very active in the personal fitness area.

[rebel100]

Then I saw that there are also things you have to do outside of the regular coursework - like complete a 5K. This class probably still wouldn't be super "hard", but I don't think I'd recommend it to most folks unless they're already very active in the personal fitness area.

Haha....forget that! A 5K? Really? Strikes me as a rather silly requirement.

[AngelaP]

Penn Foster is aninteresting idea....same question, what's a good initial success course with PF?

What is he going to school for? The HRM was a breeze and the quickest class I have taken. If not HRM, then International Business or Financial Mgmt.

[bamafan98]

I would suggest a DSST Exam - Intro to Religion or Intro to Computers. Leaving the traditional system, I was beat down and not confident. Then I found this site. I studied for, took and passed the US History 1 CLEP as my first goal. It was hard. Not a good starter test but once I did it I felt like I could do anything. With the help of the specific feedback section on this site I passed the above 2 DSST exams fairly quickly. That was all me studying and achieving. It was the confidence booster I needed.

Since then I have done (and are doing) several SL courses. The problem is that I don't enjoy the process as much as testing out. SL course content that is on the test is not always in the videos, practice questions, etc. SL tests are (usually) directly from the book and unless you are a great reader who can find that one sentence very quickly, you may not do as well. I still pass them but usually not by much.

I think playing on strengths will be huge for this student. If they learn better with documentaries, practice tests, and reading all combined - I would say test out.

If they are just a good reader who remembers great detail, I would say SL would be fine.

Just my experience. Hope it helps a bit.

[AngelaP]

The key with SL, at least in the past, was to have the ebook so you can search quickly. You did not need to watch the videos or do the practice questions as they were irrelevant for test. However, as bamafan stated, it really does depend on the person and their strengths. I hate tests with a passion and avoided them like the plague if possible. I found it easier and quicker, for me, to take a class than study for a test.