Excelsior and its Advisors

[barcotta]

What I wanted initially was to use the OPI credits instead of those low grade courses so my GPA was not affected.

OK--I've made a few assumptions here so if they are not all correct then this may not be helpful, but here's what I've got:

It appears that you used eight previously-earned traditional credits for which you obtained "C" grades towards your degree. It appears that you've already submitted those in transfer and they will not remove them from your transcript now. Those grades are pulling down your GPA and you wish that you could replace them with OPI test results.

As far as I can tell-- you CAN replace them with OPI test results up until the time you graduate. As I understand it, those traditional "C" credits will, in fact, remain on your transcript, but will only factor in to your degree GPA if you designate them for degree completion. In other words, if you have excess credit in any one area--Arts and Sciences for example-- I believe you can designate which credits to apply to your degree. The fact that the other credits will "remain on your transcript" does not effect the GPA for your degree as far as I can tell.

The reason I'm not completely clear on this is because when I enrolled there was a different set of rules and it was easy to have stuff removed. Excelsior had to change that rule to qualify again as a Title IV institution so their students could receive federal aid.

I also recall having the option to have "extra" credits appear on my final transcript. That may not be the case under the new rules--but I recall that option being offered. If not accepted, only those credits that applied toward my degree appeared on my transcript.

I don't know what your goals are--but if you're just looking to use your degree to get a job--it's unlikely that any employer is going to look beyond your degree to verify your GPA--let alone evaluate your transcript to determine what other credits you may have that did not apply to your degree.

Graduate schools look at more I think--but I've also heard that they often want transcripts from the originating institutions--so in that case you would likely have to reveal those lower traditional credits anyway--so there is really no harm in having them appear on your Excelsior transcript.

Additionally, I noticed that one of my previous courses from a traditional university was not considered in my first evaluation, and I am sure it meets one of the requirements because of its content, but I will have to take another test or course that is pretty much the same, because the advisor says it does not. It just makes me feel so bad!

Don't feel bad! What is the course and why are you so sure? If you have a case, you should make it by presenting the course description from traditional university catalog along with your argument for acceptance. It sounds like in both cases, you're attempting to transfer in credits which are, for one reason or another, a little off the beaten path. In other words, I don't see anything on Excelsior's site or in the Student's Guide to Credit by Exam any reference to OPI anywhere. I don't know if that's because it's new and not in there yet or they are not yet comfortable publishing it, but it is harder getting accurate information in areas that are not yet well-defined and established.

I can see why you're frustrated, but as someone once said--Don't assume malice when ignorance will suffice.

If you put together a comprehensive but efficient e-mail and send it to the counselor I recommended, you should get good information. It's certainly worth a try.

Good luck.