Finally ready!!

[oak1day]

First of all, this is the best site! I used it to gain courage and to pass the Humanities CLEP. I used it to find out about the IAAP exams, for which I will be eternally grateful.

Now, at long last, I have my transcript from Excelsior's OneTranscript. Like many, I have a sob story: Self taught, accomplished, but no paperwork for various reasons - not even close...now 56 y.o. battling incurable (but hopefully not deadly) disease. My job has become tough with my health. I tried to return to technical work - earned a Geospatial Specialist certificate - I have a long background in CADD and mapping - but it's been a while & I can't get hired.

I am a transportation planner doing alot of administration, marketing and customer service. It's taxing. I am determined to get a degree so that if I need to retire early, at least I have the credentials to try something in the work force other than "Paper or plastic?"

So here are my credits:
Delaware Technical and Community College
4 credits - Alg & Trig I Grade B

NC State University
1 credits - Intro College of Management Grade Pass
3 credits - Intro to Geographic Information Systems Grade A
3 credits - Principles of Geographic Information Systems (graduate course) Grade A
2 credits - Computer Cartography (graduate course) Grade A
3 credits - Spanish I - Grade A
1 credit - Data Analysis - Grade A

Central Piedmont Community College
3 credits - Intro to Geodesy - Grade C
3 credits - Georeferencing and Mapping - Grade A
3 credits - Principles of Property Mapping = Grade A

Central Carolina Community College
3 credits - State & Local Government - Grade A

CLEP
6 credits - Humanities

International Association of Administrative Professionals set of 4 exams
Exam 1:
3 credits - Information Systems
3 credits - Computer Concepts
Exam 2:
3 credits - Business Communications
3 credits - Records Management
Exam 3
4 credits - Management
1 credits - Accounting
3 credits - Human Resource Management
Exam 4
3 credits - Leadership
3 credits - Communications
3 credits - Organizational Behavior

Money is an issue and I do not qualify for aid. Any advice or lesson plan or next steps I would be profoundly grateful.

Peace

[LaterBloomer]

Oak1day, I wish you all of the best. Are there jobs in your neck of the woods for the local equivalent of Homeland Security? If your city/county doesn't have an office like that, maybe there are positions with the fire or police. I'm pig-ignorant, but you have an interesting mix of experience and classes that might work toward a degree in that area. If you can, the FEMA classes are free. Good luck.

[oak1day]

Wow, I am taking a bit to get used to finding my way around this forum. Homeland Security eh? I AM very interested in internet security. But gosh, I will give that some thought.

I AM looking for direction. I am determined to get a bachelors and figure it will be least expensive to go right for it instead of pause at the AA. Than who knows, maybe some of my present credits will give me a headstart on a masters if I can't use them towards the bachelors.

Thanks so much.

[syslogv3]

I, while younger (22) am in the same boat.

I have about 65 credits from UNCC and CPCC...

I was tired of not having direction, so I applied to Stanly Community college for their Networking Technology degree, but it was after their priority deadline, so they told me that they wouldn't process my financial aid until after the semester starts, which means I would have to pay out of pocket...

So...

I had about 12 to 13 classes that I had to take to get my AAS at SCC, but since I would have to pay a big chunk out of pocket to get that, I decided to finish my bachelors using Clep and DSST. I am only 14 to 15 exams away from a bachelors at Excelsior.

I'm not going to appy right now, I'm just going to take the exams and once I am done, submit them all for credit ($20 each, total $300 to submit) But, I feel that this is better for me since I don't know how soon I can finish this, while working full time.

Just weigh the options, for me, it took being forced to pay over $1,000 out of pocket, plus books, for ONE semester of Community college towards the associates degree. For the bachelors, the TOTAL is around $2500 out of pocket if I can pass everything on the first go.

BTW, glad to see someone on here from my neck of the woods. (I'm in Midland, NC)

[keithk]

I am only 14 to 15 exams away from a bachelors at Excelsior.

I'm not going to appy right now, I'm just going to take the exams and once I am done, submit them all for credit ($20 each, total $300 to submit) But, I feel that this is better for me since I don't know how soon I can finish this, while working full time.

For what it's worth (and I could be mistaken, but I believe I read it on this forum), if you submit the CLEP tests altogether after you're done with all of them, you would only have to pay one $20 fee, not $20/test.

[syslogv3]

$20 total would be awesome. I'll have to look into that. Hopefully you are correct.

You would think that in High School, they have told you about Clep tests...

[NAP]

....
I am only 14 to 15 exams away from a bachelors at Excelsior.

I'm not going to appy right now, I'm just going to take the exams and once I am done, submit them all for credit ($20 each, total $300 to submit) But, I feel that this is better for me since I don't know how soon I can finish this, while working full time. ......

KeithK is correct; you do not need to spend $20 per exam. It is $20-30 for the transcripts with all of the exams from CLEP and DSST.

There is even a better way, though. Go ahead and send the score for free to Excelsior at the time you take the exam. They keep the scores a lot longer than I realized. I wish I had done this. Here is more info with thanks to JackBanta:

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...post109689