Fundamentals of Counseling - Help!

[marianne202]

Ok, so because of EC's mess up with my evals I have to take the Fundamentals of Counseling exam. I'm scheduled to take it this Friday and I just found out about this yesterday. Is this doable? I have taken a ton of psych exams and done well enough on them and I have a long background in medicine. Will I be able to pull this off with just a few days studying? I have the specific exam feedback and I have already started working on the flashcards. Any other suggestions? Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I'm trying to get this done so they will have it by 11/17 so I can graduate in December! I just want to be done and focus solely on grad school.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[bricabrac]

Will I be able to pull this off with just a few days studying? I have the specific exam feedback and I have already started working on the flashcards. Any other suggestions?

I think you will blow it out of the water. It is psych based from the counselors point of view. What I did was think of the counselors methods of working with clients, not a psychiatrists---more Dr Phil not so much Freud...Very different. So knowing person/client centered, hertzberg, bandura, lots of the eccletic methods of counseling. Very light, as counseling tends to be -- not dark like abnormal psych. I think with your background it will be very easy for you. Think of it from the counselors chair and what method you would use for a certain type of client or certain situation. There were some ethics and reg questions specific feedback will get you up to speed.

Hope this helps.

[DutchMom]

You said you were scheduled to take the Fundaments of Counseling test last Friday. How did you do? I'm scheduled to take the same test in a couple of weeks myself. Did you pass and do you think that your background in medicine helped you? I have no background or experience in anything medical. Any pointers anyone could give me on Fundaments of Counseling would be most appreciated. I am an awful test taker! I'm also a worry wart! I guess I'm studying the correct field, huh? Thanks!

[creative]

Here is a thread that might help http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...eling.html. Scroll down--- There is a link for the Exam Fact Sheet and a textbook website that will help. We need more information about you and your situation to help answer any questions. Everyone is so different and so many variables Let us know more and maybe we can point you in the right direction.

[DutchMom]

Thanks for the response. First, I apologize for not responding to you until now. My brain was and still is fried. I had to get away from the computer and Internet for awhile and let my brain rest. Second, to answer your questions about me, I am a University Of Phoenix online student. I have 9 elective credits to satisfy. I satisfied all of my other requirements for a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration back in April. At the time I had 15 credits to satisfy. I have since then taken 4 DANTES tests and passed 2 of them. I only just recently signed up for InstantCert so I have not taken a DANTES test using the knowledge I have gained with IC. I have passed Criminal Justice and Intro To Law Enforcement. I have a Law Enforcement background so I was able to pull off those two without too much trouble. I failed Here's To Your Health only by 40 points back in May and I failed Substanced Abuse by only 5 points. UOP would not give me the other five points for the Substance Abuse test. I am tentatively scheduled to take the Fundamentals Of Counseling test this Friday, Dec. 3rd. I can't keep putting it off. I have to get back on that saddle again. I was trying to be done by the end of the year as a Christmas present to myself, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen. As long as I have the other 9 credits completed by the end of April of next year, 2011, I will have that degree! My degree requirements have changed and if I don't satisfy those other 9 credits by the end of Aprill 2011, UOP will make me take more courses to update my status in their current degree program. I am approved by UOP to take Fundamentals Of Counseling, Astronomy, and Here's To Your Health. I can take HTYH again because it's been over six months since I failed it back in May. Also, even though there is studying involved, the DANTES tests seem easier to me. I like the DANTES test because I'm comfortable with their format. This seems to be such a supportive forum! I am down to electives now so if you or anyone else thinks I need to or could go in a different direction or they might see something or thought about something that I haven't, please let me know. I just need to check with my Academic Advisor to ensure that I won't be duplicating any credits and UOP will give me credit for the tests I choose to take at this point, and hopefully pass. Thanks for anyone's and everyone's input! Hope you all had a nice turkey day!

[NAP]

Hi DutchMom!

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Does UofP accept all the CLEPs and DSSTs for credit?

Have you considered the Analyzing & Interpreting Literature CLEP? It is basically a reading comprehension exam. It is not an easy test, but, for many people, it does not take a lot of time to prepare for it.

[DutchMom]

UOP does accept CLEP & DANTES credit, but it depends because each degree is different and each tests will apply differently or sometimes won't. I have had to pick several tests that I was interested in taking and then discussing those with my Academic Advisor to ensure that I won't be taking a test needlessly because UOP might not give me those credits if the test(s) I pass. The main reason for that is they don't want me to take anything that might duplicate what I've already taken in my degree program and is already on my transcript. I live in the Columbia, SC area. I have to go to the Augusta, GA campus to take my tests. That's 100 miles there and 100 miles back. Not to mention I have to ensure there is room on my credit card to take the test(s). The UOP Columbia campus does not offer the CLEP or DANTES. UOP will accept CLEP & DANTES credit, but the Columbia campus is not a testing site for CLEP & DANTES. There are other testing sites available in my area, but they all charge fees. Since I'm a UOP student, I can walk into any UOP campus that offers these tests and take the test(s) no charge. So for me, it's worth it for me to drive 200 miles round trip. I also have a vehicle that is very economical on gas, so I don't mind the drive. It's only an hour and a half there and an hour and a half for the return trip. I usually pick myself up a GA lottery ticket while I'm there too, because you never know! And you can't win if you don't play. I hoping that one day I'll win enough to at least pay off my student loans. I'm still waiting! Re: your question about the CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature, I have not considered this. I do fairly well with the written word and I'm a good speller and use grammar correctly, especially with my job. Does IC have flashcards for the CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature test? Has anyone else had good success with this test? And have you used IC to pass? My budget is budging so I need to really minimize my expenses at this time to finish out my degree. I only need another 9 credits. If, When, I pass the Fundamentals Of Counseling on Friday, that will leave only 6 credits. Is the CLEP Analyzing & Interpreting Literature 6 or 12 credits? Thanks for the input as well as anyone else's.

[NAP]

Hi DutchMom!

There aren't any flashcards for this exam, but it is one of the favorites on the forum because of the short prep time. It is mostly reading short stories and poems and answering questions about them.

I don't know how many credits UofP will give, but EC gives 6 credits.

Here is my feedback for more details:

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...#post75628

[DutchMom]

Thanks for the point in that direction! I had not considered that test because all of the CLEP tests, to me, seemed very difficult. And I have never taken a CLEP test before so I am very reluctant to try it. But, if I pass the DANTES Fundaments Of Counseling in a couple of days, that will leave me with only 6 credits. If I study and pass the Analyzing & Interpreting Literature CLEP test, then I might have a Bachelor's Degree by Christmas after all. I went on the CLEP website and took the practice test for this exam. I did well on the first part of the practice test, but I bombed that other half of it. That tells me what I need to brush up on if I decide to take the test. If anyone else has any ideas, please let me know. Thanks, NAP, for pointing me in that direction! I will look at it more closely! And if anyone has any good study guides for this test, that will help me too. Thanks!

[marianne202]

Sorry Dutchmom, I didn't see your post until this popped back up to the top today. I scored a 65 - A. It wasn't that bad, but I have done a lot of psych exams already so it helped.