Graded exams

[hobbyhack]

I am completing a BS in General Business @ Excelsior and I have 70 credits so far. I have a total of 5 business exams (15 credits) and 2 non-business exams (6 credits) that are graded. So far, I have straight As! I only have a 9 month window to complete this entire degree. So, I didn't plan on As and am still surprised. I was just trying to get it done. However, now I am wondering if I should try and protect the GPA or if I need more graded credits. I will continue on in a Master's program in a couple of years.

Is there any reason to want more grades? I have another 3 graded DSSTs planned. However, none of these meet specific degree requirements so they could be substituted for something that is not graded. So I am considering switching the rest so something not graded.

Can anyone anyone provide some advice?

[cookderosa]

I am completing a BS in General Business @ Excelsior and I have 70 credits so far. I have a total of 5 business exams (15 credits) and 2 non-business exams (6 credits) that are graded. So far, I have straight As! I only have a 9 month window to complete this entire degree. So, I didn't plan on As and am still surprised. I was just trying to get it done. However, now I am wondering if I should try and protect the GPA or if I need more graded credits. I will continue on in a Master's program in a couple of years.

Is there any reason to want more grades? I have another 3 graded DSSTs planned. However, none of these meet specific degree requirements so they could be substituted for something that is not graded. So I am considering switching the rest so something not graded.

Can anyone anyone provide some advice?

Review the admissions requirements of the grad schools you are considering. Be sure you've met all the pre-req requirements, and any GPA/graded credit requirements. It's great that you have the time and wisdom to plan AHEAD for this, there are a few threads now where people find out too little too late that their plan didn't quite fit their goals.

[Chebasaz]

Great job on those A's! If you're planning on pursuing a Master's degree later on, then I would substitute those graded DSSTs for something else. It will help later on with admissions, and from what you're saying they can be substituted easily. If that's the case, then I really can't see a down side.

Edit: Cook sneaked one in on me! She does bring up a great point though - If you're looking to do a particular graduate degree, I'd survey which prerequisite courses it requires (MBA's often requires accounting, upper level math, etc). I'd still guard that 4.0 average with ungraded exams (as you can always take the other courses/exams later after you graduate and thereby not affect your GPA).

[hobbyhack]

Thanks for the replies. The tests I had originally planned: DSST: Technical Writing, DSST: Astronomy, DSST: Environment and Humanity, DSST: Foundations of Education aren't ones that would be a specific requirement in any MBA programs that I looked at. Those tests are also completely interchangeable in the current BS in business degree that I am finishing. Based on what I found, I am going to lock in at 4.0. I don't have a specific MBA program picked out yet. However, I did look around based on the suggestions and thought it might be helpful to share what I found.

* There are some schools that require "x" amount of credit hours with a "C" GPA in certain areas of study (math, econ, finance, acctg, ...). However, often when I saw those types of requirements there was a note to the side that students could use CLEP to fulfill those requirements. That made me chuckle!

* I didn't see any schools that listed any general GPA requirements that are combined with a graded credit hour requirement. I only checked a handful of MBA programs so check this one out yourself but I am not concerned based on published results.

* This was an interesting process because I had no idea so many masters programs required certain undergraduate credits. It is well worth your time to at least look at that. I haven't gone through all the data but it does seem like it would be a good idea to go ahead and take anything that might later be required while I need the credits anyway.