Hello,getting back into life, roadmap available please?

[mayantek]

Hello all,
Without trying to come across like a soapbox, after failing in high school due to economic conditions (obtained a GED though), I have been working 60 hours a week for years in mid level management. Now with a new family I would like to obtain my degree in business. But where do I start?
I read the BAIN4weeks website, good start, thank you.

As money is tight these days with newborns I am thinking that taking the CLEP test will certainly cut costs as well as time.

I was also leaning towards Excelsior for most everything.

Looking at upgrading my membership to take the study courses offered on this website and then go out and take the tests. I would hope I could test out for most everything, but not sure how realistic that would be.

Question though. Let's say I get 60 credits, does this qualify me for a AS? How do I get these credits transferred over to Excelsior or anywhere else and do I do that all at one time or after I pass each test?

Any road maps available?

Now, one final twist, if I wanted to pursue a law degree, can I CLEP through much of the undergradute study before going to law school?

thank you very much in advance.

[annegirl]

If you search for "Farmerboy" you can take a look at his roadmap for a BS in Business.

I would definitely recommend signing up for the Instantcert flashcards. They are an *invaluable* study source. That will also give you access to the "Specific Feedback" section of the forum.

Good luck!

[alissaroot]

There's a road map here for business from Excelsior: BS in 6 Months Roadmap, Month 1 (freshman courses)

I think Farmerboy's road map is for TESC, but if you want one for Excelsior, here's one:
http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...lsior+road

[cookderosa]

Hello all,
Without trying to come across like a soapbox, after failing in high school due to economic conditions (obtained a GED though), I have been working 60 hours a week for years in mid level management. Now with a new family I would like to obtain my degree in business. But where do I start?>>

You are here! That's a start!


As money is tight these days with newborns I am thinking that taking the CLEP test will certainly cut costs as well as time.>>

Yes, big time. Of course there are a million factors, but many people will pay $100 or more per credit (figure 6-12 credits per semester) plus books and fees adding $100-$500 per semester! Even at a community college, that gets expensive FAST. Compare that with a 6 credit CLEP which costs under $100 in all. The savings is PHENOMENAL.

Looking at upgrading my membership to take the study courses offered on this website and then go out and take the tests. I would hope I could test out for most everything, but not sure how realistic that would be.

Look at signature, click on the "IC Works" links. Decide for yourself!

Question though. Let's say I get 60 credits, does this qualify me for a AS? How do I get these credits transferred over to Excelsior or anywhere else and do I do that all at one time or after I pass each test?

60 credits is the quantity for an AS degree, but the distribution must be according to the school giving the degree. So many credits in social science, in math, etc. If you take a CLEP exam, when you sit down at the computer, there will be a place to indicate if you want your score sent to a college (for free) and you can just choose yes. Don't worry if you decide not to do that yet, it is only $20 for a transcript from CLEP that includes all of your scores- so if you do it now or do it later doesn't matter too much. Earn some credit before you map your course (in my opinion).


Now, one final twist, if I wanted to pursue a law degree, can I CLEP through much of the undergraduate study before going to law school?>>

Contact the college(s) you are looking at and see if there are any restrictions on the METHOD of earning your undergrad credit. (testing, online, etc) That's the only way to know. If you are considering California, then you are fine- it's the other states that have red tape.

[mayantek]

Great responses, thank you.

I am just trying to get an understanding of the whole process right now.

So I can take the CLEPs now and then eventually have them sent over to Excelsior at a later date. This way I do not have to fork over their fees just yet?

Also, why do some take CLEP and others DSST?

[gcalvin]

If your goal is law school, then GPA will be important to you. This can be a good reason to favor DSSTs over CLEPs at Excelsior. It's also a good reason to choose Excelsior in the first place, although I think TESC has also started giving more grades and GPA-based honors (is that right?).

I should be able to tell you within a month or so whether an Excelsior degree, earned almost entirely with standardized exams, is satisfactory for top law schools. I want to attend the new law school at UC Irvine, but I'm also applying to some top schools like Columbia, Northwestern and Virginia -- mostly as an experiment to see if a Big 3 undergrad degree is an impediment. My impression so far is that my Excelsior degree won't hurt me, but we'll see.

You can search on my user ID to find my degree plan. If I find it first, I'll post a link.

-Gary-

[Kelly Green]

If you would like to practice law only in California, you could get your law degree from a non-ABA approved law school, some of which don't require a bachelor's degree for admission! One example is Northwestern California Law School:

Northwestern California University School of Law

I'm not making any specific recommendation to follow this path; I just found it fascinating that a person could take CLEP tests, be admitted to law school, get the degree, and pass the California bar! Great opportunity!

Here's a quote from the above-referenced site:

Law Study Program (B.S.L. Degree):

For Those Seeking Bar Eligibility -- Students seeking the Bachelor of Science in Law Degree with concurrent attainment of Juris Doctor Degree requirements and Bar eligibility must have completed 60 or more acceptable college semester units, or must as an alternative have adequate scores on anywhere from three to five selected and specific College Level Equivalency Program (CLEP) tests approved by the California Committee of Bar Examiners.

[mayantek]

Great answers, thank you. One last questions, it appears that I can go ahead and just take my CLEP test without having to register with Excelsior just yet. Is there an advantage to registering right now vs holding off until I pass a few CLEP tests?
thanks

[alissaroot]

Great answers, thank you. One last questions, it appears that I can go ahead and just take my CLEP test without having to register with Excelsior just yet. Is there an advantage to registering right now vs holding off until I pass a few CLEP tests?
thanks

Yes, Excelsior charges a yearly enrollment fee. It's best to wait until you are sure you can complete the last of your exams in one year's time in order to avoid that fee.

[mayantek]

OK great, thank you very much. I am a complete newbie at this entire college bit. So I take it that CLEP scores do not expire?