InstantCert in your own Words - Personal Reviews

[dcan]

The FOCUS here is to assist others in earning college credit. In my opinion DI did MC a great disservice by installing him as a moderator. It was a very selfish decision. After a year and 3000+ posts he is not much closer to getting his BA.

I just read a thread over there poking fun at him for the exact same thing. They were even talking about ways to make him drag his decision out more just to watch him twitch.

[marianne202]

As a college educator and an adult learner myself I feel compelled to comment on this post. Everyone has different learning styles and different combinations of learning styles that will naturally change as they grow older or change subject matter. As a result no one learning tool is necessarily going to be the perfect, know all, be all fit for any person all the time for all subject matter.

I found IC when I decided to go back to school after a long break. This forum helped answer my questions, provided a wonderful support network and helped guide me to my goal of an AS and provided the momentum and encouragement to move on to my BS degree. Not only did I do that but I got two BS degrees and am now halfway through grad school, all in 27 months! None of which would have happened without this forum and the great people here who share so selflessly their knowledge, help and support!

IC is more than just flashcards! It is the people and community! The flashcards are not enough to totally learn a new subject and become proficient in that subject, but then again neither is a textbook alone, a teacher alone or any other resource alone. It has to be combined with knowledge based on personal experiences, teacher experiences, textbooks ability to convey knowledge (not all do a great job of that either!) reading other sources such as magazines, newspapers, watching TV, listening to radio, talking to other about their experiences etc. We need to learn and see these skills and knowledge in process or applied to really become proficent but that doesn't mean any of these steps individually is worthless or useless. They are very vital in providing a layering of information so we can truly understand this information and concepts from all angles to apply it in all situations.

Think about learning algebra or geometry in HS, most of probably thought when will I ever need this again or use it in real life. But I know I have used it a lot, and for more than helping my kids with homework! If I hadn't really learned it I wouldn't be able to apply it figure out my kitchen plans when I redesigned my kitchen etc.

Don't judge IC solely on the flashcards, which are a fantastic item for helping people focus, especially those that have been out of school for many years, but it also gives a great starting point for further research and study. If the material is something they know and use all the time, it is a good refresher to let them know they probably know enough to test without more study, or may show them some weak areas to brush up on.

I personally believe that any item that helps someone learn even one new fact or leads them to learn more about a subject is a worthwhile investment in time and money! IC and this community is the best for those reasons and I encourage people to check it out everyday! Thanks to everyone here for your assistance in helping me reach goals I never knew I could or even wanted. Everyone comes here for different reasons and with different things to offer and that is what makes this so great. I encourage everyone to use IC for their own best use and not worry about what it did or didn't do for anyone else.

Sorry about the long post!

[ShotoJuku]

I just read a thread over there poking fun at him for the exact same thing. They were even talking about ways to make him drag his decision out more just to watch him twitch.

Sent you a PM...

[CLEP101]

I had no college what so ever when I first discovered IC. I was in Iraq in 2007. Since then I my signature has been constantly growing and it still is. I have used IC as the main study source for all my exams. Even though they are just flashcards and some will say that you wont learn anything, I disagree. As I go through the flashcards and don't understand something, it was only natural that I turn to google, wikipedia, and other study aids to learn more of those areas. To me everything else was supplementary to IC. It was faster for me to go through than reading a book. That's just me though. As others have mentioned, people have different learning styles. Even though I have finished my undergrad degrees, I keep coming here to help out as much as I can and when I can. Like Marianne says, it's not just about the flashcards, it's also about the forum, people and community we have here.

:patriot:

[rebel100]

I haven't been following this thread, what a hoot!

Everyone needs to chill out, its a forum about earning credit and helping each other out. If your not on board with that just don't post.

InstantCert id the bomb, there is an amazing wealth of info here and the best attribute is the "community" that's been created here.

If the cards aren't your style then don't use them, still about a hundred reasons to visit the forum.

[Elinor]

Wow, I missed a lot of these posts! Since the thread was started as personal reviews of IC, differing opinions are to be expected. Not everyone learns the same way, and the flashcards might not work as the exclusive study tool, or even as a reviewing tool, for some people. That is wonderful! We're not robots all programed to operate exactly the same way.

As for me, InstantCert has been wonderful, and I refer anyone looking to begin CLEPs to IC. I used the flashcards extensively, but not exclusively. I usually supplemented with whatever book was most recommended on the Specific Exam Feedback thread for whichever test I was taking. I would totally pay $20/month just for the information in that section of the forum! It's saved me an incredible amount of time, money, and worry.

Lately, as I've gotten to the harder DSSTs, I haven't even used the flashcards, but focused exclusively, or almost exclusively, on the resources mentioned in the specific exam thread. Between Free-CLEP-prep, InstantCert, and DegreeForum, I went from 0 to 114 credits in under 1.5 years. I'm now working on my last 6 credits, and waiting for TESC to correctly evaluate my other CLEPs, DSSTs, FEMAs, and ECE.

Because of the amazing people on this forum, I know TESC should accept them, and that I should have enough credits to be able to graduate (assuming I don't fail this course). Being able to see everyone's progress here on this forum, and being able to post my own, is something that motivates and encourages me greatly. With the help from the great folks here, I've drawn up, customized, and gone after my degree plan without the use of CollegePlus (no dig to them; I'm sure they're great. Just a bit $$$ for me.), and I'll be that much prouder (that doesn't look right... more proud?) of the accomplishment when I finally hold that piece of paper that signifies these 2 years of hard work.

Thanks especially to everyone who participates on this forum. I appreciate your help and the fact that this forum is THE most decent (language, avatars, etc.) forum that I've ever run across - and that includes the couple of supposedly Christian forums that I once watched from a distance. Y'all are amazing. I can't count how many times I've thought about, and mentioned to my family and friends, how thankful I was/am to have the "wonderful community of virtual friends over at IC!"

[jagirl]

I live in Kuwait - where are the tests given? How do I find a school who accepts them. I have 62 credits and an Associates Degree in Liberal Studies. Just want to finish my bachelor. Thanks