Int'l Student- New to CLEP, DSST, STRAIGHTERLINE etc- & can't decide

[yaserhu]

Hi, i don't live in the USA- but i came to know about Excelsior & TESC Degrees recently- and about CLEP, DSST, Uexcel, Excelsior and TECEP tests.
I've also came to know more about Straighterline yesterday.
As an adult learner with lot of experience and life background- this is really very good for me as i can complete my degree much faster and at a pace suitable for me. However after researching more about the above- it got more complicated...

To start with i want to accomplish a Bachelor degree in Business or preferably Marketing. Like anyone else my prime objectives are 1- to prioritize a college degree (where i did feel that Excelsior or TESC are the closest options); and more importantly- 2- to save on College cost and time as much as i can. In other words- get the most from tests before taking a small proportion of credit

So I don't know know what to take for a those subjects i should study- say the General ones or the specialized ones- shall i take CLEP? DSST or Straighterline?

Another issue i faced- is that when reviewing study material for any of the above- there is inconsistent student reviews on Amazon on the study resources or guides. Some say they aren't enough- some say they are just enough to pass. On other extremes- Uexcel test perp or Exceslior prep- are very expensive; and whatever has been saved in taking these tests is been utilized for textbooks.
So- going back to the study guide reviews what if i don't like to be at the thin line between passing and failing- what if i want to review the topic more not just practicing the exam.

I cannot set a study plan, based on study materials, estimated cost and time for myself as i don't know who to study with- which exams and the best way to do it.

Or shall i may be first apply to these colleges then work out my way- but still i wouldn't know which Algebra is better - CLEP or DSST or TECEP or Exceslsior?!

Thanks
Yaser

[clep3705]

How good are you in English? Is it your native language, for example? Analyzing and Interpreting Literature is an exam many native English speakers have passed without studying for.

REA CLEP study guides are very good for the social sciences, but not so much for other subjects. Peterson's practice tests are good except for College Mathematics - you should not use the Peterson's test for College Mathematics.

You can take online courses from American colleges and universities without spending a lot of money, depending on the school.

This is a good resource: Free Clep Prep.com

[LaterBloomer]

Yaser,

If you're able, you might want to join Instacert. (Instacert.com) It's about US$20 per month. By joining, it allows you access to an additional forum on this web site. That site has a lot of comments from folks who have taken tests. They indicate what books, web sites, etc. were or were not helpful. Since the posters are all people who are taking CLEPs, DSSTs, etc., the feed-back is more relevant to the tests than something that you might read on Amazon. In addition, Instacert has created electronic flash cards which are very helpful. Again, posters who join Instacert opine about how helpful the flash cards are for particular exams.

Good luck.

[clep3705]

A bachelor's degree, which is apparently what you are seeking, requires about 120-132 semester hours. Usually this takes about 4 calendar years. It can be done much faster, particularly so if you are successful in testing out of many semester hours.

Some people choose to earn an associate's degree on their way to earning a bachelor's degree. It is typically 60 semester hours, depending on the school. It usually takes two calendar years to complete. It is essentially the first two years of a bachelor's degree program. The nice thing about an associate's degree is that halfway through your bachelor's degree, you have something to show for your efforts. TESC offers an associate's degree.

If you take 18 semester hours from either Central Texas College or HCC Houston Community College - District Home and test out of the remaining 42 hours, you can earn an associate's degree. The cost of taking 18 hours at either of those schools is about $3,000. You would need to pass 14 (possibly only 12 or 11) tests at about $100/test to obtain credit for the remaining 42 hours. In other words, for $4,400 (does not include the cost of books), you could obtain an associate's degree from either of the two schools in Texas. There are colleges in other states where you might be able to obtain the degree for less. I'm only trying to throw out some numbers so that you can make comparisons, that's all.

[yaserhu]

Clep 3705

Thank you for the valuable comments below and here. I am not a native English speaker- but i've been studying all my life in English medium- i have a Canadian High School. So i don't think i will have an issue here- may be a little practice on the exam nature. I will follow your advise when planning my study.

I will think about the Associate degree- though i don't want to divert my attention, as my focus is to obtain the Bachelor. The only concern is that i will need to transfer the Associate credit to Excelsior or TESC

[yaserhu]

Hi LaterBloomer

Thanks for commenting on my post.

I actually knew about this forum from Instant Cert. I was considering that option of 20 USD a month- as it is definitely a great deal- but i had two concerns, one is that i "assumed" that there might be additional hidden cost in the form of study materials that have to be bought separately; and the second was based on reading some comments from Excelsior college website that there is no other party affiliated to offer there courses- so i wasn't sure about the quality of Instantcert. But as you have tried and suggest it - i will give it a go and start for couple of months to find out whether it's helping me prepare for these exams.

[Westerner]

I actually knew about this forum from Instant Cert. I was considering that option of 20 USD a month- as it is definitely a great deal- but i had two concerns, one is that i "assumed" that there might be additional hidden cost in the form of study materials that have to be bought separately; and the second was based on reading some comments from Excelsior college website that there is no other party affiliated to offer there courses- so i wasn't sure about the quality of Instantcert. But as you have tried and suggest it - i will give it a go and start for couple of months to find out whether it's helping me prepare for these exams.

Good for you, being cautious But yes, the fee is only $20/month, and InstanctCert is only a study prep resource for the tests. But it is a great one And if you use the promo code 59690 when you sign up, you get $5 off the cost for the first month

[clep3705]

You can get an associate's degree from TESC on your way to getting your bachelor's degree.

As I said, I was only trying to provide a cost comparison of other ways of completing the first two years of college.

[yaserhu]

You can get an associate's degree from TESC on your way to getting your bachelor's degree.

As I said, I was only trying to provide a cost comparison of other ways of completing the first two years of college.

Ok - do you recommend TESC or Excelsior? Or any other similar college?

How long would it take to complete the Associate- if i go on and start doing exams June onwards. I think you must have tried yourself or know people who did an associate degree in a short time?

[EI2HCB]

Yaser

Welcome to the forum, seems nobody addressed the "International" end of your question. First thing is where are you? If you live in Canada that's great, government grants will pay towards what we call here 'the big three" If you live outside the United States or Canada different rules apply although there are test centers in other countries too. One of our stalwarts here visits the U.S and does his exams and is gaining credit that way.
Have you found a location to take CLEP exams?
Have you found a location to take DSSST exams?

Have you decided on a major at college, Do you want to continue on after a BA degree, do you need a letter grade alongside a GPA for graduate school.
Do you have any college credits from countries outside of Canada and the U.S these can be transferred into many colleges.
That's a start. InstantCert is awesome but costs begin to rise if you have to travel too far to take the test. It still may be cost effective to fly in and take six tests over a week and gain 18 credits as opposed to paying $340 per credit hour. College admissions are based on nationality and or national residence for the big three. Canadian Citizenship is equal to U.S citizenship even if its naturalized so these are things that adjust the price for certain colleges. Keep asking questions we'll all be delighted to help out or give advice.