New here, would love some help getting started!

[S8on]

Hello, I found this site after random google searches and jumping from link to link. (basically don't remember haha) The idea of potentially being able to test through a degree in just one year sounds amazing. I am currently about to be a sophomore at UCLA. However, I do not wish to go back because I did not like the college environment and was a bit lonely there. I dropped the third quarter after a bit of an embarrassing emotional breakdown. My plans earlier were to get enough credits at a community college and transfer to UCSD (my original college choice because my very close friends are there). However, after finding this site, I am considering changing up my plans a bit. Here are a few questions I have:

I already have 72 (48 AP + 24 college) QUARTER credits. I think this equates to around 48 semester credits. Will these credits be transferable?

If would still like to finish a normal degree at UCSD after I finish a degree with the strategy here, do you guys think any of my credits from the "test out" degree would be admissible in a transfer to UCSD?

If not, would it be plausible to go to a CC and finish enough credits for a transfer AND use them for the degree I would test out of?

If I am correct, the InstantCert product is simply test preparation materials?

Finally, I would like to know what what you guys think of this "doityourselfdegree" website. It seems to offer a service which could be found for free here. Does anybody have any comments about the website?


I have been a bit anxious about what I will do in the future, so I appreciate any help I can get!

[JTP]

Welcome to the forum! I also ended up here after some obscure Google searching one day. So to answer some questions:

If you are talking about completely testing out of a degree, you will probably be looking at one of the "Big 3" colleges (Thomas Edison State College TESC, Charter Oak State College COSC, or Excelsior College EC). They are the only main colleges with regional accreditation that do not require a residency requirement, and are pretty lenient with credits transferred in. There is actually a complete sub forum on this site all about those colleges with a lot of great information...so I would suggest you start reading through there to better learn about the big 3.

You shouldn’t have any problems transferring your already earned credits to any of those colleges

Since they are fully accredited you shouldn't have much of a problem transferring credits to other schools after you complete a degree. There have been reports of some schools not taking certain science or math classes that were tested out of online, but that would be up to whatever school you want to go to later.

Instantcert is primarily for test preparation for your CLEP and DSST exams. Sure you can find a lot of free stuff online, but once you start browsing around for prep material you'll see a lot of sites highly suggest instant cert. In case there is any confusion, this forum (degreeforum.net) is the forum for instantcert. There is a lot of information in all of the free public sections, but from what I hear the specific exam feedback only available to paying members is invaluable. I'm not currently a paying member, but once I finish out some of my other tests and move on to DSST exams I will be.

[BGSU_Alum_86]

I want to address your question regarding the "test out" credits being transferred to UCSD. The UC system does not grant credit for the CLEP or DSST programs.

[Yanji]

Also, please note that getting a degree cannot be undone, so if your goal is to transfer back to another school (not necessarily UCSD) and "bury" your TESC degree, I think you need to carefully consider the magnitude of what you are doing. There are some doors that close forever after you finish your first degree (e.g. LSAC GPA) so please keep those in mind.

[cookderosa]

I want to address your question regarding the "test out" credits being transferred to UCSD. The UC system does not grant credit for the CLEP or DSST programs.

There is an exception, but the OP won't be able to use TESC.
If the OP uses a California community college for his associates of art or associates of science degree, then he can use his AP and CLEP credit. California is very specific about the process, read this link:
Associate Degree for Transfer

The articulation agreement in the California system is called "TAG" so that's the keyword necessary for searching. HTH

[Yanji]

Interesting, that's news to me, although it still appears that Berkeley, UCLA and UCSD don't participate in TAG.

The articulation agreement in the California system is called "TAG" so that's the keyword necessary for searching. HTH

[S8on]

What do you guys think about my other plan. I'll finish 21 semester credits at a community college for transfer to UCSD AND for graduating from one of "the big three." Basically I'd be transferring the same credits to two different schools? Would that work?

[Yanji]

What do you guys think about my other plan. I'll finish 21 semester credits at a community college for transfer to UCSD AND for graduating from one of "the big three." Basically I'd be transferring the same credits to two different schools? Would that work?

Nope. While UCSD technically has a provision for students to earn 2nd degrees, they have closed all degree programs to 2nd degree students, effectively meaning that you cannot matriculate as a degree-seeking student once you earn a degree from another school. The only obvious way around this would be to apply to UCSD as a Junior and then concurrently enrolling at TESC/wherever, but according to UC policy, this requires approval from the school Dean, which isn't going to happen once you explain you're trying to circumvent their 2nd degree policy. What exactly is your big rush to get a degree from another school when it seems pretty clear that your heart is set on UCSD? You can always do a second degree from TESC using exams "for kicks" after graduating UCSD if you want.

2nd Baccalaureate | UC Admissions

[S8on]

Thanks for the information. I am doing it "for kicks," but I also kinda wanted to do it out of "rebellion" towards my parents because they had been disapproving of my transfer in the first place (a lot of UCLA > UCSD talk and "you can do anything without a degree" in general).

[S8on]

This will be a double post, but I have another idea and a few more questions. Are there any limitations of the test-out degrees from The Big 3? For example, would I be disadvantaged if applying to graduate schools?