Please help check over my degree plan for TESU

[Ancapman]

True. But during those 24 hours I slept, ate, socialized. I would say I put 15-16 hours of real time in. And the finals will take me 30 minutes. So let's call it 17-18 hours.

I will CLEP where it is needed but not when I can get a guaranteed pass for less time and money in classes my future school doesn't care about. Those classes I will be taking in person.

[Ancapman]

CLEP cost would have been 320 plus fuel costs, parking costs etc.

I will not be judged on these classes. I just need the credits in the places they hold

[sarg123]

Just to keep things in perspective, this is from the American Government section of the Specific Exam Feedback section:

"Studied for approximately five hours and passed with a 61. I used Dutchman's guide (Post #142) and the REA study guide practice tests. Good luck!"

Just to keep things in perspective...

I'm sure that there were plenty of people who studied way more hours than that, plus, I'm also sure that a lot of people fail. Check the pass rates!

How long does a clep take? Well, not including studying time, let's see - minimum half hour traveling each way, plus time to take test which is about 90 minutes plus the time that you have to check in, show your ID, wait for the tech to come back from lunch, show your ID again, find a locker for your coat, and wait for them to start the machine... about 3 to 4 hours total, and that's not including the hassle of finding a time that the testing center is available and works for you...

I'm not against cleps in general. I took about six cleps at a time when I was planning to graduate from a b&m school - so I know that there are positives and negatives to everything, and there definitely are some really big positives to cleps, especially with instancerts specific exam feedback section.

I think, though, that your are ignoring some of the really big negatives. So, one person studied five hours? Yay. Most people do study more than that. Also, I found that it was difficult to find a good book to study from - I used REA books before I found instancert - and I, personally, found them excruciatingly boring, across the board. Really, I literally could not finish the marketing clep REA book no matter what I did - and if you can't make marketing interesting, than it's downhill all the way! And while instantcert's method works for a lot of people, I felt it was too slow for me, so I didn't like it either.

Keeping things in perspective, I'm really glad that there are more options, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

[Ars457123]

Just to keep things in perspective...

I'm sure that there were plenty of people who studied way more hours than that, plus, I'm also sure that a lot of people fail. Check the pass rates!

How long does a clep take? Well, not including studying time, let's see - minimum half hour traveling each way, plus time to take test which is about 90 minutes plus the time that you have to check in, show your ID, wait for the tech to come back from lunch, show your ID again, find a locker for your coat, and wait for them to start the machine... about 3 to 4 hours total, and that's not including the hassle of finding a time that the testing center is available and works for you...

I'm not against cleps in general. I took about six cleps at a time when I was planning to graduate from a b&m school - so I know that there are positives and negatives to everything, and there definitely are some really big positives to cleps, especially with instancerts specific exam feedback section.

I think, though, that your are ignoring some of the really big negatives. So, one person studied five hours? Yay. Most people do study more than that. Also, I found that it was difficult to find a good book to study from - I used REA books before I found instancert - and I, personally, found them excruciatingly boring, across the board. Really, I literally could not finish the marketing clep REA book no matter what I did - and if you can't make marketing interesting, than it's downhill all the way! And while instantcert's method works for a lot of people, I felt it was too slow for me, so I didn't like it either.

Keeping things in perspective, I'm really glad that there are more options, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Ok, this is my fault for not addressing you in the way you needed to be addressed, so I'll do that now just to avoid wasting time in the future.

When you came in on the thread and said you were a neutral party without an axe to grind in post #51, that was a lie. All these zombie accounts where people haven't posted in months/years then all of a sudden, come out of retirement to post only/mainly on this thread are fooling no one.

And I know this doesn't apply to sarg123, but I just wanted to say LOL to all the signature adjustments. And in concert, too. I won't sneer 'convenient' at anyone, just laugh.

Now back to you, sarg123. Why do you think you get to make these assertions when you haven't answered any of my questions, and have been proven flat out wrong about the others. The answer to that is that you're throwing whatever you can to the wall and hoping it sticks, but I would love to hear what lie you come up with.

Anyone reading is supposed to take what you say seriously and forget that:

You have shown a lack of judgment with deciding to call certain classes easier than testing out based on the way things look, rather than experience. "I browsed through it" were your words on post 51.

You've said CLEP was hard based on the fact that you could fail, pretending that there are not posts on this board about people failing the corporate online courses.

You've lied and said that I wrote that a person doesn't have to study for CLEP tests.

You've attempted to present CLEP in one size fits all terms, just like those shills, and claim it's a drawback, but then do the same thing with the corporate online course then claim that as the reason that they're better, just as you're doing in the post I'm responding to.

You have misrepresented CLEP by pretending that it's hard for people who take it from zero and in subjects they don't like despite the fact that MORE people here have passed doing just that and it's rare to see a failure at all on the forums.

Why do you mistakenly believe you get to spew out more of these assertions, when you haven't answered my questions from before?

How DO you explain the fact that I and others have taken CLEPs without any prior knowledge in subjects we dislike and passed?

You say A&I lit is hard for a lot of people, what data are you using if not this forum?

Why do you say that studying for about three days of all day study is bad for CLEP(you don't have to do this to pass by the way), but doing so for Study.com and Straighterline is not something that you are willing to address?

Answer all of this, and then I'll address the mess you wrote. You won't though, and I want all these lurkers to make note of that. So that when I DO address the garbage you've written in post 93 and prove it false like I've often done before, people will see the pattern and give what you write the consideration it deserves- none at all.

[Ars457123]

You have fallen victim to fear mongering. You can still socialize and CLEP. Many people spread those same number of hours out over days, not because otherwise they'll be chained to a desk, but because they don't have the time to study in blocks like you did.

Also, I think you really should actually take the final before you mention how much time it'll take.

Finally, for a motivated student, if you study the CLEP your chances are high at succeeding. It's not a guarantee, but neither are the others; there're posts about failing finals when the subscription is close to ending.

And your future school may not care about it now, but that's always subject to change. If in the future you want to get another degree, it may be a problem. People went through that with those FEMA credits and some people were left with something unusable.

You're keyed up because you're new to the process, but 17-18 hours seems normal to me.

[Ancapman]

Fear is not what is driving me... I have a relatively hard deadline of End of Fall semester to complete my BA and most of my pre - requesites... I am taking all of my pre requisites in traditional class settings. The classes that do not matter to Medicine are pretty much anything that isn't Science, and English Comp. So.... I am blasting through those without much thought.

This way for those classes which I will need to learn and CLEP/DSST for I can do starting mid April giving me 1 month or roughly 360 hours of study to divide between my AOS requirements for the degree. which is roughly 13 classes that i need to know at a decent level to pass. my strategy is sound as I am pretty well planned for my future... I may have to do so post bacc science courses prior to matriculation but... the BA is what matters most...

[sarg123]

I know I didn't respond right away, I had a busy week and this post needs some time...

When you came in on the thread and said you were a neutral party without an axe to grind in post #51, that was a lie. All these zombie accounts where people haven't posted in months/years then all of a sudden, come out of retirement to post only/mainly on this thread are fooling no one.

I've been here for quite a while. I don't post often because I only respond to things that I know about, and there are other people on this forum who are much more knowledgeable than me as a general rule, and they can answer much better.

You have shown a lack of judgment with deciding to call certain classes easier than testing out based on the way things look, rather than experience. "I browsed through it" were your words on post 51.

I had a subscription to study.com and I used it to study for my b&m classes. I didn't just "browse" through it, but I used the material to help me study as my teacher was not teaching at all, so I'm familiar with the format, at least of that particular course. I did not go through the whole thing of testing for credit, however.

You've said CLEP was hard based on the fact that you could fail, pretending that there are not posts on this board about people failing the corporate online courses.

No, I said CLEP was hard based on the fact that I have taken them and found them hard.

You've lied and said that I wrote that a person doesn't have to study for CLEP tests.

You wrote that a person only needs to study a few hours, but I studied two weeks for some tests, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

You've attempted to present CLEP in one size fits all terms, just like those shills, and claim it's a drawback, but then do the same thing with the corporate online course then claim that as the reason that they're better, just as you're doing in the post I'm responding to.

I'm not saying one is better than the other, I'm just saying that it is good to have options. I also think that study and SL are usually easier than CLEPs in general, not always specifically for each course, however. Some people would rather have more of a challenge - or they want to learn the subject more thoroughly - and perhaps CLEPs are better in that way.

[QUOTEYou have misrepresented CLEP by pretending that it's hard for people who take it from zero and in subjects they don't like despite the fact that MORE people here have passed doing just that and it's rare to see a failure at all on the forums.
][/QUOTE]

I still think it would be harder to pass if you don't have familiarity with a subject from before! For example, I didn't attempt to pass the algebra clep, even though I am generally good at math, because I didn't take algebra in high school. I also think it would be harder to pass if you find a subject difficult - for example, it would be easier to pass the Algebra clep if you've always been good at math, but you might find it challenging if you found math challenging in school! These are both pretty simple equations.

Why do you mistakenly believe you get to spew out more of these assertions, when you haven't answered my questions from before?

Ok, I'm answering them now.

[QUOTEHow DO you explain the fact that I and others have taken CLEPs without any prior knowledge in subjects we dislike and passed?
][/QUOTE]

I don't know - high IQ? Luck?

[QUOTEYou say A&I lit is hard for a lot of people, what data are you using if not this forum?
][/QUOTE]

I took the A&I lit clep. Background - I was an A+ student in literature all through school, but school, for me, was over twenty years ago. I took a practice test in A&I and I think I got a little more than half right. I didn't feel prepared enough with that score, so I did practice a little before the actual test, and it must have helped, because I got a 77. But I don't know how I would have done taking it cold, mostly because I have been out of school so long that I was not used to the testing format.

People I know have failed all the cleps, including the A&I clep. "People" is a very broad term - everyone is coming from a different place - different experiences, different points in life, different abilities - especially in different subjects. Not everyone is a "literature" person - but they may be a "math" person. That's what I meant.

Again, I know people personally who have failed cleps - all different subjects. Some of the people were actually very, very smart - as in straight A student - but didn't prepare enough, and assumed that prior knowledge would be enough. It's usually not, as I said, the CLEP's are hard.

Why do you say that studying for about three days of all day study is bad for CLEP(you don't have to do this to pass by the way), but doing so for Study.com and Straighterline is not something that you are willing to address?

I don't think studying three days is bad - it's actually very good when you compare it against four months in a B&M school. But some of the cleps require more than three days studying - chemistry, for example. My point, actually, was that the amount of time studying for cleps may very well equal the amount of time studying for some of the other formats.

[sarg123]

So, this is my opinion on cleps...

I don't usually respond to questions on this forum because I don't have the background or knowledge to answer properly. I'm pretty new to the testing out scene myself, so any answers I would give would not be worth too much.

But, I have taken about 8 cleps, so I feel pretty confident in giving my opinion on this issue!

When I first discovered cleps, I was really gung-ho by how amazing it was, and I recommended them to people that I met. The feedback I got was mixed, so I stopped recommending this option. Then I came on this site, and discovered the other options, with people using the terms "quick" and "enjoyed" - neither of those terms would I have applied to CLEPs!

So, this is my take on CLEP's:

They are a really good option if you live near a testing center and want a really quick three or six credits. Instantcert - this site! - has an amazing section called specific exam feedback - which REALLY REALLY helps. The specific tests will be harder or easier depending on your background - that's a pretty simple fact. It will also be harder or easier depending on how good of a test taker you are in general.

Being harder is not necessarily a bad thing - if you like to learn new things, or you need this information as a prereq for future classes, CLEP's might be a better option.

Also, CLEP's are more portable - most colleges do accept CLEPs, most don't accept ACE credits.


But - and there is a big BUT - there are a lot drawbacks as well.

1. Most of the tests have very little to study from. There are the REA books - I didn't like them at all, but that could just be me. Some tests - such as psychology - do have most of the info. that you will need, but the feedback on tests like micro, macro, and American Government - is not great. I, personally, did not feel I had enough information to attempt those cleps.

2. You have to find a testing center near you - and the time has to coincide with the time that you have available - two variables that are not always there. But, if that is not a problem, there is no negative.

3. A CLEP is a very high stakes testing method - if you fail - you cannot retake it for another six months. You are taking a test on a whole semester's worth of material, and that can be hard - and scary.

4. You have to teach the material to yourself. Study's method is easier if you want someone to teach it to you. With SL - and I never tried SL - it seems like the final is not as high-stake as a clep.

Ok, these are just some thoughts that I came up with at the moment. I may be right or wrong on specific points - I'm not pretending to know everything there is to know about everything - so feel free to correct me, if I'm wrong.

Also, I'm not affiliated with any of these providers (I'm starting to wonder about some other people)! I was really just trying to help anybody who was looking into different options.

[Ancapman]

Just an update I have now in less than a week passed:
American Government
US History I
US History II
Western Civilization I
Western Civilization II
Introduction to Religion
Introduction to Anthropology
Introduction to Sociology
Introduction to Psychology
Nutrition
Statistics

33 credits in 5 days.

Would have blasted through more BUT.... into to communications takes a bit longer. But still low risk and the time is really based on the written paper grading time. And it is a good practice for my College Comp CLEP.

In addition to the above I also passed College Algebra through ALEKS and Ethics via The Institute. Giving me a grand total of 38 credits since starting and very low time/money investment. I have invested less than $600 for these 38 credits. I have spent approximately 45 hours of actual time on them. I have essentially spent under a week to complete 1.25 years of college. All for the price of about 1 class tuition from a state school here in PA.

CLEP, DSST, Study.com are now all in my future. Once communications is done.

For pretty much risk free I believe anyone with an IQ of 95 or greater can complete 36 credits via SL in 1 month or less absolutely risk free from failure towards a Bachelors for under $900 easily if they have 2 hours a day to give to it. If they want to they could quite easily do at least another 21 in that same month if it fits in with their future plans and major for a total of 57 risk free credits. Yup if one is trying to get a BSBA and that is their end education goal, you could get all you non AOS done at SL for under $1200 and under 1 month.

But for those of us in a hurry SL, Study, CLEP, DSST and others are all parts of the path.

[dfrecore]

sarg123, please don't respond to Arse, he's a troll. Most of the people on this forum are helpful, and will not attack you for your opinions. Arse is not one of those people. Just ignore him.