Tell us your story...

[Firedup4Jesus]

I was just wondering what inspired all of you to go the "nontraditional route" to getting a college education. Was it a book you read a friend who let you know about CLEPing...ect...?

My journey began my senior year when I read the book So Much More. You can read more about my particular journey here... Stay at Home Daughter-hood

[Elinor]

I was just wondering what inspired all of you to go the "nontraditional route" to getting a college education. Was it a book you read a friend who let you know about CLEPing...ect...?

My journey began my senior year when I read the book So Much More. You can read more about my particular journey here... Stay at Home Daughter-hood

I dare say our experience and journey are more or less the same in essentials. I was a bit slower to take up the tests though.

Shortly before I started high school we found out about College Without Compromise and Accelerated Distance Learning. We procured both books, and my mother and I read them. At the time I was just really eager to be done with school, and I couldn't see what good a college degree would be for me and my chosen "career" path (wife and mother). So, I "wasted" those 3.5 years of high school (I graduated a little early, but if I had it to do over, I'd finish high school and college at the same time... oh, well.), and then another couple of years passed after HS graduation, when, I might add, I had several friends who doing CLEPs - they were an amazing help encouraging me to take that first test! Finally, after about 6 months of talking indecisively, I sat down with my parents, and we decided that I could use more direction and focus in my life. We even determined that I'd work on either an English or a history degree from TESC. After practicing my essay writing "skills" for a week or two after that talk, I took my first 2 CLEPs - English Composition w/ essay (it was the old version.), and Analyzing and Interpreting Literature. When I saw my passing score on A&I Lit, I was... I can't even describe it. I'm sure everyone here knows the feeling. It was amazing. That was January of last year; I haven't really stopped since! Now I'm on my last course (hopefully), and am working to get everything set for a December 2011 graduation!

I don't regret beginning all this at all. My regrets lie in the way I've done it. I'd do it in HS if I could (so I'm encouraging parents to do that for their children - at least if they want them to get a degree). I'd also not try to be as rigid early on. I definitely over-studied back then - I probably still do... Back then I made myself take 2 weeks to study. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to some people, but I'm pretty sure I could have done it so much faster now, after having had almost 1.5 years experience. Still, I haven't failed any, so maybe I wouldn't change anything.

The more defined and useful purpose of my degree (other than direction and focus) is the "just in case" scenario. I want to be able to home school my children when the time comes, so getting the degree is an effort at protection against the government, should they decide that you have to have a college degree to teach children. I figured it'd be easier to get that checked off now than when I have kids. Some friends and family also use the "just in case" to justify what they consider my unusual way of doing college. They think that if a wife and mother should ever be widowed she ought to have a degree to be able to help her support her family. Honestly, I'd really rather not think about that scenario. I'm pretty sure those folks would have liked to see me go the traditional route, but I think they support my decision anyway. I've been extremely blessed with supportive family and friends throughout my journey!

That book is my story. Sorry I am not very concise about it. Testing's taught me a lot, but not conciseness unfortunately. :ack:

[Elinor]

My journey began my senior year when I read the book So Much More. You can read more about my particular journey here... Stay at Home Daughter-hood

Just out of curiosity, do you know the Botkins?

[FinancialWorld]

Both of my brothers received their degrees from TESC, so this gave me a jump start. I had already planned to get my degree through distance learning because I don't think I could afford to go to a B&M college. I've really learned a lot by going this rout. Its made a much more independent and disciplined. I've learned a lot about how colleges work and how to put a degree together. I'm getting better at research and writing by having to figure out and find all the information for my degrees and courses.

Yup I've heard of:
So Much More
Happy at Home
College Without Compromise
Accelerated Distance Learning (by Voeller)

For a guy to know about the first two book feels kind of creepy :reddevil:.
As a Christian guy, my roles is exactly the opposite of a woman's. I take dominion!!! :hurray: I'm taking the world on, one area at a time. LOL

I went to a conference where the Botkins were speaking (Crossroads '09). They are very good. Very strong and bold about what they say. Mr. Botkin has an incredibly analytical mind. Its amazing!

[PonyGirl93]

As a Christian guy, my roles is exactly the opposite of a woman's. I take dominion!!! :hurray: I'm taking the world on, one area at a time. LOL!

*growl* What is this nonsense?

I heard about this through my mom seeing a CollegePlus advertisement in some homeschooling magazine (or something. lol) She passed it on to me and I read through every word on the website. We made a mutual decision that CP was unnecessary for me, and viola! After I took US History 1 I found this forum by chance and was saved

[Firedup4Jesus]

Just out of curiosity, do you know the Botkins?

No I don't know the Botkins. Do you? I feel like I do after reading and listening to their stuff!! I wish I knew them though.

[Firedup4Jesus]

*growl* What is this nonsense?

Nonsense?! Ha ha look it up! It's in the Bible...on second thought...(Ephesians 5:22-24) Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Hee hee... Plus all the commands in Genesis about subduing the earth. Okay now I am mono-logging!!! Thanks to everyone who has shared there stories! It really encourages me.

P.S. I have never heard of happy at home! I will look it up! On second thought ...are you talking about Joyfully at home?

[PonyGirl93]

Nonsense?! Ha ha look it up! It's in the Bible...on second thought...(Ephesians 5:22-24) Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Hee hee... Plus all the commands in Genesis about subduing the earth. Okay now I am mono-logging!!! Thanks to everyone who has shared there stories! It really encourages me.

All of you people conveniently stop at verse 24. In verse 28-29 it says "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church." Doesn't sound like domination to me. Who, treating their wife like they want to be treated, is going to say, "Lady go make me a sandwich."

Hem. Sorry to completely hijack.

[ryoder]

I love this thread!
Started out on the story of CLEPing and turned into women making sandwiches. Please don't forget to bring a cold beer!

I like a woman who challenges me and I found that in my wife. She and I take care of the house together and both cook meals and work hard. I don't have anything wrong with the traditional male/female roles though. Whatever works for you!

For me. I didn't realize that I could test out like this. At some point I found that I could go to back to my school, USF and finish a general studies degree with a concentration in IT using my existing credits from USF and backfilling some with CLEP. USF has a 35 credit limit on AP and CLEP/DSST so there was a limit to how far I could go. I decided to CLEP out of the typical business classes to get a foundation for my MBA and to allow me to enter an MBA without taking foundation courses. Once I CLEPed out of the typical business core minus statistics and was all ready to take classes in January something changed. I realized that I didn't want a general studies degree from USF and really wanted a BSBA from Exelsior. Shortly after making that realization I decided to go with TESC BSBA CIS due to their generous transfer of my MCSD certification for elective credit.
So I enrolled, sent in my transcripts and hit ALEKs first off for statistics, followed by Straighterline for accounting and business communication. At that point I only needed some classes from Penn Foster, two TECEPs for business policy and network technology and a couple of business electives to be done with the BSBA CIS.

I finished all of this in February and started taking classes at NCU for my MBA March 15. I am now honestly over 1/3 done with the MBA as it is at your own pace and I have access to all of the syllabi. I am going to have to stretch this out until next March in order to maximize financial aid but I am already trying to determine where I will go next.
It may be a PhD at NCU or at doctorate in information systems at Dakota State University or another masters in Information Security at WGU. I don't know.

I am also considering doing another bachelors in Natural Science/Math at TESC since I have so many unused engineering, physics and calculus credits on my transcript.

I am now an education junkie just like many on this forum

[FinancialWorld]

I am now honestly over 1/3 done with the MBA as it is at your own pace and I have access to all of the syllabi. I am going to have to stretch this out until next March in order to maximize financial aid but I am already trying to determine where I will go next.
It may be a PhD at NCU or at doctorate in information systems at Dakota State University or another masters in Information Security at WGU. I don't know.

I am also considering doing another bachelors in Natural Science/Math at TESC since I have so many unused engineering, physics and calculus credits on my transcript.

I am now an education junkie just like many on this forum

Man that is just awesome. I didn't know that you were already 1/3 of the way done with your MBA. YOU ROCK!!
That PhD sounds cool. I've often thought "what if I got a PhD?". My family would probably freak having to call me Doctor. I'm the youngest boy and that may not go over well with the big bros, but who cares I'm bigger.

What's after the PhD ryoder?