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Straighterline? Study.com? DAVAR? Others?
What's your preference and why?
Personally, I like Straighterline the best. It flowed the most like a real class. I also liked how if you did well enough on the non-proctored tests that you could basically bomb the final and still pass.
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Study.com. The short videos are good because I have a terrible attention span -- With the 5 min vids or so, I can power right through a ton of them if I'm focused, but if i get distracted I can still make some progress by doing one or two here and there. The amount of quizzes can be overwhelming, but it definitely helps drive the material home. Like many of these providers, you can tell the target audience is much younger than someone like me, but they're still able to provide a college level understanding despite this.
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Definitely the Modernstates/CLEP combo. You cannot beat free.
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If price were equal between all the platforms, I'd probably still go with SDC. I love the "small bites" method, the app and the largest course selection.
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12-14-2018, 06:34 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-14-2018, 06:40 PM by Merlin.)
Study.com for online courses for sure. Straighterline is in second place mainly because I don't like textbooks.
I know a lot of folks like Sophia, and I agree that they have the nicest-looking dashboard and platform, but to me, they are overly expensive. I don't mind paying extra for quality, but they're not 3-4 times better IMO. Plus they don't offer a huge selection of courses to begin with.
But yes, free is better. If you have access to a local CLEP testing facility, then I agree with quigongene that Modern States + CLEP is the way to go for your GenEds and any other courses that apply to your degree that you can complete via CLEP.
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12-14-2018, 06:36 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-14-2018, 06:37 PM by sanantone.)
Anything that only requires one test with the exception of Saylor. I found it easiest to study for CLEPs and DSSTs with Instantcert flashcards. It was also easy to study for Davar and CSU Global CBEs with the study materials they provide. You have to put a little work into finding free study materials for TECEP and Uexcel, but they're still fast ways of earning credit. Saylor courses are just a disaster.
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12-14-2018, 06:52 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-14-2018, 06:56 PM by vetvso.)
I like these in this order and I powered through many credits over the years. I really like how easy it is for me to get credits via DSST and have only done 1 CLEP. I will start testing out on CLEPS in 2019.
1. DSST
2. StraighterLine
3. Sophia
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12-14-2018, 08:29 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-14-2018, 09:24 PM by Ideas.)
Study.com and Modern States.
Davar also worked very well for me. I'm not sure if I like SL more or less than Davar. I didn't use SL much. I don't like having to schedule the proctoring in advance with SL.
Modern States would be higher if I had a local test center. DSST would also be higher if I had a local test center. I prefer Study.com much more than MS, but MS is free and CLEP is more widely accepted than ACE.
ALEKS for math if you want to learn and aren't rushed.
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I liked CLEP/DSST for things I already knew. Taking a test is by far the fastest method.
I took a bunch of TECEPs, and they range in difficulty level - but the ability to test from home is awesome.
I liked ALEKS back when Beginning Algebra and Intermediate Algebra were available for credit - but for me personally, it was really difficult to do College Algebra, and then Stats became impossible to pass.
Study.com by far for online courses. I felt like I could fit them around my schedule and do a lot in the downtimes in my life...while waiting for my kids mostly, but in line at the DMV, grocery store, halftime of a soccer game, etc.
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Study.com and second place is a distant second. The app is a major bonus for Study.com, but even without that it's the best. Sophia is fine but too expensive. I have not tried Coopersmith yet but I plan to.
I personally do not care for Straighterline at all. CLEP and DSST are not practical for me because of my rural location so unfortunately I have had to find other options for credit.
Study.com - 177 CR. TESU - 39 CR. Middle Georgia State University - 15 CR. Sonoran Desert Institute - 42 CR. COSC - 6 CR. Excelsior - 6 CR. CLEP - 6 CR. Sophia - 14 CR. TEEX - 2 CR. Shmoop - 18 CR. NFA - 4 CR. The Institutes - 2 CR. FEMA - 20ish
BA in History/English from TESU. BA in Communications from TESU. AS in Firearms Technology from SDI.
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