What should I do??

[targetoncleps]

I am currently enrolled at the University of Phoenix. When I started I wanted to be an Elementary Education Major. I took a job as an In School Suspension teacher with the local middle school. I am glad that I have because I discovered that I no longer want any part of an education degree. I am in the process of changing my major to Business Management and I believe for this major I may be in the wrong school. I enjoy taking the Cleps, and ACE (straighterline) classes and want to continue taking them. Could I get my degree quicker at another school if I decided to change. After this I need to be able to continue to my Masters.

Any opinions will be appreciated!!

[Lindagerr]

You picked the worst job and a difficult age level to try out teaching. I love teaching and middle school, but I would never willingly do an In School Suspension class.

If you are sure you want out of teaching look into one of the Big 3. You can CLEP,DSST,TECEP and ECE to all or 95% of your degree at TESC, Excelsior or Charter Oaks. Probably a lot cheaper then at U of P.

[MISin08]

If you hate teaching middle schoolers with an attitude, you wont like management any better IMHO.

Phillip

[rebel100]

If you hate teaching middle schoolers with an attitude, you wont like management any better IMHO.

Phillip

LOL !!!

Ain't it the TRUTH !

[creative]

If you hate teaching middle schoolers with an attitude, you wont like management any better IMHO.

Phillip

Love this! hilarious

[jackzack87]

I am currently enrolled at the University of Phoenix. When I started I wanted to be an Elementary Education Major. I took a job as an In School Suspension teacher with the local middle school. I am glad that I have because I discovered that I no longer want any part of an education degree. I am in the process of changing my major to Business Management and I believe for this major I may be in the wrong school. I enjoy taking the Cleps, and ACE (straighterline) classes and want to continue taking them. Could I get my degree quicker at another school if I decided to change. After this I need to be able to continue to my Masters.

Any opinions will be appreciated!!

My friend is going to be a UoP grad. He actually started before I did, and we both followed similar paths (getting some credits at comm. colleges before deciding what we wanted to do)

I am scheduled to graduate from TESC this month, and he is 4 months behind me at UoP. The issue with phoenix is that you cannot take more than 1 class at a time - which only lasts 6 weeks, but considering that you can take up to 4 classes at TESC in a 12 week span, it makes a difference when you compare the two.

I am in a slightly different program - the BS in Organizational Leadership, which is in the same business field as a BS in Biz man, but focuses more on management/leadership.

Your ability to get done quickly will depend on a couple things, and the first is how many CLEP/DSST you can pass and your college will accept. UoP is not the most friendly in this category, but I do not know the stats on it.

Me - I will be at TESC 1 year this month, and graduate, after transferring 60 CLEP/DSST and 24 CC credits. I did the 60 and 24 in 1.5 years.

My friend will have been at UoP for 2.5 years when he graduates, after two years of CC/University credits. He never tapped into CLEP/DSST.

[targetoncleps]

I am actually going back to management because it is where I am comfortable. I have owned two businesses with employees and it is much easier to deal with them than some of the kids in school today that do no wrong according to the parents and it is always the schools fault.

[mkraus1224]

JackZack you are a bit mis-guided. Most courses at UoP are 5 weeks in length not 6. You also leave out some crtical information, did your friend take any breaks between courses?

You also mention that you took CLEP and DSST testing and that your friend did not. CLEP and DSST testing is an advantage over no testing as you can easily study for two weeks and take a test to get you out of a course.

I know, I just took Humanities after studying for only two weeks which gives me 6 credits. This is the equivilent of 10 weeks at UoP.

Lastly, you state you can not take more than one class at UoP at a time. This is also not correct. You can take as many classes at a time as you want, that is if you can afford to pay for the additional classes out of pocket as it is the lender that will not allow you to take more than one class at a time.

Again, I know this because I just took two courses at the same time in order to advance my graduation. I paid for one on the loan and the other out of pocket. There was no issue with this at all with the school or my counselor.

I really like UoP because it fits into my busy schedule. I will continue after my Software Engineering degree toward my masters from UoP.

Point is, you seem to have a lot of bad information and not all the facts are present....

Feel free to provide all of the facts about your friends education, testing and if he tooks breaks between classes or not...

[jackzack87]

[QUOTE=mkraus1224]JackZack you are a bit mis-guided. Most courses at UoP are 5 weeks in length not 6. You also leave out some crtical information, did your friend take any breaks between courses?
I know they are 5 weeks - that was a mistype. My apologies. My Friend did not take any breaks, except for the few weeks when UoP was processing him as a new student.


You also mention that you took CLEP and DSST testing and that your friend did not. CLEP and DSST testing is an advantage over no testing as you can easily study for two weeks and take a test to get you out of a course.
Yes...that's exactly true. I hope it was clear that I took CLEPS and that they are a time-saver. My time spent at my college was greatly reduced by that. I make the point that TESC was very flexible in receiving CLEP/DSST, and from my understanding UoP will not accept the quantity that TESC will. Hence, saving me time.


Lastly, you state you can not take more than one class at UoP at a time. This is also not correct. You can take as many classes at a time as you want, that is if you can afford to pay for the additional classes out of pocket as it is the lender that will not allow you to take more than one class at a time.
I am very surpised to hear this and thank you for making it clear. I was told that you could only take one class per 5-week semester, without any exceptions. This certainly is a difference. I would find it hard to take two or three classes in a five-week span, but that's besides the point. Thanks for the input

[mkraus1224]

The smart way to take two courses at a time is to start the second course two weeks into the first course as most of the harder work in the course is toward the end. The first week is usually a filler and gives the student time to get settled into class and review the requirements and work with thier learning team. The second week is easy enought to be able to work on that weeks assignemnts and assignments for the following weeks.

Normally, I can have all of my individual assignments for class one done by the end of week 2. Finish my part of the learning assignment by week three and just need to make participation posts and review the work to make sure it is in good form.

By the time I start class 2, I am well prepared in class one and can work on class 2.

So, in theory, if you have the money to pay for classes out of pocket, either through tuition aid or on your own, you can finish a 4 year degree in 2 years if you double up the classes. Even quicker if you can CLEP a few easy tests while going to school such as the computer CLEP. That one was easy if you have been into computers for any length of time.

The hardest part about this is keeping whats due in which class at what time straight. I used a dry erase board to keep track and cross off the papers or projects as I completed them, and of course the stress involved with two classes at a time with a 10-12hr a day job and caring for my son while my wife was at work.

My typical day was as follows:
5:30 AM get up and ready for work.
6:30 AM Arrive at work
12:00 PM Break for lunch and answer a few DQ's or participation posts while I can.
1:00 PM return to work
5-6:30 PM off of work, pick up baby from sitter take him home and watch over him.
9-10 PM Baby is down and can log into school and grab a bite to eat
10 PM -11:30PM work on Individual or Team projects for Class 1
11:30 - 1 AM work on projects for Class 2
1 AM - 5:30 AM Sleep

On the weekends I would spend at least 8 hours a day completing and finalizing projects for both classes. It is a hectic schedule and stressful or tiring but well worth it to be able to complete a degree in such a short amount of time.