*facepalm* Excelsior says I need two more classes

[rickyjo]

I've been informed I need another humanities class and another social studies class. Apparently the requirements have changed since I developed my degree path. It's a sad day for me--had to fight the urge to break the computer.

On a brighter note I thought that the A+ and N+ were worth only one credit and they are giving me two for both, additionally the N+ and an ALEKS course are being counted as upper level, big step forward in my 4 year degree goals. It looks like I'll only need to use 9 FEMA classes, very helpful as far as money goes.

Another thing I've been considering is switching to TESC, since FEMA is free and it turns out I have to take additional classes for EC after all. The benefit of EC has declined to the point I no longer know which school would be better--but I'm pretty sure TESC would be cheaper and that makes a big differance.

Does anybody have an accurate and modern degree outline for the Excelsior College A.S. program? I was going to call them today but forgot about the time difference. I'm also looking for the structure of their liberal arts bachelors degree. Links appreciated if available. I would like to have my homework done before I call tomorrow, just in case there was a mistake and they don't see it.

Thanks everyone for all your help! Just a couple more bumps to sort out and then all will be well again.

[NAP]

Hi Rickyjo!

Please share more details. I don't see what we could have missed.

Here is the latest (11/2010) AS chart:

https://my.excelsior.edu/c/document_libr...upId=78666

Note: I don't see any changes to the AS requirements.

Here is the latest (11/2010) BS chart:

https://my.excelsior.edu/c/document_libr...upId=78666

[marianne202]

I'm sorry to hear about this, but can't say I'm surprised given my issues with EC. Your degree requirements shouldn't change once you register, so I would dig out your degree requirements when you enrolled and use that to compare what you have and what they are asking for. If you enrolled under a previous catalog a new catalog won't apply. Just keep on them. I have found that some of the LA advisors are better to deal with than in other areas so let them walk you through it. I'm not sure TESC would be less expensive as their enrollment fee is very expensive without any payment plan. Can't you do any CLEP or DSST exams for your remaining social science or humanities? That would be your cheapest option. I know your frustration. Good luck!

[NAP]

Here's what I see. What do they see that's different?

Associate in Science at Excelsior College – 60 credits

General Education for AS – 9 credits in two areas and 6 credits in one area

Humanities – have 9 credits

AP English Lit - 6 credits (see WER)
Music Appreciation Penn Foster class – 3 credits
Art Appreciation Penn Foster class – 3

Social Sciences/History – have 6

Straighterline Macro Econ - 3
Straighterline Micro Econ – 3

Math/Natural Science - have 9

ALEKS Math – 9

Written English Requirement – 3 credits – passed AP English Lit for 6 credits

Information Literacy – 1 credit – have through Penn Foster

Arts and Sciences – have 3 UL credits - ALEKS Stats

Arts and Sciences/Applied Professional – 29 credits

Decide on best combination of Computing, Accounting, NFA, and FEMA.
(For instance, NFA will transfer for free on ACE transcript with ALEKS credits.)

[rickyjo]

Marianne:
Alas, I am not actually enrolled at Excelsior, this was the initial unofficial review. All my work thus-far has been done without enrolling at any college.

NAP:
I don't have much information, they didn't bother to give the template totals, only the remainders. The only thing that doesn't make sense is that there appears to be a humanities core, it has been satisfied but the generic humanities category is not satisfied. It's almost like it's the A.A. template instead of the A.S.

They did take both economics classes so I'm baffled that I allegedly need more social studies.

PS> I just looked at your PDF chart for the AS, if this is accurate and current then it appears that EC made a mistake. I feel informed and ready to do battle.

Wish me luck!

[rickyjo]

As for the info on the BS, wow! All I need are 25 upper level credits+capstone (gag) And I'm done :-D

I wish that Penn Foster would hurry up and get their upper level classes ACE approved, but in the meantime I think I will consider pursuing the BS in the near future after all.

The trick will be finding a cost effective method of obtaining upper level credit in addition to CLEP. Yes, I will probably do some CLEP but I don't plan on doing more than half the credit that way. I've never needed upper level credit before so my knowledge on the topic is basically 0.

[NAP]

Just calmly walk through it with them. They may have missed something, or we may be missing something. They have made several changes at the school lately and look at these all day; it would be easy to make a mistake.

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So, you're saying you are a senior already. That's great!

I compiled a UL list for finishing a BSLS at Excelsior. You'll need to adjust it to reflect your current UL credits.

The most inexpensive way I know of to get 30 UL credits for a BS is going to be (by enrolling after July 1, 2010):

All 4 DANTES exams in Arts & Sciences – 12 UL –
Civil War
Soviet Union
Money & Banking
Business Ethics & Society

3 out of 4 DANTES exams in Applied Professional – 9 UL –
Management Information Systems
Principles of Finance
Substance Abuse
Business Law II

1 ALEKS Stats – 3 UL

1 ECE in Arts & Sciences – 3 UL

1 Capstone course at EC – 3 UL

Note: CLEP credit is not awarded as upper-level at EC.

Since you should already have a depth in math, what will you choose for your second depth?

[NAP]

Before I forget:

Whenever you start to create a plan for a BSLS, make sure you have enough Arts & Sciences credits. You need 30 more for a total of 60 in Arts & Sciences. The UL plan I posted above with 9 UL in Applied Professional would leave you 9 Arts & Sciences credits short. You could get them through lower level options, like CLEP or DANTES, which would help if you wanted to create a depth in history, for instance. Another way to solve this would be to get more UL credits in Arts & Sciences and none or fewer UL in Applied Professional.

[rickyjo]

Excelsior made two mistakes one during the review, and one prior.

The mistake made during the review was not totally explained to me, but I only need one class, not two. So that's mostly good news.

The mistake made prior to the review was telling me that I could split up my AP Lit test into both humanities and written English. Apparently this is against their policy.
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So end result: I need one class in humanities or social science. This feels familiar!
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NAP: digesting your post now, will post about the BS after I sort a few things out

[rickyjo]

I wonder if NOW I can take the English I or II class at straighterline and get it applied to my degree as a humanity? If that turns out to be true: *facepalm x2*