cookderosa Wrote:Having spent the better part of my adult life in a community college setting, I'm going to say that you're suffering from "Rose Colored Glasses Syndrome." It is, however, cured in about 16 weeks.
Adults do exceptionally well in community college. You'll probably be shocked, and saddened, that earning a degree isn't as hard as you thought, and that you're a better student than you thought. You'll sit next to cheaters, and others who are invested in their own learning. Know that close to 80% in your freshman class will not finish their first year, a good chunk won't finish this semester. Your instructor may, or may not, opt to show up to every class; might be younger than you. Fellow classmates may, or may not, bother with turning in assignments and taking quizzes. It's probably not nearly as glamorous, challenging, or engaging as you hope. University attendance, however, will be different. In my opinion, earning your AA should be as fast and painless as possible, and above all else without debt, so you can go on about the business of taking your 300/400 level courses at the university.

Seriously, I respect your path, and I think that an articulation agreement is a smart play. I would say, if you're open, to pull up that list of acceptable CLEP exams at your school, and hold off on taking the CLASSES until you're into your second semester. That gives you time to decide whether or not you'd like to integrate more exams in your AA degree path. Once you complete the CLASS, you've used up that option for the corresponding exam. (CLEP exams will only count at the AA level, but will roll into your articulation agreement so it won't matter what exams the university does or doesn't accept. It will be a block transfer. You didn't ask, but it's worth adding)

EDIT: what your advising office told you doesn't count. You have to read the written policy, and let me emphasize, there IS ONE.