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+--- Thread: College Algebra CLEP/ALEKS: I'm lost, confused, and terrified. Advice PLEASE? (/Thread-College-Algebra-CLEP-ALEKS-I-m-lost-confused-and-terrified-Advice-PLEASE)
College Algebra CLEP/ALEKS: I'm lost, confused, and terrified. Advice PLEASE? - HelpMe - 03-23-2011
Hi, this is a long story but you may need some background on me: I am a college transfer student who has just been accepted into a pretty decent university. I completed all the necessary courses to get into this school except the math requirement. I don't know if maybe I have some sort of learning disability or what, but I just cannot pass algebra courses.
I have tried. Repeatedly. :imwithstupid:
So I gave up on college mainly due to financial reasons but also partly due to the math. Now I am trying again, and this may be my last chance at college (again, long story). It was a miracle this university accepted me and I can't let this opportunity pass me by.
Anyway, in order to graduate and transfer, at my 2 year college I would have needed to take the prerequisites beginning algebra and intermediate algebra in order to then take statistics in order to graduate and transfer. For a lot of reasons, I didn't (LONG story).
Now I am in trouble because this university expects me to complete statistics or an equivalent math course by, I think, June. But the sooner the better.
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So my Marine friend told me about CLEP. I called the university to ask if they would accept CLEP in lieu of taking a statistics class at my college. The guy had to ask his supervisor, then said they would accept it, but it has to be either "College Algebra with trig" (Need 49% to pass) or "Calculus with elementary functions" (51% to pass).
Er....but later I realized CLEP's test is merely called college algebra. No mention of trig. Maybe the guy was confused?
So now I see that ALEKS has a course called "College Algebra With Trig."
Uh oh. Maybe he meant I should take this course???? :confused:
Yes, of course, I will be calling and asking them tomorrow, but I'm so worried I just have to ask someone some questions:______________________________________________________________
I was looking at the ALEKS site. So their College Algebra with trig course can be taken in order to prepare for CLEP? I heard someone mention something about a one month course. But apparently ALEKS will charge your card $20 every month. I'm running out of time, so I really don't want to take any course more than a month long. Plus...I don't even have a credit card, although I could try asking a friend for theirs.
I am willing to try other courses or exams, but money is a HUGE factor. I barely have enough for the CLEP, although if ALEKS is only $20 I can squeeze that in somehow. I will rob a bank if I have to LOL!!! :nopity:
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Ok so here it is in a nutshell.
1. I need to satisfy a univeristy's math requirements by early JUNE. It is much too late to take traditional college courses. What are my options? Just CLEP?Exam/course must be completed and all grades final by then. Preferably much sooner!
2. I am hopelessly incompetant at algebra. May have a learning disability. Exams/courses must be as painless and idiot proof as possible! Honestly I am not trying to be lazy - I have worked at trying to grasp this stuff, but I am utterly TERRIFIED. :eek:
3. Money is a factor.
Ok that's it for now...Sorry to ramble on and ask a lot of dumb stuff, but this is all very new to me so as you can see, I'm quite bewildered as to what I should do. I am checking dozens of sites at the moment.
Thank you to anyone who can take the time to respond. I am extremely grateful for any help anyone can give me!!!!
College Algebra CLEP/ALEKS: I'm lost, confused, and terrified. Advice PLEASE? - Firedup4Jesus - 03-24-2011
Okay so here's the deal...Aleks is not a website set up to prepare you for CLEP testing. It is an alternative. Yes, it costs $20 a month and it is worth every penny!!! Now as to how long it takes...that is up to you. It just depends on how much you know already, how much time you are willing to invest and how quickly you learn.
I will try to explain ALEKS and how it works the best I can. But if you are interested, take the trial offer:Free Trial
So once you sign up for their service you choose a course. In your case I would recommend beginning algebra. (because the algebra courses build on each other) After you choose your course you take and assessment test to see how much you already know. Take your time and just do your best. If you fail miserably it's not the end of the world.
Then depending on how many of the questions yo got right on the test, that is what % you start out with already complete. (hang with me...) Then you start working through each different kind of problem. You will probably not know the answer right off, thats okay. So you click on the explain button and it will show you have to solve the problem. You keep looking at the explanations until you think you understand it well enough to try one yourself. You do 1-5 problems then it counts it towards you %. After working though quite a few problems you will be tested to see what you remember. The answers you get right will be the one's that are officially added to your % on you pie chart. Once you have 70% or greater on your chart you go to ACE (you need to set up an account with them, it won't cost anything until you request your transcript[from them] to be sent to your school) So you go to ACE and log into your profile and click on my course...then you click on add a new course...then you request that your newly completed course from ALEKS be put on your transcript. Maybe this is too detailed but I didn't want to leave any gaps!Now before you go to all this trouble make sure your school accepts ACE recommended courses. The reason you don't get the credits directly from ALEKS is because (unlike ACE) the are not accredited. This sounds like too much work but it really is a life saver! I love math and I was scared to death to take the college algebra test so I went with ALEKS instead.
That's not to say you could not pass the CLEP test!!! If you like to study and take tests or you are just a very determined person then go for it! But like I said on the other blog that was so confusing...(sorry about that!)...the flashcards on the website don't cover college algebra but it does cover the mathematics CLEP. So I don't know how much help the flashcards will be if you decide to go the CLEP testing way.
I hope this helps even just a little!
eeya: