marianne202 Wrote:Hi,

I would put all your FEMA's on ACE if they can transfer. You should also check on your other certifications, as some of them my be awarded ACE credit. I would send your transcript to Excelsior to see what they will accept. EC did accept my EMT classes for my first degree, but wouldn't accept my EMT proper class, but they did take my re-cert classes and my EMS courses such as cardiac care and pharmacology. Excelsior accepts a lot of military training and IT certs, so some of these they may accept as well. After you have an evaluation you will know where you stand. What type of degree are you wanting to pursue? You could almost totally test out of a liberal studies bachelor's degree. If we knew the degree you wanted it would be easier. You can also find a TESC degree plan in the Wiki or on here that might help you too. Just do a search.

rebel100 Wrote:Ok, a couple of things...

First it might be helpful to know what state your in...often it's irrelevant, but there are some exceptional programs out there that could change the advice you receive.

Second you really should complete your FAFSA application at fafsa.gov It's free to complete and you will then know if there are any grants out there. If you receive grant money it may change how you can most economically finish the program. Money opens doors...

I completed my degree at Charter Oak due primarily to their customer service and the fact that they bent over backwards in working with my financial aid. TESC and EC are also great choices...but I don't know nearly as much about their programs so the following is geared towards COSC.

You need the following Gen Eds

General Education requirements.

(6)English Comp 1,2 YOUR DONE WITH THIS

(3)Oral Communications Speech, DSST (3 credits)

(3)Literature/Fine Arts Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP (6 credits)

(3)Math ALEKS College Algebra (3) OR CLEP College Math (6) OR CLEP College Algebra (3) OR Straighterline College math (3)

(3)Ethics Saylor Organization Business Ethics (3 credits)

(4-6)Natural Science YOUR DONE WITH THIS

(3)US History or US Gov. Any US History/Government DSST or CLEP (3)

Behavioral Science
Global Studies
Non-US History All three of these requirements are satisfied by the single exam DSST Human Cultural Geography (3)

You may have some of those done...look though your CC credits and see if I missed any.

With the above completed I think you have enough credit from FEMA, EMS, and the other certs to qualify for an AS degree once you take the Cornerstone Course is complete. That's only 6 exams/courses and a single COSC class. Around $500 for the exams and $1000 or so for the Cornerstone, application fee, enrollment fee, etc...

While your completing the above the rest of your credit will be evaluated and you will see what you need to finish the last 60 credits. I think your going to have about 30 credits at the UL left at least 15 of those UL credits will have to be in your concentration. Health Care makes a sensible choice for you...but your not likely to find enough UL credit by exam in that to test out....are classes an option? You can also go Organizational Leadership but you run into the same problem plus you would need the Principles of Marketing and Management CLEP's to round out the plan of study (I think).

Look through the Master list of exams and try to find enough UL between TECEP, DSST,and EC exams to round out an UL concentration of at least 15 credits (those 15 with the capstone will give you the magic 18 you need) the other 12 credits can have at least 9 in a concentration or even be free UL electives (if you write it up right) We are only talking 9 courses or exams here there are some cheap self paced credit options out there:

The University of Idaho Independent studies courses are only $300 there are plenty of courses here in History, Psychology. The psych courses should be able to fit a health care concentration with a little creative writing Psychology-Independent Study in Idaho-University of Idaho Social Science has an ethics course that would satisfy your LL ethics requirement and count as an UL course...always nice to find a twofer History makes sense as there are at least a ccouple of credit by exam options like the Civil War DSST and U of Idaho has all of these History-Independent Study in Idaho-University of Idaho If you like history this might be a good fit for you. I don't believe there is any way to use financial aid for these...so it would have to come out of pocket.

CSU-Pueblo has a bunch of self paced courses that would be useful in a sociology/organizational leadership concentration. They worked with me and COSC to maximize my use of financial aid...the customer service was excellent. Here are a couple courses in Health Care Nursing > Division of Continuing Education > Colorado State University-Pueblo note one is in ethics and would satisfy two requirements these two along with the DSST Substance Abuse could be your secondary concentration. Under Management they have enough courses to just about complete a primary concentration in Organizational Leadership/Management Management > Division of Continuing Education > Colorado State University-Pueblo

And of course if you can find enough CBE at the UL you wouldn't have to take any actual courses except the cornerstone and capstone. The COSC Master List of Exams link is in my previous post.