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Frustrated - KravGirl - 01-15-2010
I am really, really frustrated right now... banghead
I'm trying to find out where I can CLEP at least all of my Core for the state of Texas before finishing a Bachelor's in Dietetics at TWU. I may even be able to do my entire Associate's, but according to 2 community colleges and TWU, I have limits on how many semester hours I am able to test! The community colleges are only letting me test 18 hours, and TWU only up to 30. Does anyone know of a college I can get a full Associate's Degree or at least all of my Core through CLEP testing? I already know that I can't do it at TESC because they are apparently for people who already have college credits and want to change/finish a degree.
I feel like I can't get anywhere with this and I don't want to give up but it seems like no matter how much I try to find out I can't get any information that I need! None of my family has ever gone to college so they aren't having any luck helping me find any information because none of us known what to look for, who to call, what to ask, etc. Could someone please, please help me find a college that I can earn enough credits for my AD through CLEP tests?
Thank you.
Frustrated - studyhard - 01-15-2010
KravGirl Wrote:I am really, really frustrated right now... banghead
I'm trying to find out where I can CLEP at least all of my Core for the state of Texas before finishing a Bachelor's in Dietetics at TWU. I may even be able to do my entire Associate's, but according to 2 community colleges and TWU, I have limits on how many semester hours I am able to test! The community colleges are only letting me test 18 hours, and TWU only up to 30. Does anyone know of a college I can get a full Associate's Degree or at least all of my Core through CLEP testing? I already know that I can't do it at TESC because they are apparently for people who already have college credits and want to change/finish a degree.
I am a little confused by your comments about TESC. You are aware that TESC will pretty much let you test out of anything that there is a CLEP or DSST for, right? I might be misunderstanding you, but it sounds like you are confused on that point. I got a bachelor's in history from TESC and tested out of everything except 6 credits--and that was because there weren't enough history CLEPs or DSSTs to satisfy the credit requirements.
Frustrated - Lindagerr - 01-15-2010
You can just take a CLEP and have the credits sent to TESC and that will get you started.
Don't give up it can be hard in the beginning to understand all the ins and outs of a college degree, but the people here are always a great help.
Good luck with your plans
Frustrated - NAP - 01-15-2010
As far as I know, you can use exams to get most if not all of a degree from any of the Big Three. This depends mostly on your choice of major.
A BIG thing that you need to know:
Keep an eye on the requirements of the 4 year program that you are planning to transfer your credits to. Their policies will be what counts the most for you. If you get an associate degree from another school, the 4 year school will decide which and how many of those credits will be applied to the 4 year degree. It takes a lot of vigilance to be sure that there will be a smooth transfer. Many people end up taking and retaking classes because of transfer difficulties.
It sounds like you are interested in a major that is only offered in a more traditional setting. This is likely to limit how many credits you can get through CLEP.
Frustration is normal. Just keep reading policies and learning how to do this.
Keep letting us know how we can help you.
Frustrated - JanusthePhoenix - 01-15-2010
Going for a specialized degree like that, I would say that 30 CLEP credit limit is pretty good. The norm for most state schools, I think. That's a full year of tuition knocked out for very little time and money. Just my .02
Frustrated - MissCLEP - 01-16-2010
Hi KravGirl!
I know what it's like to be frustrated with a college's CLEP policy. I live in Texas too, and my community college, and my university (not in Texas), has the same policies as your's. What I'm doing, and what I would recommend you do, is to test out of the 30 credits allowed by the college where you will get your actual 4 year degree. This will end up saving you more time and money in the long run. I looked up TWU's CLEP policy, and it looks like you can test out of almost all of the core requirements for your intended degree. I would recommend you go ahead and fulfill these requirements through testing, and then use your community college to take other lower level classes that you can't test out of. If you did this, you might not be able to get a whole Associates from your community college, but you would still be saving money. If you can test out of 30 of your core credits, and transfer in another semester or whole year of community college classes, you'll be doing very well! This is the approach I'm taking, and so far it's working really well. Just remember to work closely with your community college advisor, and make sure that all the classes you take are transferable.
Anyway, that's just my take on your situation. Hope this helps!
Frustrated - P00057870 - 01-16-2010
MissCLEP is giving you very good advice.
I would like to suggest something to add to this. Look at your community college (CC) and see what online classes they have that meet your lower level credit requirements for TWU.
Personally, I have found it fairly easy to be taking at least one online class a semester and at the same time try to study and test out of the CLEPs and DSSTs I've mapped out. I know of others who take a full workload at the CC and still work in a few CLEPs each semester. If mapped out properly and you also have the stamina to carry it off, you may be able to complete 2+ years worth of credits in 1 year and move on to your ultimate goal -- your 4 year degree.
You have to look at your study style, stamina, and drive -- in order to make these decisions. If you are returning to school after a long hiatus (like I did) I had to start out slower and figure out what could be accomplished along with my full-time job and family obligations.
This is a learn as you go process, while you figure out what works for you.
Good luck and let us know if we can help with any other questions.
Judy