Alpha Numerics For Dummies

[wwfjdraw]

Also would you agree aswell that TESC is my best bet considering everything I told you, and what I generally am trying to do with easy credits to fill in hard courses or the most courses? Or is Charter Oak or Excelsior perhaps for any reason a better choice?

I still don't know what you want to study, you haven't answered any of my questions

Your right, I apologize, you are right and I am wrong, I appreciate any and all help given towards my questions.

To answer the question I believe you are referring to. I honestly (as bad as this makes me sound) don't want to study anything. I just want a degree that qualifies me for most entry level jobs. I suppose the degree I would want is in business or liberal arts/studies and a major or concentration (preferrably a major) in management, (management is my first choice, my second is in criminal justice), (and my third in retail, and my fourth in human resources, and so on), as for which path and final choice I would make, it would be based on which one locks me into the easiest degree requirements to fullfill in credits and coursework.

Which is why I have turned to the big three. And also mostly to TESC because of the fact that I heard that if you lets say transfer in like 117 credits from other sources like pla, certifications, fema and other sources regarding credit obtained in self graded, or self administered, or non proctored, (whatever you call it when you can't fail, and or can look up the answers), and then after applying these to the hardest course credit requirements and then leaving me with the easiest course left, so that I can clep it or take the course and Ace it and get a 4.0 GPA.

This is my goal, to do (and I hope this doesn't sound bad). But to take all these failproof courses transfer the credit, and use this transfer credit to elminate the hard courses and get an easy course fullfilled with a perfect GPA.

[wwfjdraw]

In a perfect world, I would be able to do all this and get a major in management of some kind and minor in criminal justice, this could be in either my first choice of a business degree or my second choice a liberal arts degree. Hopefully this would qualify me for a large amount of jobs, and done easy and fast.

Again mostly through fema and stuff.

[cookderosa]

Your right, I apologize, you are right and I am wrong, I appreciate any and all help given towards my questions.

To answer the question I believe you are referring to. I honestly (as bad as this makes me sound) don't want to study anything. I just want a degree that qualifies me for most entry level jobs. I suppose the degree I would want is in business or liberal arts/studies and a major or concentration (preferrably a major) in management, (management is my first choice, my second is in criminal justice), (and my third in retail, and my fourth in human resources, and so on), as for which path and final choice I would make, it would be based on which one locks me into the easiest degree requirements to fullfill in credits and coursework.

Which is why I have turned to the big three. And also mostly to TESC because of the fact that I heard that if you lets say transfer in like 117 credits from other sources like pla, certifications, fema and other sources regarding credit obtained in self graded, or self administered, or non proctored, (whatever you call it when you can't fail, and or can look up the answers), and then after applying these to the hardest course credit requirements and then leaving me with the easiest course left, so that I can clep it or take the course and Ace it and get a 4.0 GPA.

This is my goal, to do (and I hope this doesn't sound bad). But to take all these failproof courses transfer the credit, and use this transfer credit to elminate the hard courses and get an easy course fullfilled with a perfect GPA.

As far as I know, the closest thing to non-proctored, self graded, self administered credits are FEMA (free elective) and ALEKS (lower level math). These are pass/fail and have no impact on your GPA. The exams are graded in terms of a number correct/a number wrong. They are not graded in terms of a letter grade. The most credit you can earn if you use EVERY SINGLE ONE of these will be 28 free elective, 9 general education math, and 12 general education elective. (not 117, and fewer if you are a business major. To pull that off, you need to pass all maths up through pre-cal as well as statistics, not easy!)

For credits that are not graded, but are the result of an exam, you can use CLEP or DSST exams. These will be pass/fail and have no impact on your GPA. These are not easy exams, and they are not failproof. You pay to take each one at a local testing center. Without study- you won't pass. There is no limit to how many CLEP/DSST exams you can transfer in, but a 6 month waiting period for each one that you pass. (and you'll be out about $100)

If you are creative, YOU can build a plan to use as many FEMA, ALEKS, and others. I don't suggest PLAs, but that's an option if you have piles of money and endless weeks of time to roll that die.

You should also know that the only thing unique about the big 3 is the no-residency requirement. They are, in fact, colleges in every other way.

You did ask about how to ace a course. Distance learning classes rely heavily on written communication by default. I think you'll find very few classes that don't require a significant amount of writing, even less that would be snap to "ace." If you find writing to be among your strengths, you might enjoy distance learning courses. If not, the courses will be considerably difficult for you.

As far as not studying anything, that won't happen here. There are unaccredited degree mills that will (illegally) sell you a fake diploma. In some states it is a crime to even own one of these, and certainly any job will fire you if this is discovered. Our forum teaches you how to use alternate methods to obtain credit WITHIN the existing academic parameters of accredited colleges. This isn't a system, we simply discuss ways to maximize time/money by testing out of that institution's courses when allowed. If you are willing to study hard and do the work, you can earn your 4 year degree in under a year- legally. So, where there's a will there's a way!

You might toss your question out into the forum as a new thread, this thread is specifically about alpha-numerics, and I'm afraid we have gotten way off topic! Have a great day!

[WENDYSGADSON]

Ok, no one here is a dummy I thought I'd steal that title . After a couple mix ups, I thought this post might be helpful for people who might be confused about credit classification. It's important to remember the distinction between types of credits when picking your credits. This isn't an inclusive tutorial, but this covers most of it.

The alpha-numeric is the course prefix and number: ENG101 (English department, course 101)

Starting at the top, here are the basics-

Liberal Arts/General Education (also called Gen Ed) credits include only credits classified as: math, natural science, social science, and humanities.

[INDENT][/INDENT]To find a credit classification, if it's a class, look at the prefix (not title). For example- PSY101 or PSCH101 both indicate the department to be psychology. Psychology is a social science- so therefore, this class will be a liberal arts credit.
Here is another example.
Class: MAT121 Algebra for Nurses vs. NUR121 Algebra for Nurses
In this example, these classes are not the same. MAT121 will be a general education course (math = liberal arts) while NUR121 will be a free elective. More about free electives later.

General Education Electives credits include only credits classified as: math, natural science, social science, and humanities- this is an overflow area.

[INDENT][/INDENT]Once you have met all of your college's general education requirements (12 social science, 12 humanities, etc) then any additional courses in these areas will overflow into GENERAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES. In this area, the only requirement is that the course be from the liberal arts area- in other words it's an elective because they are not restricting you from picking the subject. You could have 18 credits in humanities- or 3 humanities...it's up to you. This type of elective must be liberal arts.

Major/Concentration
This area is specific to your area of study. The classes in this area are usually very specific, can be from any classification, and in any amount. Where a class is classified if it is OUTSIDE a major is irrelevant- if it is a major requirement, that trumps everything else. The class Microeconomics, for example, can be a major requirement (also called core requirement). In this case, the fact that it would be social science in someone else's degree doesn't matter. In this degree it is a core/major. Likewise, the course Global Business would be a free elective in another degree, while the business student would include that in major.

Free Electives This is the only area without restriction. Any overflow from Gen Ed Electives, Major, or previous transfer credits can all fall here. This is the bottom of the hierarchy, the basement if you will. Even as a business major, a class in welding could be "used" because the credit was regionally accredited or ACE evaluated. FEMA classes fall here. Credits that are free electives either start here (because they are not liberal arts or in major) or they end up here (as overflow from another area). In the first example, the NUR121 Algebra for Nursing will be in this category because it is not a math class- it is a nursing class. Now, only if the student was a BSN/nursing student would there be a possibility of this class being raised up to major/concentration.

Unofficial Evaluations
You can get a general idea of where your credits are going to be classified if you follow these principles. For anyone with an AAS/AOS degree- the majority of your credits will be free electives if they are not your new major. (because- in major can be dictated by the college- all rules are out the window) If you have an AA/AS, then the majority of your credits will be liberal arts, thus the overflow will put you in an optimal position of only needing credits in major + free electives.
There is one area that can be confusing- computers. Some schools consider computer courses math, others consider it an applied technology course. Otherwise, credit evaluation is very very simple- and when you pull together all of your transcripts- simply look for the prefix (also called alphas) and classify.

A short list of prefixes, there are millions more

Liberal Arts:
[INDENT]MATH[/INDENT]
MAT, math
*some computer prefixes apply, but I'm leaving those off

[INDENT]NATURAL SCIENCE[/INDENT]
BIO, biology
CHE, CHM, chemistry
PHY, physics

[INDENT]HUMANITIES[/INDENT]
PHI, PHL, philosophy
ART, art
MUS, music
LIT, literature
ENG, english
REL, religion
FRE, french
SPA, SPI, SPN, spanish
GER, german
RUS, russian

[INDENT]SOCIAL SCIENCE[/INDENT]
ANT, anthropology
ARC, archeology
PSY, PSC, PSYH, psychology
SOC, sociology
SOS, social sciences
ECO, economics
GVT, government
HIS, history
CMJ, CJ, criminal justice

Not Liberal Arts - everything else
Courses taught from these departments are NOT liberal arts:
Business, Nursing, all health fields, counseling or social work, law enforcement, culinary arts, Industrial arts, anything with the word technology in the department name, child care, most classes in certificate programs, all continuing education programs, cosmetology, welding, equestrian, accounting, horticulture, and ALL CLASSES from departments that offer AAS or AOS degrees instead of AS or AA degrees - no matter the title.

The numeric part of alpha-numerics.
000- remedial course. Can count as credit (for financial aid, to determine course load, enrollment status, as a pre-req) but does not count as meeting degree requirement.
100 - one hundred level, freshman
200 - two hundred level, sophomore
300 - three hundred level, junior
400 - four hundred level, senior

some colleges require x number of credits at each level. Schools like TESC count 200 and above as upper level (for purposes of credit in major) while other schools like EC spell out 300 and 400 level requirements. Generally, courses at the 100 level are not allowed as part of your major- but some schools, like TESC, will allow a few (TESC allows 2).


Here is an attempt at a flow chart to sum up the concepts:

Math = Liberal Arts Gen Ed requirement -> Overflows to Gen ed. electives -> Overflows to free elective
Natural Science = Liberal Arts Gen Ed requirement -> Overflows to Gen ed. electives -> Overflows to free elective
Humanities = Liberal Arts Gen Ed requirement -> Overflows to Gen ed. electives -> Overflows to free elective
Social Science = Liberal Arts Gen Ed requirement -> Overflows to Gen ed. electives -> Overflows to free elective
Courses in major = Major requirement -> Overflows to free elective (unless from math, science, humanities, soc science dept- use flow chart)
Everything Else = Free electives

Jennifer, thank you for this information it has really helped me to understand what I need and where I need to go. You seem to be on the same path as I am on. I have a BS in Health Care Management, AS in Nursing, AA in Accounting. So I am trying to see what credits I can use toward my masters in nursing and Ph.D in psychology. If you have any other information you would like to share I would appreciate it. I am trying to get my nursing through EC I just need to finish my MS in nursing within two years or less. Anyone can help if they want.

Wendy

[littleloulou28]

I have read these posts over and over and all around lol but I am still not understanding something...Does Excelsior give credit for FEMA. Can I go to the site online take the courses and get credit through the process for Applied professional credits? I have almost everything done, I only need 10 Applied professional credits and 1 SS and History credit. Iw as thinking if I did the SS and Hist exam worth 6 credits then the remaining 5 would spill over into applied professional and I could take the remaining 5 through FEMA.

[NAP]

Yes, that should work. BUT EC does not seem to take the FEMA credits raw (like TESC); they have to be transcribed by one of those other schools and that has a fee.

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...lsior.html

[littleloulou28]

Thanks NAP, I know this is the wrong thread but do you know how to do an assessment on ALEKS? I havent done one and it isnt offering any to me.

[NAP]

I have not tried ALEKS, yet, but I do plan to use it. I think there is something in your account set up that allows you to request one. Try what it says in this post:

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...#post73681

If you still can not find it, let us know again. I'm sure someone here can help you.

Update for future readers: Use the instructions in this post to get an ALEKS assessment on demand - http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...#post73831

[littleloulou28]

Does anyone know for sure if FEMA credits will count towards Applied Professional at Excelsior, All I need is 10 applied professional credits and also which ones they will take, I keep asking but no answer yet.

[TMW2010]

Does anyone know for sure if FEMA credits will count towards Applied Professional at Excelsior, All I need is 10 applied professional credits and also which ones they will take, I keep asking but no answer yet.

The fact that no one has answered yet to your many inquiries should tell you something...

Probably because there are very few people, if any, who have paid the rather exhorbitant price to get FEMAs transfered to Excelsior, when there's much cheaper options out there. After all, this forum is dedicated to doing things inexpensively via CLEP, DSST, and so forth. While FEMA credits are great for TESC students, they're horrible cost-wise at EC for the amount of credit you get.

And according to a poster over at DInfo, as of 2007, the answer they received from EC is that you cannot bank FEMAs at TESC to transfer them into EC, they have to go through either FCC or CCC.

Thank you for your correspondence. We currently accept FEMA Independent Study course credits from Clackamus Community College (CCC), and Frederick Community College (FCC). Please note that you will only be able to obtain lower level credit for this course work.The policy to accept these courses from other schools i.e Thomas Edison Community College changed as of 11/1/07.

If you wanted to go through Frederick Community College , the following website provides information regarding the application and fees: http//training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/cc.asp. Please note that not all EMI IS courses have been evaluated, and we can only award credit for those which have been evaluated and transcribed by FCC and CCC. There is a comprehensive listing of such courses at the Frederick Community Colleges Web site under the heading eligible courses.

The link listed in the quote no longer works, but I found a working link at Frederick Community College (FCC) - Emergency Management Study

At $75 per hour, the cost of transcripting 10 FEMA credits would be the equivalent to getting 45 credits through CLEPing, using 5 of the 6 credit tests and 5 of the 3 credit tests at a test center that doesn't have a testing fee.

But in theory, yes, they should be considered Applied Professional credits when transcripted through FCC and sent to Excelsior.