Bad news, Everybody!

[TMW2010]

Kaz -

Have you looked at the U of Idaho outreach stuff? I know you were primarily looking for tests, but here are classes that you can take at your own pace to get done.

http://www.outreach.uidaho.edu/eo/ViewPage.aspx?pid=79

They have classes in the 300's-500's that they offer, and I think the price is about $325 per... Obviously not the quickest and cheapest way to go, but it is an option.

[alix]

I feel like breathing into a paper bag. I have all my textbooks lined up and am starting my studies now for the October 9th Psych GRE...but this may all be for naught? All I have left to earn are the credits in my major. $180 vs. $2000-3000 is a big difference.

I would hope that Excelsior would let current students still take it, at least for this calendar year, but I don't have any particular faith in them in that regard. Thanks for the heads up.

[Kaz]

Kaz -

Have you looked at the U of Idaho outreach stuff? I know you were primarily looking for tests, but here are classes that you can take at your own pace to get done.

http://www.outreach.uidaho.edu/eo/ViewPage.aspx?pid=79

They have classes in the 300's-500's that they offer, and I think the price is about $325 per... Obviously not the quickest and cheapest way to go, but it is an option.

Thanks. I'll read through it tomorrow!

[Maniac Craniac]

Such as? I've been working towards a bachelor's in math. There is no CLEP, DSST, TECEP, ECE or Ohio University Exam for me to take. It has been a while since I looked into what upper-level math courses are available out there, but even if they are there I'm going to spend thousands more dollars that I don't have compared to my less than two hundred for the GRE test.

Sorry, I don't mean to get cranky. You are trying to help. Thank you! This is just a very scary thing. My life might get jerked around bad for, like, the fourth time in two years.

I feel for you.

For lower level credits, CLEP will help you out a bit, and so will ALEKS (some of their courses are ACE approved). To finish it out, maybe you can check the online course catalog for Clovis Community College- they are VERY inexpensive and work out to about the same credit-for-credit cost as CLEP.

Also, Louisiana State University has some very inexpensive self-paced courses (about $80/credit, if memory serves). A bit more expensive than them would be the large list of self-paced courses from Brigham Young University ($150/credit).

Those are some ideas, however, since I'm posting from my phone, I am unable to look up their course catalogs and don't know which of these schools will have a decent selection of math courses. I can do some research for you later.

I think anyone who is in doubt should just ask Excelsior:

1) Is it true?

2) When?

3) Will enrolled students be grandfathered under the old policy (and do I need exam approval before the policy change)?

If the answers are YES, TOMORROW and NO, respectively, then you can panic. Otherwise, now might be the best time to... calm yourself... and get to the books!

[cookderosa]

If you are smart enough to pass a GRE you are smart enough to figure out how to get through this!

[soupbone]

I'm still trying to figure out how a rumor (it's still a rumor until confirmed with an official announcement) got a few of you into panic mode. Pick up the phone and call Excelsior and simply ask everyone who will talk to you. Take a chain of command approach and ask up the ladder all the way to the Dean of your specific College if you feel it is necessary.

Take a deep breath and don't panic until you actually have to. Freaking out right now is completely counterproductive to your current goals. cheersmate

[TMW2010]

Yep, that's me... The old Fearmonger trying to send everyone into a panic over an innocuous comment... <eyeroll>

I've requested clarification on this from my advisor as far when the cutoff might be, and if and when there is going to be an official announcement to this effect.

Heck I'd love for this information that I've shared to be incorrectly, but apparently, its been verified by at least one other person who talked with their advisor, so far. Shrug.

[soupbone]

Yep, that's me... The old Fearmonger trying to send everyone into a panic over an innocuous comment... <eyeroll>

I've requested clarification on this from my advisor as far when the cutoff might be, and if and when there is going to be an official announcement to this effect.

Heck I'd love for this information that I've shared to be incorrectly, but apparently, its been verified by at least one other person who talked with their advisor, so far. Shrug.

Hmmm...I never suggested you were. I'm speaking directly to the people who are very upset about this announcement when we have no idea if the person that told you was telling the truth or not. I never suggested you were fearmongering in any way, shape, or form. :confused:

Many times companies discuss things like making changes to an existing plan and employess assume that means the changes are forthcoming. Those changes may or may not ever occur. I'm only suggesting to those that are worried to contact their advisors and all the way up the food chain if necessary to hopefully get a better understanding of the upcoming changes (if they occur).

I think you may have jumped the gun on my post but you completely took it the wrong way.

:EDIT:
I wanted to add an anecdotal example of what I'm referring to. TESC/ALEKS (Beginners Algebra)---search for this and look at the thread where several different advisors said completely different things regarding the awarding of credit. People (including me) were freaking out because it potentially messed up our degree plans. It ended up being resolved with a few Deans getting involved. My point again is for people to cofirm up the chain because sometimes advisors are giving canned responses.

[TMW2010]

Well, my advisor hopes to have better information on this by Friday.

I agree with the person who brought up that this might be due to acceditation. (That and ETS has outright said that they don't like their tests being used as a credit evaluation source.)

I think that the regional accreditors might be tightening things up on them, and of course it can be worth a little more money for the school (Forcing new people to take a class that costs $900 - the new capstone - sucks, but... )

Really, the only thing that I can think is that they're trying to keep things as fluid as possible when it comes to credit acceptance while also fulfilling requirements to keep the accreditors happy.

But if things keep happening like this, EC is going to become as burdensome (and costly) as obtaining a degree from other other major for-profits (Capella, Walden, UoP, so on.) Hopefully this isn't the result of EC taking a page from their books.

[alix]

I contacted my advisor and just received a reply that said:

"We are in fact planning to eliminate the application of the GRE Subject Examinations as transfer credit in the future, at this point in time I do not have the full details for the effective date of this policy. I should have additional information by the end of the week for those whom are planning or currently preparing for the GRE, I am hopeful that we will honor those currently preparing for this examination but I do not know the direction or policies that will be into place.

I will make sure to let you know any specifics as they become available to our advising staff."

Because information gathering calms me, I've gone ahead and planned out a couple of scenarios for myself. If EC decides to disallow the subject GRE starting with the next examination (October), I'll drop my major and switch to a degree in Liberal Arts, and finish my last 30 units over a few months. For my graduate school plans, that should work. For others, it wouldn't.

It sounds like it is a sooner-or-later plan for EC. Good luck, everyone!