Please Critique my Excelsior Degree Plan

[wb.john]

I wanted to share a little bit of information.

I am now enrolled in Excelsior College and in the process of my official evaluation.

I thought that I had 83 credits, but I now have a couple of issues. First, the 12 credits that were approved in my unofficial evaluation for the BYU FLATS exam in Indonesian are in question. EC's policy states that P grades must be verified to equate to a C- or higher. Without that confirmation, I can't receive those credits. I hope this turns out OK.

Also, I have been told that the GRE math subject exam overlaps with CLEP College Mathematics, and probably ALEKS College Algebra. I guess that makes sense.

I was also told that the score required to receive 33 credits from the math GRE is currently 780, a near perfect score, with 800 being the highest possible.

In retrospect, I would have been better off enrolling sooner and not worrying about the $440 annual service fee.

[NAP]

Hi!

I hope the language credit works out, since it is such a great find.

I was told the opposite about CLEP College Mathematics and College Algebra. As a Math Major using the GRE, I should still be able to use 9 credits below Calculus plus Stats. The Major starts at Calculus and goes up from there. (ALEKS Stats is still a question since Stats is part of the major, but ALEKS probably isn't calculus based so that is a conversation for another day.)

I thought 800 on the GRE was a perfect score, too. I just looked at the practice exams and it appears that 900 is the best score. 780 is about 83rd percentile.

Please keep us updated on your progress with these issues.

[wb.john]

I was told the opposite about CLEP College Mathematics and College Algebra. As a Math Major using the GRE, I should still be able to use 9 credits below Calculus plus Stats. The Major starts at Calculus and goes up from there. (ALEKS Stats is still a question since Stats is part of the major, but ALEKS probably isn't calculus based so that is a conversation for another day.)

Hmm, an advisor told you that? I'm not sure what to do then. How should I bring that up?

I thought 800 on the GRE was a perfect score, too. I just looked at the practice exams and it appears that 900 is the best score. 780 is about 83rd percentile.

Really good to know.

[Kaz]

You guys are confusing the GRE subject test and the GRE general test. Subject tests are on a scale that can go up to 990. The general maxes at 800. And remember, different subjects are not comparable, i.e. a 780 psychology is not equivalent to a 780 biochemistry.

[Kaz]

Hmm, an advisor told you that? I'm not sure what to do then. How should I bring that up?

Try something like this:
[INDENT]" Hello Advisor Person,

I'm confused about something. I thought the GRE subject test in mathematics could allow me to gain credits towards a major in math, provided I score well enough. How would those credits be duplicative with CLEP and ALEKS tests that don't count as credits towards a major? Aren't their categories mutually exclusive?"[/INDENT]

Something like that. FWIW, I'm going this route and already have a decent amount of brick-&-mortar math credits. My Pre-calc class was accepted and NOT listed for my math major like my other math classes were. It just says "4 credits - Depth 2". That's the "normal" way most schools do it so I think NAP got the "right" answer.
.
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[NAP]

I don’t know how my advisor and I could have been miscommunicating all of this time. I have asked several questions about the Math below Calculus policy, the Math Major, and the Math GRE. Everything seemed fine. I triple-checked this week by asking about what wb.john was told. I am now being advised that the College Math CLEP will duplicate the Math GRE and my College Algebra II course will probably duplicate the Math GRE. Apparently most lower-level Math courses below Calculus, including the Precalculus CLEP, also duplicate the Math GRE.

I thought the Math Major and Math GRE were equivalent. They appear to be treated differently when it comes to the courses below Calculus and duplication of credit.

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On a separate note, I also asked my advisor about duplication of the Computer Science GRE. I was told:

Information Systems & Computer Applications CLEP (3 LL) – does NOT duplicate GRE
Management Information Systems DSST (3 UL) – does NOT duplicate GRE
Introduction to Computing DSST (3 LL) - decision has not been made on GRE duplication
ICDL (up to 7 LL) - decision has not been made on GRE duplication

The only question left is whether the Introduction to Computing DSST and ICDL duplicate credit of each other. If not, I could potentially earn 19 credits in computing without the GRE. (I need to take a course in a computer programming language. I still don’t know the price of the ICDL credits.)

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I’m glad we have this forum to talk about these things. If we keep checking with each other and our advisors, hopefully we can get all of these situations clearly defined.

[wb.john]

Well at least we know for sure now. I'm hoping I get some get some good news on the BYU exam to balance this out.

I have to replace those 12 math credits now. I'm thinking about CLEP Spanish and/or UExcel Physics.

I agree that this forum is very helpful.

[NAP]

Spanish and Physics are interesting options.

I was told that ALEKS Stats could potentially duplicate the major requirement. It is probably not calculus based, so I don’t know if that will be true. (There is also the Stats is Stats line of thought.) Then it may be a new decision based on results of the GRE. We still don’t know what happens with ALEKS Stats or any statistics exams/courses and the Math GRE.

If the BYU exam does not resolve in your favor through EC, I hope that BYU will be able to help you prove that you earned the necessary passing score.

[wb.john]

Spanish and Physics are interesting options.

I was told that ALEKS Stats could potentially duplicate the major requirement. It is probably not calculus based, so I don’t know if that will be true. (There is also the Stats is Stats line of thought.) Then it may be a new decision based on results of the GRE. We still don’t know what happens with ALEKS Stats or any statistics exams/courses and the Math GRE.

If the BYU exam does not resolve in your favor through EC, I hope that BYU will be able to help you prove that you earned the necessary passing score.

Ya, I like the Physics exam because it gives 6 graded credits, and it's only $85.

Oh, when I said 12 credits, I was assuming that ALEKS Stats would be duplicated. I guess if it's not then I'd only have to replace 9 credits.

Well, with the BYU exam, it really is all on BYU giving a favorable response. My advisor left a message with them like 2 weeks ago about this issue. I'm getting worried about it.

[NAP]

How many languages do you know?

I did not get a chance to take physics in high school. It is one of the topics that I would like to learn, but I don’t know if I have the courage to try it on my own (and graded). If you take it first, then maybe (BIG maybe) I will think about taking it, too.

Definitely consider other options for the Stats credits, but right now I don’t know what will happen to those credits.