Degree Plan – BS Math Major at Excelsior

[NAP]

Following Alissa’s advice, I’m considering some additions to my degree plan.

1. Analyzing and Interpreting Literature CLEP (6 credits) – I don’t expect it to be easy for me, but at least it requires minimal study.

2. American Government CLEP (3 credits) and Civil War & Reconstruction DANTES (3 UL credits) – Since I’m studying for US History I and II, I can see there is some potential overlap with these 2 subjects. Is this true? Does American Government count as History and I’d have a history depth? [Update: American Government is political science and does not count toward a history depth.] Is it too soon to try an Upper Level test on my 3rd or 4th test?

3. Natural Sciences CLEP (6 credits) – I’m planning to take Astronomy, Biology, and Chemistry. These look like they would be good preparation for Natural Sciences. Does Excelsior say any of the CLEPs such as Biology and Natural Sciences duplicate each other too much and can not both be taken for credit? [Update: All 4 exams are accepted for credit without duplication.]

4. College Math CLEP (6 credits) – I’m thinking I should take this and get credit for the Math I already know before I go on to higher levels. Since I already have credit for a College Algebra course, can I back up and take College Math? [Update: College Math CLEP was accepted for credit.] Usually with courses at a college, you can’t do this, if you already have a higher level of credit.

I also have a question about their Math policies:

Mathematics Restriction on page 17 of the Liberal Arts Catalog says in part - “No more than three courses on the semester-hour system . . . of mathematics credit below the level of calculus may be applied to any degree. Representative titles of math courses below the level of calculus include College Math, College Algebra, Elementary Functions, Modern Math, Fundamentals of Algebra, Trigonometry, and Precalculus.”

When they changed the requirements for the math major as of January 2007, they included this sentence “Credits earned below the level of calculus will not be applied toward the major but will count toward the overall degree.” This sentence is not in the recent Liberal Arts catalog. [Update: When not using the Math GRE for credit, this policy still seems to be true.]

The way I read these policies I think I could have credits for College Math (6), College Algebra (3), and Precalculus (3) that would count towards a degree but not a Math major. Is that right? I’m also not sure what level Statistics is considered to be.
[Update: Statistics does count as math, but it does not count toward the 3 courses below calculus policy. Statistics through ALEKS counts as upper-level credit, and can be used to fulfill a depth in math.]
[Update: College Math CLEP (6 credits) counts as 2 courses below the level of Calculus. Three levels of math through ALEKS (9 LL credits) plus Statistics through ALEKS (3 UL credits) would be the least expensive way to complete a depth in Math.]

Please feel free to answer or comment on any of these ideas. It would be really helpful to know more about this.

Thanks.

NAP