06-17-2010, 05:09 PM
Here is my recommendation:
Search the "big three" website's and locate the required courses needed for your desired degree. Then compare them, finding the common classes. (I would print them out, sit down with a highlighter to mark, and jot these common courses down on another paper to keep track).
Reason for doing this: you do not need to commit to any of them right now, just work towards gathering as many credits as possible first. By going after the common ones, you will be able to make the final decision when you are within "striking distance" of the degree to save on those yearly fees!
Then I would cross reference the CLEP and DSST test list and see which ones can be tested out of and start testing. I know with the CLEP, you do not have to identify a college to send the scores to, I am unsure of the DSST since I have never taken one. They will just "hold" them until you request a transcript from them at a later date, max 20 years. (As previously stated, Prometric is the "holder" and "keeper" of the test scores, NOT the college or test center you go to). To locate the nearest testing center, go to the websites below and enter your local information to see your closest test centers (I would assume both CLEP and DSST centers are the same, but for clarification, here is the search for both):
CLEP: CLEP Test Center Search
DSST: DSST - GetCollegeCredit.com
I would then find a local CC that has semester hours NOT quarter hours. Quarter hours transfer differently, and could ultimately mess up your "blueprint" to finish quickly. Going to a CC with semester hours makes it a lot "prettier"/ eaier to see the entire picture and know what the transferred hours will be. I would look into taking the classes that you cannot take a CLEP/DSST for here. There may still be a few classes that you NEED to take at one of the "big three" just because they have their degree plans arranged so that you cannot get it certain classes fulfilled anywhere else, which is usually true for all colleges.
Just because you are "early" in your college endeavors, don't let that stop you from obtaining your goals. The fact that you are already sick of college indicates that you have a high likelihood of dropping out of the traditional setting of brick and mortar.....that was my life story 20 years ago. I finally just completed all requirements through TESC and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (mainly because I didn't have to interact in person with people I have no connection with and didn't care about and was able to do be "in class" at any time of the day instead of a set time).
If you are a good test taker as you indicated, you should be able to get a good jump on a lot of the basic required classes that are the ones that seem to bog students down into boredom and dropping out.
Good luck on mapping this all out....no one said it would be fun or easy....but it will be tedious and time consuming until you graduate!
Search the "big three" website's and locate the required courses needed for your desired degree. Then compare them, finding the common classes. (I would print them out, sit down with a highlighter to mark, and jot these common courses down on another paper to keep track).
Reason for doing this: you do not need to commit to any of them right now, just work towards gathering as many credits as possible first. By going after the common ones, you will be able to make the final decision when you are within "striking distance" of the degree to save on those yearly fees!
Then I would cross reference the CLEP and DSST test list and see which ones can be tested out of and start testing. I know with the CLEP, you do not have to identify a college to send the scores to, I am unsure of the DSST since I have never taken one. They will just "hold" them until you request a transcript from them at a later date, max 20 years. (As previously stated, Prometric is the "holder" and "keeper" of the test scores, NOT the college or test center you go to). To locate the nearest testing center, go to the websites below and enter your local information to see your closest test centers (I would assume both CLEP and DSST centers are the same, but for clarification, here is the search for both):
CLEP: CLEP Test Center Search
DSST: DSST - GetCollegeCredit.com
I would then find a local CC that has semester hours NOT quarter hours. Quarter hours transfer differently, and could ultimately mess up your "blueprint" to finish quickly. Going to a CC with semester hours makes it a lot "prettier"/ eaier to see the entire picture and know what the transferred hours will be. I would look into taking the classes that you cannot take a CLEP/DSST for here. There may still be a few classes that you NEED to take at one of the "big three" just because they have their degree plans arranged so that you cannot get it certain classes fulfilled anywhere else, which is usually true for all colleges.
Just because you are "early" in your college endeavors, don't let that stop you from obtaining your goals. The fact that you are already sick of college indicates that you have a high likelihood of dropping out of the traditional setting of brick and mortar.....that was my life story 20 years ago. I finally just completed all requirements through TESC and thoroughly enjoyed the experience (mainly because I didn't have to interact in person with people I have no connection with and didn't care about and was able to do be "in class" at any time of the day instead of a set time).
If you are a good test taker as you indicated, you should be able to get a good jump on a lot of the basic required classes that are the ones that seem to bog students down into boredom and dropping out.
Good luck on mapping this all out....no one said it would be fun or easy....but it will be tedious and time consuming until you graduate!
![[-]](https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/images/collapse.png)