Hi Everyone, has anyone taken any courses at Louisiana State University Independent study for Gen. Education requirements ? I am finding their grading scale quite heavy. A = 100%-90% B = 80%-89% C = 70%-79% D = 60%-69% F = 59% and below Thats very heavy requirements. If I take courses from them I will most probably hit "C" all the time or most of the time. Are their courses very difficult to get these grades ? Does anyone recommends any other University that has courses at more or less similar cost ?
This scale is quite liberal. At Liberty, where I studied for my Masters in Counseling the grading scale was: 94 - 100 = A 86 - 93 = B 78 - 86 = C 70 - 78 = D Below 70 was an F. At UAB the grading scale is identical to the scale you posted; which I suspect, is quite the norm.
I've taken a few accounting courses via Independent Study from LSU. I'd put the difficulty of the courses-- in terms of raw studying and writing required for a particular grade-- on par with the difficulty of the average courses I've taken "in the seat." One of the particularly nice features of LSU IS courses is the ability to "compress" the length of your course by submitting up to three assignments per week if you're under tight deadlines for graduation, etc. Since the average course requires roughly 15 assignments, somebody working full-speed-ahead could conceivable finish in five weeks plus an additional week or so waiting for the final exam to arrive. The administrative support from the has been superb. I've had fast grading and return of assignments, efficient handling of exams, and helpful folks on every occasion I've called the I.S. with a procedural question. The instructors (all of mine have been full-time LSU instructors) have also been helpful and responsive. Given the low cost, it might be worth it to give one a "test run" to see how you like it. As a side not, most (all?) of the courses can be taken on a credit/no credit basis rather than for a letter grade. Check with your school/intended school for acceptability.
The LSU scale seems about right. As a teacher, I wouldn't want someone who scored 60% on a test to receive anything better than a "D" (I'd prefer a "F" for that score).
My nursing classes were the same scale as Howard listed and anything below the C (78), you were tossed out. I've never heard of a grading scale more liberal than what was given in the initial post. Is there such a thing?
certainly I have see more liberal here in Canada and when I did study at UK Institution. Here at a college where I am taking courses B is 70-79%. now the question is if I take a course from one institution and get a "B" say 70% then I transfer it to another where 70% is "C" do I get "C" when transfered or do they still leave it as "B" ?
The letter grade area is one thing that is frustrating for some of us......for example, my grades at UAB are not the same as my grades at Liberty. In the MBA program an A was 90 to 100 but at Liberty it was 94 to 100; so something is lost in the translation. In my opinion it would be better to list the numerical grade. I think I made one B at Liberty - a 92 in Styx....but the grade had the course been taken at UAB would have been an A. But to answer your question, in transfers that I have been involved in the only thing that was transfered was the letter grade.
LSU Independant Study So far so good. I've gotten the evaluations back from Excelsior and need just fourteen hours in anything to complete my BSc. Since I am preparing to sit for the CPA exam, hopefully next Spring, I've enrolled in some of those required classes at LSU Independant Study, and they will serve the dual pupose of applying credit to finish my BSc AND qualify me for the CPA. I just enrolled in the first two courses yesterday, so my experiences are limited, but I can tell you this much, I've called and emailed the folks at LSU IS daily for about two weeks with question after question and have found them to be downright gracious. Patient, polite and helpful do not do them justice! I even mentioned to one of the people I talked with the trouble I ws having finding the textbooks in stock anywhere and was given a suggestion as to where to look and not only got my books in 24 hours, but saved nearly $100 on just two books! I can't tell you how hard or easy the course are, how accessible the instrutors are or any of that yet, but I am impressed with the LSU staff like you wouldn't believe! For me, the price is right @ <$70 per credit hour! For anyone who needs the online courses from a large regionally accredited land-grant college I highly recommend LSU! Check out what they offer at: http://www.is.lsu.edu/college/courses/ I'll keep this forum updated on my expereinces.
