General Education Social Science

Hey guys for my Social Science General Ed requirement for TESC I was thinking about taking the CLEP for Sociology. I see that the CLEP site offers many different tests under the History and Social Sciences section. Have any of you taken the CLEPs within this category and if so how was it? Looking over the site I'm wondering if I should consider another one of the CLEPs besides Sociology. Any thoughts?

 

Introductory Sociology - super easy
Social Sciences and History - easy but not too easy
U.S. History I: Early Colonizations to 1877 - easy and fun if you use the REA guide

 

I love US History and have read a ton on it. Especially the Civil War. I wonder if TESC would accept that CLEP as a Social Science?

 

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Ive taken many of them, and yes you can do civil war- except it is a DSST not CLEP, but it is considered upper level and doesn't matter- they take both. You'll need more than one subject to meet that requirement, but it can be any distribution. Here is my list of social science exams I tested out of - 30 credits. I used these for my social science gen ed (12) and elective gen ed. (18) My major is social science, but my 33 credits in social science credits were filled using course work, so 30 exam credits were all I needed. I didn't choose to take the history or governement exams, but they count also.

By predictable- I mean no analysis- who's who, stages/phases, etc. Things you would expect in a 101 class. Basic recall.

Intro Sociology 3- predictable and straight forward
Intro Psych 3- predictable and straight forward, a bit of biology
Educational Psych 3- overlaps intro psych, a little harder than expected
US History 1, 3 - predictable and straight forward- big events, obvious stuff
US History 2, 3- harder of the two, I was caught a little off guard on this one
Soc Science and History 6- easy if you have taken the 5 above
Civil War- My only failed exam ( All facts, I studied too wide
Drug/Alcohol 3- a few tricky questions, but many many "gimmie" questions
General Anthropology 3- easy, 102 questions took me 22 minutes LOL
Criminal Justice 3- easy, but I am a TV crime drama addict

 

I could definately handle the US History CLEP then if it applies to the Social Science requirement. Although now that you mention it I've been in Law Enforcement almost 13 years so I wonder if testing out of a Intro to Criminal Justice would apply too. I could take that without studying at all and pass. I might call TESC to ask them if they have a list of what courses apply to the Social Science general ed credit. Even more I wonder if one of these from The Backup would apply. I wonder if any of those could count as a social science.

 

With your background in Law Enforcement, you may want to consider the TESC PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) option for Intro to Criminal Justice and perhaps other courses.

- Tom

 

I just looked at the DSSt site and looked at the sample questions from Intro to Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice. They are both easy as sunday morning...lol I called TESC and the lady I spoke with suggested I wait until my evaluation is complete before taking any CLEP's but I think it couldn't hurt to try and test out now if it's possible. I just need to know if Intro to Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice would apply toward the Social Science.

 

Some colleges regard CJ as a social science, but many do not. No matter; if you're planning on majoring in CJ then you'll need both subjects anyway, and if not you can always apply them to free electives.

 

That's what I was thinking Bruce but I think at this point I'm loaded with free electives even toward my bachelor's. I would probably have to study a bit for the US History CLEP but it still would be pretty easy. I might just stick with studying for the Sociology CLEP since most of what I've been reading suggest it is pretty easy.

 

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Hold on hold on. The PLA will take you months to complete at over $500+ and they can still deny your credit!
The exam you can take cold for $60

 

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What is your major? It matters.

 

Well to be honest I'm not quite sure what my bachelor's degree is going to be in. Right now I'm trying to wrap up my AAS in Occupational Studies (Emergency Management) with TESC. I only have 4 courses left to complete with them. I'm taking Art Appreciation and Physical Science with Penn Foster. I have to either take English Comp or try and CLEP it. That leaves me with a Social Science General Ed course to take. Then I'm going to transfer the AAS from TESC over to Bellevue in either Security Management or Computer Information Systems. Like I said though I'm not quite sure.

 

My two cents: If you can pass a CLEP that you know for sure will apply to the AAS, take it now. If you think you can pass CLEP exams that will not apply to the AAS but will apply toward free electives at Bellevue, hold off on taking them until after you've met all of the AAS requirements. The worst thing you can do is to allow yourself to be distracted. The big goal is the BA at Bellevue, but in order to meet that goal you have to first get the AAS, so concentrate 100% of your time on that. Once the AAS is conferred you will have 2 or 3 months of down time while you wait to be admitted to Bellevue, have your transcripts sent, evaluated, etc. Use that time for your CLEPS that apply to free electives.

Pug

 

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Ok, in that case the law enforcement will be a free elective (not gen ed elective) and the criminal justice will probably be a gen ed elective. Don't use it to try and fill your SS requirement right now- those two classes are funny in that it really depends on your major as to where they count. Pick something else- you mention sociology- that's a solid choice.

 

Having taken both the Intro to CJ and Intro to Law Enforcement DANTES, I can attest they won't be any distraction to soupbone other than the time necessary to drive to the testing center and take them.

Any police officer who can't pass both of those exams cold should hang up the gunbelt.

 

LOL...that's what I was thinking. From the sample questions I was wondering why it wasn't a little harder.

 

I showed my wife the sample questions and she had no clue, so they are hard for the average student. It's just we take it for granted we know that stuff already.

 

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Exactly- remember these are 101 type classes (even though some colleges award higher levels of credit). Imagine an 18 year old fresh out of high school with no professional training or experience in ANYTHING sitting in a classroom and saying "so, what exactly is criminal justice?"
Now, take that student, give him a knowledge level equivalent to a grade of "C" in that 101 class, and then go take your CLEP. )

<click >
That's the sound of you checking the box

 

Jennifer, I just dredged up this post since it's relevant to the completion of my degree. Now that my degree path is the AAS in Environmental, Safety and Security Technologies I'm curious if the two law enforcement DSST's would cover my Social Sciences and General Ed elective. I could take both of those cold and pass. I'm still scheduled for SS&H on Monday but I'm curious now since previously it was discussed in reference to my degree path being the AAS in Occupational Studies. Just curious...

I should have asked this question before I started studying for the SS&H....

 

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I just couldn't say. Again, criminal justice is social science, but it's intro law enforcement that might not be- in my major (Social Science) it did NOT count, it was free elective. You could call and ask, but I know for sure SS & H would count.

I'd say to take the SS&H, then start your bachelor's degree- and then take both. That way, if one falls into free electives it won't matter.