Is there a time limit for obtaining credit for previously aquired knowledge?

Situation is as follows:

28 years ago I completed my "A" levels in Pure math, Applied Math and English lit. I have discovered, much to my suprise, that I have retained enough information from the English course to do the appropriate GRE, so that's no problem. However, I was wondering if I could use the portfolio system to get credit for the math. I still have (because I'm a pack rat) the notebooks (handwritten) that I had to make for these math courses. Text books were not used, so all the information is in these books. Do you think this would be sufficient evidence, even though, as I said above, they're 28 years old? I think I could find course descriptions that approximate to the curriculum, it's just the time frame.

TIA
Jennifer

 

I suspect that it depends on the institution. (See for example, the emotionally charged threads on the Open University’s policy on American credits and degrees) I think the key thing is to get a statement of their policy before you spend any money.

My only experience on this was with Athabasca University in Alberta, Canada. They indicate on their WEB site that they will not accept for transfer credit any computer courses over five years old for their BSc in Computer Information Systems. Fair enough; computer knowledge goes out of date quickly, and publishing their policy prominently on their WEB site gives fair notice.

I paid the $250 (CDN) for an evaluation of my BA in Mathematics which I earned in 1975, and then, to my shock, they advised me that they will not accept any math or math based subjects over 10 years old! Clearly, had I known before hand that this was their policy, I would haved saved my money and applied elsewhere. Their questionable business practice aside, the policy does not make sense; how does 2500 year old geometry, 300 year old calculus, and 200 year old algebra go out of date???

Best of luck----Jim

 

The elapsed time shouldn't be a problem in itself. Some creativity might be required, though, to demonstrate that the evidence you're submitting (e.g., notebooks) is actually yours. I don't suppose you're in close correspondence with your math teachers of 28 +/- years ago?

Steve Levicoff posted, way back, a great discussion of the portfolio assessment process & what might (or might not) pass muster as "evidence." It's worth digging around to find it.

(Incidentally, if you can't find a whole COLLECTION of current, college-level course descriptions to cover the contents of those notebooks, I'd be surprised. It's almost sad, in a way.)

 

My guess would be 'no'. The point isn't whether you knew that material then, it is whether you know the material now. Most schools have time limits on the course credits that they will accept in transfer for that reason.

If you really believe that you still know this stuff, I'm sure that there are challenge examinations in college algebra and beginning calculus, or whatever it is that your classes covered.

But ultimately, this is going to be a school by school decision. You will need to talk to the school where you are contemplating doing this, not to us. For example, they may be more tolerant of old work in general-ed classes and less tolerant in classes that are prerequisites for further major work.

 

"Fundamentals of propositional and predicate logic, with selected topics in such areas as the logic of identity and relations. Emphasis placed on construction of proofs in formal systems. "

It's a fairly basic course in Logic, offered by the Philosophy department of an RA school. Timeless, right? Wrong: Denied for transfer credit by a local B&M school NOT on the grounds that it was not an equivalent course, but that it was out of date. No, I am not making this up.

"Hello.. TESC?"

 

I don't know the answer to your question, but I was struck by the unusual mixture of A levels. I myself took Pure Math, Applied Math, Physics and Chemistry -- 27 years ago.

 

Re: Re: Is there a time limit for obtaining credit for previously aquired knowledge?

My Regents (Excelsior) degree in 1997 included credit for all work toward my Michigan State University degree between 1968 and 1972. The couple of exceptions were with MSU economics courses which were electives in the earlier program but more closely related to my later major. For those I had to demonstrate current knowledge by examination.

I'm not sure whether this would have been treated differently in a "portfolio" situation than in a straight "credit transfer" (Are transcripts of your earlier work available?) but, as others have pointed out, it's largely a matter of individual instutional policy in any case.

Good luck.

TommyK

 

Thank you everyone.
It looks as if I'll have to "test out" on these subjects.

The odd thing is though that at least some BM institutions would give me credit for my "A" levels, no matter how old, but as far as I can see, none of the DL (i.e. excelsior,tesc and cosc) will. In fact excelsior specifically excludes them. I was just wondering if I could get them in some other way. Actually, I guess the best bet would be the math gre subject test. It doesn't appear to be exactly comparable, but it's close. Come to think of it, it will be cheaper too.

Yes, Gert, it is an unusual combination of subjects, and I really had to push hard to do the mix at that time. Funnily enough, though, my friends in England who have children tell me that there is now much more of a push to broaden the academic experience at the advanced level, so now I'd fit right in!

Jennifer

 

Near as I can tell, that happened in the late 1970s when I was in high school. I had no problem learning subjects that were current, but clearly those must have been out-of-date because they never made it into my brain.



Tom Nixon
(the mathematically challenged who now teaches math. Who da thunk it?)

 

It made it into my brain, hung around until exams were over, and was then purged and replaced by Brady Bunch trivia and other useless knowledge that I'm so adept at retaining. I was in for an unpleasant surprise when I got to Statistics in graduate school.


Bruce (who needs to kick off a shoe to count to 11)