GRE Subject Exams Used for a BS @ Exaelsior

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by wfready, Jan 15, 2003.

Loading...
  1. wfready

    wfready New Member

    GRE Subject Exams Used for a BS @ Excelsior

    Excelsior accepts GRE subject exams for a certain amount of credit and it can be used to satisfy a concentration/major for a BA/BS. Does anyone know how a BS with a large portion (or all) of its major satisfied by a GRE subject exam looks to the admissions department at grad school when you attempt to enroll?

    Let's say I had a BS in Physics from Excelsior. Let's also say I did really well on the Physics GRE and received 30 credits, satisfying the physics major (I think thats how much they give). Now, let's say I wanted to enroll in a master's degree in physics/or something related. Anyone ever hear of a graduate school turning somone down specifically because they used one exam to satisfy their undergraduate major?

    Best Regards,
    Bill
     
  2. Myoptimism

    Myoptimism New Member

    I have a related question based on the psychology GRE exam. What are your experiences in applying to a grad program? In psychyology of course.

    Tony
     
  3. Rick0768

    Rick0768 New Member

    I have a USNY (now Excelsior) BA degree. My concentration was sociology using the 30 credits from the sociology GRE. I went on to a Master's program at a brick & mortar school, and it wasn't questioned.

    I went into a management program, not a sociology-related program, so I'm not sure how that aspect would play out.
     
  4. Ben M

    Ben M New Member

    Let's say I had a BS in Physics from Excelsior. Let's also say I did really well on the Physics GRE and received 30 credits, satisfying the physics major (I think thats how much they give). Now, let's say I wanted to enroll in a master's degree in physics/or something related. Anyone ever hear of a graduate school turning somone down specifically because they used one exam to satisfy their undergraduate major? >>>>

    Everyone's experience might be diofferent, but for me, I was frank and unapologetic when discussing it with the admissions personnell. When they asked if I took any actual classes in the field, I stated that the university wanted to use a very difficult measure to satisfy concentration requirements, and to do so meant I had to outscore eighty percent of graduate students on the GRE subject test. I also stated that this was the fastest way for me to get into the "meat" of my major and that's why I chose it. There weren't any brick and mortar problems after I explained that.

    Of course, this is only my experience.

    Ben
     
  5. Reality Check

    People, people . . . Unless you are trying to get into a highly competitive graduate program, stop thinking like mere students and start thinking like educational consumers.

    As a general rule, the admissions credential for a regionally accredited graduate program is a regionally accredited undergraduate degree, period. Past that point, you will be viewed as a potential tuition-paying consumer by any graduate program.

    Therefore, will a degree for which the major was primarily fulfilled by substantial credit earned via a GRE exam (at, say, Excelsior or Charter Oak) qualify you for admission to graduate school? In a word, yes. In two words, sure 'nuff.
     
  6. kgec

    kgec New Member

    Re: GRE Subject Exams Used for a BS @ Excelsior

    I did have one conversation with someone in graduate admissions who said a non-residential degree raised a red flag in her office. (I was not applying to the school, just batting the breeze.) They worried that too large a proportion of credits might come from rinky-dink coursework. Of course this was only the graduate admissions office. Actual decisions are made in the subject department.

    I can't believe that using a subject matter GRE to satisfy most or all of the credits in the major would look like a bad thing to an admissions committee. The whole point of having subject GREs is to measure how well an upperclassman has mastered the body of knowledge in his major. I've been told that a good GRE subject score can even make up for earlier mediocre grades.

    Bottom line, if you score well enough on the physics GRE to get 30 Excelsior credits you will have earned them, and I think grad schools will know that.

    Good luck.
    TommyK
     

Share This Page