Excelsior may have decided to accept FLATS

When I was exchanging e-mail with the Excelior College Credit Bank about what foreign language tests they award credit for, I asked them about FLATS, the Foreign Language Achievement Tests offered by Brigham Young University ( http://hrc.byu.edu/FLATS.html . Thanks again to Orson for telling me about FLATS).

At the time (Feb. 7), Excelsior's Credit Bank responded: "We are not familiar with FLATS."

But then Rosie took the FLATS in Portuguese, scoring the full 12 semester-hours, and specifying Excelsior College as one of the score recipients. Excelsior College has an online service http://www.excelsior.edu/enrolled/en_servi.htm where you can see which of your transcripts they have received so far. Normally they update this list the same day they receive the transcript. But the FLATS didn't show up there, leading us to believe that Excelsior hadn't even recognised BYU's official letter as a transcript.

On Sunday, Rosie wrote to the Excelsior Credit Bank: "Could you please tell me whether Excelsior College's Records Office has received an official letter from Brigham Young University (mailed on March 26, 2003) recommending that I be awarded 12 semester-hours of credit in Portuguese (Brazilian) based on my results in their Foreign Language Achievement Tests (FLATS)? If so, can you tell me whether these credits can be deposited in your credit bank?"

No response from the Credit Bank. But this afternoon, we got a message from Excelsior's Credit Review Office: "Ms. Israel, Since your credit was mailed in late December we have received documents on your behalf including the following: Psychology GRE Subject Test, NYU language proficiency examination and BYU foreign language achievement test. I just wanted to let you know that your records will not be updated until you officially enroll."

And ta-da! This afternoon, "BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIV PROFICIENCY EXAM" finally appeared on the online list of transcripts received, with a date of 03/31/2003.

My tentative conclusion: After deliberating over Rosie's results, Excelsior has just decided to accept FLATS results (but they don't want to divulge that to us).

 

Great news

Hi Mark and Rosie, Wonderful news for the progress of the degree. Please keep the thread updated on the graduation date. Hille

 

Today, Excelsior's Credit Bank responded: "Ms. Israel, We received a letter and transcripts from Brigham Young University and NYU. If you pursue the Credit Bank Transcript Option we can transcript the 12 semester credits in Portuguese."

 

Re: Re: Excelsior may have decided to accept FLATS

It sounds like they can transcript it but not necessarily grant credit for them.

 

Dave Hayden wrote:

> It sounds like they can transcript it but not necessarily grant
> credit for them.

Today, Excelsior officially granted Rosie 12 semester-hours for her Portuguese FLATS. (She now has a total of 95 semester-hours.)

I believe this is the first time Excelsior has ever granted credit for FLATS.

 

YES and No!

Mark--

Sorry to rain on your parade, but I think DaveHayden is most likely correct.

Accepting credit for credit banking purposes is simply not the same as accepting credit for degree completion purposes.

For example, Excelsior encourages use of its credit banking services for compiling credentials like teacher qualifications or continuing education credits--but neither will ncessarily be accepted for degree credt at Excelsior.

So their recognition of FLATS for the former does not imply the latter--unless it represents a change of policy.

--Orson

 

Re: YES and No!

Orson writes:

> Accepting credit for credit banking purposes is simply not the
> same as accepting credit for degree completion purposes.
>
> For example, Excelsior encourages use of its credit banking
> services for compiling credentials like teacher qualifications or
> continuing education credits--but neither will ncessarily be
> accepted for degree credt at Excelsior.

That is true, in general. (A third example is two courses that may be found to duplicate each other: both courses may be listed on a credit bank transcript.)

In the case of Rosie and FLATS, however, Excelsior has accepted the credit for degree completion.

 

Re: Re: YES and No!

THEN this is very good news indeed!

Here's the threads where Mark first raised the possibility that Excelsior might accept the Foreign Language Achievement TestS

http://www.degreeinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7089&highlight=FLATS

http://www.degreeinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7673&highlight=FLATS

--Orson