Free College Credit through Excelsior

I just got this email today:

Obtain free college credit by taking beta exams for a new credit-by-examination program, UExcelTM, developed by Excelsior College and Pearson VUE. ​

To prepare for the launch of the UExcel program, Excelsior is offering free beta testing which will run through September 30, 2008 or until Excelsior has gathered enough data for analysis. Exams are being administered at more than 1,000 Pearson VUE test centers.​

If you have taken classes or have equivalent knowledge in these subject areas, Calculus, Physics, Political Science, and/or Psychology, sign up today for your free exam.​

Register now, seating is limited. Use promo code UEXELFREE​

 

Hmm well that is interesting. Doesn't Excelsior already offer their own exams?

I wonder why they would want to partner with Pearson to create a new brand. Perhaps they think this is the way to achive more widespread recognition?

 

I signed up for the Political Science exam. My testing date is Aug. 23rd. Great find!

 

Corrected Promo Code

The e-mail i got from Excelsior had a different (and according to the site ivalid promo code)

but on Excelsior's web-site this promo code was given: (it has one extra letter)
Use promo code: UEXCELFREE

I was able to register using this code.

 

I guess Excelsior is going to build a brand of Certification Exams for Educational Credit. Pearson Vue Testing centers are all over America in most cities. They offer proctored examinations in many fields of technology, medical, and other fields of certification exams.

I guess Excelsior is trying to tip their hat into education more Nationally, by making it easy to get college credits anywhere you live. Lots of Dantes and CLEP testing centers at universities have very limited hours and can be unprofessional when it comes to proctoring or the lab space given to take these exams.

Person Vue testing centers are made for giving these types of tests and CLEPS and DANTES should be available at all Pearson Vue testing centers already in my opinion.

This is good for all of us and future generations who test out of college credits.

 

Here is a link to the content guides for all four beta exams: http://www.uexceltest.com/exams/


Tom

 

I wrote up a short summary on this, and sent it to everyone I know without a college degree. I've posted it below in case anyone wants to steal it and forward it.

All:

I received this from a mailing list I'm on, and thought you might find it useful.

Excelsior College is starting a new credit-by-exam program with Pearson VUE called UExcel that is similar to CLEP testing. The great thing about this program is that credit from your exams appears on an Excelsior College transcript, with a letter grade, exactly the same as if you had taken the equivalent course in the classroom. They are currently in the middle of beta-testing their first four exams and are offering them for free until September 30, 2008. In total, you can earn up to 16 credit hours if you take and pass all four exams. The exams they have available are:

Calculus MATX150 (4 hours)
Physics PHYX140 (6 hours)
Political Science POLX170 (3 hours)
Pyschology PSYX101 (3 hours)

You can get more information and register for exams at the UExcel website, http://www.uexceltest.com. You will need the following coupon code to register for free exams: UEXCELFREE. Otherwise, they cost $85, about the same as a CLEP when you figure in the testing center fee.

Hope some of you find this useful!

 

So are these almost the same as CLEP? If I were to open a credit bank at Excelsior, can I put these credit in the credit bank?

 

Looks like the promo code has expired

 

I registered for the physics examination (6 credit hours, lower-level) today. The promotion code is valid so the cost to me is merely the study time I will have to devote to reading my university textbook that I have lugged around with me for years. I scheduled the examination for November 2008 and will certainly report my experience.

I am taking this examination to backfill a few credit hours towards another undergraduate degree. And I want to actually finish a university-level physics course once and for all, damn it!

 

I signed up for 3 of the tests. Politics in September, Psychology in October and Physics in November. Although the Physics may be a stretch. I will really have to work on it. I took Applied Calculus in my one year of college so I don't think I should need the Calc credits.

I would assume that TESC would take these. My dream is to finish my degree through Harvard Extension with dl plus two summers, but reality is starting to set in and I guess that is not realistic. My goal is to end up in law school at either Ole Miss or Memphis. Any suggestions on whether or not I should pursue a testing strategy?

I have one year at Rollins College with a 3.46 GPA in 1991-1992 so need to finish 3 years of undergrad.

 

You have an ambitious schedule, but if you already have significant knowledge in these areas all it will cost is the time to write the examinations.

While I cannot see TESC refusing the credit hours earned on these examinations it would be prudent to ask directly. Post their response here, please.

If you are good at test taking, then you should be able to complete your undergraduate degree in one or two years. Apparently, Lawrie Miller earned a bachelor degree in only eight weeks through testing out. Portfolio evaluation is another option to earn credit hours.

 

Today I received another email from Excelsior offering these free credit opportunities - so there is still time to sign up.

 

The deadline to register for an examination is 15 November 2008.