My studies at Education Direct

American Public University and American Military University are essentially the same school but with different names. AMU is geared towards military students. APU is targeted to civilians. However, the courses are taught by the same faculty (the APU MA125 course I just completed was taught as an AMU MA125 course) although the distinction is purely in name. AMU and APU are part of the American Public University System (APUS).

FYI, Thomas Edison State College accepts transfer credits from RA and RA candidate schools.

 

Another test, another 90. I took the test for the segment of Introduction to Business called Managing Technology and Information. It mainly dealt with accounting and computer applications for business. The two questions I missed were not covered very well in the material, in my opinion. I spent quite a bit of time on the test, since it is not timed or anything. Oh well.

Two more chapters in Introduction to Business and I'm done with the course. I have received an email notifying me my next course is already on its way. I should get it in the mail either Monday or Tuesday. So far, shipment of my course materials has been very smooth. When you reach a certain point in one course, ED automatically ships the next course.

 

OK, I got my course materials for my next course, "Mathematics for Business and Finance." The box included another phonebook-sized textbook, "Contemporary Mathematics for Business and Consumers", a study guide, a disc with the 2003 U.S. Tax tables, and a Texas Instruments calculator (the "basic financial" model). I should be able to start this sometime this week, after I wrap up the last exam in my "Introduction to Business" course. I have to say, I'm kind of intimidated by this course, because I am TERRIBLE at math. Then again, I'm glad to have this course so soon in the program, so I can get it out of the way.

 

I completed a similar course last week at AMU. The course was called Mathematics for Liberal Arts Majors and used a textbook titled Topics in Contemporary Mathematics and included a chapter on banking and consumer credit mathematics.

Do not worry about being weak in high school math as the course is likely to only require basic algebra skills plus the ability to understand formulae. Good luck and remember you use most of the math in the course everyday without thinking. ;-)

The record of your progress through your studies at Education Direct is appreciated and undoubtedly will inspire others.

 

I have finally finished the "Introduction to Business" course with ED. I took the last test tonight, covering "Managing Financial Resources" and scored a 95. It took me eight weeks to finish the course. I probably could have done it faster had I read more pages from my text each night, but I've been busy with work, family, etc.

I have now racked up a total of 5 credits with ED, although technically I think the proctored exam at the end of the semester is an "all or none" sort of deal which determines if I actually get these credits.

My next course is already sitting on my coffee table. It is "Mathematics for Business and Finance". I have looked through the textbook and it looks like it covers basic math (whole numbers, fractions, decimals) and applies it to business situations such as invoices, checking accounts, annuities, mortgages, etc. It looks like there may also be some basic algebra here, too. I'm glad my wife is good at math. I'll need a tutor!

I'm hoping to get transfer credit for an English Comp. course I took at a B&M college a few years ago so I can skip that course at ED. If that works out, I should be on track to finish my first semester with ED by the end of January, which means it will have taken me six months. I was hoping to finish the first semester more quickly, but have had too many other distractions slowing me down through the first course.

On to math!

 

Good job TCord! Keep it up.


Have a good one,

Abner

 

Hi TCord,
I had posted awhile back about your studies as I am taking the same course. I have fallen a bit behind due to shipping problems. Supposedly the Contemporary business course was shipped out Sept. 21, but Oct, 17 arrived and still no book and as they require, fifteen business days had passed. I had to call and ask for a new shipment to be sent. It mailed out that day and arrived exactly 10 days later. Oddly enough, the original shipment arrived today. The actual shipping date on it was Oct. 13th, even though ED swears it was shipped on Sept 21st.
Anyway, it's over and I am working to catch up a bit since I lost 6 weeks with the shipment fiasco.
I have hope that since you say you haven't had any shipping problems, that it will be a one time incident. Our test scores are running about the same I think, so I can only assume it's the same trick questions that are getting me also. As you said, there are quite a few questions that the answer is not in print there for the finding. In fairness though, it's always the ones that I went over repeatedly and doubted my answers to start with.
My sister-in-law just graduated from Baylor not long ago and has been amazed at how much work I and my brother have with distance learning courses. In fact she has said repeatedly she never had that much. Go figure.
I wish others realized just how much work these courses are instead of doing the typical, "Oh, they're online courses." This is usually accompanied wiht a nose wrinkle.
Anyway, best of luck with your math. Can't wait ot get that one out of the way either!
Melissa

 

I'm sorry to hear you had a shipping issue with your books. I have never had a shipment take longer than five days.

I have yet to have any reason at all to contact ED and deal with their customer service. I'm sure there will be a point when I will, but for now I just send my money and they send their books.

I haven't experienced any "nose-wrinkling" yet. I tell people I'm studying via DL, and they just wish me luck and congratulate me on my grades. Nobody seems to think twice about it, but then again many of the B&M colleges in my area also offer DL courses and degrees.

I haven't even started Math yet. I've been too busy with work.

 

Wow, five days? you must be closer to the school! I would love five days! I noticed in FAQ they offer to send all of your books and course work if you request it upon paying in full. If I have any more shipping problems, which may just be a new mexico issue, I think I might do that.

You said you haven't dealt with cutomer service yet. They called me back in September and offered a discount if I doubled my payments, which of course I did. They said if I didn't do it at that time, I could call and request it myself at any time. It was only about 90 knocked off, but every little bit counts I think. Besides that with the discount they mentioned giving upon final payment, it adds up.
Melissa

P.S If you ever do need to call, depending on the department you are trying to reach, both of my calls so far have been about a 45 minute wait.
The payment department seems to answer pretty fast though. lol

 

I just dropped in to read up on the name change and thought I would stop by this thread to say that earlier today you had crossed my mind TCORD. I took one of my test and was completely disgusted with one of the problems. # 18 in the lesson 5, Managing technology and Information
Of course I got it wrong , but I wasn't surprised as either I completely missed something or there was just no way to correctly answer that question with the figures they gave for that ratio equation. I was curious to hear from another student that recently took that test if they had issues with that question also.
Melissa

 

Wow...someone was thinking of me??? I'm flattered!

It looks like you're catching up to me. I just started working on my math course a few days ago because there has been an illness in my family the past couple of weeks.

The math course isn't just a matter of reading text book. There are of course math problems...MANY math problems...on every single page. I have heard that practice makes perfect with math, but it is really slowing me down on this course. So far it has been relatively easy...addition, subtraction, muliplication.

I also missed Question 18 on Lesson 5. Since it seems we have all missed the same question, I can only come to the conclusion that the question just isn't very clear.

 

I'm considering calling them tomorrow to ask about it and the name change.

What got me, was that in the test book it explains that to get the answer you have to have the quick assets to divide by the liability. That question only gave total assets with no way to figure the quick assets and no table or mention of it in the test book to pull the info from, or if there is, I;m blind. In that case there is no way to answer it. I don't mind missing one or two here and there that requires a little thinking, then it's on me, but I like to at least have a fighting chance to get it.

I hope to get started on the math next week. We have a long 15 hour drive back home for Thanksgiving and I have decided that instead of bringing my normal book to read, I will take the math and attempt to get as much done while traveling as possible, then I can take my test online when I get home. I say those are my plans, lol, with three kids, I could be kidding myself.
Anyway, I will post back on what results I get from my call tomorrow. I can only imagine that there may very well be a very long wait with as many calls as they are probably getting right now about the name change.
Melissa

 

Okay, I called aobut that question and have to say I am really glad I did. I would suggest if anyone has missed this question that they should call their instructor, because it is most likely the same reason we have missed the other same select questions. The old saying "Can't see the forest for the trees," is the best way to describe what is going on here. I had one of those Oh DUh moments when he began to go over what I had done wrong. One thing I have learned though, from now on, when I come across one of these that give me fits, I am not going to obsess over it for hours. I am going to put it down and walk away and return with a different plan of how to approach it.

Melissa

 

It has been awhile since I have posted to this thread. I am finally getting back on track with my courses at Penn Foster, formerly known as Education Direct. Work and family stuff sidetracked me for awhile.

I have taken my first exam for the "Mathematics for Business and Finance" course. I scored a 100! This is quite an achievement for a math moron like me. Of course, it took me quite some time to work through all of the problems, but I answered them all correctly.

Most of the problems dealt with fractions, ratios and finding the unknown quantity of a business problem. I'll have to work much faster when I take the semester final.

Up next: Lesson 2 - Business Basics

 

There are a total of four lessons for the math course, but there are 19 chapters in the textbook to study. The textbook looks like a phone book for a large metropolitan city, so it does take some time to work through it.

The other courses have had about six exams each. The proctored semester exam covers everthing from the entire semester, and I believe it's an all-or-none deal. If you don't pass, you miss out on 17 credits. If this isn't the case, somebody can correct me on that.

 

Hello,
I will be taking some ace reviewed classes through the Business & industrial division.
I have a couple of questions regarding Penn foster exams.
1. Are all online exams untimed ?
2. Is the final (proctored) exam "open book", is it timed ?
Thank you much,
Pilot

 

....

1. All the exams are untimmed multiple choice and can be done online. Some lesson require you to email / snail mail projects back to the school to be graded

2. The proctored exams are timed open book exams. You normaly get 1 hour per course. From my experience the exams consist of essay type questions

 

Re: ....

Hi,
1.Only 1 hour for the final. How many questions are they usually?
2.Is it the final a mix of multiple choice / essay?
3.Do you find it easy/hard to get an A for the course.
4.Last question does excelsior report the course as pass/fail or the actual grade
Thank you very much for the info,
I appreciate the help!!

 

...

1. Yes 1 hour for each course for example If you take five courses durning a semester you'll get five hours for the exam. 1 hour for each course. from my experience theres normaly 2-4 essay questions and 10-20 question where you have to answer with a sentence or 2.

2. I have yet to run into any multiple choice questions on there proctored exams. I have taken 3 proctored exams for 15 courses.

3. The 15 courses I've taken I got 10 A's & 5 B's.. I'm take 2 courses now and it looks like I'll be getting B's depending on the proctored exam which counts for 1/3 of your grade. I find there courses challenging but not extremely difficult.

4. On my Excelsior transcripts there reported as letters grades