Please help me to understand Saylor, DSST, CLEP?

Hi,

I've wrestled with obtaining my Bachelors degree since I graduated with my Associates of General Studies back in 99'. Since that time I've gained a doctoral amount of real world education.

I've recently applied/been accepted to Thomas Edison State University. I'm looking for the easiest and fastest way to complete any Bachelor degree. Right now I *think* that's a BA Communications. (Open to suggestions.)

My transcripts have been ordered and we're waiting on one and assume the others are currently being reviewed.

My Associates of General Studies is 64 credits from one community college, 9 credits from another CC and I'm hoping TESU accepts credits from The Art Institute of Denver (15 credits). Does anyone know? It is a regionally accredited school.

I'm overwhelmed by all the testing options. Am I correct in understanding that Saylor is free, except to have the exam proctored?

Do you think PLA is the best/easiest/quickest way to use all my previous jobs to earn credit?

I had one Thomas Edison admissions adviser tell me my Allegra nutrition cert wasn't valid, yet on the cert it's from a regionally accredited nursing program and matches up to the same education taught in one of their nutrition classes. Can I go over his head and ask someone else? (Not sure how good customer service agents are at that school, but if they're anything like a cell phone company, you'll get a different answer every time.)

Thanks for reading and any suggestions, info and/or advice! :fest30:

 

Hi,

I've wrestled with obtaining my Bachelors degree since I graduated with my Associates of General Studies back in 99'. Since that time I've gained a doctoral amount of real world education.

Then it's time to have the credential to match! Credentials (degrees) are just about jumping through hoops, as you'll soon find lol.

I've recently applied/been accepted to Thomas Edison State University. I'm looking for the easiest and fastest way to complete any Bachelor degree. Right now I *think* that's a BA Communications. (Open to suggestions.)

Wait for your unofficial evaluation, then you'll know what's left - which will answer the questions about easy and fast.

My transcripts have been ordered and we're waiting on one and assume the others are currently being reviewed.

You'll get an unofficial evaluation in your account once they have everything.

My Associates of General Studies is 64 credits from one community college, 9 credits from another CC and I'm hoping TESU accepts credits from The Art Institute of Denver (15 credits). Does anyone know? It is a regionally accredited school.

RA credits will all be accepted. That's the wrong question, the right question is if they align with the requirements of the degree you are seeing. If you have 64 credits in underwater basket weaving, that's never going to hit the 3 math credits you'll need. It's about plugging them into the right slots.

I'm overwhelmed by all the testing options. Am I correct in understanding that Saylor is free, except to have the exam proctored?

Yes, $25, however, you're premature in planning. As it turns out, CLEP and Saylor testable courses are all at the 100 and 200 level- you may have all of those complete. There are a few 300 level DSST, but those exams are used to meet lower level credit, in other words- the 64 you already have. Wait and see if some of your 64 leave gaps, and you can use exams to fill them.

Do you think PLA is the best/easiest/quickest way to use all my previous jobs to earn credit?

Absolutely not. PLA isn't easy or quick, and job experience doesn't mean college credit. We'll save that for another discussion, but you need to fill the holes. If your degree required ABC class at the 300 level, you have to prove in your PLA that you've accomplished the competency you would accomplish in that class. That's hard to do.

I had one Thomas Edison admissions adviser tell me my Allegra nutrition cert wasn't valid, yet on the cert it's from a regionally accredited nursing program and matches up to the same education taught in one of their nutrition classes. Can I go over his head and ask someone else? (Not sure how good customer service agents are at that school, but if they're anything like a cell phone company, you'll get a different answer every time.)

Unnecessary. The cert is a non-credit cert, which won't yield college credit unless it's ACE evaluated. I checked, it's not. ACE CREDIT | The National Guide to College Credit for Workforce Training While it may be true that it's the same content taught to the nursing students, it's only transfer credit if you rec'd college credit (not CEU) from the college for that class. Nutrition is always tricky, because content is often identical between credit and non-credit courses. If you have a college transcript with this course on it, and it reads with BIO or NUT on the course title (BIO101 is an example) then you'll get credit. I did a search just to check, and I'm confident that it's a CEU. There are instances when you'd get a different answer every time, but this is a simple question they get frequently. (I also had tons of CEU credit that didn't count, don't feel bad)

Thanks for reading and any suggestions, info and/or advice! :fest30:

So, while I love this board, I'm going to suggest you also look at the sister board to this one. It is focused on earning undergrad at TESU, especially through testing. There are upper level exams you can use at TESU, but the guidance on that part of your question is better served on the IC page. This page is excellent when you get to the next level and especially masters or graduate study. And if I didn't say it before, WELCOME! CLEP Forum - CLEP Study - CLEP Testing - Study Guide and Strategies

 

Thank you for your lengthy response and research to my questions! So much to take in. I will review the other link you provided. I do see a COMM 400 class offered on Saylor.org. Just tempted to get going while TESU reviews my transcripts. Thanks again!

 

Thank you for your lengthy and researched response. Where/what is the "sister board"? My apologies for posting this in the wrong area. So far it seems TESU doesn't have as liberal of a transfer policy and real world credit system as they advertise. We'll see what they say after my transcripts are received/reviewed. Thanks again.

 

I sent you a link via PM and referenced "the other board" on your other thread.