Excelsior Degree Completion w/ diploma, transcript & plan

barcotta · #1 (**permalink**) 10-02-2008, 01:21 PM

I graduated almost exactly two months ago. At that time I let all the folks here in the IC forum know that I was done and bathed in the glory of my new distinction as an IC "Lord," as that post was coincidentally my 400th (which thankfully everyone seemed to recognize as just a bit of fun...).

I had already started drafting an "I'm done" post a month or two before I actually graduated but had forgotten all about it. I came across it recently and noticed it contained some info I hadn't included in my original post, so I thought I would include it here along with some scans of the final documentation I received so people could have some idea what this will all look like in the end.

It took me 14 months to complete my degree--starting with 18 usable credits from some early community college experiences. I was fortunate in that I was strong in math back then and also took a course in electricity--which provided a total of nine (9) credits in areas that would have been painful to delve back into twenty years later. I had another six (6) credits for which I had received a grade of D, and despite Excelsior's acceptance of D grades when I applied, I ultimately had them removed once I realized that I could easily replace them with some of the less-challenging CLEP and DSST exams.

I had also attended Musician's Institute in Los Angeles in the late 1980's and graduated with honors. Unfortunately, MI was not, and still is not regionally accredited. No ACE evaluations either. Despite some nice national accreditation from the National Association of Schools of Music (which made them eligible for Federal Student Loan programs), my time spent there was worthless in terms of transfer credits--even to one of the "big three." Nonetheless, I felt like there must be a way to convert that knowledge. I have been a musician since I was in 2nd grade and it seemed ludicrous that I would have to sit in a "Fundamentals of Music" class at this point.

Unfortunately, I was unable to to find any assessment tests for music. I then looked into portfolio assessment and decided against it after looking into the work involved vs. the uncertainty of the result--and the fact that you had to produce written materials and find other people to "vouch" for you. I also have participated in the creation of a Human Resources Manual--which was offered as an example by Excelsior of the type of work for which you could receive portfolio credit--but even that seemed like more effort than it was worth.

I then looked to my local community college and discovered they had a credit-by-examination program. I've posted on that experience before, and ultimately I was able to test out of twelve (12) credits by spending two days on campus during finals week. In order to qualify for the credit-by-examination program, I had to enroll in six (6) units--so I took care of my Financial Accounting (5 units) and Info Literacy requirements and, as an added benefit, was able to tack on another four elective credits by doing a few simple assignments at my current job for college work/study credit. That program, known as Cooperative Work Experience Education (CWEE) is likely available at any community college in CA and perhaps other states as well. I discovered it after I had completed the majority of the 15 elective credits I needed, so I could only use four--but you can take up to four units of that "course" three times for a potential total of twelve (12) elective credits! It's a VERY easy course and all you have to do is have a job (if you don't, they'll find you one) and do a couple of SIMPLE assignments. No tests. To give you an idea of the value of these credits--they are all transferable to any California State University (CSU) and were accepted at Excelsior College as well.

In the meantime, I took a bunch of CLEP and DSST exams and before I knew it, I had exceeded the credits I needed for an Associate's degree at Excelsior College. I then decided to skip that and go right to the B.S. in General Business.

By the way, if you are interested in a good GPA, it takes a whole lot of A's to negate the effect of even one C--so, be warned! Play with a GPA calculator (or, better yet, make your own in Excel) and you'll see what I mean. The impact of an additional A is nothing compared to the devestation of even one C! If you are transferring credits into Excelsior now, I would strongly suggest that you transfer in only your best scores if you care about your GPA (or may care in the future). You now have to make your final decision regarding existing credits in your first thirty days of enrollment. To give you an idea of the power of a "C" grade--one five-credit "C" was the difference between graduating "cum laude" and "magna cum laude" for me. Had I replaced that "C" with an "A"--or with a CLEP pass--I would have graduated magna cum laude.

I've included links to a couple of scans so y'all can get a sneak peak at what lies at the end of this journey. Here's my actual diploma. I am pretty happy with it. I know some folks were disappointed when they received their diplomas in years past--but I don't know what they looked like so I don't know if they've changed or if my expectations are different. It comes in a nice padded portfolio. I've also attached a scan of my transcript so you can see how the different credits translate. If you click on the links in my signature below, you can read my feedback on the various exams and courses I took. Finally, I've attached my final degree plan below. Keep in mind that you now need to take the final Business Strategy course at Excelsior; you can no longer take the TECEP exam.

Now that I have my degree, I'll qualify for...well...pretty much the job I already have. My employer didn't require a degree and I had already managed to work my way up to a middle management position--but I really felt the need to complete my degree once and for all. This degree won't get me any more money and I didn't ask my employer to pay for any of it, but I now feel more secure in general and if I ever have to leave this employer, I'll be more marketable.

Next for me? Turning my time and attention back to my family and job. While I was able to complete much of my studying on the train or the bus--I did have to do some at home, and the time (and mental distraction) away from work and home to take the exams and a couple of hybrid classes took its toll on both.

The primary reason I did not aggressively pursue a traditional bachelor's degree after high school was my complete lack of understanding of the job market in general. By the time I finished high school, I was very tired of sitting in classrooms learning about subjects for which I had no interest. I did pursue a career as a musician, but I couldn't see commiting to four more years of school unless there were some guaranteed $$$$ at the end of that road. I didn't believe there was any market benefit to having a music degree--so I couldn't see going to a traditional four-year music school.

Now that I'm older and (a little) wiser, I realize that having a bachelors degree in ANYTHING is better than nothing. However, I now feel the same way about pursuing my Masters (which is why I say I'm only a little wiser). I would have to pay for a Masters degree myself--and unless there were some $$$$ at the end of that road, it doesn't make sense for me. If I were single, I probably would. However, I'm right smack in the middle of raising a family and I have a pretty demanding job and plenty of resource demands (as in saving for retirement, college for the kids, vacations, time with the family, etc.) so I would only add to that load if I were pursuing something pretty specific--and it would likely have to be on someone else's dime.

Hopefully this information will be of some use to folks who are just starting out. I really enjoyed my Excelsior College experience and am proud to be an Excelsior College graduate.

UPDATE - April 2009: I recently came across a table of education expenses I created for completing my taxes, so I thought I would attach that to this post. Total: $5,950. That table is pretty close to all-inclusive. The only expenses I incurred that I did not include here as far as I can tell were the transcript fees from my previous community colleges and a handful of used textbooks.

kayausa · #2 (**permalink**) 10-02-2008, 02:08 PM

wow... thank you...
this was really informative!

Mamasaphire · #3 (**permalink**) 10-02-2008, 02:35 PM

I am planning to enroll in TESC, but I really enjoyed your post. Thank you for sharing!

raf9797 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 09:59 PM

Excellent work! My GPA is not as high as yours but it's above 3.0 and i fine with it. I knew i could clep the c's but i getting old(still under 30) and need to get my masters and start my career. i am cramming for the gmat and hope to apply R2 admissions.
How long after the graduation did you receive your diploma?
I can't wait to have mine after 17/10.

Sunshine · #5 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 05:48 PM

Thanks for posting this- these accounts are so inspiring. Congratulations on your degree and all the best to you and your family

alleycat · #6 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 05:59 PM

Thank you for your thoughts and your account of your degree experience it is very inspirational. Good luck with your family.

AGS121068 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 11:59 AM

Does grades of 50s consider to be A's in excelsior?

Mamasaphire · #8 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 12:38 PM

Now that I am thinking about going to EC instead of TESC, I am avidly rereading your post. Thanks again!

barcotta · #9 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGS121068

Does grades of 50s consider to be A's in excelsior?

On an ECE, no. CLEPS aren't graded. There are DSST exams on which you can receive a score in the 50's and the grade is an A. The cut-off scores are contained the the "Student's Guide to Credit by Examination" which you can find in the publications section of the Excelsior web site.

barcotta · #10 (**permalink**) 02-11-2009, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mamasaphire

Now that I am thinking about going to EC instead of TESC, I am avidly rereading your post. Thanks again!

Alright! Now that I know someone read it more than once--it makes all that typing all the more worthwhile. Glad you like it. EC Rocks!

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