Help Me, Please!

barbara2bba · #1 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 02:41 PM

I have run my own business for quite a few years, and now it is failing. Unfortunately, without a degree, no matter how great the record setting achievements that I have had, it does not matter - no one will look at me.

I'm seriously pressed for time to complete this degree to get any kind of job that will support my very large family. I only had 12 credits from 20+ years ago and met the Writing Requirement, Biology, Psych, and Nutrition. I have had an official eval from Excelsior regarding the writing requirement so that is good news!

I've been averaging 6 to 9 credits per week. Mostly have done business classes, plus Sociology and Religion. I was hoping to get into a Pearson next week since the Clep/Dantes are out for the holidays but no such luck. I now am scheduled Jan 22 for HRM and World Populations. It has taken an entire month to schedule for them - I did not see that coming.

I tried doing a search for the best way to group, and I see that Human Growth & Development with ED Psych would work. I also thought about History 1 & 11 and the Social Sciences and History 6 credit exam on the 2nd of Jan which is the first date I could schedule anything.

I am literally going to run out of money in a few months, and thank the Lord I have some assistance with the cost of these tests from my father in law. Could anyone help me group these into 9 or 12 credits tests per week ?(except excelsiors - I am figuring no more than 2 exams per week on those)

ALSO<

I need to come up with 1 additional lower level test to take in addition to what I have listed below. And the Analyzing Literature is over my head, I am a very literal person.

Ethics (ECE)
Ethics in America (DSST)
Technical Writing (DSST)
Human Growth and Development (CLEP)
Intro to Educational Psychology (CLEP)
Lifespan Development Psychology (DSST)
Social Science & History (Clep)
Organizational Behavior (DSST)
Astronomy (DSST)
Psychology of Adulthood & Aging (ECE)
Civil War & Reconstruction (DSST)
Gerontology (ECE)
World Population (ECE)
Research Methods in Psychology (ECE)
DSST College Algebra
Race for the planet Dsst
Abnormal Psychology (ECE)
United States History 1 (Clep)
United States History 11 (Clep)
Organizational Behavior (DSST)
Criminal Justice (DSST)
Information Analysis (ECE)
Fundamentals of Counseling (DSST)

jec959 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 02:58 PM

I have been taking my clep, dsst, and I just found out that I can take my TECEP exam at a strayer university test center. If there is one near you it may be open. The one near me is only closed 24 & 25. This way it might not hold you up. I do have to pay a proctor fee on top of the test fees but can schedule the same day usually.

barbara2bba · #3 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 04:50 PM

Thanks, Judy,

I just decided I'll study up and take a few extra tests on my Jan 2 date.

Here is what I had in mind, please comment ANYONE on if there is any week that I am going to kill myself on. I study non-stop, so I am using almost every waking hour to study.

PLAN
Jan 2, 2008
Clep History 1 & 2, DSST Astronomy, Social Sciences & History

Jan 9,
ClEP: Educational Psychology, Human Growth & Development, Lifespan Developmental psychology

Jan 16
DSST Algebra, DSST Technical Writing

Jan 22
HR Management & World Populations

Jan 29
ECE : Abnormal Psych & Research Methods in Psych

Feb 5
ECE:
Gerontology & Adulthood & Aging

Feb 12
ECE Ethics & DSST Ethics

Feb 19
DSST Intro to Law Enforcement , Criminal Justice DSST, DSST Organizational Behavior

Feb 26
DSST Race for the Planet, DSST Counseling

March 4
DSST Civil War

jec959 · #4 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 05:24 PM

If you need college algebra dsst algebra doesn't count but clep college algebra does. I can't comment on most of the rest of the groupings but I found dsst organizational behavior very doable as well as ethics in america. If you just need a math some of the others on this forum have taken the 6 credit lower level math and that would count for your other lower level course. American government was a very doable exam as well.

PatsGirl1 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinderly

I've also had good luck in overcoming the no-degree stigma by switching my resume to a portfolio format. Pretty colors & evidence of past work impress potential employers.

As a business owner, you likely have a LOT of past work that might serve for a stunning portfolio.

Good luck to you. Your plan is very ambitious, but I think you can do it if you're averaging so many credits per week already.

I'm sorry to threadjack, but I'll have to google a Portfolio resume. I've only heard of chronological and functional, but I get the same "you'd get the job if you had a degree" speech WAY too many times. Maybe that would help!

barbara2bba · #6 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cinderly

Hi, Barbara!

I think you can better "stack" these exams to capture previous study. Have you seen the Exam Strategies page at Testing out of College or IC's Similar Tests thread?
No, I did not see those threads, I tried to do a key word search, but those didn't come up. THANKS!
I'd actually recommend taking care of a few oddball items first.

You mention Information Analysis (ECE). Do you mean Information Literacy? If so, it's an easy but expensive Excelsior course. Get it out of the way as soon as you can.
I did mean Information Literacy!

If your budget will support the transcription fee, consider knocking out some elective credits via FEMA. Courses are free and can be completed quickly, but transcribing them costs $60 per credit hour.

I thought about that, but I am trying to keep my father in law out of the pic as much as possible, and that would not work for the budget. I wish I could.

With this option, you can easily complete 12 credits in the first week of your program (and earn the FEMA Professional Development Series certificate) while studying for the first block of your Psychology exams.

I'd then reorder your exams (where possible) to maximize your study:

Jan 2 --CLEP: Educational Psychology, Human Growth & Development, Lifespan Developmental psychology [was Jan 9]. Make sure HG&D and Lifespan Development don't duplicate credit!
I will check on that, I didn't run that one by my advisor. If not, maybe I could do the Government with the History.
Jan 9 -- ECE : Abnormal Psych & Research Methods in Psych [was Jan 29]

Jan 16 -- ECE: Gerontology & Adulthood & Aging [was Feb 5]

Jan 22 -- HR Management & World Populations [stays the same due to scheduling issues]

Jan 29 -- Clep History 1 & 2, DSST Civil War [was Jan 2/Mar 4]

Feb 5 -- DSST Organizational Behavior, DSST Counseling, Social Sciences & History [was Feb 19, 26, Jan 2]

Feb 12 -- ECE Ethics & DSST Ethics [was Feb 12]

Feb 19 -- DSST Intro to Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice DSST, DSST Technical Writing [was Feb 19, Jan 16]

Feb 26 -- CLEP College Algebra [was Jan 16]

Mar 2 -- DSST Astronomy & Race to Save the Planet (Jan 2 & Feb 26)

(I've only taken 2 of the exams you list, so take my advice with a grain of salt.) Another option would be to hurry through the 60 credits you need for an associate's, then continue working on the bachelor's at a less frantic pace.

I've also had good luck in overcoming the no-degree stigma by switching my resume to a portfolio format. Pretty colors & evidence of past work impress potential employers.

As a business owner, you likely have a LOT of past work that might serve for a stunning portfolio.

My problem has been that I have been in executive level positions and my salary has been quite good. With the advent of technology, and Applicant Tracking Systems, when you submit your resume on-line, most have screening questions that knock you out of contention before they ever see your resume. I am actually an executive search consultant in Healthcare and I went to making quite a good living to eeking by.

Good luck to you. Your plan is very ambitious, but I think you can do it if you're averaging so many credits per week already.

Thanks so much, I might rearrange a few things now, and research those threads that you linked. I am using my working hours to study, so I've been able to do pretty well at getting 8 - 10 hours of study in a day. I don't know how people can take these tests cold or with little study. And I have yet to take an exam that I considered easy

barbara2bba · #7 (**permalink**) 12-20-2007, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jec959

If you need college algebra dsst algebra doesn't count but clep college algebra does. I can't comment on most of the rest of the groupings but I found dsst organizational behavior very doable as well as ethics in america. If you just need a math some of the others on this forum have taken the 6 credit lower level math and that would count for your other lower level course. American government was a very doable exam as well.

I'm in the liberal arts program, and DSST algebra does count, thank goodness. I, like so many others, have been out of algebra for 20+ years. I confirmed it with the advisor. Thanks so much.

barbara2bba · #8 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 08:30 AM

I'm going to take 15 credits this weekend/early next week.

Time is money, so even though the outlay is more, the time to finish is much less, therefore getting a job sooner is very viable. That being said, now I have to eliminate some courses. I decided to keep Human Growth & development because of the IC cards and Petersons tests and Ed Psych since it is a stepping stone to all of the upper level psych classes I need to take. I've already eliminated the History Tests unless anyone could tell me if that is not a wise choice. I'm still going to take the Social Science & History and just skim the intantcert material. I'm taking a preliminary Peterson's just to gauge myself.

SO.....I've eliminated some courses and came up with 1 last one to eliminate, and I'm not sure which one I should do.

Do I eliminate:
DSST Technical Writing
DSST Astronomy
DSST Law Enforcement
DSST Criminal Justice
DSST Organizational Behavior (already taken all of the business courses and scheduled for ECE's HR management)

Any thoughts????

I truly appreciate any help that anyone could offer.

THANKS!!!!

barcotta · #9 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 01:09 PM

From your list, the only test I've taken is Criminal Justice. It's an odd test because, as an adult, you'll recognize most of the material just from having been alive and watching the news and maybe a few crime shows--but it's not easy to score high. However, with minimal study--I did pass and the actual MATERIAL I would rank as the easiest exam I've taken. So, what I'm saying is that I believe you could pass this test with minimal study--but your score probably won't be particularly high.

Chebasaz · #10 (**permalink**) 12-21-2007, 04:12 PM

From the sound of it, you could do well by looking into the portfolio credit as well. Has anyone ever gone this route? It's like the elephant in the room for people with large amounts of past work exerience, but I never see it mentioned?

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