Big 3 Grads: In hindsight what would you differently?

[taylor]

Also I wouldn't recommend the Big 3 or an online format for somebody who just graduated high school. There are just important relationships and life lessons both good and bad that you can only get from going on campus. I believe in most things are ok in moderation, even partying mrs. b =) Getting dumped by my gf, getting her back, then dumping her, learning a few cool dance moves, playing a year of Div. 3 basketball, walking on my hands drunk and breaking the drywall on our apt. and not receiving our security deposit back, and making great friends for life. You can't get that experience in front of a computer screen.

[BIPolarGuy]

Also I wouldn't recommend the Big 3 or an online format for somebody who just graduated high school. There are just important relationships and life lessons both good and bad that you can only get from going on campus.

I think that each person has a path that is unique.

For anyone, I would analyze their ability to 1.perform college level work 2. learn independently 3. afford a traditional college vs CBE and 4. availability of financial aid before I made any recommendations regarding CBE. Although those are only four criteria, you get the gist of what I mean here.

There is also a maturity level needed to be successful in any advanced educational path.

Having just completed my Req's for the BSBA, I don't have any regrets with what I've done. Opportunities are already opening based on my past performance and the checking of the education box.
However, if I am gonna jump in the "What if machine", I would want to finish high school, and go straight to college.

My path wasn't that easy.

It did however, make me the awesome person I am today.

[Prloko]

This is going to sound SO STRANGE, but I wish you had shared more about how/why/when you flunked a CLEP. I think sometimes the "I took that cold" posts out-number the ones who study hard and struggle. I never met a CLEP that I didn't study for, and I'm not a very good test taker, so even when I did study hard I was happy with my "low-50's" average. Re: grad school, I was just chatting with hubby about this last night. I think the cost and speed barriers that get broken down here allow people to keep their momentum and go onto grad school. I wish we kept data on people from this forum who used a lot of exam credit and went onto grad school. I think the numbers must be very high compared to the general population.

I struggle trying to convince my Airmen to study for their CLEPs. I have a rep in my unit for passing so many. People come to me, I tell them to study HARD for two weeks (better then sitting through class for 8+ weeks). Then they go ask one of their knuckle-head buddies (the barracks PhDs) who tell them to just take it. Of course they flunk and then come to ask me what else transfers.