EC Newbie/Lurker. Advice please..

[alavette]

Hi All!

A little background...divorced mom. 40ish...need/want a BS. Worked as a accounting clerk/administrative ass't but not sure if I want to stay in this field. Kids are grown. Last job was phased out and now unemployed.

I've enrolled at EC. I'm also waiting to speak with my advisor. I've called back and spoke to a couple of different people but they suggested I wait for my advisor.
I enrolled to get a BS in Liberal Arts.

1. Is the BS in Liberal Arts basically the same as Liberal Studies? I noticed the Master in Liberal Studies so I wasn't sure if it was a difference.

2. I do have some credits from waaay back when I did attend school. The school has since closed but a Rep from EC told me that I should be able to get those credits from the state where the school was opened? Can anyone please share some advice on how to go about this please?

3. I wanted to jump right on in and start classes but I'm not sure if I need to wait on the previous credits. The same rep said I didn't have to wait on those credits but let my advisor know. Any advice?

4. I do want to take as many CLEP test as possible to try to get this done. I thought about signing up for the Instantcert and to start studying. I'm just a bit confused on what to start with. Math is not in my genes so I'm wondering how to get that done and out of the way.

I guess this is enough (for now). I'm so excited but nervous at the same time.

Any and all advice is welcome and much appreciated! TIA!

[sc1]

Hi! I'm going back after waaaaay too long myself.

I'm recently enrolled as well and was slightly impatient about waiting for my advisor too. Then I emailed a question in from the MyEC center and my advisor emailed me back immediately. In addition to possibly getting a faster response, you'll also have the benefit of having all of your question and answers documented for later.

If you want to jump right in, you can definitely start taking tests and have your previous credits sent over and evaluated later. Just make sure that nothing you test on is remotely close to any of the classes you took before just in case EC decides they duplicate each other. I was so freaking excited that I couldn't wait myself. So I just started taking tests from my roadmap that I knew wouldn't duplicate. I took three DSSTs and the non-credit mandatory EC class before I spoke to an advisor. When you test, just ask for the scores to be sent to EC.

I'd highly recommend Instacert. Even if you aren't finished putting together your general "roadmap" of classes yet, it's still helpful. The information on the forum helped helped me get an idea of what was on each test and how heard/easy it was so I could decide which tests I was even going to take and in what order I was going to do them.

Sorry I can't answer the other questions!

[alavette]

Sc1..thanks so much for the speedy reply/advice!

Wonderful! I'm so glad to hear I can go ahead and jump in without waiting.
I'm going to use email and see if that gets me a quicker response as well.

What degree are you getting if you don't mind me asking?

[sc1]

BA in Liberal Arts with the liberal studies option, I think. I'm taking the Literature GRE in April and am hoping for a miracle score that nets me a full 30 credits and the major fulfillment for literature but that's not very realistic, so it will mostly likely be liberal studies with a depth in literature and a focus in history.

While I'd like to have a specific major, I'm more interested in getting it done quickly and I think liberal studies is one of the few options that you can do by testing only. How about you? Have you decided yet?

[marianne202]

Welcome! You have found a wonderful place! Please read my second I'm finished post in the Gen Ed. area for some info on what can be done in a year. I too started back at 45, but my kids are only 16 and 11! EC is a wonderful school and they will give you all the credits they can. I used credits that were 28 yrs old. I just finished my BSLS with them. I highly recommend signing up for Instantcert and using their flashcards and specific exam feedback. They will be well worth the money. I can tell you that the EC liberal arts advisors are wonderful. They will work with you and answer any question. I would recommend that you start studying for your Clep/DSST exam. I would start with a subject area that you like or you know well. Review the exam guide, study the flashcards and look at the specific exam feedback then test. Once you get the first one out of the way you will realize how easy this is. You just have to get in a rhythm and find the study skills that work for you. I personally like the DSST exams better, than Clep exams, but I have done both. This is doable! Keep a positive attitude and you will be done in no time. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions. Good luck and welcome to the neighborhood!

[NAP]

Welcome to the forum!

Alissa has created a degree plan template for the BSLS:

http://www.degreeforum.net/62322-post10.html

You can use it to see where the credit you already have will fit and what credit you will still need.

(BS in Liberal Arts is the same thing as a BS in Liberal Studies at Excelsior.)

I remember other people on this forum discussing the need to go back to the state to get transcripts. If you do not get a response to that question, try searching the forum.

This is a wonderful place for help, support, and information!

[alavette]

BA in Liberal Arts with the liberal studies option, I think. I'm taking the Literature GRE in April and am hoping for a miracle score that nets me a full 30 credits and the major fulfillment for literature but that's not very realistic, so it will mostly likely be liberal studies with a depth in literature and a focus in history.

While I'd like to have a specific major, I'm more interested in getting it done quickly and I think liberal studies is one of the few options that you can do by testing only. How about you? Have you decided yet?

I have a few questions for my advisor, but I'm leaning toward the BS in Liberal Studies.
I signed on with InstantCert a little while ago and I've been feeling my way around.

[alavette]

Welcome! You have found a wonderful place! Please read my second I'm finished post in the Gen Ed. area for some info on what can be done in a year. I too started back at 45, but my kids are only 16 and 11! EC is a wonderful school and they will give you all the credits they can. I used credits that were 28 yrs old. I just finished my BSLS with them. I highly recommend signing up for Instantcert and using their flashcards and specific exam feedback. They will be well worth the money. I can tell you that the EC liberal arts advisors are wonderful. They will work with you and answer any question. I would recommend that you start studying for your Clep/DSST exam. I would start with a subject area that you like or you know well. Review the exam guide, study the flashcards and look at the specific exam feedback then test. Once you get the first one out of the way you will realize how easy this is. You just have to get in a rhythm and find the study skills that work for you. I personally like the DSST exams better, than Clep exams, but I have done both. This is doable! Keep a positive attitude and you will be done in no time. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions. Good luck and welcome to the neighborhood!

Thank you so much! I'm so glad I found this site...you all are awesome! You will be hearing a lot from me...

[alavette]

Welcome to the forum!

Alissa has created a degree plan template for the BSLS:

http://www.degreeforum.net/62322-post10.html

You can use it to see where the credit you already have will fit and what credit you will still need.

(BS in Liberal Arts is the same thing as a BS in Liberal Studies at Excelsior.)

I remember other people on this forum discussing the need to go back to the state to get transcripts. If you do not get a response to that question, try searching the forum.

This is a wonderful place for help, support, and information!

Thank you for the welcome and for that info on Liberal Arts and Liberal Studies being the same at EC.

This template is definitely a huge help. I'm gonna work on that this evening and start a new step in life!

:hurray:

[Tasman]

Good for you. That is half of the work..getting started