Western Illinois University

[JoliesMom]

HI,

I do not know much about Excelsior and Thomas Edison, only that they provide a degree through exams and prior learning.

I have been taking CLEPs to complete my associates degree through my community college. While searching online and speaking to friends, I found out that Western Illinois University offers a Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts degree. You can completely test out of all your classes through this degree. They also offer credit through a prior learning portfolio. You never need to step foot on the campus. It is 3 hours from me and I still don't want to go there. Western is a highly respected University in Illinois. It is not on the scale of University of Illinois Champain, but it is in the top state schools.

The only downside I can find is that you cannot declare a major. You can declare a minor.

If you are interested in looking at another option their website is http://www.wiu.edu/qc/catalog/bot.shtml

[siersema]

It looks like an interesting program, but I don't agree with your statement that it can be tested out of 100%. My primary concern is the line that states you must have 30 credits from WIU, though perhaps they have challenge tests. Even if they do have challenge tests that they consider WIU credit it would be unusual for those tests to be online. I suppose it's also possible that the PLA is considered WIU credit, but from the little I've read about PLA at other schools it wouldn't be easy to get 30 credits via this method. The other concern I have is the lab requirement for science. I doubt any exam would count as a lab. So.. I don't think this is a degree that can be 100% test out like a degree from Excelsior, Thomas Edison, or Charter Oak may be, but this certainly is a very flexible program.

Another IL program that I've seen mentioned recently is the BA from DePaul University http://www.snlonline.net/index.asp, it looks like you may be able to test out of many of the requirements, but not all.

And to pitch my own states programs, Indiana also has a very flexible distance program.

"You can use a variety of options for earning credit toward your degree. These options include credit by examination, credit for self-acquired competency, and military service credit. And if at some time in the past you started your college education elsewhere, you may be able to transfer your credits to Indiana University."

http://scs.indiana.edu/undergraddegrees/...grees.html

Indiana has the same 30 credits from our school policy that WIU has.

[sgloer]

Good posts. For it to count on the same level as Excelsior, Charter Oak, or Thomas Edison, you'd definitely need to be able to complete the degree entirely by examination without even being in the same state.

[snazzlefrag]

Indiana has the same 30 credits from our school policy that WIU has.

You'll find that the vast majority of schools have some kind of "in-house" requirement. It's usually 30 credits, but many schools require even more.