What to do with 180+ credits?

[tearsforagnes]

I've accumulated just over 180 credits entirely through CLEP/DSST, ALEKS and the Navy in the last 2 1/2 years. I'm eventually hoping to apply for the Physician's Assistant option through the MSC IPP (Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program). Does anyone have any recommendations for military-friendly colleges or for degrees that would help me become more competitive when I do put in my package? Currently, I haven't applied to a school and my credits are just sitting around. I was thinking it would be better to see if I can first get an Associate's degree before September to give me those few extra points towards advancement. As I understand it, I'll need to pick up HM2 before I can put my package in? I destroyed the HM3 exam this September (and first time up, despite all the nay-sayers!), so I'm feeling pretty confident, but I'll take all the help I can get.

Does anyone know of someone who's gotten accepted to this program?

60 of my credits are through Navy training/advancement; all of them are under the Corpsman rating, except for 13 (AT school). 108 credits are via CLEP/DSST. I figured I'd cover my bases on Gen Ed stuff. The last 6 are two ALEKS courses I did. [Edit: I forgot 8 credits from an ECE: Fundamentals of Nursing]

I greatly appreciate any advice I can get!

[cookderosa]

I've accumulated just over 180 credits entirely through CLEP/DSST, ALEKS and the Navy in the last 2 1/2 years. I'm eventually hoping to apply for the Physician's Assistant option through the MSC IPP (Medical Service Corps In-Service Procurement Program). Does anyone have any recommendations for military-friendly colleges or for degrees that would help me become more competitive when I do put in my package? Currently, I haven't applied to a school and my credits are just sitting around. I was thinking it would be better to see if I can first get an Associate's degree before September to give me those few extra points toward advancement. As I understand it, I'll need to pick up HM2 before I can put my package in? I destroyed the HM3 exam this September (and first time up, despite all the nay-sayers!), so I'm feeling pretty confident, but I'll take all the help I can get.

Does anyone know of someone who's gotten accepted to this program?

60 of my credits are through Navy training/advancement; all of them are under the Corpsman rating, except for 13 (AT school). 108 credits are via CLEP/DSST. I figured I'd cover my bases on Gen Ed stuff. The last 6 are two ALEKS courses I did.

I greatly appreciate any advice I can get!

I'll comment generically since I'm unfamiliar with the HM exams or the corps programs.

With 180+ credits, I suggest you skip the associate degree. Yes, it's likely that there are deficiencies in the upper level credit area, however, with 108 gen eds, you're absolutely closer than the average person who comes here. There are several military friendly options.
First suggestion: TESC Thomas Edison State College allows you to transfer in all your credits, so as long as they apply to the degree you seek, you can use them. No cap on CLEP. Generally, 18 credits or more must be upper level. Look at the liberal arts or natural science degrees as possible options. These both allow 27 free electives, which you can likely use your Navy stuff for - unless you can locate a better degree. They have a BS degree that might work better for you. I have no idea about where your credits fall (some might already be considered upper level depending on which ALEKS and DSSTs you took), so I'm shooting from the hip. Also, a negative, is that in many majors, TESC doesn't offer the classes you'd need to finish the degree- you'd have to transfer them in from somewhere else. While not a deal breaker, can be a pain.

Second suggestion: American Military University. American Public University System - Official Site you can't transfer in 100%, however you'll find a better price and shorter class length. They are VERY military friendly, with over 50% of their student body being active duty. Far and away the most interesting and vast majors specifically designed to capitalize on your military training. Might edge out TESC on your PA application.

[SRT12]

60 credits from the military?!?!? I did 5 years active duty army and i got 11.

[tearsforagnes]

Wow. I didn't expect such a speedy reply! Thanks for the information! I visited the AMU website and it looks like I will only need to do the Core Requirements towards a lot of their Bachelor's programs... Almost all of my credit is lower level, unfortunately. These are the ACE recommendations on my military credit (minus AT school and boot camp):

- Basic Hospital Corps School -

-Anatomy and Physiology (1L)
-Fundamentals of Nursing (3L)
-Management (of behavior emergencies) (1L)
-Management (of trauma injuries) (2L)
-Nursing (clinical practicum) (3L)
-Patient Care (in a contaminated environment) (1L)
-Pharmacology (2L)
-Physical Assessment (1L)

- Hospitalman -

-Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (1L)
-Clinical Nursing Practice (4L)
-Emergency Medical Procedures (3L)
-Health, Wellness and Safety (3L)
-Medical Terminology (1L)
-Nursing Procedures (3L)
-Phlebotomy Procedures (2L)

- Hospital Corpsman, 3rd Class -

-Fundamentals of Nursing (3L)
-Health Information Management (3L)
-Military Science (3L)
-Physical Assessment (3L)

The Navy can provide quite a bit of vocational credit, depending on the rating (MOS). I've known some Chiefs who were only a few classes away from a BS without ever going to school or testing out of classes. For example, I was supposed to get Lab Tech C-School as follow-on orders right out of Corps School. The guys we send there end up with an Associate's from GWU. That's not too shabby considering they don't pay a dime for that education; especially when you figure that most of those guys are E-3's and E-4's who still have lots of time to earn more credit as they advance. Unfortunately, most MOS's in the Army and Marines don't translate as well towards civilian careers. The only exception I can think of is a Medic... they actually make out better than HM's from what I hear. They can challenge the state nursing boards for their LPN in some states.

[valsacar]

EC has a nursing degree program, since you want to go PA I bet a good amount of those classes would be right up your alley. They're VERY military friendly, and accept pretty much everything that will apply towards your degree.

[CLEP101]

60 credits from the military?!?!? I did 5 years active duty army and i got 11.

It all depends on what schools the Army sends you to. For example, for Recruiting school and the Recruiting MOS, I received right around 40 credits all geared towards a business degree and management. My Commo MOS and school gave me another 25 or so credits. I have about 70 militarty credits, and a crap load of CLEP/DSST credits. Including courses I have 222 credits according to TESC.