how far am I?

[rookiemike]

hey guys, this is a great forum, I m taking GRE biology next month, assuming that I pass GRE, I would like to know how far I m from a Bachelor in biology with excelsior college, here's what I already have:

Clep
-college math 6 cr
-Social Sciences and History 6 cr
-humanities 6 cr
-freshman comp 6 cr
- french 12 cr
-Introductory Psychology 3cr
-Introductory Sociology 3cr
-Natural Sciences 6cr
-Biology 6 cr
-American Government 3cr

DSST
- World religion 3cr
-Intro computers 3cr
-College algebra 3cr
-Statistics 3cr
-Environment and Humanity 3cr
-Astronomy 3cr
-Geography 3cr

ECE
-anatomy and physiology 6 cr
-microbiology 3cr

FEMA
30 cr

[Ruddigore]

Well, unless I added it up incorrectly, you have 117 credits. I believe 120 credits is the normal minimum for a bachelor's degree. Thus - unless you lack certain higher-end credits, etc. - you should be almost there!

I suppose I should have known how FEMA credits worked, but I was forced to Google the term. Oddly, the second link I clicked on lead me to an interesting discussion on this very forum. Is it worth the effort? Looks like it is.

[alissaroot]

Assuming you pass the Biology GRE, you will still need 3 English comp credits, 1 information literacy credit, and 12 upper level credits. The Biology GRE will fullfill your first depth requirement, but you still need one other. A depth requirement: "12 credits minimum in a single applied professional or arts and sciences discipline, at least 3 at the upper level." I think all the credits you already have are all lower level, and you need 30 total upper level to graduate. The GRE will net you 18UL. CLEP freshman composition is not accepted at Excelsior as the required english composition credits, you will need to take the AP english exam or the ECE english exam. Okay, if this info is wrong anyone else can feel free to correct me, but I just checked my catalog so I feel pretty good that I've given you the right info. You are so close to being done! I wish I were so close! Good luck!

[rookiemike]

thanks for your reply alissaroot, it was very helpful, I wanted to ask you if you know any thing about some thing called area of focus or some thing which requires less UL cr, I m kinda limited by time and money and I want wrap this up asap by testing out but all I have left as UL is ECE pathophysiology and GRE biology which would give me 21 UL if I pass. ah another question what about liberal studies? would it be a faster option to graduate? thank you

Mike

[alissaroot]

To graduate with a BS in Liberal Studies, you still need two depth requirements. Biology will be depth #1 for you, but you still need one more. A major simultaneously satisfies a depth requirement. An area of focus is only slightly different, it is just annotated on your transcript but not on your diploma, that you studied one area in more depth. An area of focus DOES also satisfy a depth requirement. Area of focus is 21 credits in a single discipline, 6 at upper level, though, so it's actually more credits than required for the minimum depth requirement, but less than a major. Maybe you could take another GRE, in molecular biology, physics, or chemistry? Whichever, you need a total of 30 upper level credits to graduate, most Excelsior students graduate with 121 (because of the 1 credit Info. Lit. requirement), 30 of them at upper level, with 2 depth requirements. Also you must have 3 written english credits. It looks to me like you have satisfied all the other general education requirements in science, math, and humanities.

You should consult an advisor, though, because I am not sure of the fine distinctions in science, and you may be able to satisfy a depth in biology and chemistry with most of what you have? I know they offer 2 Biology GRE exams, one in molecular biology and one plain biology. If you took both of those, the info lit from penn foster, and the ece english exam then you should be done and be able to declare a major in biology with a depth in molecular and cell biology? I wish I could tell you for sure, but it's probably close to that.

[bat21]

You need some upper level units and the WER and LIT REQ, along with at least 4-5 upper level classes.

[rookiemike]

Thank you so much alissaroot, you are awesome !! I hope I can get a hold of an advisor as I m not enrolled yet

[sheeenz]

hey mike how hard was the microbiology ece?

do you think its do-able in 2months?

[CLEP101]

Assuming you pass the Biology GRE, you will still need 3 English comp credits, 1 information literacy credit, and 12 upper level credits. The Biology GRE will fullfill your first depth requirement, but you still need one other. A depth requirement: "12 credits minimum in a single applied professional or arts and sciences discipline, at least 3 at the upper level." I think all the credits you already have are all lower level, and you need 30 total upper level to graduate. The GRE will net you 18UL. CLEP freshman composition is not accepted at Excelsior as the required english composition credits, you will need to take the AP english exam or the ECE english exam. Okay, if this info is wrong anyone else can feel free to correct me, but I just checked my catalog so I feel pretty good that I've given you the right info. You are so close to being done! I wish I were so close! Good luck!

Just to add to this about the Freshman Comp, Excelsior will only give you 3 SH towards humanities and like Alissa said, it will not satisfy your Written English Requirement.