Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Printable Version

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Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - yutzyj - 08-22-2007

Hi All-
When I began this journey with my husband, we were both lost as to which direction to go and what tests to take first. With that in mind, I wanted to list the tests that I took for my Psychology degree and the order in which I took them, in the hope that this will help to guide new students. This is not to say that this is the way that you should travel. It is just to give you an idea of maybe where to begin.

I started when I was 47 years old. It has been a difficult but very rewarding journey. I've made several friends along the way who have helped me, and without them I think I would have taken many tests that I didn't need. At times I was so discouraged I didn't think I would ever be able to accomplish this. One time I packed it all up and said "enough". I just wanted to share this so if you get discouraged, I want you to know that others have also. Just don't quit! Keep trying! You can do this too!

Sociology (CLEP)
Macroeconomics (CLEP)
Microeconomics (CLEP)
US Govt (CLEP)
Psychology (CLEP)
US Hist 1 (CLEP)
US Hist 2 (CLEP)
(I needed all the previous tests to be able to take Social Studies & History. They could be taken in any order, although I would recommend starting with Sociology and then Psychology. As Macro & Micro are harder exams, I would recommend taking them after the two History exams.)
Social Studies & History (CLEP)*
English Composition (ECE)
Statistics (DSST)
College Algebra (CLEP)
Humanities (CLEP)*
Accounting (CLEP)*
Principles of Finance (DSST)
Ethics (DSST)
Ethics (ECE)
College Math (CLEP)*
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature (CLEP)*
Introduction to Computing (DSST)
Info Systems & Computer Application (CLEP)
Operations Management (TECEP)
Principles of Management (CLEP)
Principles of Supervision (DSST)
Human Resources Mgmt (DSST)
Principles of Marketing (CLEP)
Introduction to Business (DSST)
Information Literacy (ECE)
Introduction to Business Law (1) (CLEP)
FEMA (2 credits)
Business Policy (TECEP)
Human Growth & Development (CLEP)
Introduction to Education Psychology (CLEP)
Abnormal Psychology (ECE)
Research Methods (ECE)
Adulthood & Aging (ECE)
Foundations of Gerontoloty (ECE)
Social Psychology (ECE)
Organization Behavior (ECE)

*These exams were worth 6 credits each; all other exams listed were worth 3 credits each. NOTE: the 6 credit CLEP Accounting exam is no longer available and has been replaced by a 3 credit exam that only covers one half of the original exam.

If you are taking College Math, I would highly recommend taking it right after or right before College Algebra. If you need Money and Banking, I would take it right after Macro and Micro (taken in that order). I took Intro to Business AFTER the business courses because it made it very easy to just go over InstantCert. The only reason I saved ECE Organizational Behavior for last was to see what grade I needed for my GPA; however, a good time to take OB would be right after or right before taking the DSST or ECE Human Resources Management exam. The ECE Information Literacy exam can be taken at any time and does provide some valuable information.

I feel it is very important that you obtain a copy of the "Student Guide to Credit by Examination at Excelsior College" assessment catalog. This catalog will clearly show which CLEP, DSST, and ECE exams meet each of the degree requirements and the scores required to pass each exam. This catalog does not include the Thomas Edison exams (TECEP) that can fulfill some of the requirements.

Please note that the requirements for the Excelsior College Psychology degree have changed as of January 1, 2007. You can no longer completely test out of a Psychology degree (please see the Excelsior College School of Liberal Arts catalog for details).

I hope that this will be of some help to those of you just beginning on your journey. Remember that all of our journeys will be different, but hopefully this will give some guidelines to those who need a starting point.

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - ShotoJuku - 08-22-2007

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Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Banta - 08-28-2007

yutzyj Wrote:You can no longer completely test out of a Psychology degree (please see the Excelsior College School of Liberal Arts catalog for details)

I downloaded that and I can't find specifically what you're talking about... or I just can't figure it out! Any help would be appreciated, since I intend on doing what you did.

~Terry

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Kiwi Lover - 08-28-2007

Banta Wrote:I downloaded that and I can't find specifically what you're talking about... or I just can't figure it out! Any help would be appreciated, since I intend on doing what you did.

~Terry

Terry,

Here is the post that snazzlefrag made in September 2006 after the changes were announced. I hope this helps.

JoAnne

Quote:Having now read the new requirements for the Psychology major (effective for anyone who enrolls Jan 1st, 2007, or later), it appears that there will be two key areas that can no longer be fulfilled via exams:

1) History and Systems/History of Psychology/Psychological Foundations.
2) Biological and Physiological Foundations
(Biopsychology, Physiological Psychology, Animal Behavior, Comparative Psychology, Perception, Sensation, Neuroscience).

All other requirements can be completed by exam (see below). The major still requires 30 credits (at least 15 upper level).

Here is one possible path to completing all but two of the new requirements via examination:

----
I. Core Requirements:

A. General Psychology (CLEP Introductory Psychology)
B. Statistics (DANTES Principles of Statistics)
C. Research Methods/Experimental Psychology/Experimental Design (ECE Research Methods in Psychology)
D. History and Systems/History of Psychology/Psychological Foundations (No exam available)

II. Intermediate and upper level courses in central knowledge areas or sub disciplines of psychology, including a minimum of one course in each of the five areas from among the following:

1) Biological and Physiological Foundations (No exam available)
2) Developmental Perspectives (CLEP Human Growth, or DANTES Lifespan Development, or ECE Lifespan Development)
3) Social Influences (ECE Social Psychology)
4) Abnormal Psychology (ECE Abnormal Psychology)
5) Cognitive Bases (CLEP Educational Psychology...assuming they will still accept it under their new policy)

III. Electives (as needed):
(You will need to make sure you have a total of at least 15 upper level credits)

DANTES Organizational Behavior, or ECE Organizational Behavior.
ECE Foundations of Gerontology.
ECE Psychology of Adulthood & Aging.
----

Don't take my word for it! I'm just some dork writing an opinion on a message board. Because of the new policy, it will be absolutely essential (now more than ever) that you get your degree plan approved in writing by Excelsior College.

Hope that helps,
Snazzlefrag

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Banta - 08-28-2007

Interesting. I know that I really should try and enroll in Excelsior as soon as possible so I can get some professional guidance, but I don't really have the money to do so right now. So, I'm just going to take what tests I can and deal with these other courses when the time comes. Seems like a relatively minor difference though.

Just a thought and probably something I'd have to ask the people at Excelsior about... but what about the Psychology GRE? It seems possible that the credits there could count towards filling the void.

Thanks for the reply, JoAnne.

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - clover - 09-05-2007

Please help! :confused: 54 yo & Just getting started with excellsior Lpn to Rn degree. I need to take all my clep exam's and decided to start with sociology 1st. Have college net work study guide however any help is greatly appreciated!! Smile

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Southpaw - 09-21-2007

Banta Wrote:Just a thought and probably something I'd have to ask the people at Excelsior about... but what about the Psychology GRE? It seems possible that the credits there could count towards filling the void.

Does anyone know the answer to this about the GRE? I am interested in the Psychology major but only if I can test out of it.

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Shadowless - 11-23-2007

Okay, I am confused about the whole Excelsior college, Is this a school where you pretty much just pay and they give you a degree and you can transfer as much credit as you can or something?

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - japhy4529 - 11-23-2007

Shadowless Wrote:Okay, I am confused about the whole Excelsior college, Is this a school where you pretty much just pay and they give you a degree and you can transfer as much credit as you can or something?

Excelsior is a regionally accredited college focused on assisting adult learners (many, but not all with prior college credits) begin or complete a degree.

To this end, one accumulate credits in a variety of ways, including: taking online courses through Excelsior, testing out of courses through Excelsior ECE, CLEP, DANTES or TESC (Thomas Edison State College) exams, transferring courses or applying for prior learning assessment. With many of Excelsior's degree programs, one may test of all the requirements (with the exception of a required, 1 credit Information Literacy course).

Excelsior College is one of three unaffiliated colleges referred to on this and other DL forums as the "Big 3."

The "Big 3" schools consist of:

Excelsior College - http://www.excelsior.edu
Thomas Edison State College - Thomas Edison State College
Charter Oak State College - Charter Oak State College - distance learning college, online degrees, courses

The commonality of these three institutions is that one may transfer in credit, or test out of 100% of the requirements for a degree, without the need to take course. Now with this general statement comes a caveat. One may not test out of every degree program (e.g. Excelsior's Biology, Chemistry and Physics BA/BS programs require a certain number or science courses (w/ labs) to be completed in the classroom - or online if that is possible).

Good luck,
Tom

Roadmap for New Excelsior College Students - Shadowless - 11-26-2007

So they take all transfer credits as well then?

How much does it cost to go through the process? Do you have to take the tests through them? If not then do you just transfer all your credits once you make it to the 120 total credits or so that are needed and pretty much pay them to give you the degree?