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+--- Thread: Davar vs. Coopersmith (/Thread-Davar-vs-Coopersmith)
Davar vs. Coopersmith - dfrecore - 02-11-2021
Can anyone who's done both tell me how Davar courses/exams work vs. Coopersmith? I think I'm getting them mixed up in my head. Thanks!
RE: Davar vs. Coopersmith - TwinMom - 02-11-2021
I'd like to know also! Does Davar include everything? Or does it "suggest/require" books like Coopersmith?
RE: Davar vs. Coopersmith - ctcarl - 02-11-2021
It's very easy to confuse Davar and Coopersmith. They were actually once affiliated.
Their course materials are very similar. Davar's tend to be a bit richer; they might offer a link to a book through Open SUNY Textbooks, or a YouTube read-through of a PPT deck. But overall the student experience is nearly identical. Abbreviated, highly targeted study materials are provided, textbooks are recommended, and when you're ready, a proctored final exam is made available.
If I had to sum up the three biggest differences between them, they would be:
The available courses. There's not a lot of overlap. Typically, the course you're looking for will guide you toward one or the other. For business and a gen ed or two, Davar is outstanding. For Psych, Health, Education, Counseling and Hebrew Studies, Coopersmith is the way to go.
The cost. Davar is around $80 for a three-credit course, plus proctoring fee. The also offer a plan called "Business Class", where you can take two business classes at a time for $99 per month, which I'd call the second-best .edu bargain out there after Sophia. Coopersmith charges $150 for a three-credit course, plus proctoring fees. But you can get some pretty specialized UL courses at Coopersmith that you can't get elsewhere, so I still consider them an excellent value. Again, for straightforward gen eds and business courses, it's hard to beat Davar. If you need Health and Safety in Early Childhood Education or Food Styling, you might be thrilled to find them at Coopersmith.
The proctoring. Davar gives you the choice of RPNow, which I love, or ProctorFU, which I loathe. With Coopersmith, you're limited to ProctorFU. About 8-10 months ago when I was taking Coopersmith courses, every single time I tried to book an exam with ProctorFU, they would charge me the higher "Take it Now" fee, instead of the correct "Take it Soon" fee. I was, and remain convinced that this was just a money grab, an attempt to capitalize on the overwhelming tidal wave of displaced students who could no longer test out at school or a test center due to COVID. Every time I contacted support, they would just repeat "You always have the option to schedule your exams at least 72 hours in advance in order to avoid premium fees". Still makes my blood boil thinking about it.
That's about all I can think of, but if you have any specific questions, I can try to answer them.