- College is NOT for everyone. Each person needs to determine his/her own individual objectives as to why and when you want to attend school. While earning more money or career advancement are usually the most common factors, they are by no means all-inclusive.
I will add however that time is of the essence with anything that you do. My dad would always give the example of sprinters in a race. Once you are ahead, it is a lot easier to stay ahead. And those that are behind have to run twice as hard, just to catch up, and even harder to win! The point here is that time waits for no one; the longer you wait, the longer it will take for you to finish. Another motivating fact to think about is that others will complete their degrees whether or not you do.
- The Navy would be around whether I was here or not, so I will either get use to it and make the best of it, or spend my whole enlistment hating it. The good news is that the military has LOTS of different programs to help you "make the best of it." All while getting paid for it.
I will add however that time is of the essence with anything that you do. My dad would always give the example of sprinters in a race. Once you are ahead, it is a lot easier to stay ahead. And those that are behind have to run twice as hard, just to catch up, and even harder to win! The point here is that time waits for no one; the longer you wait, the longer it will take for you to finish. Another motivating fact to think about is that others will complete their degrees whether or not you do.
- The Navy would be around whether I was here or not, so I will either get use to it and make the best of it, or spend my whole enlistment hating it. The good news is that the military has LOTS of different programs to help you "make the best of it." All while getting paid for it.
Feel free to read and re-read the information presented in my website. I purposely designed the webpages so that they could be printed for easy reference (individual/school/non-commercial use).
STOP procrastinating and get started NOW with your studies!
homepage
Degree Plans
- Introduction
- Is distance learning
for me?
- What colleges qualify?
- accreditation and diploma mills
- BS in 6 months roadmap
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
- BS checklist
- proof of studies
Study Guides
- CLEP booklist
- DSST Dantes booklist
Final Words
About Us
- news
- special thanks
- privacy policy
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[new] links
- link to us
contact us
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- biz opportunities
Site Map
Degree Plans
- Introduction
- Is distance learning
for me?
- What colleges qualify?
- accreditation and diploma mills
- BS in 6 months roadmap
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
- BS checklist
- proof of studies
Study Guides
- CLEP booklist
- DSST Dantes booklist
Final Words
About Us
- news
- special thanks
- privacy policy
- disclaimer
[new] links
- link to us
contact us
- faq
- message board
- biz opportunities
Site Map
Copyright 2004-2005 123collegedegree.com and
Joshua A. Graham
Joshua A. Graham
Study material to get started on your exams or courses > >
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Read more about the author here > >
- Go to the Message board (coming soon).
- Help keep 123collegedegree.com alive. Make a donation > >
- Return to the BS Roadmap > >
Thoughout this website you may have noticed that I've repeatedly emphasized individual effort, motivation, time management, and planning ahead as important qualities that a distance learner should possess in order to be successful with their degree program. You may not have any control over any of the other people's behavior, school policies, etc., but you do control YOUR actions. I cannot stress this enough!
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[updated January 11, 2005]
- If you are on still on active duty, make sure you do the MGIB "kicker." It's a program where you contribute an additional $600 to your MGIB and in return, you get an additional $150 added to the full time payout. As of Oct 2004, the full-time monthly rate is $1004. That means if you are enrolled full time in a program, you will be eligible to receive $1004 cash each month you are enrolled (while on active duty, it has to go directly to the school).
So with the kicker, you will get an additional $150 on TOP of the $1004 which would equal $1154. BTW, if you do the math, you make back that $600 after the 4th month of full time payout ($150 x 4 months). As soon as I found out about this program, I immediately went to personnel and had $600 allotted (you can do a lump sum).
- If you are on still on active duty, make sure you do the MGIB "kicker." It's a program where you contribute an additional $600 to your MGIB and in return, you get an additional $150 added to the full time payout. As of Oct 2004, the full-time monthly rate is $1004. That means if you are enrolled full time in a program, you will be eligible to receive $1004 cash each month you are enrolled (while on active duty, it has to go directly to the school).
So with the kicker, you will get an additional $150 on TOP of the $1004 which would equal $1154. BTW, if you do the math, you make back that $600 after the 4th month of full time payout ($150 x 4 months). As soon as I found out about this program, I immediately went to personnel and had $600 allotted (you can do a lump sum).
Caution: Be VERY suspicious of an Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, Doctorate's, etc. degree from a college or university that is not recognized by the US Dept of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, CHEA.* Even if they claim to be "nationally/internationally accredited or recognized." Some may also advertise that they are not a diploma mill due to some technicality. This is just a marketing ploy and those "schools" should be avoided at all costs.
Many employers, especially the government agencies require your degree to be earned from an accredited college recognized by the US Dept of Ed. Don't take your chances!
* This only referrs to college degree programs. Vocational, Technical, and other certificate programs usually fall under a seperate accrediting process.
- If you have not yet joined the military: if you do, ALWAYS accept the MGIB contribution while you are in boot camp. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: for contributing $1200 ($100 a month for 12 months) you get over $35,000 in benefits. Out of a division of about 80 people, there will be about 2 or 3 people who foolishly decline it. Once you decline it, you can never change your mind later!
Many employers, especially the government agencies require your degree to be earned from an accredited college recognized by the US Dept of Ed. Don't take your chances!
* This only referrs to college degree programs. Vocational, Technical, and other certificate programs usually fall under a seperate accrediting process.
- If you have not yet joined the military: if you do, ALWAYS accept the MGIB contribution while you are in boot camp. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: for contributing $1200 ($100 a month for 12 months) you get over $35,000 in benefits. Out of a division of about 80 people, there will be about 2 or 3 people who foolishly decline it. Once you decline it, you can never change your mind later!
- Use due diligence and do your homework on all colleges and universities that you want to apply to. Use the CHEA database to check US Dept. of Ed recognition as well as regional accreditation status. All 6 regional accreditating organizations have their own websites for you to check also. See the top part of the accreditation page. Which leads up to another useful tip.....
Use the Dantes Catalogs to aid in your search for legitimate distance learning degrees: Associate, Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.Ds. This particular catalog only lists regionally accredited colleges. This one resource alone could save you hours. Only regionally accredited colleges make it to this database.
Use the Dantes Catalogs to aid in your search for legitimate distance learning degrees: Associate, Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.Ds. This particular catalog only lists regionally accredited colleges. This one resource alone could save you hours. Only regionally accredited colleges make it to this database.
- Concentrate on minding your own business. Don't worry too much about what someone else is doing. What may work for someone else in their situation may not necesarily work for you in your situation. Do what you know you are supposed to do. And this leads up to another point:
- It's not where you start, it's where you finish!
- Moving on to graduate studies i.e. a master's level program. I'm sure this has crossed your mind at some point. I'm currently enrolled in a MS in Business Mgmt @ Colorado Technical University.
- It's not where you start, it's where you finish!
- Moving on to graduate studies i.e. a master's level program. I'm sure this has crossed your mind at some point. I'm currently enrolled in a MS in Business Mgmt @ Colorado Technical University.
- When we say 'military' discount, this isn't always just the individual service member. Sometimes the discount also extends to the spouse, family members, and DoD civilian workers. So check with the school or organization for specific details on just who all qualifies for that 'military' discount.
- Try to graduate with honors. I'm not sure about Charter Oak or Thomas Edison. I know Excelsior awards Latin Honors with it's degrees (i.e. Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude). Associate must have 20 graded credits for honors designation; Bachelors must have 30 graded credits. GPA-wize, I got a 4.00 for my Associates, and a 3.68 for my BS.
Many, many other regionally accredited schools also have some sort of honor roll or dean's list associated with the top performers of the school. 3.50 GPA or higher is usually needed for honors distinction.
- Try to graduate with honors. I'm not sure about Charter Oak or Thomas Edison. I know Excelsior awards Latin Honors with it's degrees (i.e. Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude). Associate must have 20 graded credits for honors designation; Bachelors must have 30 graded credits. GPA-wize, I got a 4.00 for my Associates, and a 3.68 for my BS.
Many, many other regionally accredited schools also have some sort of honor roll or dean's list associated with the top performers of the school. 3.50 GPA or higher is usually needed for honors distinction.
- Volunteer and Extracurricular activities. Stay active. Don't shack yourself up in the house and just study all the time. The great thing about being able to "test out" of degree requirements is that it usually INCREASES your personal time to do other things of interest.
- Exercise/Workout routine. (see above).
[added January 11, 2005]
- Degree requirements are subject to change! Perhaps not everyday, but prices increase, tests may get discontinued, or new core subject areas may be required. So if you're serious about earning your degree, enroll as early as possible to ensure you you stay within minimum requirements at the time that you enrolled. A good example is this: in Jan, 2004, all new Excelsior students were required to do that 1-credit information literacy course. Those that enrolled prior to Jan, 2004 were exempt from that requirement.
- Exercise/Workout routine. (see above).
[added January 11, 2005]
- Degree requirements are subject to change! Perhaps not everyday, but prices increase, tests may get discontinued, or new core subject areas may be required. So if you're serious about earning your degree, enroll as early as possible to ensure you you stay within minimum requirements at the time that you enrolled. A good example is this: in Jan, 2004, all new Excelsior students were required to do that 1-credit information literacy course. Those that enrolled prior to Jan, 2004 were exempt from that requirement.
- I showed you one way to earn a bachelors degree. Will every body be able to do it this way? No. How each person chooses to fulfill degree requirements will depend mostly on:
- Transfer/residency requirement of the school.
- Academic acheivement and test scores on each exam or course.
- Access to/Availability of school facilites (libraries, test centers, etc.)
- Priorities and motivation of the individual student.
Thoughout this website you may have noticed that I've repeatedly emphasized individual effort, motivation, and time management as important qualities that a distance learner should possess in order to be successful with their degree program. You may not have control over any of the other people's behavior. But you do control YOUR actions.
- Transfer/residency requirement of the school.
- Academic acheivement and test scores on each exam or course.
- Access to/Availability of school facilites (libraries, test centers, etc.)
- Priorities and motivation of the individual student.
Thoughout this website you may have noticed that I've repeatedly emphasized individual effort, motivation, and time management as important qualities that a distance learner should possess in order to be successful with their degree program. You may not have control over any of the other people's behavior. But you do control YOUR actions.
[added Jan 11, 2005]
- Do NOT expect perfection. You may notice college admissions and administrative staff making several errors or delays in processing your various requests. Remember that they are human just like you and make mistakes. Don't get discouraged because everything didn't go exactly how it should have. Which leads up to the next paragraph....
- Stay 10 steps ahead. Another takaway concept I must drive home here is do not wait until the last minute. Be prepared for the little things to turn into big things if gone unnoticed (misspellings in transcripts, inaccurate financial aid amounts, wrong class registration, no response to e-mails, etc.)
- Do NOT expect perfection. You may notice college admissions and administrative staff making several errors or delays in processing your various requests. Remember that they are human just like you and make mistakes. Don't get discouraged because everything didn't go exactly how it should have. Which leads up to the next paragraph....
- Stay 10 steps ahead. Another takaway concept I must drive home here is do not wait until the last minute. Be prepared for the little things to turn into big things if gone unnoticed (misspellings in transcripts, inaccurate financial aid amounts, wrong class registration, no response to e-mails, etc.)
"You don't plan to fail....you fail to plan!" (unknown).
Follow up on all request made. Keep a logbook if necessary. Stay informed throught the entire process, from admissions to graduation and every class in between. Exceed deadlines to the best of your ability.
- (for high school students) Remember that your high school coursework is still important. Don't get too carried away with doing this college stuff and then fail your high school stuff.
Now I would recommend that high schoolers re-evaluate their courseloads for the current or upcoming semesters. Take enough courses to satisfy the minimum requirements for graduation, and use your spare time to start taking college exams. Why? Because no matter how much you do, it is still HIGH SCHOOL level stuff! Most of that stuff will not matter in the real world!
All that matters is that you GRADUATE high school (with a decent GPA) and get that diploma (you'll need it for college and/or career hunting). Your college work is where you should concentrate your time (AND MONEY :) So consider taking a reduced load that will still meet the minimum requirements for the high school diploma and then spend some of that free time studying for college level exams.
- Earning a distance degree is NOT a walk in the park; I just wanted to prove to you that it is not insurrmountable.
Now I would recommend that high schoolers re-evaluate their courseloads for the current or upcoming semesters. Take enough courses to satisfy the minimum requirements for graduation, and use your spare time to start taking college exams. Why? Because no matter how much you do, it is still HIGH SCHOOL level stuff! Most of that stuff will not matter in the real world!
All that matters is that you GRADUATE high school (with a decent GPA) and get that diploma (you'll need it for college and/or career hunting). Your college work is where you should concentrate your time (AND MONEY :) So consider taking a reduced load that will still meet the minimum requirements for the high school diploma and then spend some of that free time studying for college level exams.
- Earning a distance degree is NOT a walk in the park; I just wanted to prove to you that it is not insurrmountable.
Tip: Excelsior and TESC take cleps and dssts directly off of the SMART, so you don't have to designate these two schools as score receipients when taking CLEPS or DSSTS. Take advantage of this.
- Consider diversifying your degree portfolio. Earning your degrees from different schools may make you look more diverse (e.g. get an Associates from COSC and a BS from TESC, and a masters from AIU.).
- Full-time enrollment is calculated differently for financial aid purposes for schools with non-traditional semesters. Also for car insurance, travel, recreational, and other discounts you qualify for as a full-time student. Check with your school for details to ensure you are maximizing savings, on and off campus.
- Consider diversifying your degree portfolio. Earning your degrees from different schools may make you look more diverse (e.g. get an Associates from COSC and a BS from TESC, and a masters from AIU.).
- Full-time enrollment is calculated differently for financial aid purposes for schools with non-traditional semesters. Also for car insurance, travel, recreational, and other discounts you qualify for as a full-time student. Check with your school for details to ensure you are maximizing savings, on and off campus.
- Don't expect personalized services like other high-priced private colleges. The keywords here are self-directed and independent study. Just like submiting an officer commissioning package is essentially judging your ability to download the applicable instruction, read it, and then follow those instructions, so are many distance learning degrees. Most of your questions can be answered by simply downloading and reading the applicable publication (academic calenders, degree catalogs, undergrad prospectus, planning guides, etc.). Only questions that were NOT sufficiently answered in their publications should be then be directed to your assigned academic advisor or counselor.
- The offical evaluation will NOT start until AFTER receipt of all official transcripts. I suggest checking with the registrar first to see if all official transcripts were received at the college(s) in which you are applying for before you pay the enrollment fee. It can take up to 10 weeks for the initial evaluation to be completed, depending on the time of year and your place in line (which doesn't start until all official transcripts are in). So plan early and get those transcripts out immediately.
Also note that the more schools you want to have evals done, the more transcript fees you will have to pay. Some schools give you the first "x" number of transcripts free. The military gives you unlimited SMART (or branch equivilant) transcripts.
- The offical evaluation will NOT start until AFTER receipt of all official transcripts. I suggest checking with the registrar first to see if all official transcripts were received at the college(s) in which you are applying for before you pay the enrollment fee. It can take up to 10 weeks for the initial evaluation to be completed, depending on the time of year and your place in line (which doesn't start until all official transcripts are in). So plan early and get those transcripts out immediately.
Also note that the more schools you want to have evals done, the more transcript fees you will have to pay. Some schools give you the first "x" number of transcripts free. The military gives you unlimited SMART (or branch equivilant) transcripts.
- Choosing what to clep out vs. take in school. This is always a hot topic:
1. One way to look at it is to transfer in credits that satisfy the more difficult degree requirements, and then fulfill the residency by taking easier credits.
2. Another way to look at it is to transfer in credits that fulfill degree requirements in which you have the best understanding of. Then, fulfill the residency by taking courses you may need more in-depth study to better understand the course material.
- Some schools, such as Jacksonville University have a special rule about Associate degrees where as long as you graduate with an associates from a regionally accredited college, you are considered to have met the general education requirements. This is regardless of whether or the actual transfer credits met JU's individual General Education requirements.
For example, say JU required that you have an ethics course as part of their GenEd requirement. Say you obtained an associates from Excelsior that did not require an ethics course. If you enroll in a Bachelors program at JU, you are exempt from having to take that ethics course (exception: unless the major required it.)
1. One way to look at it is to transfer in credits that satisfy the more difficult degree requirements, and then fulfill the residency by taking easier credits.
2. Another way to look at it is to transfer in credits that fulfill degree requirements in which you have the best understanding of. Then, fulfill the residency by taking courses you may need more in-depth study to better understand the course material.
- Some schools, such as Jacksonville University have a special rule about Associate degrees where as long as you graduate with an associates from a regionally accredited college, you are considered to have met the general education requirements. This is regardless of whether or the actual transfer credits met JU's individual General Education requirements.
For example, say JU required that you have an ethics course as part of their GenEd requirement. Say you obtained an associates from Excelsior that did not require an ethics course. If you enroll in a Bachelors program at JU, you are exempt from having to take that ethics course (exception: unless the major required it.)
- This is not a race. Although you will find exceptional examples, such as the author of bain4weeks.com and myself, go at your own pace. I knew my reasons for obtaining my degree in the amount of time that I did. Only YOU can develop your own degree plan and time management program that best fits YOUR lifestyle, goals, and commitments.
- Shorten your time it takes to complete your degree. This was one of the underlying concepts of the BS in 6 Months Roadmap.
- ALWAYS, ALWAYS check the college's degree catalog/student guide/academic policies or speak with an admissions/academic advisor from the school in which you are seeking admissions to verify current academic policies. Have an official review of your credits done. This is where the academic advisors receive official transcripts of all your previous college-level work and break down which credits they will apply towards your major or degree plan (discussed later on). If you are enrolling in DL courses at other schools, ensure that the classes/exams that you are taking will be accepted into your degree plan.
- Shorten your time it takes to complete your degree. This was one of the underlying concepts of the BS in 6 Months Roadmap.
- ALWAYS, ALWAYS check the college's degree catalog/student guide/academic policies or speak with an admissions/academic advisor from the school in which you are seeking admissions to verify current academic policies. Have an official review of your credits done. This is where the academic advisors receive official transcripts of all your previous college-level work and break down which credits they will apply towards your major or degree plan (discussed later on). If you are enrolling in DL courses at other schools, ensure that the classes/exams that you are taking will be accepted into your degree plan.
The following is kind of a mix between a conclusion of the BS roadmap and just touching upon related issues in seeking a degree from a distance. It is NOT intended to be in any particular order. Just a smorgasbord of various tips, tricks, and lessons learned in doing a Distance Learning (DL) degree plan.
