Question about Excelsior and post-graduate universities

[Back2School]

I'm now seriously considering going the Excelsior or Thomas Edison route to finish my degree (holding jr. level credits at southern il university).

Knowing there are many people on this board going that way I wanted to ask a question. Has anyone here been accepted (or denied) entrance into a masters program at good university?

I'm not talking harvard or yale of course... I'm talking a university the calibre of University of Illinois, Purdue University or Boston University.

My concern is that these colleges simply won't accept students into their graduate program if the degree from one of these other colleges.

Anyone out there got some experience in this matter?

[sirjake]

I have not been accepted, but I have personally spoken to the director of admissions at the University of Illinois School of Law and have been assured that as long as my undergraduate degree is fully accredited and that I have a decent GPA, it should not hurt me that the vast majority of my credits were obtained via CLEP and Dantes.

[Back2School]

Originally Posted by sirjake

I have not been accepted, but I have personally spoken to the director of admissions at the University of Illinois School of Law and have been assured that as long as my undergraduate degree is fully accredited and that I have a decent GPA, it should not hurt me that the vast majority of my credits were obtained via CLEP and Dantes.

That's very good to know as they are probably my first choice. Not law school but business management. I've tried talking to them a few times about it but they aren't exactly chomping at the bit for me to come there like AIU. Seriously, I can't get AIU to stop calling me. They are insane.

[cbrchris]

This is a list from the Business Catalog of some of the schools they say students have been accepted to for masters.

American University
Arizona State University
Boston University
Brigham Young University
Catholic University
Columbia Law School
Cornell University
Fordham University
Harvard University
Indiana University
The Johns Hopkins University
Michigan State University
The New School for
Social Research
Northwestern University
The Ohio State University
The Pennsylvania State
University
Rutgers University
Syracuse University
Temple University
University of Arizona
University of California,
Berkeley
University of Colorado
University of Kentucky
University of Massachusetts
University of Miami
University of Michigan
University of North
Chapel Hill
University of Notre
University of Texas
Vanderbilt University
Villanova University
Yale University
Examples of Graduate Schools
Accepting Our Graduates

[sirjake]

The only thing that makes me leery about a list like that is that they don't offer any specifics. I.e., what OTHER degrees these users may have had. Sure, so and so may have had a degree from Excelsior and got into Harvard's MBA program, but they fail to mention that she is a minority student who graduated with honors from Stanford first. (i.e., Excelsior was her second degree and not really what got her in.) I mean, it's somewhat comforting, but until I see some kind of specifics, or get in myself, it's not something that I see as overly reassuring.

[Back2School]

Originally Posted by sirjake

The only thing that makes me leery about a list like that is that they don't offer any specifics. I.e., what OTHER degrees these users may have had. Sure, so and so may have had a degree from Excelsior and got into Harvard's MBA program, but they fail to mention that she is a minority student who graduated with honors from Stanford first. (i.e., Excelsior was her second degree and not really what got her in.) I mean, it's somewhat comforting, but until I see some kind of specifics, or get in myself, it's not something that I see as overly reassuring.

VERY good point. You can also add to the list the student whose father donated $100k to help build a new gym (the 'flip' side of affirmative action).

At the same time I'm not sure a degree from Walden University, Phoenx online or AIU is going to carry any more weight than Excelsior or Thomas Edison. Although I suspect straight A's from an accredited college is a plus during admission, which is why it concerns me just a bit having a transcript with lots of pass/fail grades.

One thing is for sure... I'm digging the CLEP thing so far. Full years worth of economic credits in less than a month and no mindless projects to do or worthless papers to write. Can't beat that!

[snazzlefrag]

Hi,

Since the CLEP/DANTES exams only offer undergrad credits, I doubt you will find many, if any, graduate students on this particular board.

Your question may be better asked on the degreeinfo.com message board. However, I can tell you that, from my own observations on that board, there are MANY Big Three graduates (TESC/COSC/Excelsior) now attending grad school. Some have already graduated and are now working on their doctorates.

Acceptance into any graduate program is often based on multiple factors (GRE, LSAT, GPA etc.), not just where you got your undergrad degree. If you have what they are looking for, you stand a good chance of being accepted into the program.

Will a degree from Excelsior allow you to walk right into an MA program at Harvard? Maybe...maybe not! You will obviously increase your chances if you have an excellent GPA, and do very well on any required entrance exams.

On the whole though, most grad schools should not have a problem with a Big Three degree as long as you are able to meet all their entrance requirements. There are myriad options available to you.

The vast majority of Universities accept credits from CLEP/DANTES towards their OWN undergrad degrees. Many actually allow students to take the exams on their very own campus. So there is no overarching institutional bias against proficiency exams in the US education system.

If anything, you could argue that you are more self-motivated, more ambitious, more creative, and more versatile than the average Bricks & Mortar graduate. Many people would not be able to teach themselves the knowledge necessary to pass college-level equivalency exams in thirty or forty different subjects.

A degree earned through hard work and initiative, and through blood, sweat, and tears is nothing to be ashamed of. Any school that is too snooty to accept me on the virtue of my knowledge, abilities, achievements, and diligence, is probably not a school that I would wish to attend anyway!

We can be proud of what we are accomplishing!

Go for it,
Snazzlefrag

[mom2LLL]

It is funny that you ask that question today, because I was just wondering about getting my teaching certificate after I compete my BA. I am looking at taking most of my credits from testing and the ones that I don't take that way I want to take as Prior Learning Assessment (which is straight credit and no grades).

As I was researching my options for requirements for my state, I saw that one of the requirements was a GPA. So I called Thomas Edison about this and the counselor that I talked to said that I had to take more classes to have a GPA. I don't remember exactly what she said, but something along the lines of Thomas Edison not giving out a GPA or that they have no policy about how many credits you have to have to have a GPA, I really don't remember because it sounded confusing. I just figured I would keep taking my tests and deal with it later, I just am not sure if I am digging a hole to big for me to fill in the long run...

I am thinking about calling the college that I would want to apply for the Lateral Entry and see what they say.

I am interested to hear what others have to say....

[snazzlefrag]

Originally Posted by mom2LLL

It is funny that you ask that question today, because I was just wondering about getting my teaching certificate after I compete my BA. I am looking at taking most of my credits from testing and the ones that I don't take that way I want to take as Prior Learning Assessment (which is straight credit and no grades).

As I was researching my options for requirements for my state, I saw that one of the requirements was a GPA. So I called Thomas Edison about this and the counselor that I talked to said that I had to take more classes to have a GPA. I don't remember exactly what she said, but something along the lines of Thomas Edison not giving out a GPA or that they have no policy about how many credits you have to have to have a GPA, I really don't remember because it sounded confusing. I just figured I would keep taking my tests and deal with it later, I just am not sure if I am digging a hole to big for me to fill in the long run...

I am thinking about calling the college that I would want to apply for the Lateral Entry and see what they say.

I am interested to hear what others have to say....

mom2LL,

This is one of the main reasons I am going with Excelsior instead of TESC.

I have earned 67 credits so far, and 42 of those are graded credits at Excelsior. By the time I graduate, 81 of my credits will be graded (including all 30 of my upper-level credits). That is more than enough to establish a legitimate GPA for any future purpose I can think of.

If GPA is a potential issue for you in achieving your future goals, it may be worthwhile switching to Excelsior. But, all other things being equal, Excelsior is no better or worse than TESC.

Something to think about,
Snazzlefrag

[mrezas]

mom2LL,

I think the same as snazz. If you have taken most of your credit from local college and Clep and Dantes you may have to switch to EC and have your test result to be posted to them from your source of Exam. They will charge about $1000 for enrolment and $500 every year untill you garduate. I have transfered 70 hours from traditional college and 24 hours from Microsoft certifiaction and I am taking 2 on line from them. They have given me my GPA based on local college grade and microsoft are Pass/fail only, But remember some of the Clep test also are Pass/fail only, for instance they will grade Micro and Macroeconomics but they told me Social Scienc and History is pass fail, so I suggest you to contact them first and find out if most of your test will be graded or pass/fail. If they are mostly graded course you may want to switch to Excelsior college.

Ray