How To Interpret Your Accuplacer Test Scores
The ACCUPLACER tests are administered online, and scores for the exams are made available to test takers immediately following completion of the test.;
In addition to test scores, these instantaneous score reports include custom messages from the students college or university and additional information about course placement. Basically, youll know if you qualify for credit-earning courses as soon as you finish your test.;
Individual colleges and universities that use the ACCUPLACER are responsible for establishing their own course placement scores to facilitate placement decisions. ACCUPLACER doesnt mandate or recommend how any school implements course placement scores. This means that the best way to interpret your ACCUPLACER scores is by talking with your academic advisor about your college or universitys placement score requirements.;
The good news is that the ACCUPLACER exam is a placement exam, meaning that you cant fail the test. Additionally, your score on the ACCUPLACER wont affect your enrollment at your school. The purpose of the test is to determine whether you need to take developmental classes or not.
Algebra Is The Most Failed College Course
College algebra is the most failed course with about half of all students not getting credit for the course with a grade of a D, F, incomplete, or withdrawing. The challenges of learning algebra aren’t unique to college. Algebra is also one of the most failed courses in high school.;
It’s often said that algebra is essential because passing it demonstrates mathematical literacy. However, failing algebra in college can have dire consequences, and the math course could be one of the reasons students drop out of college.;
The Washington Post reports that 60 percent of community college students are required to take at least one math course, such as algebra. However, 80 percent of students never fulfill the requirement and leave without graduating. The math requirement is one of the roadblocks standing in the way of a degree.;
Map Out Your Week So You Can See Your Unscheduled/free Time
In order to get a clear picture of when you are busy and when you are not, take a few minutes to map out your week using either the ClassTracker weekly time planner or an electronic calendar.
Step 1:;Block out your classes and work study/job
Step 2: Block out when you will wake up, get ready for the day, eat and plan to go to sleep.
Step 3:;Block out when you want to exercise
Be sure to keep your time planner someplace where you can easily access it. If you are using an electronic planner, make sure your calendar is up to date. If you are using a paper planner, post your time planner somewhere you will see it or slip it into your planner.
Once you have your filled out schedule in front of you, you are ready to move on to Part Two.
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How To Test Out Of Remedial Math
When youre heading off to college, the last thing you want to do is spend a substantial portion of your time in a remedial college math class every week. However, the reality is that up to 60 percent of those starting college will end up in remedial courses. Were here to make sure that doesnt include you!
Remedial courses can be a major annoyance for incoming freshmen, and you should test out of remedial math for multiple reasons:
- It takes time away from other classes that you could be taking towards your major.
- You dont receive credit for remedial math it only serves to prepare you for a college-level math class.
- Even though it doesnt earn you credit hours, you have to pay for it all the same.
- Many colleges have multiple levels of remedial math, making it feel like youre facing a major uphill battle to earn the necessary credits to graduate.
No one wants to spend a whole semester relearning high school math, and with our complete online test prep courses you dont have to. Heres how to test out of remedial math:
We specialize in providing complete online test prep courses to help you prepare for whatever placement test your school requires. Our test prep courses include everything you need to avoid spending a semester in remedial college math courses, including College Pre-Algebra, Introductory Algebra, or Intermediate Algebra:
How Do I Get Started With Earning Credit By Examination
So there you have itthe most widely accepted ways that you can test out of college courses and get on the fast-track to earning your degree and saving money on your education! Now that you know a bit more about the different options available, youre probably asking yourself, now what?
The first step in getting a jump start on your degree program by testing out classes is finding out exactly what exams are accepted by your school and which subjects you feel confident in based upon your prior life and educational experience. From there, its just a matter of registering for the exam and giving it your best shot!
Theres no doubt that going back to school as an adult can be a challenge, but if you are able to translate your life and work experience into college credit by examination, the process could be a lot simpler than you imagined!
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Don’t Let Difficult Courses Alter Your Future
Struggles with math and science classes can have long-term consequences. Students could change their majors, change their careers to something outside a STEM field, or drop out of college. As a result, they could alter their lifetime earning potential.;
According to the Mathematical Association of America, struggling with math is the most significant barrier to earning a college degree.
Student success often depends largely on the professor. For example, at the University of California Los Angeles , the same calculus course was named as one of the best courses and one of the worst courses, depending on who the professor was.
In response to the pervasive challenge of math coursework, advanced learning technology is being developed to help more students succeed. The Calculus 1 platform from OneClass is a helpful companion to your high school or college calculus class. The Booster Class automatically syncs with your textbook or syllabus, so your online lessons are always in step with your teacher.
Students learn in many different ways, and the Booster Class personalizes the lessons to a student’s learning style. Plus, the AI-powered platform helps students spend more time on the areas where they are struggling.;
If your college major and future career hinge on your ability to pass math class, tech-enabled learning tools can help you level up.;Learn more about how the Calculus 1 Booster Class can help you get better grades.
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What Are Community College Classes
For the purposes of this article, community college classes are classes at nearby community colleges that are open to high school students. Many high schools have programs that allow students to enroll in community college classes and continue their high school educations at the same time. You have to actually go to the community college to take these classes, and they may be held either during the regular school day or at night.
In the following sections, I’ll go over the advantages of AP and community college classes for high school students.
It’s like choosing from a box of gourmet truffles, except they’re all filled with the creamy goodness of pure knowledge .
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Tips For Passing Clep Tests And Dsst Exams
I took and passed 10 CLEP, DSST and Excelsior exams on the first try. Want to know how I did it? There is no big secret here I studied for the exams before taking them. But how I studied is more important than just saying I studied. Instead of grabbing the Official CLEP Study Guide or similar multiple choice study guide, I first visited the website and copied the outline for the exam . The outlines give you a break down of not only the contents of the exam by topic, but the percentage those topics take on the exam. This helps you best know which areas to focus on when studying how to allocate your study time. From this outline, I researched each topic and created my own set of notes . These customized study guides gave me enough knowledge to understand the topic and pass the test . This process worked I didnt score the top mark on each exam, but I passed each test I took on the first try.
Testing Out: The Best Kept Secret In Higher Education
Lets say youre just starting college and you need to earn all of those major-independent general education credits that every student takes.
What do you do?
Option #1: Take a standard English course. You know what that means: classes, homework, tests, quizzes, projects, group assignmentsugh. 95% of students assume this is their only option.
Time: 4 months
Cost: $3,000+
Option #2: Take CLEP tests instead. These multiple-choice exams cover a full semester of materialand if you pass, you get the same credits you would have spent months in a classroom for.
Time: 2-3 hours
Cost: $80
CLEP offers 33 exams in five subject areas, is accepted for credit by 2,900 colleges and universities, and is proctored in over 1,800 test centers nationwide. Developed by College Board the same organization behind AP courses and the SAT CLEP measures your knowledge regardless of how you obtained it: independent study, internships, and work experience included.
CLEP is the most popular exam option, but not the only. Other formats include DSST, Excelsior/UExcel, and Thomas Edison State College exams. Every school decides for itself which tests to offer and how much of your degree you can test out of. At some schools, its 30 credits. At others, it might be 45. Still others, 60 or 90 or even the full 120 credits of a bachelors degree.
Sadly, even students who have heard of testing out tend to use it for just one or two courses, not the majority of their degrees.
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Pass/fail Rate In College Math And Science Classes
During their freshman and sophomore years, many college students must take introductory science and mathematics classes. These classes are required for their major, and often, they’re a requirement for upper-level coursework in their field. However, the pass rate is not as high as you’d expect for 100-level college classes.
How Many Students Fail College Math and Science Classes?
- College Algebra: 50.0%
- Chemistry: 29.4%
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About Ryan Guina
Ryan Guina is the founder and editor of The Military Wallet. He is a writer, small business owner, and entrepreneur. He served over 6 years on active duty in the USAF and is a current member of the IL Air National Guard.
Ryan started The Military Wallet in 2007 after separating from active duty military service and has been writing about financial, small business, and military benefits topics since then. He also writes about personal finance and investing at Cash Money Life.
Ryan uses Personal Capital to track and manage his finances. Personal Capital is a free software program that allows him to track his net worth, balance his investment portfolio, track his income and expenses, and much more. You can open a free Personal Capital account here.
Featured In: Ryan’s writing has been featured in the following publications: Forbes, Military.com, US News & World Report, Yahoo Finance, Reserve & National Guard Magazine , Military Influencer Magazine, Cash Money Life, The Military Guide, USAA, Go Banking Rates, and many other publications.
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International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
The International Baccalaureate Program uses a similar approach to Cambridge AICE but assesses different content areas and takes around two years to complete. Graduates receive an internationally recognized diploma that demonstrates proficiency and skill in three core elements and a single subject as chosen by each student. Options include math, science, or the arts. Only approved schools can administer IB diploma programming.
IB exam sections are scored on a 1-7 scale and include in each course or program area. IB combines individual assessment scores to calculate a final diploma result. Diploma-seekers need at least 24 points.
Over 3,000 colleges and universities throughout the world accept IB diploma transcripts, but as with other methods of earning college credits in high school, individual policies vary.
Dantes And Dsst Exams
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support Subject Standardized Tests exams are administered by Prometric. Although the DANTES and DSST exams used to be for active and retired military personnel only, these tests are now available to civilians as a pathway to demonstrate knowledge in your chosen subject area. When registering for an exam, you should use SNHU’s school code to have your score sent to the University.
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College Level Examination Program Exams
College Level Examination Program exams are a great way for motivated students with strong study skills to obtain college credits in high school. These tests are similar to AP exams, but they do not offer structured classes ahead of assessment. Instead, students prepare on their own, building their own college-level knowledge of key subjects.
CollegeBoard administers CLEP exams throughout the year at approved test centers and recently began implementing remote proctoring. Exams cost $89 and cover composition and literature, world languages, history and science, business, and science and mathematics.
Test-takers receive a scaled score for each exam, ranging from 20-80 points. According to CollegeBoard, the American Council on Education recommends that universities grant credit for scores of 50 or higher. Individual schools may set their own score thresholds.
Clep Exams Save You Money
Starting with the cost, CLEP exams are much cheaper than a full college course. Each exam costs $87 .
Considering that the average cost per credit hour is $325 at a public university, CLEP exams can save you a lot of money.
Each test has a study guide that costs around $10, or you can get a study guide for all 33 subject areas for $25. You can also find the prep books for free at your local library.
Even if you took all 33 CLEP tests, it would only cost you $3,696 .
This is a significant savings compared to tuition for even one semester at a 4-year public university, which averages $4,705.
In practice, of course, you would never take all the CLEP tests. But the fact remains that they can save you a lot of money.
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Clep Is A Marathon Not A Sprint
Weve covered a lot of material in this article, and we hope you found it helpful.
If using CLEP tests to earn your degree seems overwhelming, remember that you dont have to do everything at once.
The beauty of the CLEP program is that you can use it to earn and transfer credits on;your schedule.;
If youre about to take a CLEP exam, we wish you the best of luck. Earning your degree is possible, and the opportunities it can unlock make it worth the time and effort.
Quick Facts About College Credit For Experience
Pros & Cons of College Credit for Life Experience
If you get credit for things you have already accomplished, you can skip certain courses and get to your degree faster. You can also save money, as proving your prior experience is cheaper than taking the whole course. If you have big gaps in your learning or need a refresher, then taking the course again might be a good idea.
6 Ways to Get College Credit for Work Experience
There are six basic ways to get credit towards a college degree for prior work, educational, or life experiences:
- Take an exam to prove competency in a subject
- Gather a portfolio to document your work
- Corporate training or other seminars
- Professional licenses and credentials
- Competency-Based Education
Using Credits Towards Your Degree
Each program has different limits on how many credits they will allow to be transferred or credited towards your degree. Some allow as few as 12 credits, while certain schools have programs for degree completion that will allow you to apply transfer credits of different types for almost all of your courses. Each program and each method of prior learning assessment has different steps. Read more about each pathway below.
Check the Costs & Find Your Degree Program
It is typically much less expensive to take exams, which start at $85, than to take a whole college course. Likewise, for portfolio evaluation, corporate or military credits, or when you complete your degree more quickly through competency-based education.
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How To Create A Weekly Plan That Will Make You Successful In College
One of the biggest challenges in transitioning from high school to college is learning how to manage unscheduled time. In high school, your time ;is scheduled for you: you go to classes all day, do your extra-curriculars, work at your job, etc. and then head home. The only unscheduled time is after school and weekends. When you get to college, however, all that changes. Because you take fewer classes and your classes meet less frequently than in high school, a typical college students school week ;rarely includes two days that look exactly alike. Some days you might have back to back classes all day and into the night, while other days you might find yourself with only one,or even no classes. And, of course, if you have a job, youll have to squeeze those work hours in between everything else you have going on.
For many students, these open blocks of time can prove to be challenging because they dont know how to manage them. Time is often wasted, leaving them scrambling to get their ;assignments done at the last minute, or cramming for a test. With a little bit of planning and discipline you dont have to fall into this trap. Follow this three step;process and youll be well equipped to take on the challenges of your new college schedule.