What are ways to get college credits fast?

2016-02-11T19:41:25-05:00

I just maxed out my correspondence now I'm onto civilian education.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 11 at 2016 7:45 PM

2016-02-11T19:45:11-05:00

CLEP (3-6 Lower Level Credits)
DANTES/DSST (3 Lower OR Upper Level Credits)
Excelsior Exams (3 Lower OR Upper Level Credits)

Each test takes about 2 hours. They are FREE to Active Duty. CLEP/DSST are $100~ for Veterans. Most colleges will take up to 30 (1 years worth), however some will take A LOT more (I had 3 class room credits for my BS total).

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 7:45 PM

2016-02-11T19:45:24-05:00

Online Courses at AMU are a possibility. There are class start dates at the beginning of every month and most courses are 8 weeks long. You might also see if some online Army classes translate to college credit.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 7:46 PM

2016-02-11T19:46:58-05:00

Submit your JST to a school, similar to what CPT Private RallyPoint Member said. Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS gives great advice also for other ways to gain credit. In general, do college - at least a class at a time, if possible.

Response by SSG Eddye Royal made Feb 11 at 2016 7:50 PM

2016-02-11T19:50:18-05:00

Congratulations, stay on top of it and will pay off. also some of those courses can be counted toward a Degree so check with your Education section at the college you plan on attending.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 8:20 PM

2016-02-11T20:20:56-05:00

By going to college

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 8:20 PM

2016-02-11T20:20:56-05:00

Google joint service transcript and see what your military education can get you for college credit. Mine got me 25 credits

Response by CAPT Tom Bersson made Feb 11 at 2016 8:21 PM

2016-02-11T20:21:50-05:00

Go to class. Take courses.

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 8:52 PM

2016-02-11T20:52:34-05:00

All due respect specialist...i don't mean to be a $#)$# but you're pursuing college for the wrong reasons and by using it for a quick promotion you're cheapening the experience and not gaining anything out of it. By saying you want quick credits you're saying you want to rush through it and just check that box. What would be your reaction to someone saying how can I get through basic training over with as soon as possible. Again I don't mean to get on your case... Just advising you try to get as much out of it as you can

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 9:02 PM

2016-02-11T21:02:38-05:00

CLEP exams

Response by SGT Timothy Rocheleau made Feb 11 at 2016 9:10 PM

2016-02-11T21:10:02-05:00

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 9:22 PM

2016-02-11T21:22:10-05:00

Step 1. Enroll in college with a degree plan in mind.

Step 2. Study hard and pass your classes.

Step 3. There is no step 3. Hard work is the answer.

Response by SSG Melvin Nulph made Feb 11 at 2016 9:43 PM

2016-02-11T21:43:31-05:00

Congrats on maxing out in military education, not an easy task for most young soldiers. When I was in most would rather have fun, party or spend their money and it didn't take them long either. (No, they wasn't that great at it, its an easy thing to do, just like today)
The way its written you could be setting yourself up for failure and that's something none of us want to see, trust me! I do not need to know you, as a retired NCO I can tell you no real leader in the military (no matter what branch thier in) wants to see our younger members fail or get harmed in any way shape or form.
You need to be making plans to better yourself for after the military dream also, so your not lost and its to late at a later date? The "Short and Long Term Goals/Plan" just like any military mission, you owe it to yourself to take advantage of the service as they will you and its one thing I see a lot of the others are trying to let you know.

It's been some time now from when I was in your shoes, but are you max on weapons, and PT score? They are easy points, education is something you want to take seriously so it something that betters you now as well as your long range plan.
Please be smart about this step so we can all be proud of the great things you are doing, will be doing as well as have done when your time is finished in the small percentage of Americans that served in the military. "Look at what they are saying"!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 10:36 PM

2016-02-11T22:36:48-05:00

I used the DSST and CLEP testing that is offered at our education centers on post. I earned my Bachelors degree from Grantham University. Quite a few of these tests were either in my degree plan or I was able to use them as electives towards my degree.

I would definitely recommend studying for them though! The Army pays for your first test, but if you fail them, you have to wait six months before retesting and you would have to pay for the second test.

This is just a option that can help you complete your degree faster than the average student. Good luck.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2016 10:42 PM

2016-02-11T22:42:52-05:00

You shouldnt try to get them fast. You shouldn't to earn college quickly because of promotion or whatever else. Actually sit down and think about what you want after the military. If you pay into some BS now thinking your all nice and dandy cause your ERB says college credits, you're not going to get any credit later when it matters.

Ya You probably just want to get promoted, but cutting corners on Ed isn't where to start.

Response by SPC David S. made Feb 11 at 2016 11:08 PM

2016-02-11T23:08:51-05:00

Some schools offer life credits as well you can test out of some credits - however they're more quick than easy. For my MBA I tested out of business calculus class as I already had taken multivariable calculus it was rather easy. The life credits in most cases require a paper.

http://www.collegetransfer.net/Home/Change.Switch.Transfer/I-want-to/EarnMyCollegeDegree/TestingOutofCollegeCourses/tabid/916/Default.aspx

CollegeTransfer.Net: I Can Test Out of College Courses

Why take college courses you already know? I can take a test? CLEP, IB, AP and DSST out of courses. Save tuition and reduce course load skipping subjects you know.

Response by SSgt David Tedrow made Feb 11 at 2016 11:23 PM

2016-02-11T23:23:36-05:00

Do you want them fast or do you actually want to learn something?. It almost sounds like you are just trying to stack up credits with no real educational goal or direction.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Feb 11 at 2016 11:33 PM

2016-02-11T23:33:46-05:00

CLEP and DANTES

Response by SPC Paul Tillson made Feb 12 at 2016 12:36 AM

2016-02-12T00:36:16-05:00

SPC Private RallyPoint Member I was the 1st to challenged Spanish at my college, BYU sent the test and my college proctored it,it was a 4 hour test and when I completed it, the test got sent back to BYU for scoring. about two weeks later I received a letter form BYU stating that I have 12 credits for passing the test and it is up to my institution to transfer them in. I went to my registrar's office showed them the letter and they gave me 16 credits, I was under the VA's Ch31 program, and went to summer school to try to finish quicker, and received my BS in MIS w/a minor in business, and became a qualified Mediator. work hard to acheve your goals in steps, soon you will learn that it is better to work smarter than harder, and save all your work as some of it can be used for other classes. ALWAYS SAVE YOUR WORK AND MAKE BACKUPS, I have seen places that give collage credits for life experience but they are not accredited, also check into ACES for transfers of military experience to collage credits.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2016 11:27 AM

2016-02-12T11:27:54-05:00

The only way to really acquire credits other than actually going to college, is to request a copy of your JST or Joint Service Transcript be sent to your college of choice. Depending on your MOS and the schooling (i.e. NCOES, AIT, specialty schools) you have been through will depend on the amount of credits transferred. This also depends if you want to go into the same career field that you are actively doing in the Army.

As you get further into your career and get more experience (this only applies if you are in relatively the same field as you MOS) you can be moved into a Bachelors of Applied Science degree plan. This is saying that you have experience and can get exempt from certain classes.

Response by MAJ Raúl Rovira made Feb 12 at 2016 3:42 PM

2016-02-12T15:42:53-05:00

Many courses through Defense Acquisition University (DAU) will grant undergraduate credits. AMU accepts some of those credits towards a degree. Same as other military friendly universities.
Perhaps something for you to consider. Courses through DAU costs nothing. http://www.dau.mil/default.aspx As PO1 Thomas Jenkins mentioned, consider your career/educational goal.

Defense Acquisition University

Response by SPC Bobbie Betz made Feb 14 at 2016 12:13 AM

2016-02-14T00:13:53-05:00

Alison.com study those courses that you wish to purse. These are free.

Response by SSgt James Atkinson made Feb 14 at 2016 4:43 PM

2016-02-14T16:43:49-05:00

The fastest way to gain college credits is to enroll in a schedule of liberal arts courses, and take them on a double the normal full-time load. I would suggest courses that dove-tail into each other so that two classes interlock to provide a one-year "block". For example, you would take World History I and American History I, and a bunch of other "I" courses during one semester, and then in the next semester, you would take that same number of classes but in the "II" series, such as American History II. When you take your history classes, take it along with a literature course that ties into the time frame and location of the history class you are also taking. For example, when you take American History I, also take American Literature I. Also take Micro Economics, and Macro Economics, plus two philosophy courses, and intro to Sociology course, and an intro to psychology course. Also, find 2-3 art courses (taught in the art department). After you have completed these 20-24 "base classes" you will have earned 60 to 72 credits in only a one year period and most of these can be transferred as a "block to most colleges.

Once you have completed the block, I would suggest dropping back to a normal schedule and take the math and science sequence starting with remedial math, then the college one year/two semesters Algebra/Pre-Calculus series, followed by Statistics I and II, Calculus I, II III, differential equations, and linear algebra, followed by any other "high level" math the college offers. This "block of math" is valuable ad most colleges will transfer in a huge block of courses, and these math classes can be used to cover the requests of your technical classes, and many of these require high-level math. So even if the Math block does not transfer, you can use them to get prerequisites to courses waived.

Then focus on the classical science courses, which are extremely valuable, and usually transferable, so long as they include a laboratory section. This would be two general chemistry course, two organic chemistry, and then two inorganic chemistry, then one or two physics classes, followed by a quantitative chemistry, a qualitative chemistry, a physical chemistry, and some sort of introductory class in nuclear physics. This block of courses is extremely valuable, normally highly transferable and eve it is does not transfer, you can use them to get perquisites waived for other courses, or get degree requirements waived.

This will give you three blocks of courses that you can either transfer to a block or used to waive the requirements to get into other classes.

Always keep in mind that most colleges require you to earn half of your degree credits at that specific school, and if you seek multiple degrees you will need to build up extra credits, usually, just 1/4 of the credits you need for the secondary degree, For example, when a college requires 128 credits to graduate with one Bachelors degree, then will let you transfer in half of you degree or 64 credits. You then take just over 64 credits and earn you first degree, and then another 32 credits for each additional degree. But, check with the schools policies because it may be wise to take all of the courses needed for both degrees, and then graduate with two diplomas.

CLEP and DANTES tests can also earn you a huge block of credits, but always keep in mind that you will have to earn half of your degree at the college you are attending, so when possible try to keep all of the college credits you earned at one single college.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2016 10:43 PM

2016-02-18T22:43:44-05:00

College credit for heroes.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2016 8:52 PM

2016-02-26T20:52:58-05:00

https://www.collegecreditforheroes.org/
https://jst.doded.mil/smart/dodMandatoryBanner.do;jsessionid=8r4gYZp_E1iBGACUNSHxPJfwt9sy6qGd2nvZMmCVEfds_5XgdM7s! [login to see]
College credits for heroes. Pretty much you send them a copy of your JST and follow all the instructions on there website and they will evaluate your JST and mail you an official transcript from central texas college. Everyone is giving you great advice however im pretty sure you are asking this question because you are promotable and you need points now and the way the promotion system is currently setup you wont pickup without college. So this is an easy free way to get points for the credits you have earned for your military service. Another alternative is NCI but you have to pay like $250 dollars pretty much for the same thing. Take it for what its worth if these credits are only good for promotion points and a degree in General Studies from CTC. Now realistically if you enroll with CTC and begin working on your Associates in General Studies you can finish your associates in 2 years due to TA Limit cap because they accept up to 31 credits from military service, CLEP etc, and you only need to take 10 core classes 5 which can be clepped. CTC requires you to complete 15 SM with them the rest doesnt matter where they come fro as long as you meet the course requirements, I dont know if you are fluent in spanish but the Spanish CLEP is worth 14SH and covers humanities. Most colleges require you to take 2 courses with them before they evaluate your credits thats why i recommend Credits for Heroes followed by Associates in general studies with CTC Followed by bachelors in What you really want to pursue at this points you have maxed out your civilian ed for SSG and can get busy with the career/degree you actually want to pursue.

College Credit for Heroes

College Credit For Heroes is a partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure our active duty, former and retired military personnel receive the credit they earned for their service to our country.

Response by SPC Brandon Hamilton made Mar 26 at 2016 4:10 PM

2016-03-26T16:10:17-04:00

Do the North Central Institute College Credit program asap.

Response by SPC Brandon Hamilton made Mar 29 at 2016 4:18 PM

2016-03-29T16:18:58-04:00

Go to (http://www.nci.edu) to get stared Bro.

Response by CPO Robert (Mac) McGovern made Apr 13 at 2017 4:43 PM

2017-04-13T16:43:27-04:00

CLEP the subjects you already know. If you are good at math, reading, writing, humanities you can take these tests and obtain college credit that is transferable. Have a college school counselor evaluate your military schools and work experience, it can count in your college program. Use all the tools you possess. You can also have prior experience considered. Remember, there are no short cuts to education; there is only opportunity to excel.