Pump Primer

“What do you want to be when you grow-up?”

List at least three different careers that interest you.

Major and Minor

College & Career

Instructor: Mrs. Ungeheier

What is a Major?

“It is a group of related courses within a field of study.”

Each college have requirements as to when a major has to be declared.

Each college has specific requirements for graduation.

“These include the number of course credits needed to graduate and the distribution requirements.” (Distribution = general education – classes outside of your major)

(Hudson 40)

“How can a major help me toward my career?”

“Choosing a major is an important decision, just as important as choosing a college.” (Hudson 40)

Here are some questions to consider as you consider the different majors:

• “What career or life goal will you pursue? How will this major help? How interested are you in this subject?” Circle your interest level:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at all interested Moderately interested Very interested

(Hudson 43)

Questions to consider as you look consider the different majors:

“How do your talents and abilities fit this major? If you took classes in this subject in high school, how well did you do? Are there prerequisites for this major? (A prerequisite is a requirement to qualify for a class or major.” For example, if calculus is a prerequisite and your last math class was algebra, then you will have to take calculus prior to taking this course.)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not a fit Moderate Fit A great fit

(Hudson 43)

Questions to consider as you consider the different majors:

“How dedicated will you be to this major?” “Is grad school or a professional school (law,

medical, or dental school) necessary for future employment?”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Not at all dedicated Moderately dedicated Very dedicated

(Hudson 43)

Changing my Major?

College students on average change their major at least once, if not twice.

You may discover after taking a few courses in the field you chose that it isn’t the right fit for you.

For this reason, it is always valuable to finish your general ed. courses first. This way you will not be back at the starting line of your educational goal.

What is a Minor?

“A group of related courses with fewer required credits than a major.

Your minor could be within the same department as your major or in a different area.

A minor helps you get your feet wet in other subjects.

See if your chosen colleges offers the option of declaring a minor.”

(Hudson 44-45)

Some questions to consider when thinking about a minor:

“Which subject will you pursue as a minor? Why? How does it relate to your major? How will it help you achieve your life’s goal? How does it tie in with your gifts or abilities? Are there prerequisites? If so, what are they? Are there prerequisites that overlap with your chosen

major? Which ones? Does your chosen college require that you declare a

minor? If so, what are the requirements of declaring a minor?”

(Hudson 45)

What about a Double Major?

“Two for the price of one.” Means you’ve met the requirements for

two majors. It isn’t for everyone. Try to find two majors that go together

well. Those that have the same or close to the same courses.

Check with your school regarding the requirements for double majors.

(Hudson 45)

Double Major: Pluses & Minuses

Pluses “You gain skills in two different areas of

study. You gain the value of two majors for the

price of one. You won’t have regrets about what you

could have majored in. You gain a more impressive resume and

transcript.”

(Hudson 47)

Double Major: Pluses & Minuses

Minuses “You have to make doubly sure all

requirements are met. You may have to take a full course load for

four years and perhaps an extra semester or attend summer school.

You don’t get to take a variety of classes because all of your time is spent in the two concentrations.”

(Hudson 47)

Credit By Examination (CBE)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)

Thomas Edison College Examination Program (TECEP)

Excelsior College Examinations (ECE) Advanced Placement (AP)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) http://

www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html

“Depending on your college's CLEP policy, a satisfactory score on a CLEP exam can earn you from 3 to 12 college credits.”

The cost of a CLEP exam is $70, (effective July 1, 2008), “a fraction of the tuition and fees for the corresponding course.”

(CLEP)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP tests are the most popular and heard of the most.

“The process is fairly easy to understand.

The tests are convenient. The results are immediate. The tests are designed to cover the first

two years of college requirements.”

(Wightman 86)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Thirty-four tests available “CLEP examinations cover material taught in courses that most

students take as requirements in the first two years of college.” “Each exam is 90 minutes long, and, except for English

Composition with Essay, is made up primarily of multiple-choice questions; however, some exams do have fill-ins.”

Accepted by nearly 3,000 educational institutions Check with the college to see which CLEP tests they will accept, if

they accept them 1,300 testing sites (some sites only allow their students to take the

exams) For a full list of testing sites go to www.collegeboard.com

(CLEP)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

No age restrictions (only identification) You do not have to be enrolled in college to begin

taking the exams Fees include the “cost of holding, or banking, your

credits at the CLEP Center for up to twenty years, so you can have transferred to the institution of your choice at any time.” Don’t request your tests to be sent to an institution at the

beginning of the test – have them banked. In case you do not pass, it won’t go onto a college

transcript. Also, you might change your college.

(Wightman 87)

CLEP Test Locations

Mount San Jacinto Community College(for students enrolled only)

Azusa Pacific University - Learning Enrichment Center (main campus – open to public)

La Sierra University (Riverside – open to public)

Many locations in San Diego

(CLEP)

DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) www.getcollegecredit.com Thirty-seven exams available (“Student & Adult

Learners”) “Originally developed for military personnel, but

they are now available to civilians as well.” (Wightman 91)

Exams take approx. 2 hours “Exam fee is $70 and most test centers charge

an additional administrative fee.” (“Student & Adult Learners”)

“Accepted at over nineteen hundred colleges/ universities.” (Wightman 91)

Thomas Edison College Examination Program (TECEP)

http://www.tesc.edu/listalltecep.php These tests were originally designed for only

the Thomas Edison State College students, “but now are available to the general public.”

Sixty exams Tests given by a “pre-authorized proctor that

you locate on your own” Tests may also be taken at a military base or

correctional facility

(Wightman 94)

Thomas Edison College Examination Program (TECEP)

Register at least four weeks prior to the exam date, “including the request for a certain proctor.” (Wightman 94)

Three month wait period before you can retake a test. (Wightman 94)

Website is not user friendly! Least recommended.

Excelsior College Examinations (ECE)

www.excelsior.edu Go to ‘EXAMS’ Then to ‘High School and Home Schooled Students’

Excelsior College (a New York state college) “offer many upper level courses that are not available from CLEP or DANTES.” (Wightman 97)

“ECE and TECEP can fill in the junior and senior level credits” (Wightman 97)

Fifty-three exams available

Advanced Placement (AP)

“Developed as a cooperative program, giving students the opportunity to take college-level courses in the high school setting.” (Wightman 99)

Thirty-five tests accepted at over 90% of colleges/ universities (Wightman 99)

Cost $84/per test Credit varies from college to college – check with your

colleges to make sure they accept AP exams and how many credits you would be allowed.

Tests are multiple choice and FR (free response) essays

Tests can take anywhere from two to four hours.

Works Cited

“CLEP”. College Board. 30 Jun 2008. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html

Hudson, Christopher D. et.al., “What’s an Alpha-Beta-Soupa?” Barbour Publishing: Uhrichville, Ohio. 2005

“Student & Adult Learners”. DSST. 30 Jun 2008. http://www.getcollegecredit.com/learners.html

Wightman, Scott & Kris Wightman. “College Without Compromise”. Homeschool Sampler Publishing: St. Louis, MO. 2005.