CLEP, SMART, AP, etc ~ Adcom Views on Nontrad Coursework Forum

[727813]

Do you have any input on what Admission committees think of credits not achieved through traditional coursework? I read somewhere on Asha's blog that LOR's from online professors are not the best (because they didn't interact with you or usually get to know the students). Does the same hold true for how schools view the credits from nontraditional means?

For example, a student may have on his/her transcript:

"Susie"
60 credits ~ courses completed on a campus
30 credits ~ AP exams from high school (scored)
30 credits ~ online community college work

"Bob"
60 credits ~ courses completed on a campus
30 credits ~ CLEP exams (scored)
30 credits ~ Military SMART courses (non graded)

Thanks! Please no negative trolling......And I apologize if this has already been asked....I could not find a recent post.

[r6_philly]

Do you have any input on what Admission committees think of credits not achieved through traditional coursework? I read somewhere on Asha's blog that LOR's from online professors are not the best (because they didn't interact with you or usually get to know the students). Does the same hold true for how schools view the credits from nontraditional means?

For example, a student may have on his/her transcript:

"Susie"
60 credits ~ courses completed on a campus
30 credits ~ AP exams from high school (scored)
30 credits ~ online community college work

"Bob"
60 credits ~ courses completed on a campus
30 credits ~ CLEP exams (scored)
30 credits ~ Military SMART courses (non graded)

Thanks! Please no negative trolling......And I apologize if this has already been asked....I could not find a recent post.

I had a good number of credits from two different community colleges, some CLEP, and some credits by test/evaluation. Graduated with bare 120, only 50+ was earned at my degree institution. I feel (only a hunch) that some schools didn't like my transcript and others didn't care, because of the disparity in merit aid I received.

Also, I think the context in which the credits were earned matters. I don't think Bob who served in a military while earning credits will be disadvantaged by most. I think Susie who earned half of her credit in nontraditional ways may be disadvantaged if she is 21 and "normal" otherwise. I returned to school after many years of working, I think the context helps me.

BTW you can't tell which community college classes you took online because they only list course numbers, not section numbers on the transcript.

[727813]

I had a good number of credits from two different community colleges, some CLEP, and some credits by test/evaluation. Graduated with bare 120, only 50+ was earned at my degree institution. I feel (only a hunch) that some schools didn't like my transcript and others didn't care, because of the disparity in merit aid I received.

Also, I think the context in which the credits were earned matters. I don't think Bob who served in a military while earning credits will be disadvantaged by most. I think Susie who earned half of her credit in nontraditional ways may be disadvantaged if she is 21 and "normal" otherwise. I returned to school after many years of working, I think the context helps me.

BTW you can't tell which community college classes you took online because they only list course numbers, not section numbers on the transcript.

Thanks. Good info.