Extreme College 101

Extreme College 101

How to Aggressively Fast-Track Your College Career by Applying Your Already-Acquired Knowledge

Eli Caplin

Copyright 2013 Eli Caplin

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever including Internet usage, without written permission of the author.

Contents

Introduction: Your Motivation

Part I. Tools, Resources, and Information

Chapter One. You Already Know More Than You Think

Chapter Two. Diploma Snatchers: Five Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Chapter Three. Getting Started

Chapter Four. How to Prove What You Already Know

Part II: Planning Your Work, Working Your Plan

Chapter Five. Choosing a College

Chapter Six. Creating Your Academic Plan

Chapter Seven. Your Life Learning Portfolio, Its Parts, and Content

Chapter Eight. Dollars and Cents: Funding Your College Experience

Chapter Nine. Do It Now

Introduction: Your Motivation

Time lost, money lost, competition for jobs increasing. To get through your desired career door, you need a college degree. Now! The job market gets better for you with a degree, whether it is an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD.

Why are you reading this book?

• Have you been slammed by the job market’s trend to hire an applicant with a college diploma over one with experience?

• Are undergraduates eyeing the seemingly unending list of classes needed to capture your elusive four-year degree?

• Maybe you’ve decided to go back to school and don’t know if you have what it takes to achieve your goals.

• Is money standing between you and your diploma?

Regardless of the motivation that brought you to this information, there is one screaming question that is common to all:

How am I going to get it done?

Mapping out the information, resources, concepts, and strategies you’ll need to earn your degree, this book offers practical, first-hand advice about how to maximize your already-acquired knowledge, talents, skills, and determination.

You’ll find various assignments throughout this book. Follow them carefully to build a map for your college success. The book is divided into two parts.

Part I covers your tools , resources, and information :

• Insights on how you learn

• Advice on what to avoid

• Credit recommendation services

• Standardized testing and examination programs

• Overview of study sources

• Understanding a life experience/learning portfolio

• College study options

• Time management techniques

Part II brings together your information and stratifies your college career:

• Choosing your partner college

• Creating a workable plan

• Analyzing your life experiences

• Compiling your learning portfolio

• A broad overview of financial aid

Assignment

There are a few supplies you will need:

1. An accordion file

2. A dozen letter-size file folders to keep in your accordion file

3. A small notebook that you can easily carry with you

4. Pens and pencils

Part I

Tools, Resources, and Information

Chapter One. You Already Know More Than You Think

Throughout your life you may have learned in a number of formal settings, such as the classroom, the military, an apprenticeship, or job training. You have gathered information in informal venues as well. Informal learning takes place when you acquire knowledge and skills from enjoying a hobby, reading books, or raising a family, to name a few.

Many colleges give credit for the skills and knowledge you’ve developed outside of the classroom. These are called prior or life learning experiences. Blending lessons from both formal and informal learning experiences and sculpting them into college credit is what this book is all about.

Own this concept: You, as a lifelong learner, are your best resource for accomplishing your higher-education goals.

Your thought processes and learning habits have brought you to this book; your attitude and set of behaviors have already made you into a lifelong learner. Knowing yourself can lead to an appreciation for