Bad news for transfer students: according to the National Center for Education Statistics, you have a 70% chance of losing some or all of your previously earned credit during your college transfer (costing you thousands of dollars in lost credit). This is largely due to broken transfer policies that you have no control over.

While you unfortunately can’t control what transfer credit colleges accept, you can control which college you transfer credit into. By making the right choices early on, it’s absolutely possible to transfer from one college to another without losing a single credit. 

How to Transfer Credit

Students change schools for a variety of reasons, such as needing to relocate, pursuing a different career path, or choosing to graduate from a more prestigious institution. In other cases, students may have dropped out of school before completing their degrees and now want to pick up where they left off. 

If you’re a first-year student and already know where you plan to transfer to, be sure to research that school’s general education program. This can help you choose gen-ed courses that will satisfy the requirements for the school you plan to transfer to. 

On the other hand, if you hadn’t planned on finishing your degree at a new school, the below tips can help you get started. 

1. Investigate transfer policies before enrolling.

Every college has published policies indicating what transfer credit it will accept. Take these policies into account when choosing where you want to graduate from.

How to check if a college will accept your credit:

1. Request an unofficial transcript from your previous college (for details of your credit).

2. On your future college’s website, locate the most recent academic catalog.

3. Compare the credit you have (as listed on your transcript) with the school’s catalog. Take note of which of your transfer courses match courses the school offers by comparing course codes, titles, prerequisites, and descriptions. This is the credit your future college will accept.

4. Accepted credit isn’t always the same as applicable credit. Next, locate your desired degree’s requirements (posted online as well). Does the degree you want have room for your accepted transfer credit? You may think, “If my college accepts the credit, why do I need to check the specific degree?” The fact that your desired college accepts your transfer credit in general doesn’t necessarily mean that those credits all apply to your particular degree program’s specific requirements. So be sure not to skip this step!

5. Now do a search on the website for the school’s transfer policy to discover:

• How much transfer credit it accepts

• What kind of transfer credit it accepts

If you have questions, direct them to the school’s registrar. (The registrar is usually the one to transcribe credit for transfer students, so they will be able to help.)

2. Choose a transfer-friendly school.

Colleges commonly accept between 15 and 90 transfer credits, so it’s worth shopping around to find a college that will accept all your transfer credit.

This may mean choosing something “less impressive” than the college you had in mind. If that’s the case, examine your priorities. Do you really want to spend time and money re-earning credit from an “impressive” school when you can use credit you’ve already earned somewhere else? As long as the college you choose is regionally accredited, you can rest easy knowing it’s a fine choice.

3. Know where you’re graduating from.

Colleges evaluate transfer credit based on their requirements, not those of your previous school.

For example, unless your community college has an articulation agreement with a specific school, a 60-credit associate degree probably won’t count as 60 credits toward your bachelor’s at another school. They simply have different requirements.

Use community college or online course providers as a way to find and take courses for your future degree. Don’t bother with a community college’s "graduation requirements.”

(Use the method in tip #1 to compare the courses your future college offers with the courses you want to take. This strategy allows for a much more successful credit transfer.)

4. Stick to general education and elective courses.

Most colleges require that students take major-specific courses from their schools and nowhere else. If you’re planning to transfer colleges, hold off on these courses. 

Stick to earning general education courses and free electives for now. (These courses have a higher chance of transferring into your future college.)

5. Enlist professional help.

How much of your precious time do you want to dedicate to this process? Save time and hassle by letting us help.

Accelerated Pathways has worked with over 1,800 colleges across the United States. We’ve already done the transfer credit research you need, and we can guide you through this process.

Pearson Accelerated Pathways will help you choose the best school for your goals. And since we aren’t affiliated with any college, we’re free to give you unbiased college advice. Then, we’ll help you build a college plan which takes into account the transfer credit you have. This plan will be tailored to the school you want to graduate from.

If you’d like to earn more transfer credit, you can do so with our own affordable online course options. These courses can help you save thousands of dollars on your degree.

Other Credit Transfer FAQs

If you’re trying to navigate the credit transfer process, you probably have a million questions. Although we can’t answer all of them in one blog article, we can provide answers to the three we hear most often:

Do I have to transfer all college credits?

If you’re concerned you’ll need to transfer all of your credits to a new school (including that one C- you’re still trying to erase from your memory), you can relax. Most colleges won’t accept transfer credits unless you earned at least a B. Others will give you credit as long as you earned a passing grade. Since these policies vary from school to school, the best answer to this question will come from the registrar’s office of the school you’re transferring to.

Can I choose which credits to transfer?

Yes and no. Although you can choose not to transfer certain course credits (especially ones you didn’t do well in), you also don’t get to decide what your new school will accept. For example, if you’re majoring in American history and you took several core courses required to graduate from school A, school B still might not accept them. Each school has its own major requirements. 

Do I have to transfer credits when switching schools?

You’re by no means required to transfer credits, but it is a good idea as transferring gen-ed credits could save you a lot of money. If you have a specific concern about transferring credits, contact the registrar’s office at the school you plan to transfer to. It should be able to answer your questions and address your concerns. 

Whether You Already Have Transfer Credit or Want To…

Accelerated Pathways help you make the most of your transfer credit. Learn more about our college planning process and sign up for a free College Options Report. This report will help you understand your best college options when it comes to credit transfer and saving money on your bachelor’s degree. 

Want to get started on your free College Options Report immediately? Take the first step to find out if you’re a candidate for Accelerated Pathways.

Best of luck in your transfer journey!

Want to read more? Try these!

• How Many Credits Do I Need for a Bachelor's Degree?

• Can You Earn a Legitimate Degree Online? Here’s How to be Sure!

• 9 of the Best Dual Credit Options for Homeschoolers

Sources:

U.S.News and World Report, “How to Transfer a High Number of College Credits” U.S News and World Report, “Transferring Colleges: 10 Frequently Asked Questions”

Going to college may have been an easy choice for your parents. Twenty years ago, career paths were more straightforward, and a bachelor’s degree was almost guaranteed to mark you as the cream of the crop. Not only that, but when a year of college cost barely more than a new iMac, it was much easier to pay for if you simply had some savings or even a part-time job. In a world like that, why wouldn’t you go to college?

But the world has changed.

Bachelor’s degrees are still respected, but they’re also flooding the marketplace. This means they’re not the guaranteed “in” they once were. At the same time, costs have risen so much that a year of school today costs almost five iMacs. And that’s not even counting books and housing fees.

Going to college is no longer a no-brainer.

So before you take out a $30,000 loan for something you may not even need, ask yourself the hard question: is a college degree necessary for the career you want?

type: entry-hyperlink id: IKKV7YIpvxntqHdLd2tXfIf you want to go into law, engineering, the medical field, or similarly specialized fields, there’s no question. You 100% need a degree. Stop questioning your decision, and instead, focus on figuring out the best (and most affordable) way to earn it.

But what if you’re considering work as a missionary, welder, graphic designer, or any of the various vocations that may not require a college education? It’s possible you could benefit more from earning a specialized certification tailored directly to your chosen career, letting you start working sooner and with a much smaller financial investment.

Obviously, choosing whether or not to go school won’t necessarily be as simple as this graphic describes, and there’s often not a clear-cut “right” or “wrong” choice. But we made this graphic simple for a reason. When it comes to deciding whether college is for you, you really just need to answer three important questions which we’ll discuss later in this post. Everything else will fall into place based on your answers to them.

The Benefits of College

The benefits of getting a college degree are still numerous. For example, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that the average college graduate earns $78,000 per year, against an average of $45,000 per year for individuals with only a high school diploma. Other benefits include the following:

College graduates have greater access to employer-offered benefits, paid time off, and employer-sponsored retirement savings plans, such as 401(k) contribution matching. The Association of Public Land-Grant Universities reports that bachelor’s degree holders are 47% more likely to have health insurance through their jobs than individuals who hold only a high school diploma.

• Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics has consistently shown that college graduates have lower unemployment rates than individuals who did not go to college.

• College graduates have more career options. For example, someone who majors in psychology can go on to become a clinical psychologist. Or, if they don’t want to practice psychology, they can pursue jobs in sales, marketing, education, and countless other fields. Although most employers require that candidates have a college degree, unless the job is degree-specific (e.g., mechanical engineer), their majors are often irrelevant.

The Challenges of College

Although going to college has numerous pros, you should also weigh the cons. For example, tuition fees have increased by more than 25% in the past 10 years. Other cons include:

• Student loan debt can be difficult to manage. The average college debt for the class of 2019, including federal and private loans, was recorded at $29,900. As such, individuals who are weighing college should research student aid resources and college budgeting resources and plan accordingly.

• The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports that as of June 2020, 39% of recent graduates and 32.7% of college graduates were underemployed and working in jobs that did not require a college degree.

• The increased rate at which students are earning college degrees has diluted their value.

The 3 Questions to Ask When Making a College Decision

Making the decision to go to college requires thought and reflection. Here are some important questions to ask yourself before you go.

1. Do I know what career I want?

Going to college means making a significant investment in your future. No matter how you slice it, you’ll be spending no small amount of time, money, effort, and focus to gain an education.

So you better be sure you actually need the schooling before making the investment.

Are you interested in being a masseuse, airline pilot, entrepreneur, electrician, or athlete? None of these jobs require a bachelor’s degree. Some require an associate degree. Some require non-college education. Some, simply on-the-job training.

Every career requires a unique form of preparation. So determine what career you’re aiming for first and don’t bother wasting time and money on training that won’t benefit it. Choose the training that’s right for you.

2. Can I afford college?

I realize that student loans are the norm these days, but they’re also ruining people’s lives.

The average national student debt is almost $30,000. Among student loan borrowers, 20% said their loans delayed their ability to get married, 30% said their loans prevented them from starting a family, and 50% said they couldn’t buy a home because of their student loans.

Life is so much bigger than college or even your career. And if you hastily choose to go to college on borrowed money, you may find yourself regretting that decision in 20 years when you realize those loans are preventing you from living the life you went to college to build in the first place.

Fortunately, debt isn’t your only option.

It’s a rare day indeed when a student pays the exact sticker price for their education. Often, if you’re not savvy, you’ll end up spending a whole lot more. But if you are savvy, you can spend a whole lot less. We should know—that’s what we do all the time! Using a variety of methods, such as affordable transfer credit and in-depth degree planning, Pearson Accelerated Pathways’ admissions advisors help students cut their degree costs in half and graduate debt free.

Making college affordable is possible—it just takes some effort.

So, before giving in to a loan or giving up on college altogether, take time to really explore your options and do what you can to reduce your costs. (And maybe find out if you’re a candidate for Accelerated Pathways.)

3. Do I enjoy formal education?

Think about it: you’re signing up to spend the next four years (at least) in the classroom. If that sounds like hell, don’t do it.

Not only would you be torturing yourself, but it’s likely your sheer dislike for what you’re doing would cause your performance to struggle. Your personal life would suffer, and you’d likely end up dropping out anyway—which means throwing away a ton of time and money.

If you hate school, but you’re willing to make the sacrifice to get the job you want, then more power to you! But in most cases, if formal education isn’t for you, the jobs that follow aren’t either. If you dislike formal education, we recommend you reconsider your career choice—maybe do some job shadowing, volunteer, or talk to professionals in the field—to ensure that choice is really for you before jumping into college.

How to Figure Out a Career Path

Whether or not you should go to college depends entirely on what you want to do and how you can best prepare for that future. But what if you still don’t know what you want to do? If you’re still trying to decide on a career path, consider the following steps:

Get a job.

Start earning basic work experience in a job that doesn’t require a degree. You’ll get both a head start on your resume and a good perspective of the real world (outside of school).

Get an internship.

Find an internship or volunteer in a field you’re interested in. You’ll be able to learn about that field firsthand and get some hands-on experience for your resume too!

Take affordable courses.

If you’re leaning toward college, there’s no harm in getting started now—as long as you’re not isolating yourself from the world or going into debt to pay for it. Try taking affordable courses you know will transfer into your chosen degree to learn what subject areas you may want to pursue further.

Ask a professional.

Find someone working a job you think you may want and strike up a conversation! Ask what they like and don’t like about their job, and hear their own opinions on what it takes to “make it.”

Seek counsel or mentorship.

Sometimes it’s worth talking to someone who has seen a lot more of the world, even if they’re not working in your field of choice. They might have the perspective you need to develop a wise plan for moving forward. (Your parents are a great choice for this; however, they may be too emotionally invested in your decisions to provide the clarity you need. In addition, consider talking to a close adult friend, academic counselor, or church leader.)

Or consider working with a career counselor. Career counselors are an invaluable resource for individuals who are still trying to map out their employment and career goals. You can also take a free career test. Career tests consist of a variety of questions designed to home in on your interests and personality traits, which are used to match you with possible career choices.

Start learning on your own.

You don’t need to be enrolled in college to learn. Find online resources like Khan Academy, Lynda, Codecademy, Udemy, or another, and just start! Use this time to assess what career and lifestyle you want, as well as the best way to achieve it.

Try choosing at least two ideas from this list and pursuing them in tandem. For example, if you’re thinking of becoming a veterinarian, volunteer at a local vet’s office while pursuing a flexible, affordable education.

I know that one quick blog post isn’t enough to help you finalize a decision this big. No amount of reading other people’s opinions for and against college will truly help you make this decision. But hopefully this has at least helped you get started.

Fortunately, as long as you take time to think through your options and begin broadening your life experiences, you’re headed in the right direction. Just consider carefully and make the wisest choice you can with the information you have.

If you want some more help figuring out your college path, be sure to check out some of our other posts!

• Is College The Best Way to Get an Education?

• What Should I Major In?

• What You Need to Know About Choosing a Career

Additional Sources:

• CNN Business, “College Grads Earn $30,000 a Year More Than People with Just a High School Diploma”

• PrepScholar, “Should You Go to College? 4 Pros and 3 Cons”

We live in a culture that values busyness.

During college, I worked a job a that consumed 30 hours every week (at minimum). The volunteer work, internships, and study groups I liked to add on the side made sure my schedule was always overflowing. And since I have a tendency to overcommit, I pushed myself to maintain full-time student status on top of everything else.

Why not add one more thing to my never ending to-do list?

Busyness itself isn't inherently bad. When accompanied by productivity, a busy schedule can result in huge successes! However, we must be careful to avoid filling our schedules without purpose.

Take it from me, it is not easy to stay on top of your studies as a working student. With so many varied projects on your plate, it’s often difficult to focus on what actually matters right now.

Don't get discouraged, though! Difficult does not mean impossible.

With some intentionality and creativity, you can stay productive amidst the busyness. Here are 6 tips for students who want to adopt a lifestyle of productivity.

1. Write it Down

Take time to write down what you need to accomplish. This brings tasks from the ambiguity of your brain to the reality of ink and paper (or text on a device, if you prefer).

Need to stop by the bank on your way home from work, email that report to your boss, or call your mom? Write it down. This may take the form of a color-coded calendar, a list of bullet point points, or even weekly/monthly/yearly goals written in your favorite journal. Find what works for you!

Having everything written down in front of you will keep important tasks from falling through the cracks.

2. Prioritize Rest

When you have what feels like a million things to do, rest probably isn't your first priority. However, getting enough physical, mental, and spiritual rest is much more important than you may think!

If you want to have the ability to focus on the tasks at hand, produce quality work, and avoid running out of steam, rest must be a priority. During an especially busy season of my life, I found that the only way I would rest is if I scheduled it in. I physically wrote “read a book,” or “take a nap” in my pocket-sized planner.

Crazy? Maybe. But it was effective. Do what it takes to ensure you are well-rested and thus prepared to tackle those challenging assignments.

3. Set a Timer

People are more productive when working in focused intervals. Rather than attempting to multitask, you can accomplish more by attending to one subject matter at a given time. Timers can help to separate your studying into manageable chunks while giving you a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.

Try setting a timer for 30 minutes and dedicate that time to studying for your dreaded calculus test. Because you have a set end for your study time, you will be more likely to focus and actually learn the information you need to instead of quitting after 5 minutes. Not quitting is the goal, right?

4. Turn Off Notifications

As a working student, your time is valuable. And social media, email, and texting all have a nasty habit of stealing it. You will never get back those hours spent scrolling, clicking, and typing!

If you want to be productive (instead of “busy” on Facebook), you have to set boundaries. A simple way to do this is by turning off those pesky notifications that scream “Stop what you’re doing! I’m important! You must look at this NOW!”

I often keep my phone on silent to avoid distraction. Yes, I will reply to that text, like the photo of my friend’s adorable puppy, and delete dozens of emails. But I’ll do it later, when I have a free moment.

5. Eat Healthy

There is a stereotype that college students survive off of Top Ramen and caffeine. While I love a good cup of coffee (or even a bad cup of coffee if I’m desperate), I have quickly learned that quality food matters.

Who wants to take the time to make a healthy meal after a long day of work when there are 3 hours of studying still to be done? I understand. I’ve been there. For some people, eating healthy may mean buying prepackaged salads from the grocery store. For others, it may entail meal prepping at the beginning of the every week. Find the system that works best for you.

It does take effort to keep your body healthy, but I promise your overloaded brain will thank you.

6. Get Accountable

What is more difficult than embracing a productive lifestyle? Maintaining it. This is where accountability comes in.

You were not meant to go through life alone. Balancing various responsibilities can be challenging, but becoming productive doesn’t need to be a solo journey. Getting support from someone close to you—someone who can keep you focused on your goals—will make you much more successful in your pursuit of productivity.

I learned to value consistent accountability when I was an Accelerated Pathways student. One of the many services provided by Accelerated Pathways is regular phone calls with an academic coach, providing this much-needed accountability.

As I was earning my degree, my coach supported me and kept me on track with my academic goals as well as my personal ones. She was a lifesaver throughout my hectic college experience!

Busyness is often unavoidable. But it doesn't have to consume your schedule.

With these simple tips, you can take charge and turn your busyness into productivity.

Imagine a spectrum of college students: on one end, you have the student who has known since they were two days old that they wanted to be a doctor (specifically a surgeon, specializing in oncology—in case you were wondering). On the other end of the spectrum is the student who basically just knows college is a good thing and plans to get a degree in… something. Ideally something they like, if they can figure out what that is. Then of course, there are quite a few students who fall somewhere in the middle.

As an academic advisor, I’ve encountered students at every point of the spectrum. And while many pieces of the college and career puzzle are highly specific to each one, there is one concept in particular that comes up frequently across the board. I’ll call it, The Great Degree Type Dilemma: What is the difference between a BA and a BS, and which one should I choose?

Understanding this concept could save you some blood, sweat, and tears, whether you know what you want and just need to know the best way to get there, or are just focusing on figuring out the first right step toward… something.

So let’s talk about that.

What Is a Degree Type?

First off, let’s make sure we’re on the same page about what I’m even talking about when I refer to a “degree type.” When you ask a college student what they’re studying, they’ll usually say something like, “I’m majoring in Business,” or, “I’m studying Psychology.”

What they don’t talk about, and may not even fully understand, is what type of bachelor’s degree their major is tied to. These degree types are typically indicated by two or three little letters at the front of a specific major. Some of the most common ones include BA (Bachelor of Arts), BS (Bachelor of Science), and BM (Bachelor of Music), to name a few. Of all of the degree types, BA and BS are the most common—and also the most unclear. These are the culprits I’ll be focusing on the most in this post.

To understand the difference between the BA and the BS, first know that any given college will break their degree down into three main categories: General Education, Major, and Electives.

The General Education section is designed to provide a solid foundation in all basic subjects (composition, math, science, literature, etc.). The Major is where you complete in-depth study in one particular area (Business, Psychology, Criminal Justice, etc.). This is the part that you quote to people when they ask what you’re studying. If you still have some credit space leftover after meeting General Ed and Major requirements, then you can fill that up by adding in some Electives—basically, any subject of your choice.

What’s the Difference Between a BS and a BA?

The degree type typically affects the General Education requirements first. At many schools, the difference between a BA and a BS is that the BA will require more classes in humanities and the arts, specifically including foreign language, while the BS will require more classes in math and science. This can be easy to remember since foreign language falls more under the Arts (BA), and math and science fall under… well, the Sciences (BS).

These adjustments to the General Education can also bleed over into the Major and Electives. A BA is usually designed to be a little broader in scope, giving students the opportunity to sample a variety of liberal arts subjects outside their Major. In addition to focusing more on humanities in the General Ed, a BA can mean a larger General Education section as a whole, more Electives, and fewer requirements in the Major as compared to a BS. This is why highly technical subjects such as Engineering and Biological Sciences tend to only be available as BS degrees instead of BAs.

Which One Is Best?

A school may offer both a BA and a BS in Criminal Justice, and at some point you have to decide between the two. Does it really make a difference? If a school only offers a BA in your area of interest, should you consider switching schools to one that offers the BS—or vice versa?

Most of the time, the choice between a BS and a BA really just comes down to preference. Do you like writing, literature, and foreign language, or have an interest in building interpersonal or intercultural skills? Choose a BA. Do you prefer math and science and see yourself in more of a technical or analytical niche? Choose a BS.

There are only a few situations when your degree type makes a significant difference. The most common example is probably graduate school. If graduate school is a requirement or a goal for you, it is important to look at typical standards for your area of interest. Some programs may specifically state a degree type they require; this happens most frequently with music performance and composition graduate programs, which frequently require a Bachelor of Music (BM) as opposed to a Bachelor of Arts (BA).

For other programs, the benefit of one degree type over another is more subtle. In Psychology, for example, a graduate program will usually just require students to complete a certain number of psychology, math, and science credits in order to be considered for admission. In cases like this, you may find that it’s easier to meet those requirements by pursuing a BS rather than a BA. Can you still complete those specific requirements within a BA? Yes, you usually can; it just takes more intentionality and careful planning than it would with a BS. This concept applies to a lot of technical and science-based graduate programs.

So in the end, how much do those little letters matter? Let me be clear: you do not have to be afraid of picking “the wrong one” and barring yourself from entering your dream field. There are times when choosing either a BS or a BA can make the process easier for you, but those two little letters don’t have the power to ruin your career.

But if we can make things easier, by all means, let’s do that. College is complicated enough.

So, you’ve enrolled in college and you’re super pumped about your degree in Marine Biology.

Then, you find out that you have to take a bunch of random subjects before you even start studying coral reefs and the migrating habits of narwhals! What’s that about?

Welcome to the world of General Education.

What are General Education Credits?

General Education is the first part of a degree, before you get into the Area of Study courses (the main classes that define your degree) or top off the degree with Free Electives.

Basically, General Education (or Gen Ed for short) is required curriculum that makes up the foundation of an undergraduate degree. This set of standard classes goes by many other names, including Core Curriculum and Shared Experience.

How much of my degree will be General Education?

Colleges (and even individual campuses of the same university) have a lot of leeway in determining how many General Education credits go into their offered degrees. However, most general education requirements cover ⅓ to ½ of a degree, between 42-60 semester-based college credits. Highly-focused or technical degrees may have fewer Gen Ed requirements to allow for more time on core subjects.

By offering accredited online courses that are 36% less expensive than the average price of college courses, we allow students to meet Gen Ed requirements and save money on their degree. Want to learn more? Reach out to Accelerated Pathways and see if we can help you meet your degree requirements for less.

What courses are considered “Gen Ed” classes?

While university standards vary dramatically, here are several categories of classes you will likely find on your Gen Ed requirements. (All credit estimates assume a semester-hour system. Required credits would be different for universities operating under a quarter-hour system.) Note: The degree you choose can affect your General Education requirements. For example, although General Education requires math credits across the board, an engineering major would need Calculus 1 and 2, while a music major could take any math available.

English: The skill of composing coherent sentences is sometimes overlooked, but it is one of the most foundational aspects of cultural communication. Nearly every school requires 6 credits of English such as:

• English Composition

• College Composition

Math: Whether running an organization, working in a business, or managing a home, adult life goes much more smoothly with at least basic number skills. Most degrees require 3-6 math credits, although math-intensive degrees will require more. Courses that fit into this category include:

• Algebra - (Other titles could include College Algebra, Intro to Algebra, or Foundations of Algebra)

• Geometry

• Calculus

• Trigonometry

• Statistics

• Quantitative analysis

Natural Science: Science is much more than rock collecting or the domain of geeks. As the study of the natural world, it gives us a framework for safely and creatively interacting with the matter that surrounds us. Colleges typically require 3 to 8 credits of natural science, including subjects like:

• Chemistry

• Biology

• Anatomy and physiology

• Ecology

• Geology

• Environmental science

• Astronomy

• Physics

• Oceanography

Social Sciences: Social sciences give us insight into who humans are and how we interact with one another. As the study of human groups, social sciences encompass:

• Psychology

• Sociology

• Anthropology

• History

• Economics

• Political science

• Government

• Geography

Humanities: Culture is a huge part of civilization, so every well-educated person needs a little insight into how people express themselves in a culture. With such a broad range of subjects, colleges vary widely on what constitutes “humanities,” but often include courses on:

• Art

• Music

• Communication

• Speech

• Philosophy

• Religion

• Literature

• Ethics

• Languages

• History (rarely)

Diversity: A newcomer to Gen Ed requirements, diversity courses teach students to value other cultures and beliefs. Depending on the school, diversity courses may include:

• Religion

• Cultural diversity

• Social responsibility

• World religions (also a humanities subject)

General Education Electives: This Gen Ed category can include your choice of subjects from the English, Math, Natural Sciences, Humanities, and Social Science categories. Often, your college will give you a list of options and tell you how many courses to choose. For example, “choose any 3 courses from Social Sciences, Humanities, and/or Natural Sciences.”

Special thanks to Jared Brandau and the Accelerated Pathways Academic Advising Department for lending their expertise to this post. Every year, this team builds hundreds of customized degree plans to help students with transfer credit or specific goals find the best route to a degree.

If you’ve just gotten a low score on a standardized test, you might feel like a real loser. But before you give up on your academic career or contemplate a minimum wage future gluing glitter to greeting cards, take heart.

There’s more you should know.

Playing The Numbers Game

Our society prides itself in being scientific, and science loves things it can measure. From the SAT and ACT to GRE, GED, GMAT, LSAT, CBSE, and ASVAB, we have a slight obsession with measurement.

We began our love story with standardized tests about a hundred years ago, when the US Army was recruiting soldiers to fight in World War I. Needing to quickly place recruits into the roles best suited for them, the Army turned to the brand new IQ test as the scientific solution for measuring individual potential.

Over 1.7 million recruits took the test, which included questions like this one:

The most prominent industry of Minneapolis is:

A. flour

B. packing

C. automobiles

D. brewing

If you were a recruit who chose flour, that meant you were smart and might become a pilot and go fight the Red Baron. If you weren’t very smart (or just didn’t know much about Minneapolis) you might be relegated to a remote outpost as junior associate potato peeler.

This rigid system of standardized testing attempted to boil down your interests, giftings, and talents--indeed your whole personhood--to a numeric score. While that might have worked in 1915 to keep the potato peelers away from dirigibles, it doesn’t work so well today in our post-industrial age.

Today our national education system still tries to reduce human competency to numbers.

Public school funding? It’s linked to standardized test scores.

College scholarship money? Standardized tests.

Top college rankings? Acceptance rates, again based on standardized tests.

Tests can measure a few things well, like your quantitative ability, test-taking, and reading comprehension. But those skills aren’t the only ones you need in life! You'll also need skills like empathy, collaboration, communication, and a host of 21st century skills that can’t easily be measured.

More Than A Number

In our rush to quantify everything scientifically, it’s easy to equate personhood with a number. In countries like China or India, where a teen’s performance on the national standardized tests are considered the key to the future.

Each year, hundreds of teen suicides in India are attributed to students who failed to get the grade they needed to pursue their life dream. Without a clear sense of life purpose and without the grade they need, their lives seem hopeless.

Not So Good At Predicting

We often equate good grades or a good score on a standardized test with long-term life success. Historically though, these things haven’t predicted genius in some of our biggest geniuses.

For example:

• Albert Einstein couldn’t even read until he was seven.

• Winston Churchill failed 6th grade but became a skilled orator, won a Nobel Prize in literature, and led his country in their darkest hour.

• Isaac Newton was never very good in school, yet he discovered gravity and described laws of motion and universal gravitation.

Not everyone who struggles to keep up with the system is a failure, yet the standardized test is revered as an accurate measurement of smart kids.

New Perspectives

Fortunately, a growing body of research is beginning to confirm what we know to be true: that human beings have a value that can’t be measured by test scores.

In one interesting study, a student’s level of hope was found to be a better predictor of success. In another, choosing a career that matches your personality hinted more accurately at success than your score on the ACT or SAT.

Respected researchers like Howard Gardner have begun to advocate for more useful ways of looking at human potential. Rather than ask, How smart are you? on an IQ test, Gardner believes we should be asking, How are you smart? Gardner calls this multiple intelligences and believes it to be a more nuanced and useful measurement of human ability. You can take a free version of his test here.

If you need financial aid, it may be hard to get around a school’s expectation for a high score on the SAT or ACT. Happily, you can do that. While you’re studying and waiting for the next test to come around, you might even find you don’t need it.

Why?

Many colleges are beginning to acknowledge the shortcomings of standardized tests and offer alternatives. ACT and SAT scores have become optional at over 800 colleges, including most recently, George Washington University.

That’s actually what I did. Using some of these 11 alternatives to college debt, I graduated from a fully accredited college that didn’t require an ACT or SAT score. Instead, I transferred in credits that showed them my ability to do college-level work.

Failed Your ACT or SAT Test? There's Hope

So if you’re not doing well on filling in the right bubbles on an examination, take heart.

This system of measurement our society loves and tries to impose on you is old and flawed. You might need to jump through the hoops, but never, ever tie your personal worth to your score on a test. You have traits and gifts and skills that other people need you to use.

It’s been well said, “A man’s talent can take him where his character cannot sustain him.”

A standardized test measures a few things that you can change and improve. But ultimately, it’s the determination, creativity, and persistence you show that’s the true measurement of your ability. That’s what makes the Einsteins, Churchills, and Newtons to shine.

That’s called character, and no standardized test can measure that.

“Am I a terrible mom?” Carson’s mother wondered, watching her son struggle through another chapter of his tenth grade literature book. None of the half-dozen homeschool curriculums she’d tried through the years seemed to work. Getting Carson to study was still like pulling teeth.

His intelligence definitely wasn’t the problem: Carson’s IQ was 110, on the higher side of normal. “Maybe his dad can talk to him about work ethic,” she mused. “Then again, Carson studies for hours, and it doesn’t seem to help.” She sighed, sinking into a chair. “I’m just trying to give my son a good education. What am I missing?”

Is your teen getting more and more lost in high school? Have you wondered if there’s more behind their frustration than difficult coursework and too many late nights?

Believe it or not, a learning disorder could be the culprit.

What is a learning disability?

A learning disability occurs when a person’s brain manages information in a different way than other people do, complicating and slowing down their learning. About 4 million American school children have diagnosed learning disabilities, varying from mild to severe.

The most common kinds of learning disorders are:

• Dyslexia, trouble with reading and comprehension. (Dyslexia encompasses 80% of diagnosed learning disabilities.)

• Dysgraphia, difficulty with forming and recording written thoughts.

• Dyscalculia, a challenge with numbers and math skills.

• Auditory Processing Disorder, a condition that makes it hard for children to translate sounds into coherent thoughts.

• Visual Processing Disorder, difficulty translating images into meaningful information.

How could I miss my teen’s learning disability for so long?

If they have an undiagnosed learning disorder, your student has probably been using their scholastic strengths to compensate. Students often compensate by:

• writing sloppily to cover up spelling problems

• adopting a lazy demeanor to cover up lack of skill

• making you believe he can do a task when he really can’t

• memorizing information to make up for not being able to calculate or read it

• recognizing context and patterns to get right answers

• picking up knowledge from TV, social interaction, or other sources outside school

What are signs of a learning disability in my high school student?

Some symptoms of learning disabilities are:

• Exaggerated difficulty, dislike, or delay in writing, reading or computing (think back to early education as well)

• Withdrawal or “acting out"

• Inconsistent learning

• Disconnect between reading and comprehension OR comprehension and expression

• Difficulty with mental fact organization (i.e., can’t remember facts or connections between facts)

• Frustration or apathy toward school

• Extreme disorganization or sloppy work

Of course, just because a student may be frustrated with a class or have poor handwriting, doesn’t mean they have a learning disability. But, especially if several signs are present at once, this list can help you uncover the truth.

Do I need to get my student tested and into a therapy program?

Ultimately, the only way to know for sure that your teen has a learning disorder is to get them tested. Specialists use an array of tests to pinpoint the kind of learning disorder that your student has, enabling you to focus on the best education and therapy options for their unique needs.

Many parents are reluctant to have their student “labeled” or prefer not to involve doctors, but that is not always the best thing for either you or your teen. Especially if your student has severe learning problems, it may be wise to seek outside help.

One significant reason to seek help sooner rather than later is that in K-12, the educational system generally takes more responsibility to diagnose and help a student with a learning disability. In college however, the burden increasingly falls on the student to document their learning disability and request an "accommodation."

An accommodation is a term used to describe the exceptions a school may make on behalf of a student with a documented learning disability. These accommodations can include things like more time to take an exam, an alternate assignment, or someone to read questions to them. Getting tested and helped early not only maximizes the help available, but it also means your child enjoys more years of success in their learning.

You have two testing options, public testing or private testing.

Public Testing:

Public testing is free to public school students. If your teen is in a public school, you can simply contact the school and request testing under the IDEA legislation.

Note: While free public testing is legally available to all qualifying taxpayers (including those who choose homeschool or private school), disputes and attendance requirements can make it a big hassle for homeschool families. Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) recommends that homeschoolers should not seek public testing for their students.

Private Testing:

Private testing is available through specialists such as clinical psychologists or psychiatrists. (Medical insurance does usually not cover testing for learning disabilities, so this option can be quite expensive.)

To find a private specialist, ask for a recommendation from your family doctor, call a medical clinic, or search online for a local specialist to set up an initial visit.

If my child does have a learning challenge, what’s next?

If you chose public testing, you can also get free therapy through the public school system. If you went the private route, private therapists are also available to work with your teen. Usually, they will help with what they call "interventions" as part of an Individualized Education Program, or IEP.

If, after weighing all your options, you don’t want or can’t afford professional testing, you still have diagnosis and treatment options:

• Books and websites offer a world of diagnosis and educational resources, including quizzes to pinpoint a learning disability. The Complete Learning Disabilities Handbook is another helpful tool.

• Experiment with different teaching methods to find what works well for your student. For example, some families have found great success with reading, writing, and grammar struggles using the Stevenson Program. The program uses mnemonics, rhymes, and other techniques to help students get around a "mental roadblock."

• If finances allow, private academic therapists provide intensive, informed learning therapy.

• If you don’t feel able to teach your student yourself, but can’t afford a therapist, you may be able to hire a tutor familiar with learning disabilities. Teachers willing to put in after-school hours, local reading classes, or homeschool co-ops may be good places to start.

Experts acknowledge that even very involved parents can miss a student’s learning problems. Don’t feel bad if you are only beginning to suspect a learning disability in your teen.

As you and your student discover the best way to face their challenges, be encouraged! Scholars believe many famous people, including General George Patton, inventor Thomas Edison, and renowned writer Agatha Christie, struggled with learning disorders. Through their brilliance and hard work, they overcame their difficulties and each made an unforgettable impression on the world.

With determination, your student can do the same.

Special thanks to private academic therapist Marlee Joynes, whose gracious answers helped me fill this post with practical guidance and so many invaluable details.

“I’m the quarterback on the varsity team. I’m the co-founder of a startup. I run a non-profit. And I’m double majoring in international business and interpretive dance!”

For a long time, choosing a double major has been a good way for overachievers to beef up their resume and impress their friends at the same time. Can't decide on a single major? Choose them all!

Should I double major in college?

Double majors used to be a way to pursue a primary interest that might not work out and still have a solid backup plan with better job prospects.

But dramatic changes to what a degree represents in society and the skills employers expect are causing many to question the value of that second degree. Employers today are usually more impressed by your experience and what you can do than by showing them you've earned multiple bachelor's degrees.

Most colleges today are still fine if you choose to double major. After all, you'll stay enrolled in their school longer and pay more money. But what if "one degree in hand" is worth "two in the bush"?

Seven alternatives to double majors

College should be flexible, affordable, and purposeful. Often, that can be achieved without a double major.

Here are seven practical alternatives to double majoring that are more likely to pay off down the road:

1. Figure out your life purpose so you know what you really want to do when you finish.

2. Get practical work experience that helps you narrow down your choice.

3. Go faster through courses you don’t like and use the extra time to dive deep into a topic you love.

4. Pack your degree with affordable courses from an online program like Accelerated Pathways

5. Do a second internship (we’re taking it for granted you’ll do at least one)

6. Travel to a foreign country while you have flexibility and still qualify for student discounts.

7. Finish earlier and on a master's degree or work experience.

Double majoring might work really well for a few people in a few situations. But at the end of the day, a double major college grad is still only a college grad. (And don’t get us wrong: being a college grad is a good thing!)

Double major with caution. Think carefully about whether a single degree could put you farther ahead, with more work experience, a higher level of education, and less debt.

Amidst a pile of mail, your dream employer slices open an envelope with a sharp wrist flick. It’s your reference letters. Moments later your phone rings. Next week, in the interview you’ve always hoped for, you’re sitting in that employer’s office speaking face-to-face.

This is everyone’s fantasy, right?

But is this even close to reality? How does a reference letter set you above the crowd? In the last post, we learned who qualifies as an ideal reference. Now, let’s explore why references are important and the best ways to request them, so you have a leg up on the competition.

Why Reference Letters are Important

Anyone can boast about their own abilities. But self-proclamations are rarely compelling.

Reference letters—also known as letters of recommendation—let someone else speak for you. They vouch for you in the form of first-hand experience from an unbiased, third-party source. By lending a relational and personal dimension, reference letters transform your resume into more than just a sheet of paper, while at the same time confirming its claims.

Imagine how you would receive someone praising another person’s abilities (especially a former employer praising their employee’s work). I’d put a lot more weight onto an outsider’s opinion of a potential candidate.

Prospective employers would, too.

A reference letter acts is a way for a knowledgeable and trustworthy person to praise your qualities and skills, without them having to make an appointment to meet with your prospective employer.

When to Get a Reference Letter

The ideal time to request reference letters is before you need them. Even if you don’t know exactly how you’ll use them, make a habit of collecting reference letters at the time you move on from a life experience (i.e. when you leave a school, town, job, organization, etc.)

There are two perks to requesting reference letters at this time:

1. By requesting your letter before you actually leave a town, school, or position, the writers have the clearest, freshest memory of their experience with you.

2. By gathering letters as you move from experience to experience, you will accumulate a well-stocked resource of references ready to supply at a moment’s notice.

However, if you’re already knee deep in the job-search jungle and need your reference-letter-resource stocked yesterday, don’t worry. There’s no time like the present. If you’ve already left a position or place and forgot to grab a reference on your way out, there’s nothing wrong with calling up that old boss, teacher, or friend and requesting a letter after the fact.

Whether you’re looking down the road towards your future professional goals or scrambling to provide letters for a current opening, just be sure you request your reference as professionally and effectively as possible.

How to Request a Reference Letter

To professionally request a reference, make thoughtfulness your rule of thumb. Remember, the writer is doing you a huge favor, so make the process as easy and enjoyable for them as possible.

1. Avoid a harsh yes or no question.

When asking for a reference letter, don’t simply put forth the question. Instead, use your request to open a topic of conversation. For example, you might say, “Do you feel you know me well enough to write a reference letter?” or “I’m in need of a reference letter. Is this something you would be available to assist me with?”

This not only opens a door to further discuss the specifics of your request with your potential writer, it places them in a position to comfortably accept or decline your request. The last thing you need is an overworked, underpaid teacher feeling guilty about saying no because she has 13 papers which need to be graded by next Friday.

Even if your potential writer responds in the negative, be considerate and express your gratitude considering the idea. Remember thoughtfulness is your guide!

2. Once you receive a favorable response, provide any information that would be helpful to the writer.

Helpful information would include a current copy of your resume, any applicable position- or profession-specific details regarding where the letter will be sent, as well as a reference letter template.

Also, feel free to express any particular qualities or skills you feel are important for the writer to emphasize. This will help the writer understand your expected content, purpose, and format of the letter.

3. Follow through by attending to the little, but important details.

Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the writer so they can mail the completed letter back to you. Once you receive the completed letter, write a concise but sincere thank-you note. These gestures show your respect and appreciation of the writer’s time and effort and confirm you’re the kind of quality person whom an employer would want on their team.

Now it’s time to go put what you’ve learned to use! With a little head knowledge and a lot of heart, you’ll be through the application phase, past the phone call, and into that dream employer’s office in no time.

Want to know more about how to land a job? Read about How You Can Increase Your Odds of Landing a Job by 400%.