CollegePlus! Acceleration Newsletter

A CollegePlus! Homeschool Mom Gets Her Degree

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:49:41 CDT

From the same room where she teaches her three young children, wife and homeschool mom of three, Kelly Negvesky, began her journey to earn a bachelor’s degree. After reading Accelerated Distance Learning, Kelly called CollegePlus! “Do you take moms?” she asked. A week later Kelly was enrolled in CollegePlus! With the prior college credit she transferred, Kelly graduated with her humanities degree less than a year later.

Don't Stop Here!

A CollegePlus! Grad Scores an 80% Scholarship to Law School. Read His Story!

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Use these social networking tools to keep up to date on the latest news in Distance learning!

CollegePlus! Grad Gets Law School Scholarships

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:48:53 CDT

By Aaron Dodson

Jeremy White is a CollegePlus! graduate who is now enrolled with Liberty University School of Law. His strong purpose and other achievements allowed him to obtain an 80% scholarship, and by utilizing the CollegePlus methods he is the youngest student in the whole school!

A Dynamic Vision

Jeremy actually began the grad school enrollment process while still finishing up the last few credits in his bachelor's degree. He had a strong purpose in pursuing law, which he shares like this:

“I have one primary vision of what I would like to do with law. When we look around in our world and culture now, whether it is abortion, or gay rights, or any of those things that I want to be a part of changing, I believe in order to produce an environment that is conducive to the church growing and flourishing and changing these wrongs, it is imperative that the legal part of the country be active and involved.”

80% Scholarship

With such a definite purpose, the environment Jeremy chose to learn in is very important to him.

"I wanted to learn the law from a biblical perspective", he says. “I see law as so intensely bound with one’s theology and world view.” Jeremy’s great LSAT scores, solid biblical perspective and impressive purpose statement allowed him to secure scholarship money with Liberty University.

Distance Learning Helped

Jeremy attributes much of his study success to the principles and habits that he learned through his undergraduate degree.

“When I look at the last 19 years of my education, the one thing that I know did help was working with CollegePlus!. Being that there were no deadlines, I had to be self motivated if I wanted to get it done as fast as I could. It was up to me.”

Youngest Student

Because of his high motivation, and the CollegePlus! system, Jeremy graduated with his bachelor's at 20, and enrolled in Liberty University that same year. This makes him the youngest student at Liberty University’s School of Law! Jeremy tells us that he gets asked all the time how he made it into law school while so young, and he attributes it to the motivation instilled in him by his parents, and the CollegePlus! learning system.

The idea of self-motivated study, and the ability to search out resources needed for the course at hand was certainly a help for Jeremy as he moved into the realm of law school.

“CollegePlus! was definitely a way for me to have to put my self-motivation into practice, to not just be able to sit back, and take things slowly. I had to be in the mindset of: 'If I want to get this done, I really need to work as fast as I can.'”

It Pays Off

Jeremy says that today, with his law school studies, there are numerous times the CollegePlus! study techniques come in handy. “It [CollegePlus!] taught me to search out the information on my own, to find out if I knew enough, and learn it. That has been very helpful. Even what I have done in law so far, with external research on things that I may have not been given but I need, that self motivation is very beneficial.”

Through lots of motivated hard work and the dynamic distance learning opportunity of CollegePlus!, Jeremy bagged substantial scholarships, entered the school of his choice years before his peers, and is on a solid track to pursue his calling and purpose.

Aaron Dodson is a marketing intern at CollegePlus!. In addition to writing, blogging, and editing video, he's taking CLEP exams at breakneck speed.

Don't Stop Here!

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CollegePlus! Students in the Real World

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:08:34 CDT

By Melody Dornink CollegePlus! students are exceeding all societal expectations when it comes to forms of higher education, but what do these students look like in real life? Are they speed-reading bookworms who spend all their waking moments holed up in dark libraries, studying for CLEP tests and memorizing the periodic table of elements?

On the contrary, CollegePlus! students are extremely active in the “real world.” The success stories are plentiful as a generation of ambitious young people refuse to conform to a culture of low expectations and mediocre dreams. Among the standouts are Marcie Little, Camon Davison, and Natalie Raynes, three CollegePlus! students who are succeeding in the real world.

Marcie Little: A Communicator for Christ

Marcie Little has earned 93 credits since enrolling in CollegePlus! in April 2008. The 21-year-old admits to not knowing all the reasons why God has led her to major in communications, but a brief look at her resume might provide a clue.

She attended a public speaking and critical thinking conference when she was 16 and competed in a high school speech and debate league for three years. During that time, she also attended many Communicators for Christ (CFC) conferences. Marcie then interned with CFC, traveling the country with 12 other teens, putting on conferences similar to the one she attended as a 16-year-old.

Public Speaking

“I’m now working for the organization, helping to put together conferences for future intern teams to run. It’s been awesome to have the flexibility to do that job while I complete my degree!” she said. Now Marcie has a desire to teach public speaking herself. “I feel like there’s such a need for Christian young people to learn how to communicate the Truth with sincerity, authenticity, and grace,” she said.

On a Mission

Mission work also interests Marcie, and she has already used her speaking abilities overseas. She went to Ukraine with her church for a summer missions trip, and because of her talents in communication, “I had a lot of opportunities to speak to different audiences we had, and it was amazing. The Lord has continually brought opportunities like that into my path,” Marcie said, which has been confirmation that she is on the right track.

“I’m learning that as I continue in the activities and opportunities God places in my path, God will continue to establish my thoughts, thereby leading in the path He has for me. It is indeed a journey of faith, as I often cannot see where the path is going, but it is an increasingly exciting path as my faith is strengthened by seeing God’s faithfulness at work in my life to guide and direct.”

Camon Davison: In the Media

Nineteen-year-old Camon Davison is a current CollegePlus! student with about 50 credits completed of a communications degree. He has aspirations of working with a national television news network someday. However, unlike most “normal” college students, he is actively pursuing that dream while fulfilling his education requirements.

“I’ve always been interested in filmmaking,” Camon said, and has been creating and editing his own movies for years. At one point, he and a friend had a budget of $5,000 and made a 15-minute Western movie, “Just for the fun of it.” His interests have since paid off.

He began working at a local television station as a 17-year-old, freshly graduated from high school. He started out as a cameraman, and quickly worked his way up the ranks until he was director. Camon excelled as a result of his longtime love of filmmaking, and the many hours he had invested over the years in research and hands-on learning.

Working Man

A year and a half later, he was offered a job with The Christian Satellite International, a radio station. “When I landed my current job, I was truly in awe of how God worked it to His glory and made all the pieces come together at just the right time,” Camon said.

He currently works as a production assistant and DJ, but admits that “I like TV more than I like radio. But, for now, I know this is where God wants me.” He realizes the benefit of having as much experience as he's had at a young age, and sees these years as a time of preparation and maturing.

Dream Job

His dream still rests with television, though not in front of the camera. “The technical aspect of broadcasting is more appealing to me,” Camon said.

Until then, he is working full-time, pursuing his college degree, and still finds a little time to do the things he loves. “As I continue to pursue my goals and career, I know that God will always be watching and guiding me to further His kingdom.”

Natalie Raynes: Music and Ministry

Natalie Raynes, a 20-year-old South Carolina native, was born and raised in ministry life. Her grandfather was her pastor, and her father was the administrator of her Christian school.

Natalie said, “I grew up surrounded by ministry opportunities. I was exposed to the realities of the joys of serving Jesus and it cemented my desire to serve Him myself.”

She recently graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Communications, via CollegePlus!, after just 23 months. Between taking CLEP tests and earning credits from a community college, Natalie also found time to tutor students, teach piano lessons, and remain active in her church’s music ministry and special program coordination opportunities.

The Student Teaches

Since graduating in July, Natalie was offered a job at a private Christian school where she now teaches choir and speech, and acts as the school’s fine arts coordinator.

In her spare time, she is developing a congregational hymn manual for church pianists, which will help musicians build improvisation skills, ear training, sight reading, and other important elements of church music. She is also working on a sacred hymn arrangement book.

“God has given me [musical] talent, and I desire to use it for Him,” Natalie said.

In His Will

Between her education job at Mountain View Christian Academy, teaching over 25 piano students weekly, and her own musical pursuits, Natalie knows she is where God wants her.

“I absolutely love going to work every day! I realize I am literally doing what my Creator intended for me to do. I am living my destiny. God’s leading has been so obvious in my life in the past and present, and I can wholly trust Him for my future.”

Here They Are!

Marcie Little, Camon Davison, and Natalie Raynes are all using CollegePlus! as a springboard into successful futures, and their diligence extends beyond just college studies. As they actively pursue God’s leading in their lives, doors are opening for them to have a big impact on the people around them.

Marcie sums up her experiences with Proverbs 16:3, “Commit they works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Each of these students are living testimonies to the faithfulness of God in the lives of those who are willing to reject the standards of the world, and instead follow the path He has marked out for them.

Melody is a CollegePlus! English major and lives with her family in Minnesota. She is working on a Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate, hopes to travel overseas soon, and helps in construction and remodeling with her father.

Don't Stop Here!

CollegePlus! Is for Adults too! Watch This Video.

A CollegePlus! Grad Is Awarded an 80% Scholarship to Law School. Read His Story!

Find out how CLEP Tests Increase College Accessibility and Decrease Cost

Use these social networking tools to keep up to date on the latest news in Distance learning!

CollegePlus! Summit Experience

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:54:00 CDT

This summer, CollegePlus teamed up with Summit Ministries to provide an opportunity for students to meet up with fellow students, and also see CollegePlus! coaches face to face. All the while they were taking part in amazing sessions taught be high caliber apologists like Norm Geisler, Ryan Dobson, and JP Moreland.

Find out more information about Summit Ministries' semester programs, summer worldview sessions, and resources at www.summit.org

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Read a real-life story of a distance learning grad who went onto get his Master's Degree

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MBA: An Initial Look

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:46:44 CDT

Distance learning graduate and CollegePlus! co-founder and COO, Ryan Yamane, is once again a student. Ryan recently scored in the top 6% of test takers on the GMAT exam and is currently pursuing his MBA at Gonzaga University. Although he is just getting started with his MBA, we thought that you might find his first hand experience helpful and asked him to share these beginning chapters of his MBA journey.

By Ryan Yamane, Chief Operations Officer, CollegePlus!

A graduate degree is a worthy pursuit, but sometimes knowing when, why, how and even if you should proceed can be a challenge. In the paragraphs below, you will find some of the lessons I’ve learned along my most recent educational journey, the Masters in Business Administration or MBA.

The Starting Line

I like to think of the Graduate Management Admission Test, or GMAT, as the SAT for business school since most MBA programs require you to submit your GMAT test results as part of the application process. I used several resources to prepare for the GMAT, however, the resource I found to be the most helpful and the one in which I spent 90% of my study time was the Princeton Review: Cracking the GMAT.

This helpful resource not only gives you the academic review necessary for the exam, but educates you on how to outthink the exam. Over the course of about two months I put in approximately 50-60 hours of study, with much of that coming in the final two weeks. For additional information about the GMAT, click here.

Which Camp are you in?

In my mind, MBA seekers fall into two general camps. Neither is more right than the other but it is important that you recognize which camp you are in when choosing a program. The first is Camp Big Name. Students here seek the benefits of name recognition. In other words, in a large corporate setting or as a credential for public speaking, an MBA from Harvard would generally open more doors than an MBA from the local state university.

Not necessarily because the individual graduate has learned significantly more from Harvard than other schools (they may or may not), but rather because they have Harvard’s stamp of approval behind their name. However, those in Camp Big Name can also expect to contribute significantly in the form of tuitions.

In the long run, if climbing the corporate ladder is in your future, then a program with high name recognition and the highest possible ranking may outweigh the increased financial investment, because it will provide a distinct advantage in the corporate job market.

Big Value

Students in Camp Big Value place more of an emphasis on the actual knowledge gained in the process of earning the MBA. A person with this as their primary motive feels that although the letters “M-B-A” or “Harvard” might look good behind their name, these credentials are a distant second to the practical skills they hope to gain in earning the degree.

Entrepreneurs whose primary interest is becoming better at starting and running their own business fall into this category.

Since the Alumni bumper sticker from Camp Big Name doesn’t necessarily help the small business owner run his business any more profitably, he or she may have more difficulty justifying the additional expense required to attend such an institution. In short, a small business entrepreneur will look at the ROI on a Harvard Degree a bit differently than a corporate or Wall Street hopeful.

Narrowing the Field

As I went before the Lord and considered the vision he had placed in my heart and the abilities he had equipped me with, it became clearer than ever that my personal purpose in earning an MBA was not to climb the corporate ladder, but rather to further equip myself with the skills necessary to continue to grow my current business and develop and grow other similar entrepreneurial pursuits.

That said, I began looking for MBA programs that offered a high level of value for my specific situation, a high quality program with strong academics at a comparatively reasonable price point.

Decisions, Decisions

As a distance learning student, you may be secretly wondering how your non-traditional undergraduate degree will be viewed in your graduate application. In my preparations for business school, I spoke with several including Harvard, University of Texas, Texas A&M, Regent University and University of Washington.

Without exception they told me that my distance learning degree would have no negative bearing on my acceptance and that the undergraduate degree was only one of many factors considered along with GMAT scores, community involvement, my resume, and a host of other factors.

In fact, one school viewed my distance learning degree as an advantage because successful independent study is proof of self-discipline, initiative and outside-the-box thinking.

My strong leanings toward Camp Big Value, coupled with the fact that I live in a sparsely populated area of Eastern Washington resulted in me applying to only one MBA program, Gonzaga University. After filling out the application, I did receive some questions from the admissions office about my “unusual transcript” filled with CLEP and Dantes exams, but a simple phone call was all that was required to answer their questions and assure them that this was not a typo. Before long, I received my acceptance letter, coupled with a small scholarship to boot!

My First Impressions

I arrived at my first day of class with much anticipation, excited to be learning proven business concepts that could immediately be implemented into the operations of CollegePlus! Since that day, I would say that I’ve experienced a bit of a mixed bag. I’ve come to learn that the best professors aren’t necessarily those with the most interesting lectures or the most letters behind their name.

Rather, the best professors in business school are generally those with real-world business experience, which would seem to be a minimum requirement for teaching graduate business classes, but apparently it is not.

While being disappointed with some of my professors’ lack of business history, I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I have learned from fellow students, many of whom are currently in management roles in large corporations or own their own companies.

While there have been challenges and disappointments along the way, I am confident that these experiences are all part of the curriculum of life. All in all, my MBA journey has been a good one so far and I look forward to the challenges and victories yet to come.

Ryan Yamane began his CollegePlus! career as an intern in 2002. Now, as CollegePlus! COO, he fulfills a critical leadership role for all CollegePlus! staff and students

Don't Stop Here!

CollegePlus! and Summit Ministries teamed up this summer! Look at the highlight video!

What is the next Step After your Bachelor's?

CollegePlus! students pass their exams at a rate of 91.6%! Read More!

Use these social networking tools to keep up to date on the latest news in Distance learning!

The Next Step Towards Grad School

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:51:13 CDT

By Linnea Caswell

So you’re thinking about grad school. That’s probably a good thing since more employers than ever are looking for applicants with an advanced degree. But you have to start somewhere.

Apart from knowing which graduate program to attend, preparing for an entrance exam is one of the most important steps to take. Here’s the lowdown on the most popular exams applicants take when applying for grad school: the GRE for masters of arts, the GMAT for business school, the LSAT for law school, and the MCAT for med school.

GRE: Why?

The most general and widely used test is kind of like the SAT for grad school. The GRE (Graduate Record Exam) General Test is a standardized exam that allows you to document what you’ve learned in college. Your GRE score can be a major factor in grad school admissions.

Take note, however, you do not need to take this test if you’re planning on going into business, law, or medicine. Each of those disciplines has their own specialized test as you’ll see later on in this article.

GRE: What’s it like?

The GRE General Test covers verbal reasoning (language: evaluate written segments and parts of sentences and look for relationships between words and concepts), quantitative reasoning (math: solve problems using arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis), and analytical writing (critical thinking skills: examine claims and evidence, articulate ideas, write a focused and coherent essay).

If you are looking to go into math, computers, sciences, psychology, or English literature you could also consider the GRE Subject Exams which cover specific areas of study and can help you stand out from the crowd.

GRE General Exam

The general exam is offered each month at computer-based testing centers around the country and costs $150. The subject exams are offered in October, November, and April in paper-and-pencil format and cost $130. Your scores are good for five years, so consider the cost an investment for the future.

GRE: Tips

Take general or subject GRE tests as you are completing your degree, or as soon after graduation as possible.
Prepare thoroughly – official free practice exams are available online for the general test and subject tests.
Answer the first 10 questions on the computer-based general exam very carefully – the next questions you get will be based on your previous answers. You can’t go back and change answers either, so think carefully and then move on!

GMAT: Why?

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) is a standardized test that helps business schools evaluate student applications since the GMAT can predict academic success in an MBA program. If you are interested in advanced study in business or management, the GMAT is the best graduate entrance exam to take.

GMAT: What’s it like?

While the exam covers basic verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills, it does not examine your knowledge of business, specific content from undergraduate work, or your job skills. It is only available as a computer-adaptive test and takes about 5 hours to complete. The exam is offered year round and costs $250.

Like the GRE, the GMAT begins with the Analytical Writing Assessment where you complete two writing sections. After that, the quantitative section is multiple choice and includes problems involving data sufficiency and problem solving. Finally, the verbal section tests reading comprehension, sentence correction skills, and critical reasoning.

GMAT: Tips

Prepare and prepare some more! At least 8 weeks of review on average has resulted in the best scores. There are many printed resources for preparation, plus free official practice software is available here.
Strictly time your practice exam(s), scheduling an entire morning or afternoon to do so. This “real time” practice is vital in helping you learn to work under pressure and do your best on the actual exam.
Focus on your weaknesses. If you’re great at critical reasoning, but have a hard time with sentence correction, focus on improving your sentence correction skills. Because the test is adaptive, you may never get to the really hard critical reasoning questions if you answer a lot of sentence correction ones wrong.
Use your pencil & paper scratch paper during the test! For math problems and multiple choice decisions, paper is your best friend.

LSAT or MCAT: Why?

The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) and MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) are specialized entrance exams for those interested in law or medicine. These tests are a substantial factor in admissions applications, so take the time to prepare seriously and give the test your best.

LSAT or MCAT: What’s it like?

The LSAT is offered in June, September, December, and February and costs $132. It is a paper-based exam that covers reading comprehension, analytical & logical reasoning, and writing. While not specifically knowledge based, a broad educational background will be beneficial.

The MCAT is a computer-based, multiple-choice test that is offered throughout the year and costs $225. The test reports scores in Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences.

LSAT or MCAT: Tips

As always, prepare as much as possible and know everything there is to know about the test itself.
LSAT – take practice tests, available here for free. Answer all questions on the actual exam, since you’re not penalized for wrong answers.
MCAT – make flash cards for specific areas of weakness. Use practice materials, available here.

Conclusion

Any standardized test is a little nerve-wracking, however with adequate preparation, thorough knowledge of test details, and a commitment to doing your best, you can be confident in taking this next step towards grad school.

Linnea Caswell is a CollegePlus! graduate and lives in Illinois with her family. She earned a BA degree from Thomas Edison State College, is a certified paralegal, and teaches piano.

Don't Stop Here!

CollegePlus! and Summit Ministries teamed up this summer! Look at the highlight video!

Read a real-life story of a distance learning grad who went on to get his Master's Degree.

CollegePlus! students pass their exams at a rate of 91.6%! Read More!

Use these social networking tools to keep up to date on the latest news in Distance learning!