Question about military/college credit

[Melo]

Sorry, Blue - Im making a personal thread.
:O

I dug out my transcripts, today, and was intrigued to find that in the course of my schooling, I have gotten myself 42 credit hours. I went in to my recruiter and he explained to me that with 20, I will go in as an E2. And with 45 credit hours, I can go in as A1C.

I was never any good at math, but from what I can tell, Im about 1 class away from what I need to be A1C.

Here's my deal: I dropped out of school for a reason - I hate it. Let me clarify - I hate takin classes when I have no major or end goal in mind. My recruiter told me if I wanted to go for it, I had to have my last class by the time I leave for basic. He advised me that if I did not want to take the class, I could perhaps take a CLEP test to get credit. Or if I took any AP classes in HS, which I took one of, that I could test for credit in that.

My questions are as follows:
-Is it worth it to go for the extra class and go in as A1C?
-How does CLEP work? ie - Can I take a CLEP test for English if I already have English credit, or do I need to take a different test?
-How does AP credit work? Will I get the credit I need to meet the requirement? How much credit will you get for one class?

[olevetonahill]

You go in as an E-3 versus an E-2 ?
Hell yea its worth it . Pay wise anyway .

[SoonerStormchaser]

What vet said!

Take a CLEP course to get whatever cheap three hours you can get. It's well worth it!

[olevetonahill]

Plus dont they have to Promote Ya know after a certain time in Grade ?

[Melo]

Okay.
So I should try and get the credit.
Any info on those CLEP tests?

[yermom]

i took AP classes in HS, generally you get 3 hours of credit for a 3 or higher on the test

my calculus test got me 3 hours at OU, but i think it would have been 5 at OSU

at OU i think a 4 or 5 on the English AP test got you 6 hours

and yeah, one Summer class to anvance in rank? i'd imagine it would take longer than a month to do that otherwise. the difference between 20 and 45 hours is about a year, right?

i would think that a CLEP test would need to be in something you don't already have credit for, but hell, i don't know. most should give you 3 hours at least

[Melo]

i took AP classes in HS, generally you get 3 hours of credit for a 3 or higher on the test

my calculus test got me 3 hours at OU, but i think it would have been 5 at OSU

at OU i think a 4 or 5 on the English AP test got you 6 hours

and yeah, one Summer class to anvance in rank? i'd imagine it would take longer than a month to do that otherwise. the difference between 20 and 45 hours is about a year, right?

i would think that a CLEP test would need to be in something you don't already have credit for, but hell, i don't know. most should give you 3 hours at least

I know they did AP testing in HS. Can I still do AP testing, not being in HS?

[yermom]

oh, i thought you meant they said if you took the classes in HS you could take the test now

[Melo]

oh, i thought you meant they said if you took the classes in HS you could take the test now

My recruiter told me that... but you know....
:rolleyes:

[yermom]

i have no idea on that

i'd find some easy thing to CLEP or find some weightlifting or bowling class or something

[reevie]

From a pay perspective, here's the 2008 pay chart for less than 2 years. This is the monthly pay:

E-1 $1,347.00
E-2 $1,509.90
E-3 $1,580.90

I believe that includes your housing and other benefits, so check with someone who knows more than I do about it. But if you CLEP one class, that is what you're looking at.

[AlbqSooner]

From a pay perspective, here's the 2008 pay chart for less than 2 years. This is the monthly pay:

E-1 $1,347.00
E-2 $1,509.90
E-3 $1,580.90

I believe that includes your housing and other benefits, so check with someone who knows more than I do about it. But if you CLEP one class, that is what you're looking at.

Good lord. When I went through basic in 1967, and E-1 got $90.45 per month.:eek: Plus of course three hots and a cot.

[GottaHavePride]

With AP the big thing is the test - you don't have to enroll in a high school AP course to take the test.

That said, once you hit college a CLEP test does the same thing.

Do you know Spanish? Because at OU if you get a top score on a Spanish CLEP test you get about 18 credit hours. Even a mediocre score gets you 10 credit hours, because the first two entry-level spanish courses are 5-hour classes.

My other suggestions would be CLEP tests in psychology or political science. Both those are pretty easy to study for. Just pick up a Barron's study guide and go to town.

[AggieTool]

I got my first degree using nothing but CLEPs and military technical school credits.

Take the five basic CLEPs if you can. I passed them all as a 10th grade dropout.

There are also DANTES tests, that are more specific, but also count for 3 credits a pop.

Unfortunately, since you're not already in, they're not free.

Also remember those CLEPs last forever, and they may come in handy for a BS/BA.

Final note: Working hard after you're in can accelerate advancement just as much as coming in with a few credits.

It all seems to wash after a while.

[olevetonahill]

Good lord. When I went through basic in 1967, and E-1 got $90.45 per month.:eek: Plus of course three hots and a cot.

I cleared 66 bucks :mad:
Ya know what ?
My Dad cleared 66 bucks a Month In WW2

[Harry Beanbag]

Final note: Working hard after you're in can accelerate advancement just as much as coming in with a few credits.



Working hard can get you good evals which will help, but you're still on a time schedule between taking ratings exams. At least that's how it was in the Navy.

[SoonerStormchaser]

Plus dont they have to Promote Ya know after a certain time in Grade ?

Dunno about enlisted...fur us ossifers, it's 2 years time in grade for 1st Lt and another 2 for Captain...but it's not automatic, they can hold you back if you screw up.

[Frozen Sooner]

i took AP classes in HS, generally you get 3 hours of credit for a 3 or higher on the test

my calculus test got me 3 hours at OU, but i think it would have been 5 at OSU

at OU i think a 4 or 5 on the English AP test got you 6 hours

and yeah, one Summer class to anvance in rank? i'd imagine it would take longer than a month to do that otherwise. the difference between 20 and 45 hours is about a year, right?

i would think that a CLEP test would need to be in something you don't already have credit for, but hell, i don't know. most should give you 3 hours at least

IIRC, I got a 4 on the AP English exam and only got 3 hours.

A 4 or 5 on the AP Econ exam got you six hours.

[olevetonahill]

Dunno about enlisted...fur us ossifers, it's 2 years time in grade for 1st Lt and another 2 for Captain...but it's not automatic, they can hold you back if you screw up.

I was thinking Like Up or out ! maybe wrong

[Frozen Sooner]

From a pay perspective, here's the 2008 pay chart for less than 2 years. This is the monthly pay:

E-1 $1,347.00
E-2 $1,509.90
E-3 $1,580.90

I believe that includes your housing and other benefits, so check with someone who knows more than I do about it. But if you CLEP one class, that is what you're looking at.

I assume that's not including COLA, BAS, BAQ, etc?

[yermom]

IIRC, I got a 4 on the AP English exam and only got 3 hours.

A 4 or 5 on the AP Econ exam got you six hours.

maybe you just didn't have to take Comp II but had to take something else to get the hours. it was something like that. not that i had to worry about it...

[AggieTool]

Working hard can get you good evals which will help, but you're still on a time schedule between taking ratings exams. At least that's how it was in the Navy.

Not with the new "EP" advancement category.

You can take the next exam early if you earn that rating.

[SoonerStormchaser]

I assume that's not including COLA, BAS, BAQ, etc?

No, that's base pay.

[soonerbrat]

my son got 6 hours of credit for the English clep test...saved him from having to take comp 1 and comp 2

[Okla-homey]

Working hard can get you good evals which will help, but you're still on a time schedule between taking ratings exams. At least that's how it was in the Navy.

E-3's pretty much automatic and based on time.

Sounds like USN and USAF is the same way for E-4. Min time in grade reqt's before a person is allowed to test for E-4. However, one of my greatest pleasures as a commander was awarding that stripe to a uber-deserving troop "below the zone." IOW, a squadron commander gets a few stripes a year he/she can award very hard-chargin' troops BEFORE they even become eligible to test for E-4.

[Harry Beanbag]

Not with the new "EP" advancement category.

You can take the next exam early if you earn that rating.

That's cool.

[Harry Beanbag]

E-3's pretty much automatic and based on time.

Sounds like USN and USAF is the same way for E-4. Min time in grade reqt's before a person is allowed to test for E-4. However, one of my greatest pleasures as a commander was awarding that stripe to a uber-deserving troop "below the zone." IOW, a squadron commander gets a few stripes a year he/she can award very hard-chargin' troops BEFORE they even become eligible to test for E-4.


That's cool, and the way it oughta be. IIRC, after I made E-5 I had to wait 3 years to test for E-6. I think I separated just a couple of months before I was eligible. :mad:

[Harry Beanbag]

I assume that's not including COLA, BAS, BAQ, etc?



According to Google, looks like you're correct. They make fairly decent money compared to when I was in.