School Days: Study.com - A Crew Review

Alright, I'm sitting here at my dining room table, trying to come up with an introductory paragraph that's going to arrest your attention, and make you say, "Whoa!, now that looks like an amazing resource!, I must read on!" Unfortunately, all that I find myself saying over and over as I consider this review from Study.com is, "This is so fantastic!" Lol. Can you tell that I'm pretty excited to have been given a 3 month subscription to try out their CLEP and DSST prep materials? I am!

I hear you now. You're saying, "That's great, glad you're thrilled, but what exactly are CLEP and DSST prep materials? Here's a quick explanation of the basics:

CLEP stands for College Level Examination Program. This course offers over 30 exams that can help you or your student earn college credit in a shorter period of time than the typical college setting. Studies are completed at one's own pace, allowing you to proceed as quickly or slowly as desired. Written by professionals, video lessons are short enough that they allow students to study when and where it is convenient for them. Short assessments follow each lesson to determine comprehension. Every course provides the individual's strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to adjust their studies.

DSST, or Dantes Subject Standardized Tests are available for over 30 exams, allowing students to earn college credit outside of the traditional university setting, particularly for those in the military. Over 1900 colleges accept DSST scores, making it an effective way to shorten the time it takes to earn your degree. As with the CLEP prep materials, lessons are comprised of short video lessons, with self assessments at the end of instruction. Tips, information, and 24/7 support make these prep materials a perfect option for those seeking to earn a degree, but require flexibility and individualized study time.

Most of my reviews are for homeschool materials designed for students. I love having the opportunity to use a variety of curriculum and products with my daughters, but it is a treat when I receive something that I can use. Anyone desiring to take a fast track to college credits can benefit from these courses and exams, so yes, this can be a wonderful option for your college aged kids. But, these are also a great for adults who, for one reason or another, decide to further their education. Speaking for myself, I didn't think that I might be able to think about pursuing more education until my daughters were finished with their schooling. I'm so happy to see that I have another path even now. Circling back to my daughters, as we quickly approach their college years, this is a way to save money and time as they can work through general education courses at a faster pace, allowing them to focus on classes pertaining to their major later on. It can work for anyone.

I decided to spend my time working on the CLEP part of the courses, specifically the Spanish 1 and 2 classes. I have always had a love for other languages, but as it often happens when you become a parent, I let that slide as I focus on other responsibilities. I love that I can learn whenever the time is convenient for me. These days, that tends to be early mornings or late evenings. The course provides an overview, the syllabus, video lessons, study guides, and practice tests. The videos vary between 4 and 12 minutes, give or take a few, which makes them easy to squeeze in anytime that I am available. This particular course has 33 chapters, divided into 179 lessons. Quizzes are offered after every lesson for extra practice. Once the course is finished, I can then take the Spanish CLEP exam, which tests for material learned in 1or 2 years of college Spanish classes. This program provides all the details that I need to know, even down to the length of the exam, the time limit of the test, and the cost to take the test.

I am so happy to have this resource, and I will be renewing my subscription once the renewal comes due. It's a blessing to have this option for my family, knowing that it will save us time and money. The fact that this is for anyone looking to earn their first degree, or take the step to a higher one, makes this useful for most families. Don't pass this up!