RED CLOUD GARRISON, Republic of Korea - Sgt. 1st Class Jorge Guzman was lauded for completing 18 College Level Examination Programs and Dantes Subject Standardized Tests April 9 in Red Cloud Garrison's Freeman Hall.
Guzman took college courses online and was able to earn his associate and bachelor's degree in half the time. Guzman also was able to get all of his college credits accepted by Thomas Edison State College where he plans to pursue his master's degree.
"Using CLEP and DSST, I was able to finish an associate degree in computer technology and a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts and Management Studies," Guzman said. "I'm working on my second bachelor's degree in history at Thomas Edison."
This method of schooling is good for Soldiers, Guzman explained. Soldiers have little time or money for going to class every day. This program provides financial support and gives Soldiers the opportunity to get all the information they need to take tests as soon as possible. This helps them accrue college credits quicker.
"I've taken only six college classes, and I am already on my way to receiving a second bachelor's degree in four months," he said.
"The program is free for Soldiers," said James Campbell, Red Cloud Garrison's educational advisor. "If you paid for the courses in a regular college, in most cases, the cost of a semester hour could be around $250. If you calculate how many courses Guzman took, you can see how much money he saved with this program."
There is a wide variety of courses and classes for someone to take, Guzman said.
"If you name the course they have it," Guzman said. "All you have to do is find a college of your choice that accepts your credits, which in most cases isn't difficult at all."
Studying for these tests is not too difficult, he pointed out.
"I study maybe an hour or two every night before I go to bed," he said. "I read my books and I study at www.instantcertonline.com website, which is my main study source and has been a great source for me. They provide adequate study tips and information for these courses."
I recommend this program for future Soldiers who are coming in and are trying to further pursue their education, he advised.
"Every college credit is worth promotion points," Guzman explained. "And every CLEP exam is a college credit. Using this method of schooling is the easiest way to for new Soldiers to get their degree and gain promotion points in a short amount of time."
For those that are interested, the education center is providing information about these programs and are assisting people in getting into CLEP, Campbell said.
"I strongly encourage Soldiers to look into the examination program the Army has," Campbell said. "It's free, it's quick, and it's a professional way to earn promotion points and your degree."
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