With that said, I’d like to encourage you to truly consider how incorporating CLEP exams into your academic plan will in fact cultivate and validate your strong work ethic and creative problem solving skills. In your future when a crisis arises and a surge is needed to get over the hurdle, you will be willing and able to stay the course to completion. And when faced with a budget shortfall, you will look for creative ways to get the job done within the limited available resources. These are the exact skills that you will nurture as you prepare for and pass CLEP exams.

Who would have thought that adding CLEP exams to your academic plan could have such a profound, long-term impact on your future? Well we did, and that is exactly why EduNation brought our CLEP Prep Study Program to the market. Not only will you earn transferable college credit faster and for less, but you will also be cultivating some of the most important traits desired in today’s highly competitive marketplace. And I haven’t even discussed how important these traits are to the entrepreneur. We’ll save that for another post. As always, enjoy the journey!

This is the beauty of the CLEP program…flexibility. Age is not an issue. Preparedness is the #1 challenge facing CLEP students. As long as your degree program at your school of choice accepts the exam you wish to challenge then all you need to do is prepare for and take the CLEP test.

That’s where EduNation comes into the picture. We have developed a preparedness model with students passing CLEP exams as our number one priority. With that in mind, our methodology and eLearn delivery system are second to none. We deliver everything you need to prepare for and pass your CLEP test.

Finally, another question I’m often asked is, “Who is your target market?” To which I proudly answer EVERYONE! I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but the fact of the matter is that anyone who is seeking to earn real, acceptable and transferable college credits (fast – flexible – for less) should be looking to CLEP and EduNation to achieve those goals and objectives.

So, if you belong to the group of “everyone”, check us out and give us a try, you’ll be glad you did! Enjoy the Journey.

The beauty lies in the answer…….  Once passed, whether you call it a CLEP “test” or a CLEP “exam”, the bottom line is: you’ve earned anywhere from 3 to 6 hours of accredited college credits!

I often say that the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is the best-kept secret in higher education. The College Board has administered CLEP exams for over 40 years, and yet there are still only about 250,000 CLEP tests taken each calendar year. EduNation’s objective is to “spread the word” about CLEP with the expectation that every student entering an American college or university will take full advantage of CLEP exams as part of their degree program.

To reach this goal, EduNation developed a state-of-the-art CLEP prep study system, which gives students the edge they need to pass CLEP tests. Our eLearn system includes study questions, practice exams, comprehensive content and unique study tools, all designed to ensure your success. So, whether you call it a CLEP “test” or a CLEP “exam”, what we care about is that you reach your higher education goals and dreams.

Oh, and by the way, to settle this quandary, let the record show that the official College Board website says, “You take a CLEP exam at a CLEP test center.” – Enjoy the Journey!

Attention college students: Get ready for one heck of a fatter tuition bill.

As state governments face one of their toughest fiscal years yet, higher education is on the chopping block, and public colleges are being forced to pass on more of their costs to students.

Earlier this year, 25 governors proposed slashing college funding, marking $5 billion in potential cuts nationwide, according to the National Association of State Budget Officers.

While many of those cuts have since been tweaked through budget negotiations, most of these tough decisions have to be finalized this week as the fiscal year comes to an end.

Already, staggering reductions in funding are leading colleges in some states to boost tuition as much as 22%.

What do you get when college costs skyrocket but incomes barely budge? Yet another blow to the middle class.

As portrayed on the left axis, median income has hovered around $33,000 since 1988. Meanwhile, college tuition and fees — portrayed on the right axis — have more than doubled.

“As the out-of-pocket costs of a college education go up faster than incomes, it’s pricing low and medium income families out of a college education,” said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of financial aid sites FinAid.org and FastWeb.com.

The numbers confirm what most middle class families already know — college is becoming so expensive, it’s starting to hold them back.

The crux of the problem: Tuition and fees at public universities, according to the College Board, have surged almost 130% over the last 20 years — while middle class incomes have stagnated.

Tuition: In 1988, the average tuition and fees for a four-year public university rang in at about $2,800, adjusted for inflation. By 2008, that number had climbed about 130% to roughly $6,500 a year — and that doesn’t include books or room and board.

Income: If incomes had kept up with surging college costs, the typical American would be earning $77,000 a year. But in reality, it’s nowhere near that.

In 2008 — the latest data available — the median income was $33,000. That means if you adjust for inflation, Americans in the middle actually earned $400 less than they did in 1988.

Financial aid: Meanwhile, the amount of federal aid available to individual students has also failed to keep up. Since 1992, the maximum available through government-subsidized student loans has remained at $23,000 for a four-year degree.

“There does seem to be this growing disparity between income and the cost of higher education,” said Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. “At the same time, there’s been a fundamental shift, moving away from public subsidization, to individuals bearing more of the cost of higher education.”

Facing that disparity, it’s no wonder then that two other trends have emerged: Families are taking on unprecedented levels of debt or downgrading their child’s education from a four-year, to a two-year, degree to cut costs.

Student debt is often viewed as a good kind of debt, because a college education seems to promise a better future.

College grads, after all, have much lower unemployment rates than high school grads. And they earn $1 million more over their lifetimes, according to a much-quoted figure from the Labor Department.

But even in this case, too much of a good thing can still be bad.

About two thirds of students graduating with four-year degrees recently did so with loans hanging over their heads, and their average bill comes in at a whopping $23,186, according to FinAid.org.
Of those, Kantrowitz estimates that about half will still be repaying their loans in 20 years — the traditional student loan period. And for many, that may very well mean they won’t be able to buy a home, save for retirement or fund the next generation’s education.

“They could still be paying back their own student loans, when their children are in college,” he said.
On the flip side of this problem, some families are trying to limit their student debt by opting for two-year degrees.

According to the Department of Education, the portion of middle-income students that enrolled in four-year colleges has dropped, while their enrollment in 2-year colleges has risen, over the last decade.

Many of these students, who would otherwise qualify for four-year college, are getting fewer job skills at a time when employers are demanding just the opposite.

Economists speculate that one reason unemployment is so high is because the American workforce lacks the skills needed to fill the jobs that are open. As a result, companies may shift these jobs overseas, where wages are often cheaper.

Seeing a portion of the middle class shift to two-year degrees certainly doesn’t help the United States compete in the global economy.

And shrinking opportunities for the middle class don’t help matters on the home front, either.
The richest tier of Americans continues to see their wealth surge, while the middle class is stuck in neutral.

“We’re seeing further differentiation in incomes, with the rich get richer and the poor getting poorer,” Kantrowitz said. “Meanwhile, the middle class often claims they’re too wealthy to get student aid, yet too poor to afford college.”

http://money.cnn.com/2011/06/13/news/economy/college_tuition_middle_class

The Class of 2011 will graduate this spring from America’s colleges and universities with a
dubious distinction: the most indebted ever.

Even as the average U.S. household pares down its debts, the new degree-holders who represent the country’s best hope for future prosperity are headed in the opposite direction. With tuition rising at an annual rate of about 5% and cash-strapped parents less able to help, the mean student-debt burden at graduation will reach nearly $18,000 this year, estimates Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of student-aid websites Fastweb.com and FinAid.org. Together with loans parents take on to finance their children’s college educations — loans that the students
often pay themselves – the estimate comes to about $22,900. That’s 8% more than last year and,
in inflation-adjusted terms, 47% more than a decade ago. In the long run, the investment is probably worth it…

Education is a much better reason to borrow money than buying cars or McMansions, and it endows people with economic advantages that the recession and slow recovery have only accentuated. As of 2009, the annual pre-tax income of households headed by people with at least a college degree exceeded that of less-educated households by 101%, up from 91% in 2006. As of April, the unemployment rate among college graduates stood at 4.5%, compared to 9.7% for those with only a high-school diploma and 14.6% for those who never finished high school.

Also, graduating with debt might not be all bad. If one buys the argument — popular among private-equity investors who buy companies using large amounts of debt — that the need to meet regular loan payments helps focus people on finding ways to make money, then high student-debt levels might help the country derive more benefit from its best-educated residents (as long as they don’t spend their energy creating financial products that ultimately blow up).

Still, the growth in student debt marks a shift toward a form of obligation that can be a lot more onerous than credit cards or home loans. Student debt can carry interest rates as high as those on sub-prime mortgages, and it’s much harder to shed in the event of trouble. There’s no house to give back to the bank, and even bankruptcy rarely offers relief. As of December 2010, total student debt outstanding stood at $530 billion in the U.S., up 29% from December 2007, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Other types of household debt shrank 8% over the same period. Given the state of the job market, many degree-holders will face a long slog to get debt-free: The Collegiate Employment Research Institute estimates that the average salary for holders of new bachelor degrees will be $36,866 this year, down from $46,500 in 2009.

In the near term, the debt burden could weigh on both the housing market and the broader economy. College graduates struggling to pay off debts are more likely to put off major milestones such as leaving home, getting married and buying a house, at a time when the creation of new households in the U.S. remains well below its long-term average.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/05/07/number-of-the-week-class-of-2011-most-indebted-ever/

It’s a very simple process. First, determine which CLEP exams are accepted by your college of choice for your specific area of study. Then, give us a call at EduNation and let us know how we can help you reach those credit-earning goals. We will deliver the advice and study materials you need to be successful in making your mother happy!

After you study using EduNation’s revolutionary eLearn System, and master the subject material, you will schedule your CLEP, take the actual exam, then give your mother a call or send her a text to let her know you have earned real college credit in record time with record savings. Now you’ve got to admit that will be a neat call to make! Sure, your mom deserves even more than your pledge to maximize your college credits earned through CLEP, so with the tremendous money you will save using EduNation’s eLearn system, you will be able to buy her a truly memorable gift next year on Mother’s Day! So, get in touch with us as fast as you can, you’ll be glad you did.

And to ALL of our mothers…Happy Mother’s Day!

Understanding this principle is exactly what drove us to create EduNation. We truly believe this principle of all you need is a laptop can be readily applied to earning real college credit. Take advantage of earning your general education college credits for subjects you already understand by preparing for and passing CLEP exams.  We have developed 100% online CLEP Prep Study Courses to help you become completely prepared to pass CLEP exams and earn transferable college credits.

Why pay so much in both time and money to “go to a building” in order to earn credit, when everything you need is right at your fingertips.  We can save you an average of 60% in both time and money!

So, I ask again, why a building when all you need is a laptop? Contact us. We’d love to be your partner in earning real college credit to reach your higher education goals!

First let’s look at Frequency: A student who studies for one hour each day will typically outperform a student who studies once a week for seven hours. Therefore, set aside time each day to study and your investment will return multiple times.

Next is Duration: Length of your Study session: This is where your level of motivation to achieve your goals is most important. While CLEP can allow you to accelerate earning college credit, this is still “real college credit” you are attempting to earn, and so a “real college effort” will typically be necessary to earn a passing score. An average student should expect to spend between 24-36 hours of actual study time. Students who already have background in the given subject may find they need less time. Conversely, students with no background in the subject may find they need a little more time.  So, if you study 1.5 hours a day, you can average passing one exam every 3 to 4 weeks.

That leads us to Intensity: Here is our recipe for academic success.

1. Read every page of the study course material at least twice,
2. Take every section and chapter exam at least twice – even if you do well the first time around
3. Take the final exam at least 3 times – achieving a score of at least 80% on all 3 attempts
4. Schedule your actual exam.
5. Use your printed RoadMap as a review the day before and the morning of your exam.

This intense and intentional study plan will ensure your success.

Remember, you have been given all the talent and tools to be successful, and we here at EduNation are committed to your academic excellence.

Improve your writing: He was in a little house on Market Street in Philadelphia, writing on this wonderful little desk that he had designed himself.  He would play his violin periodically…and then he would write.

The 33 year-old Thomas Jefferson composed the draft in 1776 over a 17-day period. Helping focus and inspire his mind and words during this period was his violin playing.  When Jefferson came to a spot where he got stuck while writing, he would get out his violin and play a little while, and then start writing again. “Music helped him put into words what was in his heart” (O’Donnell).

Improve your mathematics: Many people recognize Albert Einstein as one of the most brilliant people in history, but what they may not realize is the “secret” to his genius. Einstein did so poorly in school that his teachers tried to convince his parents to remove him from his studies and get him into a manual labor job. Albert’s mother knew her son was not “stupid,” so instead of following the teachers’ advice, Albert’s parents bought him a violin. Suddenly, Albert started doing better in school. His grades improved tremendously and he became one of the top students. Eventually, he became arguably one of the most intelligent men who ever lived, all because he learned to play the violin. Music unlocked young Albert’s mind, helping him to train both sides of his brain in order to come up with his famous equations and theories. Later he said, “It occurred to me by intuition, and music was the driving force behind that intuition. My discovery was the result of musical perception.”

The power of music is well known for its ability to help with cognitive skills and thinking processes.  I hope this encourages you to use Baroque and Classical music as background music when you study.  It will be well worth the investment!

Enjoy the Journey…