CSCS certification requirments!?!?

[Moose45]

I just took the pre-test and got 27 out of the 45 questions. I have no college education but have studied what I love to some degree. I am 45 and well read enough to, if given the time and resources to prepare believe I could pass this exam. I have always found it arrogant of some bodies of learning to exclude those who could get a certification like this but don't meet some made up standard to take the exam. But to those of you who are lucky enough to meet the requirement: Good Luck!!!

 

[Moose45]

Sorry for the rant everybody. Looking to get into training others and know I have to take the proper steps to do so. Just can't get over this type of thinking.

 

[ITW]

Sorry for the rant everybody. Looking to get into training others and know I have to take the proper steps to do so. Just can't get over this type of thinking.

Find a different certification that doesn't require a degree?

 

[OnionKnight]

just go with nasm then

 

[KimChee]

I guess they wanted to have a minimum standard of a BA/BS which weeds out the people that don't have one..the silly part to me anyways is that it can be a bachelor's degree in anything...more and more it seems like a bachelor's is becoming the minimum standard, it doesn't hold the same weight it did years ago..

In PT, you could become a PT years ago with a Bachelors, its moved to Masters and now DPT...so all that much more learning and debt, and for possibly not much if any increase over some regular PT's. The APTA's goal is for PT's to write their own prescriptions, and discharges without the PC's, so the logical move is for PT's to become DPT's by 2020..I forget..and Ive gone off on a tangent, but anyways..things are changing perhaps the governing body has some long term goal.

 

[JudoJosh]

You honestly dont need any cert to start training people. Most gyms will require one so you can prolly get a ACE or something along those lines relatively easy just to please the gym but ultimately most of the teachings of these certifying bodies are outdated

 

[napalm]

All of the certs are one thing and one thing only: a foot in the door...

 

[ITW]

All of the certs are one thing and one thing only: a foot in the door...

^ this

 

[ZiR RED]

I guess they wanted to have a minimum standard of a BA/BS which weeds out the people that don't have one..the silly part to me anyways is that it can be a bachelor's degree in anything...more and more it seems like a bachelor's is becoming the minimum standard, it doesn't hold the same weight it did years ago..

In PT, you could become a PT years ago with a Bachelors, its moved to Masters and now DPT...so all that much more learning and debt, and for possibly not much if any increase over some regular PT's. The APTA's goal is for PT's to write their own prescriptions, and discharges without the PC's, so the logical move is for PT's to become DPT's by 2020..I forget..and Ive gone off on a tangent, but anyways..things are changing perhaps the governing body has some long term goal.

Sadly you are right. I took and passed my CSCS 6 years ago just by studying the book, reading extra materials, and experience. I had at that time a BA in marketing.

Even with a Ph.D. now, most major research intensive universities (all your big schools) require 2-3 years of post doc experience to even consider your for a tenure track position. Most bachelor degrees are a high school diploma - are you not an idiot? I think some of this is pressure by students/parents on the kids paper grade, versus the knowledge they come out with. My teaching performances are based solely on student evaluations, which basically come down to: A. Are you more entertaining for 50 minutes than facebook, and B. Did you give us a good review sheet?

Jason Cholewa, Ph.D, CSCS

 

[Moose45]

Sadly you are right. I took and passed my CSCS 6 years ago just by studying the book, reading extra materials, and experience. I had at that time a BA in marketing.

Even with a Ph.D. now, most major research intensive universities (all your big schools) require 2-3 years of post doc experience to even consider your for a tenure track position. Most bachelor degrees are a high school diploma - are you not an idiot? I think some of this is pressure by students/parents on the kids paper grade, versus the knowledge they come out with. My teaching performances are based solely on student evaluations, which basically come down to: A. Are you more entertaining for 50 minutes than facebook, and B. Did you give us a good review sheet?

Jason Cholewa, Ph.D, CSCS

This is the problem! I have read a lot of material on a verity of subjects pertaining to the field of diet/exercise science. I am far from being an idiot or some magazine reader who thinks Flex, muscle and fitness ect... are where to go for real information. Just think something that demands a prerequisite with no other options of attainment is a close minded way to do things!!

 

[NYiron]

Sadly you are right. I took and passed my CSCS 6 years ago just by studying the book, reading extra materials, and experience. I had at that time a BA in marketing.

Even with a Ph.D. now, most major research intensive universities (all your big schools) require 2-3 years of post doc experience to even consider your for a tenure track position. Most bachelor degrees are a high school diploma - are you not an idiot? I think some of this is pressure by students/parents on the kids paper grade, versus the knowledge they come out with. My teaching performances are based solely on student evaluations, which basically come down to: A. Are you more entertaining for 50 minutes than facebook, and B. Did you give us a good review sheet?

Jason Cholewa, Ph.D, CSCS

Speaking from the other side of the fence I am in complete agreement, just like in anything you get out of it what you put in. The range of knowledge in the classroom is staggering. As you have said, I feel its getting worse and a bachelors really doesn't mean much anymore. I feel, and see, that grading policies and standards have gone soft, in my experience at least. Students are pushed through with grades they no where near deserve and IMO it all comes back to the almighty dollar. You've hit the nail on the head with the reasons you've stated Zir. Coming from a private university you get a lot of silver spoon babies and a big part of degradation of degrees I feel comes from that entitlement and ensuing complacency. It echoes undertones of the students feeling that they're doing the professors, or their parents, a favor by being there and it makes me sick. On one hand you've got in depth discussion while on the other you've got students still trying to grasp the basics but yet they'll still graduate with the same degree, no differentiation.

 

[KimChee]

I don't say that to knock people who have a bachelors in "anything" or the program, just that for someone like the OP it makes it hard for him to get into a CSCS type program...technically you can have a bachelors in anything, and get a graduate degree while picking up the appropriate credits, ..most of my classmates had a bachelors in either exercise phys, or pre-PT, some Athletic training, the ones in exer phys seemed to do the best initially til everyone kind of caught up. My BS happened to be in Biology lol.

Sadly you are right. I took and passed my CSCS 6 years ago just by studying the book, reading extra materials, and experience. I had at that time a BA in marketing.

Even with a Ph.D. now, most major research intensive universities (all your big schools) require 2-3 years of post doc experience to even consider your for a tenure track position. Most bachelor degrees are a high school diploma - are you not an idiot? I think some of this is pressure by students/parents on the kids paper grade, versus the knowledge they come out with. My teaching performances are based solely on student evaluations, which basically come down to: A. Are you more entertaining for 50 minutes than facebook, and B. Did you give us a good review sheet?

Jason Cholewa, Ph.D, CSCS

 

[KimChee]

I agree with this sentiment, and this is true in academia, you get what you get out of it. I was fortunate enough in my UG studies to get a full ride due to a wrestling scholarship, but during my graduate studies it was clear that most of my classmates came from money..unfortunately that is what it boils down to in the end..you want something you have to jump through the hoops, you also have to have the money and time to do it, if you don't sorry about your luck.

Speaking from the other side of the fence I am in complete agreement, just like in anything you get out of it what you put in. The range of knowledge in the classroom is staggering. As you have said, I feel its getting worse and a bachelors really doesn't mean much anymore. I feel, and see, that grading policies and standards have gone soft, in my experience at least. Students are pushed through with grades they no where near deserve and IMO it all comes back to the almighty dollar. You've hit the nail on the head with the reasons you've stated Zir. Coming from a private university you get a lot of silver spoon babies and a big part of degradation of degrees I feel comes from that entitlement and ensuing complacency. It echoes undertones of the students feeling that they're doing the professors, or their parents, a favor by being there and it makes me sick. On one hand you've got in depth discussion while on the other you've got students still trying to grasp the basics but yet they'll still graduate with the same degree, no differentiation.

 

[JoeySon]

I agree with this sentiment, and this is true in academia, you get what you get out of it. I was fortunate enough in my UG studies to get a full ride due to a wrestling scholarship, but during my graduate studies it was clear that most of my classmates came from money..unfortunately that is what it boils down to in the end..you want something you have to jump through the hoops, you also have to have the money and time to do it, if you don't sorry about your luck.

That's the sad truth. If college was free I honestly feel I would have no problem going to school for most of my life and working towards a masters or even a PHD. However, that's not the case and I come from a lower class family where the financial help simply isn't there.

This topic probably deserves its own thread and I don't mean to open a Pandora's box lol

 

[KimChee]

College is expensive, it is still very much for the upper class, I was a bit naive when I entered the PT program, and it was only after a while, that I realized that some of my classmates were backpacking across Papa New Guinea and vacationing in exotic places, going out partying all the time while I delivered pizzas and got almost no sleep. This isn't a whoa is me thing it's just perspective, it is what it is.

I come from nothing, a working class family, and I am the first person in my family to go to college. Obviously, the financial support and guidance were not there for me, and so I had to seek advice elsewhere. There are plenty of people who are smart enough to succeed in a graduate program, but simply don't have the financial backing or time to do so. The loans are there if you want to take them however, it's a big risk, if you fail you're out all that money, with no degree to show for it, and then what. This is the way I thought anyways, but glad I went through with it. I know plenty of others who have gone through various programs, failed their national boards and now are looking at huge debt, and working random jobs.

[/B]

That's the sad truth. If college was free I honestly feel I would have no problem going to school for most of my life and working towards a masters or even a PHD. However, that's not the case and I come from a lower class family where the financial help simply isn't there.

This topic probably deserves its own thread and I don't mean to open a Pandora's box lol

 

[Moose45]

I am glad to see people have taken the risk when they could. I took another path though rough at times it was a choice. I have become somewhat successful in the businesses I have open and don't regret that at all. I just think if you don't have the college credentials they should offer a aptitude test of some sort to try and sit for the exam. At the cost of whomever would want to. I always think if you are going to let someone represent U.(the organization offering the cert.) U should take all comers! If they pass there is no damage to its credibility/validity and who it represents.

 

[JoeySon]

College is expensive, it is still very much for the upper class, I was a bit naive when I entered the PT program, and it was only after a while, that I realized that some of my classmates were backpacking across Papa New Guinea and vacationing in exotic places, going out partying all the time while I delivered pizzas and got almost no sleep. This isn't a whoa is me thing it's just perspective, it is what it is.

I come from nothing, a working class family, and I am the first person in my family to go to college. Obviously, the financial support and guidance were not there for me, and so I had to seek advice elsewhere. There are plenty of people who are smart enough to succeed in a graduate program, but simply don't have the financial backing or time to do so. The loans are there if you want to take them however, it's a big risk, if you fail you're out all that money, with no degree to show for it, and then what. This is the way I thought anyways, but glad I went through with it. I know plenty of others who have gone through various programs, failed their national boards and now are looking at huge debt, and working random jobs.

The worst part to me (now I'm getting on a rant, sorry OP) is when you see these kids you speak of going on vacation and what not pissing it all away. When I went to school and got an associates in culinary arts my roommate was on a free ride from mommy and daddy. All this kid did was party, smoke, drink, and skip all his classes and he didn't even care because he knew the checks would keep coming regardless.

Talk about something that really grinds my gears lol

 

[ZiR RED]

The worst part to me (now I'm getting on a rant, sorry OP) is when you see these kids you speak of going on vacation and what not pissing it all away. When I went to school and got an associates in culinary arts my roommate was on a free ride from mommy and daddy. All this kid did was party, smoke, drink, and skip all his classes and he didn't even care because he knew the checks would keep coming regardless.

Talk about something that really grinds my gears lol

We can be envious and resentful, but where does it get us? Sometimes the all out work put in, and the accomplishment on your self is worth more than the degree itself.

Jason Cholewa, Ph.D., CSCS