Avalanche Institute - Avalanche Course FAQs


Module challenges consist of assessments to check your knowledge of the material. These are primarily multiple choice, matching, etc and are scored online immediately. In some cases you will need to submit answers to questions or marked up graphics for review. These assessments are the same as or very similar to the ones taken by enrolled students - you will not be tested on anything different than they are. Each assessment has a minimum score and most have time limits.

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The quizzes used for challenges usually have a time limit in order to prevent you from looking up answers or material as you go. We are not interested in whether you can pull material or answers from a stack of books next to your computer, or find things on Google in a hurry. We expect you to know the material if you challenge the module.

While we want to discourage, if not eliminate, the looking up of material during the quiz we still want to allow time to read questions carefully and give the answers some thought. We are still collecting feedback on the time limits, but so far nobody has complained that they were too short.

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We set the passing score at the same level as we do for enrolled students. This is based on historical records of how most students do. The minimum is set so that most enrolled students pass the first time.

While enrolled students can take a quiz more than once, until they pass or until they are satisfied with their performance, you can not do this when challenging a module. You either know the material or you don't.

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Our objectives for each module are clearly stated on the website. This should serve as a clear guideline to what topics you are expected to know. Filling in the details is up to you. If you've taken another Level 1 course recently you probably have many of the basics, but it is strongly recommended you also review and do some self-study. Your course may not have covered the same topics we do, it may have covered them in less depth, you may not have paid close attention (perhaps you were tired, etc), or the instructor may have made compromises due to time constraints.

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The challenges require a certain investment of time and effort, and some amount of computer resources. The charges for them reflect this. Modules that are longer and/or more complex cost more to challenge, but they also cost more to enroll in on a stand-alone basis. Likewise, modules with more quizzes reviewed by a person cost more. We try to keep the fees reasonable, and if you succeed in challenging the entire course you will save quite a bit over taking it.

If you succeed in a challenge then the cost may be used as a credit towards any other modules or courses in the Avalanche Institute. You can also apply the fees for up to four challenges towards the cost of the entire course.

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There is no real refund policy - the fee is nominal and once you've taken a challenge the fee covers the record keeping and registration, assessment maintenance and scoring, etc. However, up to a certain point you can convert to enrollment in a course and apply your challenge fees to the course fee.

If you have taken up to four challenges and decide you would be better off taking the course you can enroll and we will credit all challenge fees towards the course. Whether or not you passed any of them. We will credit you with any modules you successfully challenged so you can skip them in the course, but they are included and you are also free to go back and take them if you wish.

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