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https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Degree_Forum_Wiki

Got an email today from the Union College Benefit program that eligible labor union members and their families can do Franklin's U-LEARN program for $5250/yr, which allows you to take unlimited classes toward an associates or bachelors degree. It's online. That's all I know about it. If you're interested, I would recommend contacting your union rep.

Hey everyone, 

I'm Juliet from India. 

As the post suggests, I was married very young (18). Higher education for women was not encouraged back then, but my husband has been very supportive nonetheless. I've been working as an Admin for a school for the last few years, handling.  

I want to get my degree so I can move up from my current position or at least get a better job. 

I have two doubts I was hoping to get advice on the same: 

1) I want to pursue a course that unlocks a degree the fastest way possible. I do not care about what the course is; just want to get a degree
2) Through my job I've developed a strong interest for computers; I am also considering perhaps getting a degree in the same.

I would like to know what sort of costs can I expect for each of the route and an estimated timeline(if its possible) 

Extremely thankful I came across this site; thanks in advance everyone!


Your Location: Mumbai, India
Your Age: 50
What kind of degree do you want?: I'm debating between two chains of thought; one of which is prioritizing speed and getting the degree and one is getting one in CS. The biggest concerns are estimated time to finish the degrees + cost
Current Regional Accredited Credits: None
Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None
Any certifications or military experience? None

Hello everyone, 
This is my first post. After browsing on degreeforum for the past couple hours, and opening dozens of tabs, I am confused.
I have done almost 90 credits on Study.com and I'm not sure how to proceed from here. I think i already took some courses that I might not be able to transfer, such as 

POS-1100 American Government | Political Science 102
CIS-3510 Software Engineering | Computer Science 307: Software Engineering
(based on https://study.com/college/school/thomas-...rsity.html)

--- on the website for course equivalency, Computer Science 307 corresponds to CIS-2510 at TESU, a course that does not exist.
--- on the same website, Political Science 102: American Government (study.com) corresponds to POS-1000 United States Government, a course that also does not exist.

I have also asked TESU and study.com about this, but I been told that I have to be accepted at tesu for academic evaluation in order to discuss course equivalencies with academic advisors. I'm not sure if those are typos or something else.


I have now applied to TESU and done the IELTS test on Monday and Tuesday, and am still waiting for the results. As soon as those arrive, I should fulfill all requirements and be eligible for enrollment. Should i enroll straightaway in order to ask the advisor on how to proceed? Or should i finish as many Credits (with TECEP and Study.com or Sophia) before enrolling?
Another question, regarding out-of-state tuition:

In my case, I believe the 16-credit term for $4639 is the cheapest and most suitable. But I'm not sure if that's the best (fastest) way to do it.


Your Location: Switzerland
Age: 29
Degree: BA CS / BSC CS
RA: None (i have few credits from universities in Switzerland ), Can i take TECEP courses for RA credits? If yes, which ones are recommended?


Following information from
https://tesu.smartcatalogiq.com/en/curre...r-science/

Course ID Course Name (Tesu) | Course Equiv. (Study.com) | Completion 

A. Intellectual and Practical Skills (12/15 Credits)

ENC-1010 Writing for Success | English 204: English Composition I   | Completed
ENC-1020 Writing for Success II | English 205: English Composition II | Completed
COM-2090 Public Speaking | Communications 101: Public Speaking | Completed
MAT-1050: Applied Liberal Arts Mathematics 1 |  Math 102: College Mathematics | Completed

!TODO!: A. SOS-1100 Fact, Fiction, or Fake? Information Literacy Today | - | !!!Not Completed!!!


B. Civic and Global Leadership (6/9 Credits)

SOC-1010 Our Changing World: An Introduction to Sociology | Sociology 101: Intro to Sociology | Completed
POS-1100 American Government | Political Science 102: American Government | Completed ### Did i take the wrong course? ###

MAT-2310: Calculus I |  Math 104: Calculus | Completed


C. Knowledge of Human Cultures (12/15 Credits)
HIS-1130 American History I | History 103: US History I | Completed
HIS-1140: American History II | History 104: US History II | Completed
HUM-1010: Introduction to the Humanities I: Philosophical Thought | Humanities 101: Intro to the Humanities | Completed

SOC-2910 Criminology | Criminal Justice 104: Introduction to Criminology | Completed

D. Scientific Knowledge (6/6 Credits)

EAS-1010 General Earth Science | Earth Science 101: Earth Science | Completed
BIO-2080 The Science of Nutrition | Nutrition 101: Science of Nutrition | Completed

II. Area of Study (45 Credits)


A. Required Courses (18/18 Credits)

COS-1110 Introduction to Programming | Computer Science 109: Introduction to Programming | Completed
COS-2410 Data Structures | Computer Science 201: Data Structures & Algorithms | Completed
MAT-2310 Calculus I | Math 104: Calculus     | Completed
MAT-2700 Discrete Mathematics | Math 108: Discrete Mathematics     | Completed
COS-2400 Operating Systems | Computer Science 105: Introduction to Operating Systems | Completed
COS-3300 Computer Architecture | Computer Science 306: Computer Architecture    | Completed

B. Computer Science Electives (18 Credits)

CIS-3010 Management Information Systems | Business 303: Management Information Systems | Completed
CIS-3110: Database Management | Computer Science 303: Database Management | Completed
CIS-3510 Software Engineering | Computer Science 307: Software Engineering | Completed


D. Capstone (0/3 Credits)

LIB-4950 Liberal Arts Capstone | None | !!!Not Completed!!!


Now for the courses i do not know where to put :


STA-2010 Principles of Statistics | Business 212: Business Statistics | Completed

COS-2130 C++ Programming | Computer Science 112: Programming in C++ | Completed

MAN-3720 International Management | Business 308: Globalization & International Management | Completed

COS-2060 R Programming | Computer Science 114: Programming in R | Completed

English 101: English Literature | English Literature | Completed

Budget: As much as needed for fastest completion
Commitments:^
Dedicated time: ^

Thank you for your time and answer in advance!

Are there affordable, accessible online degree programs in Worker/Social Cooperativism you would recommend ?

An example of such a degree is the following: https://www.mondragon.edu/en/master-degr...management
But the university seems expensive from reviews and in the teaching language is Spanish.

Hello I just joined this forum and need some advice

I'm looking for a coaching course but my budget is only about $100. Besides, I'm quite busy so I hope to be able to study in the evening.

Thanks in advance

Your Location: North Carolina, USA
Your Age: 35
What kind of degree do you want?: Computer Science
Current Regional Accredited Credits: 0
Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits:

I've done a lot of courses at sophia.org that would transfer in to WGU & SNHU but I'm unsure if I want to go to either. For instance all the math and IT courses I finished, along with english composition 1 & 2. All of the gen eds already covered, I think I did like 20 courses on sophia, I'll do more if needed as well but most of them are finished.

Any certifications or military experience? no
Budget: full pell grant, otherwise I must take out debt from fafsa. So my budget is hopefully whatever pell grant will cover. I'd have to go a few thousand into debt for SNHU it seems like.
Commitments: None, on disability my entire life and just hoping to find a remote job through getting a degree. I get less than 1k a month which barely covers anything.
Dedicated time to study: 60+ hours a week. I've spent the past year learning c++ and coding, I've also spent some time with python and ML.
Timeline: Preferably something I can finish in a year or two since I've already finished a lot at sophia.org.
Tuition assistance/reimbursement: full pell grant, 6.9k or whatever it is now.

Additional info:
Perhaps someone can provide options besides WGU & SNHU. Are there any schools in North Carolina that offer CS online and might accept sophia transfers so I don't have to spend 4 years doing it? I saw UMPI was going to release one eventually but it's been a few years at this point and I have no idea how long that'll be. I've looked into both SNHU & WGU, but I'm unsure of the quality of education from them. I've seen a lot of reviews for both and it seems like you just rush classes at WGU and at SNHU the classes are poorly reviewed for the quality of education, plus I'd have to go into debt for SNHU.

One final concern, I had to do homeschooling for my final year, I have all the transcripts my mom did at the time, but in NC we don't get a diploma from home schooling, I've got the exam scores and all of that. I'm really not sure how much of a problem this will be and if I'd have to go get a GED even though I truly did finish, only did 1 year of home schooling due to a car accident resulting in being partially paralyzed. I have her original signature on the stuff and the school was registered, I think I have everything I need but I guess I'll see when I apply to one of these.

I plan on applying and testing this out next week and seeing if either will accept it, but I first wanted to check with this forum on what options might be available.

Hello everyone!

I am trying to finalize my plan for UMPI’s Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration - Project Management & Information Systems. I have attached a spreadsheet mapping UMPI's courses to the courses I think will best fulfill them. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help me confirm whether my plan is valid. Please note that I understand that a maximum of 90 credits can be transferred to UMPI. My spreadsheet lists more than this because mapping out all of my transfer credit options will help me decide exactly which courses to take at UMPI. In my spreadsheet, courses that I have already taken are highlighted in green, while courses I have questions about are highlighted in orange and correspond to the following questions:

1. Which Sophia course would fulfill both the 1C section of the general education curriculum and the COM210 Organizational Communication course for the business administration curriculum? (UMPI’s official transfer equivalency database lists Sophia’s Workplace Communication course as equivalent to BUS210 Organizational Communication, which UMPI’s general education web page lists as a cross-listing of COM210. However, the “Sophia.org Equivalency List” wiki page lists Sophia’s Public Speaking course as the only equivalent to COM210. Additionally, the “UMPI BABA Project Management Degree Plan” wiki page lists Sophia’s Workplace Communication course as equivalent to PCJ215 Business Communication.)
   
2. Can Coursera’s IBM 0018 Data Analyst Professional certification still be taken for transfer credit for BUS440 Business Analytics? (While Coursera lists the ACE credit recommendation as having expired on 9/30/2024, ACE’s website lists it as extending to 9/30/2027.)
   
3. Should I take Sophia’s Project Management course or will it cause issues with the later project management courses at UMPI? (The “University of Maine at Presque Isle” wiki page says to not take this course if you are doing the project management & information systems concentration because it will cause issues with the later project management courses at UMPI. However, the “UMPI BABA Project Management Degree Plan” wiki page suggests that you take it.)
   
4. Can Coursera’s IBM 0022 Data Analysis and Visualization Foundations Specialization certification still be taken for transfer credit for BUS345 Database Management Systems? (According to both Coursera and ACE, the ACE credit recommendation will expire on 1/31/2025.)
   

I warn this will be a long read 

1. The Traditional Route: Starting University Without a Clear Goal
At 18, I enrolled in a brick-and-mortar university, following the standard path laid out for most young adults. I had no specific direction in mind and chose a course largely based on subjects I liked in school without researching future outcome in terms of careers or anything else about my course. It quickly became clear, though, that it wasn't for me, but due to fear of not having any other alternatives I stuck it out. After about a year and a half of struggling, I reached a breaking point with the program, and at the slightest inconvenience, I decided to drop out. 
2. Finding Purpose in the Working World: A New Focus During COVID
After leaving university, I explored different careers, working various jobs to see where my interests might truly lie. During COVID, I had the chance to work in a healthcare setting. That experience made me realize how much I enjoyed working directly with people, caring for them, and helping them. Working in healthcare sparked a desire to pursue a meaningful career in a related field, giving me a newfound sense of purpose. This helped me narrow down my goals, even though I’m still refining them at least I now I knew what I did and did not like.
3. The Challenge of UK Education: Looking Beyond for Flexibility
The UK education system felt very rigid for someone in my situation. Since I dropped out halfway through the year, I’d have to repeat the entire second year and pay for it out of pocket, with no student loan eligibility(normally not the case, only for my situation). As this wasn’t financially feasible, nor was this course aligned with my goals I chose to pursue a more flexible way of getting my degree. The only UK university that offered some flexibility in credit transfers was costly, had limited course options, and classes only started in Sep or February. I don't really remember how but teh first program of thsi kind I stumbled upon was WGU and it gave me a spark of hope.
4. A World of Options: Discovering American Online Universities
While searching for alternatives, I stumbled upon Western Governors University (WGU), which offered tech degrees at the time. I loved the pay-per-term model, where you could complete as many courses as possible within six months for a single fee, but they didn’t accept foreign students at that point. This exploration motivated me to research other options outside the UK. I soon found forums filled with information on Thomas Edison State University (TESU), Excelsior College, and others. I initially leaned toward TESU, but their credit requirements felt restrictive. Eventually, I chose Excelsior, as they allowed the highest number of transfer credits.
5. Starting at Excelsior College: An Unexpected Detour
In spring 2023, I took my first class at Excelsior—a one-credit course on information literacy. While I started strong, life circumstances made it difficult to meet all the upper-level credit requirements affordably. This setback demotivated me, and I took my first break from studies. I had my transcript evaluated and completed a few courses through Sophia, but after some plans fell through, I decided to change jobs. The new role came with better pay, benefits, and valuable learning experiences, giving me the determination to revisit my academic goals with fresh energy.
6. Finding the Right Fit: Enrolling at UMPI
In January, I officially enrolled at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI). My first term ran from March to April, and I admit I was a bit unprepared for the commitment. While I completed three classes—Intro to Psychology, English Composition I, and American Government—I faced a new challenge: procrastination. English was a bit tough, as I hadn’t done much formal writing since 2016, but the government class, with its excellent professor and video feedback, was a breeze. Although I initially budgeted to complete all my courses in one term(HA), I soon realized I’d need more time and took a second term to wrap things up.
7. My Journey to Graduation: A Mix of Determination, Deadlines, and Discovery
I started this journey with three courses: Introduction to Psychology, English 1, and American Government. English was a bit challenging since I hadn’t done much writing since 2016, but it was manageable. American Government turned out to be an absolute breeze, thanks to an excellent professor who provided feedback through video, which I loved. Introduction to Psychology was familiar material, so while it wasn't that exciting, I didn’t struggle.
When I began, I had budgeted to finish all 10 classes in one term. However, I quickly realized I had underestimated the effort needed, and, admittedly, my motivation! Facing a tighter budget and short on time, I set my sights on finishing the remaining seven classes in my second term.
8. The Second Term: Full Speed Ahead
I kicked off the term with Lifespan Development and Social Psychology. Lifespan Development was straightforward; I’d typically receive feedback in a day or two, which made it easy to tackle. I did have to redo a few assignments, but with the detailed feedback provided, it was mostly a matter of refining my work. I wrapped this course up in about two to three weeks.
Social Psychology, however, was tougher. The professor was a bit stricter with grading, and feedback took longer—around 3-5 days. To keep momentum, I decided to submit drafts while adding Research Methods, a class with Professor Jenkins. His teaching style was fantastic—challenging yet incredibly rewarding. He became my go-to for another course, as he gave thorough instructions that, if followed, made everything fall into place.
9. A Race Against the Clock
At this point, I was about four or five weeks in with only three classes completed, so I needed to step things up. Around mid-June, I submitted the final for Lifespan Development and added HPR101 on June 12. HPR101 was a quick class; I submitted my final draft on the 17th and moved on to English 2. I also added Drugs and Behavior on June 14 after finishing the draft for Social Psychology.
Juggling these classes all at once was intense! Due to the policy that restricts adding classes in the last two weeks, I got creative and used both draft and final submissions to keep my pace. By the deadline, I had five courses open simultaneously: HPR101, Drugs and Behaviour, Research Methods, Social Psychology, and English 2. HPR101, Social Psychology, and Research Methods mostly just needed final tweaks based on the feedback I’d received. I also tackled Psychobiology toward the end of the term—one of my favourite classes.
10. The Final Stretch and a Huge Relief

By June 28, I had officially completed all the required classes. It was such a relief! The only things left were a 2D arts requirement and a Spanish credit, which I needed to transfer from Sophia to meet all degree requirements. As money was tight, finishing the program in one term was crucial, so I procrastinated on Sophia through July, August, and September. This month, I finally tackled it, transferred the credits, and can now see a "No Requirements Remaining" status on my progress page!
11. Looking Forward and Graduation Next Steps
I applied for graduation and am curious about the next steps—do I wait for an email notification, or will my certificate arrive in the mail? I also wonder if there’s a mailing fee, as ordering a transcript previously cost me over $50.
My GPA is above 3.7, and I’m thrilled and grateful for this journey. I’m already making plans for the future, like a potential Master’s in Biomedical Science via distance learning at the University of Greenwich, which I learned about through work.
Immense Gratitude
Finally, I just want to share my immense gratitude for this forum. Even when I didn’t ask questions myself, someone else had already asked, and I could find guidance here. This community made achieving this once-distant dream possible.

So I'm born in Canada but my ethnicity is Indian and I can speak Punjabi well (my Hindi speaking is iffy) and I went to India twice in the past two years (this year I stayed for three and a half months) and I had communicated well with literally countless people and when people from India come here, they comment on how well I speak Punjabi yet my interviewer gave an intermediate-low. I was totally fine with not getting the top score (Superior) as during the test, because of it being an interview and all, I definitely slacked a little due to nervousness but come on, I'm literally a native speaker.

My score only equates to 3 ACE credits.

I paid $30 USD for a test review but I doubt that's going to do me any good.

Reading the definition of intermediate low, that's a score I'd expect to get for Hindi if I were to take it, not Punjabi.