Beginner's Guide to College Degrees - Compact and Concise Revised Version

[bjcheung77]

Degree Hack & Ladder Revised: From Starter Lane To Finish Line

What is a degree hack & ladder? An alternative method to get college credit through a balanced mix/match trifecta of certs, degree, experience. Using the same method, you can arrange (stack or stagger) these credentials to a higher level.

TLDR: Accumulate credentials from credits to Bachelors degree and beyond... By following the steps below, you'll be able to accelerate and compact your education.  An example, a 4-5 month associates & bachelors... You read that correctly, you need to max your transfer credit with a Sophia.org/Study.com combo, by transferring a max of 90+ credits into your 120+ credit degree.

The Basics - How to get from 0 to 90+ fast! Decide on a degree and institution
1) Invest in a second monitor for multi-tasking and reviewing material
2) Complete 90+ with the Sophia.org/Study.com combo as transfer credit

I recommend Sophia.org - Primarily Lower Level ACE credits, here's a discount coupon on their webpage. 
Sophia.org website: BTS2024 for 25% off first month exp. 09/16/24 (code should work for returning users as well)

I also recommend Study.com - Primarily for Upper Level and courses not offered by Sophia.org
Study.com Offer Link: https://bit.ly/3ObjnoU
College Saver will be 30% off for first 3 months

Degree Planning - Review the institutions for degree plans already in place using a max of Sophia & Study.com or other ACE/NCCRS partners, such as Saylor.org or StraighterLine, etc.  Institutions Link: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Ca...stitutions  Competency Based: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Co...d_Programs

By completing 90+ credits through these two providers, you can transfer these to recommended institutions that will accept alternative credit.  We know of institutions that will accept up to 113 (Excelsior requires 7 credits residency) and 114 (TESU requires just 6 credits residency).  Most others such as UMPI will take in 90 credits, but their Competency Based degrees may come cheaper, easier, faster, if you can complete the required work in two sessions.

Please take some time to review posts, threads, and my signature links, as it has the Basic Approach, Degree Plans, WIKI, and the link to the Addendum and Template where you should follow before you create a thread asking for help in degree planning advice.

Volunteers are here to provide advice, please provide as much info asked for in the addendum and template when you create a new thread.  Senior members and moderators can advise the trifecta of cheap, easy, fast and try to add extra ROI/Value and personalize your education.

[bluebooger]

> 1) Invest in a second monitor for multi-tasking

you mean so I can watch https://youtu.be/xdhLQCYQ-nQ?si=vMBS0DZDTKGCSNpO&t=54 on one monitor while I do sophia calculus on the other monitor ???

yeah, that's my problem already LOL

[davewill]

Don't you think you might be overselling the speed just a bit? Yes, there are people who could do the entire degree in 4-5 months, but I don't think the majority could manage it that fast. Also, if you're trying to create a single post that has all the info needed to start, I'd think you'd include the template, and finally merge the "addendum" in so people don't keep missing it.

[bjcheung77]

True, it's going to be a bit hard to complete the degree in 4-5 months... Having said that, when I did the first Beginner's guide in 2016, I used StraighterLine/Study.com combo which was even harder!  I did get a few people who actually were able to complete it as per my example within that 4-5 months including the capstone!

In regards to the addendum and template, I posted recently why people kept missing the addendum!  They kept copying the code, which only had the template and not the addendum... I've updated it so now it also contains the addendum.  Just to be on the safe side, I've added the compact and concise version to both posts...

Note: The capstone back then was 'test-out-able' with a TECEP, it no longer is the case.  The addendum/template post I mentioned above... Link: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid426029

[wow]

Hmmm, I wonder if this should be worked into the front page of the wiki somehow. The current front page seems so outdated. I tried updating it a little bit but it still mostly talks about testing out of your degree, which I think is nigh near impossible these days.

[davewill]

Hmmm, I wonder if this should be worked into the front page of the wiki somehow. The current front page seems so outdated. I tried updating it a little bit but it still mostly talks about testing out of your degree, which I think is nigh near impossible these days.

Yeah, that old "BA in Four Weeks" stuff really doesn't need such a prominent mention. Probably best to do a complete rewrite offline, then put it in a new page for comments before making it the new front page.

[wow]

Hmmm, I wonder if this should be worked into the front page of the wiki somehow. The current front page seems so outdated. I tried updating it a little bit but it still mostly talks about testing out of your degree, which I think is nigh near impossible these days.

Yeah, that old "BA in Four Weeks" stuff really doesn't need such a prominent mention. Probably best to do a complete rewrite offline, then put it in a new page for comments before making it the new front page.

Oh no I'll have to figure out how to make a new page!

[bjcheung77]

Additional Helpful Info: Resources, Sister Board, and Tools

Unofficial Sister Boards: https://www.degreeforum.net/ and https://www.degreeinfo.com/
People always wonder how to start, you can review the Basic Approach link for a quick run through!

Beginner's Guide (original plus tips) DegreeInfo.com: https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?thr...dit.48039/
Beginner's Guide (shortened & updated) DegreeForum.net: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...dit--24842

Take your time reviewing advice on posts, threads, WIKI, and my signature links, here's an example thread that has info on the Big 3/CBE & PLA Cost Comparison, ACTFL/Foreign Transfer Credit, TESU Residency Waiver Tips, Degree Plan Template Links: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid335188

Within this thread above, you'll come across an Equivalency Example link, it's the perfect tool for Degree Planning! Moderators have updated this for the main institutions we recommend, TESU/UMPI, PUG/SNHU/WGU... At the bottom, it shows categories for all 5 institutions and also COSC/Excelsior, displaying all the degree plans for each institution!

Side Note: Duplicate Posts & Threads, Off-topic, Revival of Old threads.

Sometimes members have questions and want to create or revive an older thread to get the question out, it may sometimes come out as a revival of an old thread that hasn't been updated in several years (Or creating multiple threads in different sub forums, or even 'hijacking' the thread with your off-topic questions).

It may be a good idea to create multiple threads and keep updating it continuously with your questions or requests for info.  For example, a degree plan to know what course goes where.  However, if you start one thread for every single provider and course, that'll be too many, it'll be easier to reference and track with that one thread just for you as it's geared for your educational journey.

You might want to have a few threads and keep updating each of them, such as 1) a progress thread, 2) a questions or answers thread, 3) a degree plan thread all for yourself and keep updating them, 3 threads can pretty much house all you need... You can create another thread for whatever else you think will benefit yourself and others, these are just examples.

Ideally that's what I would want, but it never happens, people keep posting 1 question 1 thread and sometimes repeating the same thing on another thread.  The main reason you want to do this is so your details are compacted and concise, if you create multiple threads, it'll be harder to dig up info on your scenario/situation and people who are trying to help can't provide you a more complete or detailed answer.

[wow]

Hi BJ, in "may be a good idea to create multiple threads and keep updating it continuously" did you mean "it may *not* be a good idea"?

In any case, I will add--please do not start multiple threads on the exact same topic or with the exact same question. Please do not hop on to multiple existing threads to ask the exact same question that may not be related to the topic of the thread. When you start a thread, please give it a title that describes what the thread is about. For example, "Help!" Is not descriptive and may not get the right people who can help you looking at your thread. However, "Need info on TESU BA Biology" will.

Also, look at the pinned posts at the top of each sub forum. Some of these were created specifically to wrangle certain types of comments and keep information on specific topics in a single, easy to find place. So, if you have a review of an ACE or NCCRS recommended course that you took, put it in the pinned review thread. If you found a great deal on a certificate or course, put it in a pendant "Free certificates and good deals" post.

Thanks.