Cheapest/Fastest way to get 12 CR?

[LuckyLion44]

Non-degree seeking aid:
Sometimes, not always, you can apply for a non-degree seeking graduate certificate (usually 12-18 hours in length). Depending on the certificate, it an qualify for financial aid.

Exhibit A:
From StudentAid.gov: "To qualify for federal student aid (grants, loans, and work-study funds), you must meet certain eligibility requirements. Some of our general eligibility requirements are that you must demonstrate financial need (for most programs); be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen; and be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program." ...or certificate program. See: https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/fil...g-info.pdf

Exhibit B:"One of the primary requirements for a graduate certificate program to be eligible is that its coursework prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation." For example, I hold a graduate certificate in a very technical field and financial aid covered it. https://www.graduatecertificates.com/faq...ligibility

Exhibit C: https://www.njit.edu/financialaid/gradua...e-students
Exhibit D: https://www.utep.edu/student-affairs/fin...grams.html
Exhibit E: https://catalog.drexel.edu/certificates/...-eligible/
Exhibit F: https://www.depaul.edu/admission-and-aid...idElig.pdf

There are more -- Start by looking for certs with helpful classes...maybe even swk subjects classes. Then call the financial aid dept of that school and ask if it is eligible.

[bjcheung77]

Figure your pathway and go with it, have you decided or created a list of possible pathways in addition to what was mentioned?

[EliEverIsAHero]

For me the cheapest way to get 12 hours was, in a past life, to be a tenured (non-"Other Personnel Services") employee of the State of Florida's government.
This allows you to take 6 credit hours a semester with a tuition waiver from the nearest university. Two semesters and there you have it!

The downside was that your co-workers will mostly be people from Florida.

[LuckyLion44]

For me the cheapest way to get 12 hours was, in a past life, to be a tenured (non-"Other Personnel Services") employee of the State of Florida's government.
This allows you to take 6 credit hours a semester with a tuition waiver from the nearest university. Two semesters and there you have it!

The downside was that your co-workers will mostly be people from Florida.

I concur -- being a staff member for the university (or even for the state/county/city/fed is a good way to go). Alternatively, the graduate assistantship option with full tuition remission + stipend. Lastly, become a hall director for residential life to pay down loans fast.

[joben]

Ironically, I used to work for a local community college, so did have access to any of their programs for free. But that was undergrad (2yr/associates) only, and at the time I didn't really have any interest in continuing my schooling, so didn't really take advantage of it.

As it stands moving/relocating is not really an option and I'm extremely limited when it comes to any "traditional" options (and even "synchronous" models may cause some strain) so I am more or less stuck looking for online options, preferably asynchronous.

At the moment I am still weighing some options. I'm still a bit back and forth on my "final" direction I'd like to be headed... I've gone back and forth between looking at MSW programs and MA/MS in clinical mental health counseling. Vocationally, my current employer provides more benefits/assistance for MSWs, and something I commonly hear said is that "a LCSW can do everything a LCPC can do, but an LCPC can't do everything an LCSW can do" and while I think that *is* largely true - MSW/LCSW does afford some additional flexibility - I'm not really sure I'd take much advantage of it. I'm really more interested specifically in doing therapy and in that sense a MA/LCPC track perhaps provides a bit more prep there. So I'm a bit torn between a more "focused" path vs one that is perhaps a bit more broad, albeit also more "versatile"...

Anyways all that is a roundabout way to say that it's piqued my interest a bit in Kairos. I've only done some perfunctory research but I see that they do have a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program offered. I'm wondering if perhaps it wouldn't be a worthwhile (and solid "middle-of-the-road) solution to take a few courses with them to meet the 12CR/GPA requirement to continue my MSW at Liberty (or elsewhere). The only thing I've not been clear on just yet is that since Kairos is a competency-based model, I can't really tell if you'd get a "traditionally" graded GPA for courses in such a way that would meet the 12CR requirement? If that is indeed the case, this would be a pretty appealing option as it looks to be only ~400 a month or thereabouts.

I did speak with my employer a bit about various options going forward with a BSW and/or MSW. While I had previously mentioned the possibility of completing a BSW as a second undergrad and then an accelerated MSW, I've ran into some snags here. A BSW and advanced MSW both require separate internships/practicums/field placements, while a traditional MSW would only require the one single field placement. My employer does allow for MSW field placements to run concurrent with your existing employment, and BSW field placements are offered but they are done in a way that is more "separate" from your current employment/schedule (i.e. working days in your regular job and evenings/nights/weekends to fulfill placement/internship requirements). This is not a super feasible option for me either as my wife presently works weekends and we have two kids under 4y.o., so I'm kind of back to trying to pursue direct entry routes to a MSW program instead of this roundabout method I'd previously considered.

[LuckyLion44]

" I've gone back and forth between looking at MSW programs and MA/MS in clinical mental health counseling."

A couple things to consider:
1. If you plan to travel around -- know that the MSW is more portable where as if you change states as a counselor you may need to take additional classes and get recredentialed.
2. While not always the case -- in general, social workers connect people to resources (people, places, things -- that include counselors.) Counselors talk to people about their issues and help them find coping mechanics and solutions to problems. Social work - refer out. Counselor - refer within the client.

[EliEverIsAHero]

For me the cheapest way to get 12 hours was, in a past life, to be a tenured (non-"Other Personnel Services") employee of the State of Florida's government.
This allows you to take 6 credit hours a semester with a tuition waiver from the nearest university. Two semesters and there you have it!

The downside was that your co-workers will mostly be people from Florida.

I concur -- being a staff member for the university (or even for the state/county/city/fed is a good way to go). Alternatively, the graduate assistantship option with full tuition remission + stipend. Lastly, become a hall director for residential life to pay down loans fast.

I can't speak as to local/county, but federal agencies are actually pretty hit or miss with educational benefits. Some agencies are more generous with funding than others, but quite a few are miserly with anything (tuition waivers, external details with other agencies) that doesn't meet immediate business needs. 

DOD may be a good bet, SSA etc. likely less so.

[joben]

" I've gone back and forth between looking at MSW programs and MA/MS in clinical mental health counseling."

A couple things to consider:
1. If you plan to travel around -- know that the MSW is more portable where as if you change states as a counselor you may need to take additional classes and get recredentialed.
2. While not always the case -- in general, social workers connect people to resources (people, places, things -- that include counselors.) Counselors talk to people about their issues and help them find coping mechanics and solutions to problems.  Social work - refer out. Counselor - refer within the client.

Yeah, that's kind of what has me back and forth on the matter. I'm primarily interested in dealing directly with the client/patient, which lends itself more towards a therapy/counseling focus, in my estimation. But, there is the "portability" and general versatility that's certainly a draw for a social work degree and licensure. 


Anecdotally speaking, at least in my area...when it comes to therapists/counselors (both private practice and through agencies, hospitals, clinics, etc), LSW/LCSW's *dramatically* outnumber LPC/LCPC's. I don't know if that holds true elsewhere as well, but at least around me it seems like pursuing an MSW/LCSW is a much more popular or "trendy" option. And I'd prefer to not be influenced by that, but it does play some factor, I think... (and of course it may simply be that it is currently more popular for good reason, as well)