10-30-2024, 05:16 PM
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.
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.
![[-]](https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/images/collapse.png)
![[Image: e7P9EJ4.jpeg]](https://i.imgur.com/e7P9EJ4.jpeg)
