help with a degree plan for a very tired brain

[ss20ts]

I'm not sure that EC would be a good choice, considering the stricter deadlines of the required 7 credits. It might take a little longer (and cost a little more) to get through UMPI, but one shouldn't have to worry about flunking out because of not meeting a weekly deadline. There is only the end-of-session deadline to consider.

I'm thinking that it's quite the opposite - you only have to meet deadlines for a short time if you do EC, whereas at UMPI, you're going to have end-of-term deadlines every 8 weeks, and if you don't meet them, you can still flunk the course.  AND, you'll have to go back and do another term, and do this over and over until you finish.

UMPI does not insulate you from failing a course.

That end of session deadline is a HUGE deal. If you don't submit your Final Assessment by 11:59PM UMPI time on the last Friday of the session then you automatically fail. They don't give extensions. At UMPI you also must score at least an 80 on all of the Final Assessments to pass the classes. There's no exception to this.

UMPI isn't really set up to work a week then take a week off. You must be active in your courses. If after 10 days you're in active the academic coach reaches out to you. You have a specific number of days to get work completed or else you're dropped from the course. Because the OP wants to be able to work with taking breaks I wouldn't suggest UMPI. I'd also suggest Excelsior. They wouldn't need the RA credits like TESU. They could complete the required courses on Sophia and Study while working at their own pace. If they want to take a week off it won't be a big deal with ACE courses. They'd only have to complete 7 credits at Excelsior. 

UMPI does accept financial aid but you have to complete the required courses to be able to keep it. Full time is 4 course per semester. Each semester is broken down into 2 sessions. Excelsior also accepts financial aid but you wouldn't be full time there as you'd only have 7 credits to complete. You wouldn't complete the 7 credits in the same session either. You'd have 2 sessions. Yes there are deadlines in those classes but with only 1 course to worry about it's much easier than trying to get a full time course load completed like you would at UMPI.