Fast/cheap bachelors with lots of low-level classes

[EeBee]

Hi!

I'm Elizabeth, 40+, Chicago. I have somewhere like 94 credits from 5 places (we moved alot) and then gave up. I just need my Bachelor's for my job and while I prefer business admin (or something like it) - I would honestly take anything.

My job will reimburse $2k per year (that year is timed from the last reimbursement not calendar or school year). Otherwise, money is tight.

I found this forum last week and I have rabidly read everything and ALL OF IT was new to me!! I'm stunned and excited! A Bachelor's will mean a HUGE door opening for me!!

I'm looking at UMPI and TESU so far since they are the ones most discussed in the threads I've read.

I'm only listing classes C or better except the 1 D.

Thank you for any help.

I started at Transferology and even applied for re-admit at Loyola a few weeks ago when
found out that my current job is going away in 6 months and that I could transfer to another one - but they all
seem to want a Bachelor's.


Current Regional Accredited Credits: 



Mount Vernon College (now part of George Washington U/DC): 6 Credits

POS101 American Government   3
THE104 Intro to Technical Theater  3


Harper College, IL: 29 Credits

EDU211    Educational Psychology 3
ENG102    Composition 3
LIT115    Fiction 3
PHI105    Intro to Philosophy 3
PSY107    Humanistic Psychology 2
SGN101    Basic Sign Language (D) 3
SGN102    Intermediate Sign Language 3
SGN201    Adv Sign Language 3
SOC101    Intro to Sociology 3
SPE101    Fund of Speech Communication 3


Lincoln College, IL: 24 Credits


BUS207    Business Law II  3
CRM109    Criminology  3
HUM107    American Studies  3
HUM210    American Studies II  3
POS201    Contemporary World  3
REL102    Living Religions of the World  3
SOC202    Modern Social Problems  3
SOC203    Sociology of the Family  3

Loyola University Chicago: 34 Credits
(Some classes had 2 designations)

ANTH104    Humans & Natural Environment   3
HIS102    Evol Western Idea Inst. Since 1600s  3
HIS300    TCPS - History of Sexuality  3
HIS316    EUR TRANS MOD TIMES 1450-1650  3
HIS369    US Popular Culture 1930 - Present  3
LITR280/AASP280    (WI) African and Caribbean Masterpieces   3
MATH108    Finite Mathematics  3
NTSC103    Life and Inquiry  3
PE142    Fitness  1
PHI271    Knowledge and Reality (Religion)  3
THEO278/Womens Studies 278    Women and Religion  3
THEO293    Christian Marriage  3

Also: (not sure it counts?) University of California Irvine, Department of Continuing Education
10 CE

MGMT442.12    Project Management, Scheduling & Control 2.5CE

MGMT474.1    Risk Analysis & Decision Making 3CE
MGMT474.71    Earned Value Project Management 2.5CE
MGMT474.9    Management, Leadership, Team Building 2.5CE


Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits:


None yet, just learned about them!

Any certifications or military experience?
No

[Flelm]

TESU will be expensive for you. You will have to get your UL credits somewhere (most likely Study.com), and take 2 classes at TESU, and then pay the residency waiver (or take 16 credits at TESU). This will go way over your $2k allowance.

Honestly, it seems like everyone is pushing UMPI right now, but it probably is your best option. Even if you take 2 sessions (4 months), it's only $2800. You would need to push through on those UL classes, but if you're motivated its super doable.

[rachel83az]

If you want Business Admin, I would definitely recommend UMPI. Between tuition reimbursement and the low cost of UMPI terms, you'd probably pay somewhere between $800 and $2500 out of pocket for your degree (depending on how fast you finish - 4-6 months). The bad news is that some of your existing credits will probably go unused because they (mostly) fall under electives and there are only so many of those in a degree.

I would suggest going to Sophia.org and taking:

• Intro to Business
  
• Microeconomics & Macroeconomics
  
• Introduction to Ethics (take Greek Philosophers first - it's useless for degree purposes but will be useful for passing ethics)
  
• Financial Accounting
  
• Communication at Work
  
• Environmental Science (Your ANTH104 course might work for this requirement but it's a super quick and easy course at Sophia)
  
• Business Law (I know you already have Business Law II but that's not the same)
  

Do either Communication at Work or Business Law first so that you can complete the others while you're waiting for assignments to be graded. Both of these have 1 assignment each and the others have 0 assignments (just quizzes/exams). You are permitted to take 2 courses at once. You should be able to complete all of the above in a month for $79.

Go to Study.com and sign up for 1 month ($200) and take Introduction to Biology with Lab (lab is another $70, IIRC). Otherwise, you'll have to take UMPI's Biology, which isn't the greatest. You could also take either BUS 307 Organizational Behavior or Spanish I (because you get 2 exams per month with SDC).

I don't think that the CEUs will count at all anywhere so I wouldn't bother to send them to UMPI. 

UMPI does require you to take at least 30 credits through them and you might be "over the limit" if you just do one concentration. If you choose 2 concentrations, you could transfer in a few more classes from elsewhere and still be good and able to finish quickly and cheaply. UMPI's next application deadline is June 21st. If you started right now, you'll easily be able to meet that deadline.

---

Another possibility is a BSBA from COSC. But I don't think this would be anywhere near as fast and it could wind up costing you more out of pocket because you'd need 27 UL credits (30 if you include the capstone) and you currently only have 9. You definitely wouldn't be able to graduate in 6 months at COSC.

[EeBee]

Thank you both so much! This is exactly what I needed...I've been floundering for weeks since I got the notice. Now I'm going to make a plan based on these suggestions and get started. I should apply as soon as possible to get the transfer transcripts looked at, right?

THANK YOU AGAIN

[rachel83az]

No, don't apply yet. Once accepted at UMPI (which is pretty much guaranteed in your case), you need to get permission to transfer in additional classes. You should be able to complete everything above in under a month, giving you plenty of time to apply. The next UMPI session starts in June.

I would probably start with SDC first because it can take a little while for your exams/assignments to be graded. Some people have completed the Biology course in just a couple of days, so it's pretty easy. I would personally suggest Spanish at SDC but it's up to you. Once you've completed those, move on to Sophia and take the courses there.

[EeBee]

No, don't apply yet. Once accepted at UMPI (which is pretty much guaranteed in your case), you need to get permission to transfer in additional classes. You should be able to complete everything above in under a month, giving you plenty of time to apply. The next UMPI session starts in June.

I would probably start with SDC first because it can take a little while for your exams/assignments to be graded. Some people have completed the Biology course in just a couple of days, so it's pretty easy. I would personally suggest Spanish at SDC but it's up to you. Once you've completed those, move on to Sophia and take the courses there.

And, sorry for my ignorance, sdc is study.com?

[Flelm]

And, sorry for my ignorance, sdc is study.com?

Yes, SDC = Study.com

[EeBee]

Thank you!

[dfrecore]

Quick question: I show ENG102: Composition II, but not Comp I. Did you take that somewhere? AP Exam? Tested out somehow?

Also, sdc is Study.com.
___________________________________

I'm going to veer away from the pack here, and suggest a COSC BSLS degree with concentrations in Psych and Business (or History and Philosophy/Ethics, since that would be an easy one as well).

With a BCOSC SLS degree, you can easily finish quickly and cheaply.

Sophia
English Comp I
Intro to Ethics
3 business courses

Study.com
Bio w/Lab
5 UL Psych courses
1 UL Business course

The cost for Sophia is $79/mo, I think you could do these in 2 months - total $158
The cost for Study.com is $199/mo, I think you could do these in 3 months - total $647
The cost at COSC for 1 term (cornerstone in 1st half/capstone in 2nd half) is $2,849
Grand total $3654 - $2000 company reimbursement = $1,654 Out of pocket, done in less than a year (possibly even by December if you started on Study/Sophia ASAP)
__________________________________________

COSC BALS w/concentrations in History & Philosophy (takes more advantage of your current courses)

Sophia
English Comp I
Intro to Ethics

Study.com
Bio w/Lab
BUS 318: Management Ethics
HIST 306: The American Civil War Era
HIST 308: Causes & Effects of the Vietnam War
HIST 311: The Holocaust and WWII
2 UL liberal arts courses

The cost for Sophia is $79/mo, I think you could do these in 1 month - total $79
The cost for Study.com is $199/mo, I think you could do these in 3 months - total $647
The cost at COSC for 1 term (cornerstone in 1st half/capstone in 2nd half) is $2,849
Grand total $3,575 - $2000 company reimbursement = $1,575 Out of pocket
____________________________

For UMPI, I think I would rather apply and see where all of those courses fit before actually committing to taking anything at Sophia - you have a LOT of courses that are Gen Eds, and they may be able to use a lot of them. The only thing for 100% certain you need is a lab science - Bio w/Lab is normally what's suggested and may be easiest, but you have a Life Science already (NTSC103: Life and Inquiry) so you may want to kill 2 birds with 1 stone and do Chem I w/Lab instead (it's also a $50 virtual lab fee).

Honestly, I would wait to see what they do prior to taking much else, it seems like it would be a waste of time and money. Maybe (MAYBE) take a lab science and an Ethics course.

2 terms = $2800
3 terms = $4200

Oh, and I'd do the BLS w/concentration of whatever you want there (prob Management) since you have SO many credits you'll want to be able to use - a BSB will be a LOT more work.

[rachel83az]

Looking at UMPI requirements, you might also want to add US History I and Art History I to your Sophia classes. These are also relatively quick courses that have no assignments.

For working at Sophia, you should invest in a second monitor if at all possible (assuming you don't already have one). Sophia exams are all open-book, so being able to search the provided PDFs will be very helpful.

I would also highly recommend at least downloading the PDFs for "Taking Charge of Your Economic Future". You don't necessarily have to complete the course (especially if you're short on time and don't want to pay for another month) but it's got a lot of useful information about things like saving for retirement.