HELP! Straighterline to AA Degree options

[kevinmane]

Long story short: My Goddaughter is spiraling. She's dropped out of college and has limited motivation. She's depressed and down on herself for not completing her degree. 

I'm not here for advice at how to get to the "root of her problem" and etc. I know what she needs. She needs a WIN. Sometimes when you've been on a losing streak, you just need a WIN to get your mindset back in gear towards positive upward spiral. 

I know her getting just her AA will reinvigorate her towards that goal.

So that's the objective: We want to get her an AA degree in ANY field in the cheapest fastest way possible. 

Problem is: It's been so long since I've gotten my AAs, BAs, and MAs via alternative methods (with the help of all you people here on DegreeForum! Thank you so much!), that I don't think the options I was thinking of are viable anymore.

For Pierpoint, you have to now take 12 credits through them to get the BOG AAS Degree.

Amberton doesn't offer AAs. 

I realize she'll like have to take at least a couple of courses via the actual school, whether it be TESU, Charter Oak, etc., or any others you can think of.

But what options come to your mind first? 

Ideally, I'd want her to take as many Straighterline classes as possible. 

Back in the day, before Pierpont's 12-credit residency requirement, you could literally just take 60 credits of Straighterline courses, transfer 'em all to Pierpoint, and get the Associate's Degree. Not anymore.

That still could be an option though, I guess.

But what else can y'all think of for her situation? Any ideas on how to get the cheapest and fastest AA Degree from anywhere (that is regionally accredited)?

FYI: She has zero college credits. She dropped out of her first semester. 

Thank you so much in advance!

[ss20ts]

Why Straighterline over Sophia or Study? UMPI has an AA but she would need to be at least 20 to enroll. She'll need RA credit for TESU. COSC isn't really an easy option anymore. Pierpont has completely changed and no one completes their AA anymore sadly.

Keep in mind that this is something she will have to want to do. Yeah you can guide her but she's the one who will actually have to do the work. It's a big life adjustment finishing high school to overnight becoming an adult and going off to college. Everyone isn't prepared for the transition. It's a lot to handle and navigate.

[bluebooger]

navy reserve or air force national guard

quick win, accomplishment, get in physical shape, make some money, maybe learn a skill, not a full time day to day commitment

[kevinmane]

Why Straighterline over Sophia or Study? UMPI has an AA but she would need to be at least 20 to enroll. She'll need RA credit for TESU. COSC isn't really an easy option anymore. Pierpont has completely changed and no one completes their AA anymore sadly.  

Keep in mind that this is something she will have to want to do. Yeah you can guide her but she's the one who will actually have to do the work. It's a big life adjustment finishing high school to overnight becoming an adult and going off to college. Everyone isn't prepared for the transition. It's a lot to handle and navigate.

Thank you. Would you mind please telling me more about UMPI? Or if there's a thread already about this, can you point me in the right direction? Also, is Sophia and Study.com as good as Straighterline? Thanks!

[bjcheung77]

Straighterline was the granddaddy and still a good option for alternative credits, but it's not the recommended one for cost, ease, or speed to finish.

Sophia.org and Study.com are pretty much neck and neck in regards to that, I would pick Study.com though as Sophia.org recently only allows 2 classes at a time and does not allow a third class even though you're just waiting for grading...

StraighterLine is $99/month plus cost of each additional class, Sophia.org is $99/month (general education/electives), Study.com is $95/month (College Saver, best for general education and electives)

BTW, what's the budget? Actually, fill in the addendum and template here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Area-works

[Jonathan Whatley]

StraighterLine still allows unlimited classes at once, while Sophia is now capped at 2 and Study at 2 or 3 depending on the plan. That could be a selling point for some students.

[bjcheung77]

Essentially, At this point, I would decide on the freebie associates on route to the bachelors, get her to apply to TESU and UMPI, transfer all 90+ general education, electives, and some extra towards the major/minor requirements to max the 90 credits. She can decide how to complete the residency requirements at the institution of choice...

The good thing is, taking these 90+ credits will go towards both TESU and UMPI. For Sophia.org and Study.com, even though you're hit with a number of classes open at the same time, you can try to complete them accordingly, as one closes, it allows the next one to be opened. Again, I would go in this order, Study.com > Sophia.org > StraighterLine.

[kevinmane]

Essentially, At this point, I would decide on the freebie associates on route to the bachelors, get her to apply to TESU and UMPI, transfer all 90+ general education, electives, and some extra towards the major/minor requirements to max the 90 credits.  She can decide how to complete the residency requirements at the institution of choice...

The good thing is, taking these 90+ credits will go towards both TESU and UMPI.  For Sophia.org and Study.com, even though you're hit with a number of classes open at the same time, you can try to complete them accordingly, as one closes, it allows the next one to be opened.  Again, I would go in this order, Study.com > Sophia.org > StraighterLine.

Thank you so much!

I found the Straighterline "crosswalk" of classes to TESU. Do you know if there's a TESU crosswalk for Study.com and Sophia.org somewhere?

---

Also, it looks like TESU has a max of 45 credits from non-collegiate providers (for the A.A.). So if she could take 45 credits from the 3 S's (Study/Sophia/SL), should she take 15 credits from like a Community College? Or is there another cheap "collegiate provider" option she could get those add'l 15 credits for transfer? (Maybe Morningside to Augustana?)

[Jonathan Whatley]

I found the Straighterline "crosswalk" of classes to TESU. Do you know if there's a TESU crosswalk for Study.com and Sophia.org somewhere?

https://study.com/college/school/thomas-...rsity.html

https://tesu.sophia.org/
and as a secondary source https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List

Also, it looks like TESU has a max of 45 credits from non-collegiate providers (for the A.A.). So if she could take 45 credits from the 3 S's (Study/Sophia/SL), should she take 15 credits from like a Community College? Or is there another cheap "collegiate provider" option she could get those add'l 15 credits for transfer? (Maybe Morningside to Augustana?]

She’ll also have to choose between earning 15 credits of coursework in residency at TESU, or paying the $3400 Edison Accelerate Fee (formerly the residency waiver fee). A common approach is to take those 15 credits from TESU, often in one flat-rate term ($3522 NJ or PA residents, $4561 elsewhere). That will meet both the residency requirement and the collegiate provider requirement.

For another approach, TECEP exams from TESU itself provide collegiate credit for $53 per credit lower-level, $80 upper-level. TECEP exams do not count towards the residency requirement for non-military students, though.

[kevinmane]

I found the Straighterline "crosswalk" of classes to TESU. Do you know if there's a TESU crosswalk for Study.com and Sophia.org somewhere?

https://study.com/college/school/thomas-...rsity.html

https://tesu.sophia.org/
and as a secondary source https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/So...lency_List

Also, it looks like TESU has a max of 45 credits from non-collegiate providers (for the A.A.). So if she could take 45 credits from the 3 S's (Study/Sophia/SL), should she take 15 credits from like a Community College? Or is there another cheap "collegiate provider" option she could get those add'l 15 credits for transfer? (Maybe Morningside to Augustana?]

She’ll also have to choose between earning 15 credits of coursework in residency at TESU, or paying the $3400 Edison Accelerate Fee (formerly the residency waiver fee). A common approach is to take those 15 credits from TESU, often in one flat-rate term ($3522 NJ or PA residents, $4561 elsewhere). That will meet both the residency requirement and the collegiate provider requirement.

For another approach, TECEP exams from TESU itself provide collegiate credit for $53 per credit lower-level, $80 upper-level. TECEP exams do not count towards the residency requirement for non-military students, though.

Thank you so much! So sounds like doing 45 credits from the 3's and then taking 15 from TESU is probably the most streamlined route. 

At this point, I'm thinking it might just be best to do 87 credits elsewhere and then taking 33 credits at Amberton for a Bachelor's.