Help Planning Accounting Path - WGU v UMPI - California Based

[slinkymess]

Hello everyone! Wondering if you can help me out here. My goal is to get my bachelors in Accounting, then masters, and eventually CPA. 

I'm wondering if I should stay at WGU for both bachelors and masters or go to UMPI for the bachelors then take the master at WGU? Or maybe a completely different strategy entirely? 

Here is some more info on my situation:

I've applied to WGU and sent in my transcripts, they've already confirmed 21 credits from my community college now I'm waiting for them to confirm my Sophia credits. My one big fear here is the proctored exams, mainly because I live in a pretty busy household with children, one of whom is ASD and stays with me most of the time. My plan so far is to hit up my library for a private room for the exams, not sure how picky the proctors are regarding that. 

However I recently found out about UMPI and how they can possibly accept more credits through Sophia and etc. Also been reading how they're not proctor-based, which is fine for me since I don't mind writing and making presentations so that would allow me to stay home to do everything and not worry about finding some place suitable for the exams.


Your Location: California, United States

Your Age: 40

What kind of degree do you want?: Accounting 

Current Regional Accredited Credits: About 24 credits from 8 random classes I attempted at 3 different community colleges from years ago...

Long Beach City College -

• ART 15,  Beginning Drawing - 3.0
  
• MATH 815, Preparation for Algebra - 3.0
  

MiraCosta College -

• KINE, Kinesiology 190 3.0
  

Brooks College - Not sure if these are actually 4 credits each but that's what it says on the transcript.

• AC 110, Animation Fun - 4.0
  
• PHIL 181, Critical Thinking - 4.0
  
• MATH 182, Geometry - 4.0
  
• AC 161, Digital imaging - 4.0
  
• AC 111Layout Skills - 4.0
  

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: 

Sophia.org - 66 credits
• Art History I
  
• Art History II
  
• Business Law
  
• College Algebra
  
• English Composition I
  
• Environmental Science
  
• Financial Accounting
  
• Intro to Business
  
• Intro to Ethics
  
• Intro to IT
  
• Intro to Nutrition
  
• Intro to Sociology
  
• Intro to Statistics
  
• Macroeconomics
  
• Managerial Accounting
  
• Principles of Finance
  
• Principles of Management
  
• Principles of Marketing
  
• Project Management
  
• Public Speaking
  
• U.S. History I
  
• Visual Communication
  

Any certifications or military experience?: I am CTEC certified and have PTIN

Budget: Can afford about $8k out of pocket max for bachelors, will have to save up for masters or do payments. 

Commitments: part-time job, kids, wife working full time.

Dedicated time to study: ~20-30 hr/week

Timeline: 1 year preferably but willing to extend to 2 years.

Tuition assistance/reimbursement: I'm approved for $7,000 through Pell Grant, FAFSA.


Hopefully that's enough info (or maybe too much), thanks in advance!

[LevelUP]

Whichever college you choose, I suggest transferring in as many credits as you can.

[slinkymess]

Whichever college you choose, I suggest transferring in as many credits as you can.

Thank you

[ss20ts]

UMPI tends to be more transfer credit accepting than WGU. The proctored exams are something you'll really have to consider. Given the situation with your family, UMPI may just be easier so that you don't have to worry about exams at least for right now. UMPI doesn't have any exams.

[slinkymess]

UMPI tends to be more transfer credit accepting than WGU. The proctored exams are something you'll really have to consider. Given the situation with your family, UMPI may just be easier so that you don't have to worry about exams at least for right now. UMPI doesn't have any exams.

Yeah that is my one big concern all around so when I found out about UMPI and how they don't have the extra exams It really made me second guess attending WGU. Although I have heard the material is more comprehensive at WGU, but I've never attended either institutions so I'm really just going off of Reddit's opinion 

[ss20ts]

Join the UMPI Discord. You'll get to ask questions of current and past students. Don't put too much into Reddit. That place can be a cesspool of negativity. My favorite professor gets trashed on there big time and they're still my favorite because of the experience I had with them.

[slinkymess]

Join the UMPI Discord. You'll get to ask questions of current and past students. Don't put too much into Reddit. That place can be a cesspool of negativity. My favorite professor gets trashed on there big time and they're still my favorite because of the experience I had with them.

That's a great idea I'll check out the Discord tonight! Yeah Reddit can be a bit of an echo chamber of negativity so it's hard to gauge what's really going on. Thanks for the idea!

[bjcheung77]

Welcome to the board, great initial post with the addendum, template, and a few extra pieces of info... My suggestion is to do the BA Accounting and BABA with a PM & IS or another concentration of your choice, along with the 4 classes that can go towards the MAOL in 3 sessions of $1700 unless you need more time, you will pay for this with the Fin Aid... With your 8K in out of pocket savings, you can finish off the MAOL in 1 session of $2300 and the WGU MS ACC for roughly $5K! And you'll have the Bachelors all done within a year, the Masters in early 2026...

[slinkymess]

Welcome to the board, great initial post with the addendum, template, and a few extra pieces of info... My suggestion is to do the BA Accounting and BABA with a PM & IS or another concentration of your choice, along with the 4 classes that can go towards the MAOL in 3 sessions of $1700 unless you need more time, you will pay for this with the Fin Aid... With your 8K in out of pocket savings, you can finish off the MAOL in 1 session of $2300 and the WGU MS ACC for roughly $5K!  And you'll have the Bachelors all done within a year, the Masters in early 2026...

Wow that's a really comprehensive answer! This Gabe me a really good road map thank you!