I earned an Honors BLS Degree with Two Minors in 8 days!!

[Duneranger]

Amazing journey and congratulations.

Yes as some others have stated, this is not 0 to 120 credits in 8 days as they stated they did work on some credits following the pandemic. From my count, there were 11 classes (33 credits) at UMPI in 8 days, and 14 classes (42 credits?) through SDC and Sophia in 4 days plus UMPI overlap. That is 75+ credits in just under 2 weeks which is amazing by any standard. At that pace, I believe that you could have done the full 120 credits in less than 3 weeks. 

Yes there may be some difficulty finding a Nursing program that will accept all the science classes, but I believe there will be success in your future.

 I appreciate your positive outlook on my future success. 

In response to your comment, I want to clarify that not all credits were transferred, and that's indeed the essence of the competency-based program. Regarding the question about course overlap, I strategically began some courses while waiting for others to be completed—effective planning is the key to making it all possible.

On a related note, my 19-year-old daughter has more credits than I do, (especially regional credits) employing a similar strategy. She graduated elementary and high school by age 14, passed her TEAS exam with high scores, and received an acceptance letter from Trinitas Nursing School in NJ by age 16. This success is achievable with the right planning. 

As I mentioned to someone else, many schools accept ACE sciences, underscoring the importance of advocating for oneself. A TESU worker even mentioned that Straighterline sciences are considered superior to university sciences. While I value online information, I always conduct my own research to sift through any discrepancies. Thanks again for your encouraging words!

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First, let me congratulate you on this incredible achievement. You did something I had always thought about but feared doing. I noticed the number of classes and days indicate you've completed more than one course in a day multiple times. I understand a significant amount of studying happened in the form of reading instead of watching lecture videos, but one course a day with straight A's really surprised me quite a bit. Was the reading challenging to you? How would you evaluate the amount of work involved for an average course (e.g., one could finish if dedicating x hours in one day)? Are you familiar with the topics before taking these courses? Do you think this is replicable for an average learner, or did your experience in the past play an important role in allowing you to do this?

In any way, this is a great achievement; congrats again. You'll be inspiring many in the future.
I'll be looking at the Straighterline English Composition course. It seems like this could be a good help for what I'm doing now as well.

@kai1120. 
Thank you so much for your congratulations and thoughtful questions. I appreciate your kind words and curiosity about my journey.

Completing multiple courses in a day did involve a significant amount of reading, and while challenging, I found it to be a manageable approach. The key was dedicating focused time to absorb the material efficiently.

Evaluating the amount of work for an average course varied, but generally, dedicating a concentrated block of time each day allowed me to progress steadily. The duration would depend on the course complexity and credit hours, but planning and time management were crucial.

My familiarity with the topics before taking the courses varied. In some cases, I had prior knowledge, while others were entirely new. However, the competency-based model allowed me to move at my own pace, allocating more time to areas I found challenging. 

As for replicability for an average learner, I believe the approach can be adapted based on individual learning styles and commitments. While my past experiences played a role, the key factors were planning, discipline, and adapting study methods to suit the competency-based structure. I While study.com isn't my preferred provider for a few reasons, the frequent repetition of information in a condensed timeframe has proven beneficial for me in various ways over time.

Thank you again for your congratulations. I wish you success with the Straighterline English Composition course—it could indeed be a valuable resource for your current endeavors. If you have any more questions or need further insights, feel free to ask!

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This question might sound stupid but, what if the nursing school you are trying to go to does not take ACE credits such as Sophia or Study.com?

in addition to my earlier reply, utilize the following links to explore your school's credit transfer policies. Additionally, get in touch with the registrar's office to inquire about credit acceptance. While some schools may suggest sending transcripts, a thorough search on their website can often reveal their stance on accepting credits.


https://www.sophia.org/find-your-school/

https://www.straighterline.com/colleges/

https://study.com/college/school/index.html

https://www2.acenet.edu/programs/ccrs/ad...cfm?sort=s

SL classes arent definitely not superior to university sciences.....absolutely not on God's green earth, at least. I haven't found a ACE credit source with science classes that aren't extremely watered down. My first degree was a BS in the biology
physiology and chem realm.

Some schools do, but most nursing schools don't. Some dude on here also is under the impression he can ACE himself into med school with a stellar MCAT (prepping for the MCAT means you need a solid science background, not hand waived ACE courses) and GPA alone as if schools don't look at credit sources. When he posts his acceptance, maybe I will eat crow.

[Jonathan Whatley]

In 2001, Lawrie Miller described how he used credit by examination to complete bachelors in liberal arts and in general business from the University of the State of New York, Regents College (now Excelsior University) on his website bain4weeks.com.

There was something to the critique that the title omitted important context and could create unrealistic expectations.

However, the exposure did not lead to a crackdown on credit by examination programs any time soon.

And it was helpful for subsequent students to learn from his experience, even if their degrees took appreciably longer start to finish as they often did.

Similar thing in this thread about competency-based education more than twenty years later.

[LevelUP]

There have been a few courses where you're stuck until the Milestone is approved. Posts like this set unrealistic expectations for the vast majority of students. I mean it's cool someone completed 10 UMPI courses in 8 days, but I can see this causing UMPI to make changes in the future especially if the accreditation board gets wind. You truly didn't complete the entire degree in 8 days because the majority of classes were transferred in. Depending on what courses a degree requires, you can be waiting a week for the professor to grade. I see people frustrated all day long that they're waiting 2, 3 days and sometimes longer.

@ss20ts

Approach to Academic Achievements:
I am sharing my personal experience, not intending to create unrealistic expectations. Many students, including myself, find different approaches to completing assignments efficiently. I've even come across a YouTube video where someone finished 48 credits in 2 months, showcasing diverse perspectives on academic achievements. PS: Below is a reply that you wrote to someone who asked about the difficulty of a course. 


The person asked:  "Are Project Management Application courses diffucult to get Summa Cum Laude grades? Are there any other PM courses to look out for? From reading, all I know about the PM application courses is that you'll be assisting in a local project. " 

You replied 
"It depends on how much effort you put into the coursework. 
I graduated - twice - summa cum laude from UMPI. I received A's and A+'s in all of my project management courses. I did more than the minimum to earn those grades though. An A is always my goal."

https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ement-Goal

Instead of giving tips, you bragged about your grades but dared to leave a negative comment on my post where I listed tips to help others who are possibly struggling as I have in the past. 

And by the way, your sharing of experience had nothing to do with my journey.

It seems like you took ss20ts's comments the wrong way.

I don't know if you realize, but ss20ts was one of the original people who founded UMPI YourPace for degree hacking.

Back then, there was no Sophia guide and very little information on the college. In the fall of 2020, there were only 50 people in total in the UMPI YourPace program, and it was impossible to complete a degree in one session since some courses weren't offered in each session.

Where do you think the YouTubers got their information from? Us!

Check the video dates if you don't believe me, because nobody was talking about UMPI YourPace on YouTube before us.

Degrees completed in 8 days give the appearance of a diploma mill and give other students the idea that they too can complete a degree in a few days which is just not realistic. This is a participation trophy at best. Sad to see UMPI reduced to this and I truly wish I had not shared my experience now that people have turned it into this.

I understand your concern about the perception of degrees completed in a short period of time and the potential impact it may have on the reputation of the institution.

People have posted all kinds of threads about completing WGU degrees in a fast amount of time, yet WGU is still well-respected by big tech companies such as Amazon and Microsoft.

There have been situations where people read WGU threads, then think they too can pass WGU quickly, and end up not transferring in enough credits, getting overwhelmed by the rigor of the courses, and ultimately dropping out.

So, in reading these UMPI speed run type threads, people need to understand that not everyone is able to go through courses as quickly as others.

Is there some sort of balance between sharing experiences and respecting the integrity of the college? I don't know.

[basicunitoflife]

There have been a few courses where you're stuck until the Milestone is approved. Posts like this set unrealistic expectations for the vast majority of students. I mean it's cool someone completed 10 UMPI courses in 8 days, but I can see this causing UMPI to make changes in the future especially if the accreditation board gets wind. You truly didn't complete the entire degree in 8 days because the majority of classes were transferred in. Depending on what courses a degree requires, you can be waiting a week for the professor to grade. I see people frustrated all day long that they're waiting 2, 3 days and sometimes longer.

@ss20ts

Approach to Academic Achievements:
I am sharing my personal experience, not intending to create unrealistic expectations. Many students, including myself, find different approaches to completing assignments efficiently. I've even come across a YouTube video where someone finished 48 credits in 2 months, showcasing diverse perspectives on academic achievements. PS: Below is a reply that you wrote to someone who asked about the difficulty of a course. 


The person asked:  "Are Project Management Application courses diffucult to get Summa Cum Laude grades? Are there any other PM courses to look out for? From reading, all I know about the PM application courses is that you'll be assisting in a local project. " 

You replied 
"It depends on how much effort you put into the coursework. 
I graduated - twice - summa cum laude from UMPI. I received A's and A+'s in all of my project management courses. I did more than the minimum to earn those grades though. An A is always my goal."

https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ement-Goal

Instead of giving tips, you bragged about your grades but dared to leave a negative comment on my post where I listed tips to help others who are possibly struggling as I have in the past. 

And by the way, your sharing of experience had nothing to do with my journey.

It seems like you took ss20ts's comments the wrong way.

I don't know if you realize, but ss20ts was one of the original people who founded UMPI YourPace for degree hacking.

Back then, there was no Sophia guide and very little information on the college. In the fall of 2020, there were only 50 people in total in the UMPI YourPace program, and it was impossible to complete a degree in one session since some courses weren't offered in each session.

Where do you think the YouTubers got their information from? Us!

Check the video dates if you don't believe me, because nobody was talking about UMPI YourPace on YouTube before us.

Degrees completed in 8 days give the appearance of a diploma mill and give other students the idea that they too can complete a degree in a few days which is just not realistic. This is a participation trophy at best. Sad to see UMPI reduced to this and I truly wish I had not shared my experience now that people have turned it into this.

I understand your concern about the perception of degrees completed in a short period of time and the potential impact it may have on the reputation of the institution.

People have posted all kinds of threads about completing WGU degrees in a fast amount of time, yet WGU is still well-respected by big tech companies such as Amazon and Microsoft.

There have been situations where people read WGU threads, then think they too can pass WGU quickly, and end up not transferring in enough credits, getting overwhelmed by the rigor of the courses, and ultimately dropping out.

So, in reading these UMPI speed run type threads, people need to understand that not everyone is able to go through courses as quickly as others.

Is there some sort of balance between sharing experiences and respecting the integrity of the college? I don't know.

@LevelUP I responded to her comment precisely as she requested. This isn't the initial instance of her using sarcasm. While I value the valuable information my husband has acquired from this website, particularly from Cheung, I don't feel obligated to provide explanations, especially in the face of rudeness or negativity. I don't feel compelled to investigate anything further, and my response mirrored the tone she used with me. And thats the last I'm saying about that.

[ishady]

Amazing, while I only can do 2 classes per term...sigh ?

Only 2 classes a term? At UMPI? If so, remember, everyone has different goals.

Yes that's correct. My progress is really slooww. Perhaps it might caused by my self employed work and I often has business gathering out of town or abroad. I really envy all that passed a class every week. 

[bjcheung77]

That's why it is highly recommended to do the addendum and template... TESU may have been a better option, depending on your need... Oh well, stick it out and if you can't handle it, then decide to switch or stay...

[missbootyfull]

Amazing, while I only can do 2 classes per term...sigh ?

It’s the same for me. It doesn’t seem possible to complete 11 in 8 days. I started at umpi in 2020 and I still haven’t finished. I did take time off though. The most I completed in a term was 3 I think or maybe 4.

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Where did I say you took shortcuts? So glad you have the time to read through my previous posts. And no I do not help students with their coursework. My advice is always the same: read the course content, read all of the professor's feedback, ask them questions, and do your own work. I've had students email me demanding I send them copies of my papers. No, I will not subject myself to this nonsense. I've been called many nasty things because I don't help students cheat. There are many times I wish I had NEVR shared my UMPI experience with this forum. You're one of those times. I see so many posts on social media about completing degrees in record pace at WGU and it's caused problems there. They have had issues with their accreditation board. Yes, the boards do care how quickly and how slowly students complete their degrees. Degrees completed in 8 days give the appearance of a diploma mill and give other students the idea that they too can complete a degree in a few days which is just not realistic. This is a participation trophy at best. Sad to see UMPI reduced to this and I truly wish I had not shared my experience now that people have turned it into this.

I started UMPI in 2020 as well. I haven’t finished yet. I took a couple years off but recently started back. I think the most I did was 3 or 4 classes in a term. I don’t get how this person did 11 in 8 days and actually learned anything.

[RJ77]

Everyone is different, has different learning speeds and methods, absorbs and retains information differently, etc. Don't get down on yourself if you take longer than others. As an example, some guy completed 36 Sophia courses in 2 months. Meanwhile, I took almost a month just to do US History I alone, because I enjoyed the class and read everything from beginning to end and took my time.

[ss20ts]

@LevelUP I responded to her comment precisely as she requested. This isn't the initial instance of her using sarcasm. While I value the valuable information my husband has acquired from this website, particularly from Cheung, I don't feel obligated to provide explanations, especially in the face of rudeness or negativity. I don't feel compelled to investigate anything further, and my response mirrored the tone she used with me. And thats the last I'm saying about that.

Actually, I didn't request you to respond at all. I wasn't using sarcasm.

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Amazing, while I only can do 2 classes per term...sigh ?

Only 2 classes a term? At UMPI? If so, remember, everyone has different goals.

Yes that's correct. My progress is really slooww. Perhaps it might caused by my self employed work and I often has business gathering out of town or abroad. I really envy all that passed a class every week. 

Don't stress! The beauty of UMPI is that you can move at your own pace. According to UMPI, on average students complete 3-4 classes per term. People finishing more is not the norm. You're doing great!

[ishady]

It’s the same for me. It doesn’t seem possible to complete 11 in 8 days. I started at umpi in 2020 and I still haven’t finished. I did take time off though. The most I completed in a term was 3 I think or maybe 4.

Hey, it's nice.to know I'm not alone. Sometimes I could do 3 classes per term if there are no hard classes at the term, such as literature or accounting. Keep it up,.guys and gals. We will graduate this together. If I graduate I will fly 9,000 miles to Presque Isle to the commencement.