Non-Profit educational website -- teaching others what we do

[Daithi]

I am starting a non-profit company and website (AlmostFreeCollege.com) that will teach others how to go about earning a degree from Thomas Edison State College as inexpensively as possible. I believe that the more sites we have telling people about this option the better.

I actually started kicking this idea around after participating in a thread here on DegreeForum.net. The thread was on CollegePlus. They are a site that helps Christian students earn their degree quickly by using the same techniques we do --- using one of the Big Three distance learning colleges, CLEP, DSST, ECE, StraighterLine, InstantCert, ALEKS, etc. --- but CollegePlus charges $3,000 for their assistance. Sanantone thought this was excessive, and I agreed, but lots of people stood up for CollegePlus. These students thought CollegePlus was worth the cost. It allowed them to get their degree far cheaper and quicker than they would have otherwise. Sanantone still thought they were a ripoff. I still tended to agree, but was no longer so sure.

So, I decided to see if I could do better than CollegePlus. I decided to create my own non-profit 501©(3) to teach other people how to get their degree. My site provides information and links to sites like InstantCert, StraighterLine, CLEP, TESC, etc. It also provides sample degree plans for dozens of degrees, and it includes a Blog with instructions on creating your own degree plans.

I also started this company/site as a non-profit. I've filed the non-profit paperwork with the State of California (where I now live) and as soon as I get the corresponding paperwork back from them I will be filing for 501©(3) status with the IRS. Once this comes through, I can do things like file for a Google Grant, which will allow me to do lots of advertising to help lots of students.

I don't profit personally from the site, but the site does support itself through affiliate programs, and in the future advertising. Any money generated will go back into the site. I'm not an employee of the site. No company I own is contracted by the site. I'm just a volunteer who contributes my time to helping others get their degree.

I hope you all will take a look at the site. Please let me know what you think. I'm thin skinned :-), but in this case, constructive criticism is appreciated. If you would like to help then please tell others about the site. Word of mouth, facebook postings, twitter postings, etc. all really help. Actually, click on the social media icons on the site. That would help a lot. Finally, I could use some guest bloggers if anyone is interested. I was hoping that rebel100 could give some insights into the Harvard Extension School, or Saharapost could give some insights on earning a degree while outside the U.S., or that Sanantone, Cookderosa, or anyone else would be willing to write a blog post.

I'm not trying to replace degreeforum.net. My site doesn't even have a forum. I'm just trying to be another avenue to help people get a degree.

Well, that's it. The site is AlmostFreeCollege.com.

[EI2HCB]

Well thanks for the press release. I've got one too!
There is tons of information out there so another site can always be a good thing, I started my blog because I didn't think College plus was a good business model mixing prayer and 3,000 bucks on the same site seemed bad. However since I don't have the time resources to do what you have done I congratulate you on trying to do your bit getting the word out.

[rebel100]

Good luck with it.

[cookderosa]

good luck everyone!!

[Saharapost]

Website looks cool and interesting. Congratulations and good luck.

[publius2k4]

Looks very nice! Do you plan to add any plans from any of Excelsior or COSC later?

I really REALLY like the feature that shows you the degree plan with, and without CLEP, Uxcel, and DSST.

I commend you for not using the website for profiteering off of free information. Great job!

[Saharapost]

I was actually thinking in the same line as publius24k. Are you planning to add Excelsior and COSC? Not everyone is crazy about TESC. I have a friend who, because of the limit on the number of times TESC does graduate students per year (and the three months waiting period before graduating?), decides to go with Excelsior.

[Saharapost]

If you don't mind, can you share your blog here or pm me with details?

Well thanks for the press release. I've got one too!
There is tons of information out there so another site can always be a good thing, I started my blog because I didn't think College plus was a good business model mixing prayer and 3,000 bucks on the same site seemed bad. However since I don't have the time resources to do what you have done I congratulate you on trying to do your bit getting the word out.

[sanantone]

That's cool. I would love to write a blog post. I hope to have time to start my own website when I finish my PhD.

[rebel100]

I am starting a non-profit company and website (AlmostFreeCollege.com) I was hoping that rebel100 could give some insights into the Harvard Extension School, or Saharapost could give some insights on earning a degree while outside the U.S., or that Sanantone, Cookderosa, or anyone else would be willing to write a blog post.
AlmostFreeCollege.com.

Happy to contribute, let me know exactly what your looking for. I've long thought about writing up my daughters journey. The graduation (with a lot of CLEP) from the local CC while she was essentially still in high school, the admission to HES with the PTK scholarship, etc...