Study.com - how many courses per month

[debrag]

I know it's $200 a month with a 2 exam limit. You can add up to 3 more exams for $70 each. Can you realistically do 5 exams/courses in 1 month?

[rachel83az]

It depends on the courses. I have done that with LL courses. The more you know of the subject before starting the course, the easier it will be.

You can technically do it with UL courses as well but you have assignments that need to be completed with those. Courses with labs might also take slightly longer.

Realistically, I would expect to be able to do 3-4 courses per month.

[SteveFoerster]

I know it's $200 a month with a 2 exam limit. You can add up to 3 more exams for $70 each. Can you realistically do 5 exams/courses in 1 month?

If you're smart and do nothing else, then it's possible. My eldest did a lot of these in a hurry when he got close to finishing at Charter Oak.

[dfrecore]

There are a couple of ways to speed things up at Study.com
1) take courses that have some overlap - so say several math courses, or accounting, or Psych, or whatever
2) take courses that have placement tests, assuming you know a lot of the material; you can test into a course quite a bit of the way (like 50%)

[bjcheung77]

Yes, I highly recommend maxing out that $70/exam after the initial two courses. The most I have done was 7/month all lower level, this is because my "month" was not over yet. I signed up for the final exams on the 27/28th of the month before it renews, and finished an extra 5 before the second month was over. You'll just get a warning, but it'll let you as you're using the max within the months combined.

Yup, the main options are to take placement tests if they're offered and overlapping of course content. If you're going for UL, there will be assignments, I wouldn't rush taking so many as 5. But I would recommend 3-4, unless you have a bunch of time, no commitments, and can handle 5 courses, be my guest - go for it! It boils down to time management... Good luck and have fun!

[jsh1138]

yes, you absolutely can do 5 a month. really you could prob do 10 a month if they would let you

[tallpilot]

I did 5 per month two months in a row including the dreaded computer architecture. This while doing Physics II with lab at TESU. Was it fun? No. But if you are motivated it is not impossible.

Most of the courses I took were CS so there was some overlap. The projects took longer than the quizzes or the exams. I have prior academic and professional experience programming but it was over a decade ago. Still I had an aptitude and knowledge advantage not all have. Even if you only manage 3 courses it is still an incredible value. Take advantage of it!

My advice has always been if you are going to do this then get serious about it and make the time in your schedule. I know you have work, kids, spouse, sick parents, etc. Make the time and get it done or don’t. This board is full of stories from people who dabbled here and there and now find half of their credits obviated by catalog changes as well as a raft of new requirements. That trend is likely to continue for some time, especially on the alternative credits side. Traditional experiences are likely to decline in price but from insane levels compared to the historical average. The value is on the alternative side but demand is going to cause price increases; it is inevitable.

[studyingfortests]

Another worth-of-consideration option:

A. Sign up for the $50/month plan and bust through as many courses as you can. You can do everything but actually take the exams. Complete as many courses as you can, then when you have 5 courses you're ready to take exams, switch to the $200/month plan. You'll get prorated credit for whatever of your $50 month is left.

B. Take the exams. Depending on how many credits you're after all-in, immediately downgrade back to the $50/month plan (it doesn't take effect until 30 days after you signed up for the $200/month plan, but it will keep you from forgetting.)

C. Start studying for a bunch more classes. If you don't have 5 ready to go, then you automatically downgrade to the $50/month plan and continue studying.

D. Lather/Rinse/Repeat.

E. In spite of their claims to the contrary, you DO NOT have to submit papers before taking your exams. You don't even have to be subscribed to submit papers. (There's a special link if you aren't subscribed.) So if it is more efficient, you can put off all of the papers (just make sure you download the requirements while still active) until you're finished taking exams, then write and submit all your papers. You'll still complete the class and get credit even if you're no longer subscribed.

I don't know if there's any limit to how long after an exam you can submit a paper, but I've done it at least a month after my subscription expired and I think others have done longer. Also, keep in mind, if you've done really well on your final exam and gotten 100% on your quizzes (really no excuse not to do the latter), then you only need 10 points of the 100 point total for the paper, so you can literally crap something out and turn it in and get credit.

[jsh1138]

You can turn them in much longer than a month after

[tallpilot]

Also, keep in mind, if you've done really well on your final exam and gotten 100% on your quizzes (really no excuse not to do the latter), then you only need 10 points of the 100 point total for the paper, so you can literally crap something out and turn it in and get credit.

This is key. You aren’t working for a letter grade. Play the game the way they set it up. Never, ever get less than 100% on quizzes. If your memory is terrible use BJ’s tricks. He works off 20 monitors like a hedge fund manager. The quizzes are open book, use whatever resources it takes to get 100%.

Now you have a choice. If you are a good test taker go nail the exam then almost any garbage you turn in will be enough points to pass. If you suck at tests then put some extra effort in and nail the project then you won’t need to get more than a few right answers on the exam.

Not particularly good at either? Do your best on both and you should still pass because you didn’t break rule #1 which is NEVER get less than 100% on the quizzes.

Maximizing the number of courses you can complete in a month requires understanding of the principle of diminishing returns. Doubling your study time to get 5 or even 10 points higher is not worth it unless you needed those points to pass.

If you like/need the subject matter you can study it in further detail later (likely from a better source). Get credentialed first then fill in holes when needed later.