UMPI for BA/LS w/Accounting Minor

[thecontrarian]

Apologies for the long-winded post, but I have some history on this forum ... a few months ago I came here with my plan after high school to start the TESU Accounting/CPA program with a long-term objective of becoming a CPA. I had some great advice which I really appreciate. I've now wrapped up high school and am looking to start a program but wanted to get any thoughts on a new plan (attached) but this time with UMPI. Some members recommended this on my previous thread.

The only reason I was looking at TESU before is because I'm in New Jersey and everyone knows and respects the college. To some extent it does have an alumni network here. Not as great as Rutgers/NJIT, but you do regularly bump into people who've been to TESU. But stepping back and looking at it, the TESU Accounting/CPA program does seem to be a lot trickier to get thru and a lot more expensive.

My real priority is getting thru this as fast as possible with sufficient credits to meet the NJ CPA board requirements which are 120 credits overall, 24 in Accounting, 24 in Business (no other requirements, I have confirmed this). I just think a UMPI liberal arts may be better because its got lots more room for electives/flexibility. The minor requirements meet most of the accounting needs, then I pack it with extra business electives to meet the NJ's board reqs.

Tactically, I'm trying to minimize how much effort I put into this, but end up with enuff credits to go for the CPA.

I've attached my plan and would appreciate any thoughts.

My strategy would be to complete the Sophia/Study/InstantCert stuff to get as close as possible to 90 credits. Then try and rip thru UMPI online in 2 or 3 sessions.

Much credit to member @Ashkir who's thread a few months back on UMPI really inspired me to take a second look at this!

[ss20ts]

You need to be at least 20 years old to attend UMPI. You need to be out of high school for a minimum of 2 years for their YourPace program.

[thecontrarian]

You need to be at least 20 years old to attend UMPI. You need to be out of high school for a minimum of 2 years for their YourPace program.

@ss20ts, I didn't know that.

I looked on their admissions requirements but couldn't find this.

Do you have a link to that? (I'm not doubting it, but just don't see it).

[rachel83az]

They don't actually say that anywhere that I am aware of. Not until you apply and are rejected for not being old enough. I think it's silly that they don't state it outright. They do say "Those interested in earning their YourPace degree online should have the equivalent of a high school diploma and possess some prior college credit or work experience." but that doesn't exactly scream "Must be 20 years old." There are 16-year-olds that have prior college credit.

[ss20ts]

It's not on the website. You find that out when you apply. The program is designed for working adults. They're really adamant about the adult part. We've had other high school graduates apply and were denied on here.

[FastTrackDegree]

Start by taking all the credits you can and need at Sophia and InstantCert Then you can decide on a BSBA in Accounting or BA/BALS + Accounting Cert at TESU. I don't think it will take much longer then UMPI. I would start with courses without touchstones since they take longer...

[thecontrarian]

It's not on the website. You find that out when you apply. The program is designed for working adults. They're really adamant about the adult part. We've had other high school graduates apply and were denied on here.

Ouch! Well, back to TESU for me.

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Start by taking all the credits you can at Sophia and Instacert. Then you can decide on a BSBA in Accounting or BA/BALS + Accounting Cert at TESU. I don't think it will take much longer then UMPI. I would start with courses without touchstones since they take longer...

Yes, I will kick this off with Sophia. TESU might be a little more expensive, but then again it does have lot more recognition in my state.

[rachel83az]

What about a BS General Studies from COSC? IIRC, with a Bachelor of Science, you can take business classes and have them count for the General Studies degree (which you can't do with a BA General Studies). With their build-your-own-concentration approach, you could take essentially whatever you wanted (so long as they accept it). It would cost less than TESU but possibly be a bit more work due to the difference between the number of UL credits required.

[ashkir]

UMPI is changing a lot of things right now. I would recommend contacting them and see if they can make an exception.

[dfrecore]

I think that TESU will be a good option for you - the accounting concentration has 24cr built in (Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting, and then the 6 AoS courses); and there are 12 "business" courses in there as well (so 36cr) plus you could do a few extra if you wanted to.

In-state tuition is cheaper than what we usually discuss here ($5,934 is the price for a degree there if you use per-credit plan plus residency waiver). There's also the option of using the Full-Time, Flat-Rate plan to get 16cr in a single term for $3,579, so then your cost would be $3,927 (you take the cornerstone, the capstone, a 1cr course, and then 3 courses of your choice, but I'd utilitze the e-Pack courses to cut down on courses to do if I were you). We discuss it on this forum in detail a few times.

Someone just posted on here about getting the AoS via Study.com and ICC: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...ng-Courses

There are other ways to keep costs down, if that's a factor: the easiest is to use Modern States/CLEP for every possible credit since they're free for instance. But honestly, your best bet to keep costs down is to create a PLAN! The better the plan, the more chance you have of succeeding with it. No wasting time/money taking courses you don't need, or taking things you can get somewhere else for less.

Also, if you do the FT/FR option and include your e-Pack courses, you can study ahead for the e-Packs and get those out of the way ahead of time to maximize your time on the courses you'll get graded on.

And of course, you need to plan in 30cr RA, so the 16cr you get are only half the battle - you'll need the BUSx437: Quantitative Analysis UExcel exam as well (now required for the BSBA), and so you could plan a few more UExcel's to fulfill requirements that you can't get via CLEP and TESU, or are easier as UExcel's.