UMPI instead of WGU?

[ssweene1]

So... as the old saying goes, "I wish I would have found this forum sooner!"

This is my first post. I am a 44 year old, mid-career IT turned marketing professional who is career-stuck without my degree, so I am decided to go to WGU and get my degree in Marketing. I have had no formal college education, this is my first foray in this realm. I am not a novice to adult learning, however, with over 15 technical certifications mainly in old Microsoft disciplines.

As it currently sits, I have 51 CUs that would transfer into WGU, mainly Sophia with 2 Saylor's thrown in...

Of course, now that I started reading up on UMPI YourPace and there seems to be be some major advantages that I can tell, namely additional Sophia courses I can take, and my Google certifications (which I have four from Coursera, the IT, Data Analyst, Project Management, and Digital Marketing) and the UX one is almost completed AS WELL as my Microsoft Azure cert from Microsoft (among the many expired technical certifications I have)

I originally started looking at WGU years ago because of the IT component but now that I am looking at a business degree (marketing) I think UMPI might be better for me and I maybe making a mistake. I have already started the process with WGU, did my FAFSA, and had my transcripts sent to them but I have not gone through the full enrollment process, my start date is setting up to be April so I have not done an intake interview or had my transcipts evaluated yet.


Am I crazy to think about putting on the brakes with WGU and entertaining UMPI? As I am not enrolled there is no penalty I am assuming and I can just send FAFSA over the UMPI? 

Interested in any feedback!
-scott

[rachel83az]

There is no penalty at this point, and several advantages to, switching to UMPI at this point. However, keep in mind that UMPI is very writing-heavy and WGU is less so. I'm not sure how much writing is in a UMPI Business degree, but it's less than UMPI. Some of the marketing classes at UMPI are reported to be very writing-heavy, even compared to other UMPI classes. If you're ready for that, great. Otherwise, UMPI may not be a good fit for you.

For UMPI, you will also need a foreign language (Spanish from Sophia) plus complete your science requirements before enrolling. You need a Biological Science and a Physical science, one of which must have a lab.

[allvia]

You can put off your enrollment at WGU almost indefinitely (each month is a new start option, don't start until YOU are ready). Also do not enroll with WGU until you have transferred in the max credits - once enrolled with WGU you cannot transfer in anymore. You should be able to transfer in the max of 90 for the degree you're interested in.  WGU is a good option for you.  With that said, it is possible that UMPI could be better. As far as FASFA all you have to do is login and add UMPI once you apply. Unlike WGU you can transfer in credits into UMPI after becoming enrolled. I'm not sure that for the WGU Marketing degree it would be any more or less writing than UMPI.

If you list your credits and certifications that you do have we could give help you max your plan for time and money (see here for listing recommendation - https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid335173)

[ssweene1]

Thank you for the suggestions everyone!

I discussed it with my wife after doing more research and decided to stick with WGU.

Thanks again!
-scott

[dfrecore]

If you're going to stick with WGU, I'd make sure you maxed out on credits prior to enrolling. No sense letting the next month and a half going to waste when you can maximize credits, as well as your ability to finish in a single term.

[Luv.Mint]

So... as the old saying goes, "I wish I would have found this forum sooner!"

This is my first post. I am a 44 year old, mid-career IT turned marketing professional who is career-stuck without my degree, so I am decided to go to WGU and get my degree in Marketing. I have had no formal college education, this is my first foray in this realm. I am not a novice to adult learning, however, with over 15 technical certifications mainly in old Microsoft disciplines.

As it currently sits, I have 51 CUs that would transfer into WGU, mainly Sophia with 2 Saylor's thrown in...

Of course, now that I started reading up on UMPI YourPace and there seems to be be some major advantages that I can tell, namely additional Sophia courses I can take, and my Google certifications (which I have four from Coursera, the IT, Data Analyst, Project Management, and Digital Marketing) and the UX one is almost completed AS WELL as my Microsoft Azure cert from Microsoft (among the many expired technical certifications I have)

I originally started looking at WGU years ago because of the IT component but now that I am looking at a business degree (marketing) I think UMPI might be better for me and I maybe making a mistake. I have already started the process with WGU, did my FAFSA, and had my transcripts sent to them but I have not gone through the full enrollment process, my start date is setting up to be April so I have not done an intake interview or had my transcipts evaluated yet.


Am I crazy to think about putting on the brakes with WGU and entertaining UMPI? As I am not enrolled there is no penalty I am assuming and I can just send FAFSA over the UMPI? 

Interested in any feedback!
-scott

Hello. I have started and stopped with WGU several times. The main problem I had with WGU is they only transferred 12 units. 12! They had my transcripts for a month! UMPI transferred all 70 units of my previous course work in less than a week.  All my credits are from my local community college and a state college I attended, so I couldn't understand what the issue was with WGU. Also, WGU constantly fumbled around with my financial aid.  The left hand never seemed to know what the right hand was doing over there. My experience with UMPI has been good so far.  I just accessed my FAFSA and removed WGU and added UMPI. I would check out UMPI if you have the ability to do so. Good luck!

[kidneysmasher]

I have attended both and graduated from both. i think it depends on the degree you are looking for in your choice of schools to attend. Since you are leaning towards a business degree, I would recommend UMPI over WGU. They are super accommodating, the course structure is decent, and real instructors give you feedback on your finals. My wife turned in the final for her last class this week. She transferred in 60 credits from Sophia an did 21 classes at UMPI. It took her 5 terms, while she was working a full time job.

I was in the process of re-attending WGU to get a BS Cloud Computing, but they are so disorganized now that I am rethinking attending. I applied as a retrun graduate student in mid-Jan and I am still waiting on an evaluation and intake.

[DolceDolce]

So... as the old saying goes, "I wish I would have found this forum sooner!"

This is my first post. I am a 44 year old, mid-career IT turned marketing professional who is career-stuck without my degree, so I am decided to go to WGU and get my degree in Marketing. I have had no formal college education, this is my first foray in this realm. I am not a novice to adult learning, however, with over 15 technical certifications mainly in old Microsoft disciplines.

As it currently sits, I have 51 CUs that would transfer into WGU, mainly Sophia with 2 Saylor's thrown in...

Of course, now that I started reading up on UMPI YourPace and there seems to be be some major advantages that I can tell, namely additional Sophia courses I can take, and my Google certifications (which I have four from Coursera, the IT, Data Analyst, Project Management, and Digital Marketing) and the UX one is almost completed AS WELL as my Microsoft Azure cert from Microsoft (among the many expired technical certifications I have)

I originally started looking at WGU years ago because of the IT component but now that I am looking at a business degree (marketing) I think UMPI might be better for me and I maybe making a mistake. I have already started the process with WGU, did my FAFSA, and had my transcripts sent to them but I have not gone through the full enrollment process, my start date is setting up to be April so I have not done an intake interview or had my transcipts evaluated yet.


Am I crazy to think about putting on the brakes with WGU and entertaining UMPI? As I am not enrolled there is no penalty I am assuming and I can just send FAFSA over the UMPI? 

Interested in any feedback!
-scott

This is exactly me!  (Except for the degree field.)  What did you end up doing? It's also only $1400 versus $3k, right?

[rachel83az]

UMPI is $1400 per 8-week session.

[bjcheung77]

And post #4 literally tells you, they stuck it out with WGU. https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid387678