UMPI vs. WGU

[Indy73]

I am considering either UMPI or WGU at this time. I know WGU does have some paper classes, but its mostly proctored exams. I've heard UMPI is mostly paper classes. I am absolutely horrible at writing papers and yes I know I will have to get over that. If I can avoid paper classes, I am going to try to. Now if UMPI papers aren't than many words, I'd rather do that than take a proctored exam. Can anyone give me some suggestions on insight please?

[ss20ts]

Do you plan on going to grad school? If yes, then you need to learn how to write papers for college. Depending on your major, UMPI may have a couple of exams or no exams at all. The vast majority of UMPI's courses are papers. Some are 3-5 pages long and go up to 15+ pages long. It depends on the class as well because some are projects which vary in length as well.

[bjcheung77]

It also depends on the degree you're looking at, UMPI has the BA, BABA, BLS offerings with several majors, concentrations and minors available to select. WGU has offerings in Business, Education, Healthcare/Nursing, and IT. My suggestion is to decide on the degree offering and the course content, some people will review things differently than others, it's great to see their advice and opinions, but you're the one who ultimately makes that choice...

If it was me, I would pick UMPI BLS and transfer in the max of 90 credits (75%) into the degree, if you can do the same with WGU, then you've got to make a decision then, otherwise, WGU programs mainly have very little general education courses compared to UMPI. If you think the general education courses are easier, then UMPI is better, if you don't want the gen ed course and want to "specialize" more, then WGU is the choice...

[Jennr2z]

I am considering either UMPI or WGU at this time. I know WGU does have some paper classes, but its mostly proctored exams. I've heard UMPI is mostly paper classes. I am absolutely horrible at writing papers and yes I know I will have to get over that. If I can avoid paper classes, I am going to try to. Now if UMPI papers aren't than many words, I'd rather do that than take a proctored exam. Can anyone give me some suggestions on insight please?

Out of the 10 courses that I took at UMPI, only one was an exam. The rest were papers or PowerPoints. Most of the papers were a minimum of 1500 words, so at least 6 pages plus a cover and reference page. One of my PowerPoint projects was 36 slides and ~ 7000 words and was the most overwhelming course I took, but the rest were great. Once you start writing it’s pretty easy to get to 1500 words, in fact I generally went over by several hundred just because I was in to the topic. I have heard that the WGU proctoring is awful…

[dfrecore]

WGU and UMPI have very different majors, and very different degrees. If you prefer testing out, but want a History degree, it doesn't matter what you think about UMPI, because WGU doesn't offer that degree. If you would prefer writing papers, but really want a degree in Healthcare Administration, WGU is your only option. So first, you need to know what degree you're wanting.

1) If you want CJ, English, History, PoliSci or Liberal Arts, WGU doesn't offer those, but UMPI does. If you want a teaching, IT or Nursing degree, then you can only choose WGU.

2) If you want a business degree, then it really depends on the concentration/minor - UMPI has Project Management and Supply Chain which WGU doesn't offer. WGU has HRM, IT Mgmt, Healthcare Management, and Health Info Mgmt that UMPI doesn't offer.

3) They both have Accounting, Management, Marketing. So this is really the only time you're choosing between the two in an apples-to-apples comparison. UMPI requires a lab science, a foreign language, and some other courses in the GE - 40cr total. WGU generally requires 30 or 33cr of Gen Ed courses.

The accounting degree at WGU has 11 courses/34cr that cannot be transferred in; and then another 4 courses/10cr in the major that can't be found inexpensively, leaving 15 courses/44cr to take during your 6mo term.

The management degree at WGU has 10 courses/33cr that cannot be transferred in; and then another 3 courses/9cr in the major that can't be found inexpensively, leaving 13 courses/42cr to take during your 6mo term.

The marketing degree at WGU has 11 courses/34cr that cannot be transferred in; and then another 2 courses/4cr in the major that can't be found inexpensively, leaving 13 courses/38cr to take during your 6mo term.

UMPI will have their own courses that can't be brought in. But you can do a similar breakdown.

So really, you first need to look at the degree you want; and then the concentration; and then the overall courses you already have taken, and determine what's left to take. THAT will be how you can compare the degrees.

[bjcheung77]

@Indy73, in addition to my post above and info provided, you really need to see what courses you have brought in as well, if you've done Sophia.org or Study.com courses, the UMPI would be very similar to the assignments or touchstones for those. If you can get past a Sophia.org or Study.com course, then UMPI is your option to go for if the degree you're looking for is offered by them...