What Was Your TOTAL DEGREE COST?

[lprstn]

I am trying to compare the total degree cost some have that have gone an alternative route to traditional college.

I am setting a bit higher for my recent graduate, but am working with another of my kids in this journey.

My recent graduate did DSST, CLEPS, Community College and graduated from UMUC.edu in 2.5 yrs of this and I spent a total of $29,800 for her 4 year degree. I am trying to get my next kid's cheaper.

[rowan555]

I am trying to compare the total degree cost some have that have gone an alternative route to traditional college.

I am setting a bit higher for my recent graduate, but am working with another of my kids in this journey.

My recent graduate did DSST, CLEPS, Community College and graduated from UMUC.edu in 2.5 yrs of this and I spent a total of $29,800 for her 4 year degree. I am trying to get my next kid's cheaper.

My son received his bachelors degree in business last fall at WGU (after completing over 90 credits via Straighterline, Study.com, Ed4Credit, ALEKS, and Sophia Pathways) - our total cost ended up being $3,200.

[burbuja0512]

Back in 2011, I used almost all CLEP/DSST. There were a few SL classes, but not nearly like what exists today. However, I only had to pay for a Capstone, no Cornerstone needed.

So, with all that you see below and COSC expenses, I was around $6k. I think with Shmoop (hate it, but it's cheap) today you could save a ton of money over testing.

[Ideas]

Last year, a person could still test out of the BSBA capstone at TESU. (Capstone is at least $1098.)

Also it depends on what kind of degree. For example, a BALS is about the cheapest, but a degree in Biology would require a bunch of lab courses at around $1100 each.

[cookderosa]

When I did my AA & BA from TESU, both were just about 6k too. I have kept track of all the costs of college credit my kids have earned/are earning.
I think rather then squeezing every penny, you have to break it down into resourceful college planning vs paying rack rate. Anything you do that reduces your rack rate is a win imo.

Regular community college averages $100/credit, so if you did your first 1/2 there, you're in for about $6000. Then, regular in-state public universities average around $400 per credit, so figure another $24000 which puts you at about $30k rack rate. (for those STARTING at the 4-year uni, I'll just shake my head...)

So, you can reduce that SIGNIFICANTLY during the 100/200 level credit years. In fact, I think you can get that cost down to a couple thousand if you price shop / credit shop and STILL go to a 4 year uni and pay rack rate. If you find a college that is generous with accepting CLEP/AP or even ACE, you can probably get that into 1-2 thousand. If you have the opportunity to get free dual enrollment like my state (NC) that is $0 tuition for the associate's degree.

If you can find a 4 year uni under $400/credit, that guarantees transfer of the first 50, that awards upper level credit for DSST exams, and that allows you to study via distance learning (saving on dorm fees) you can really shave costs.

Further, if a parent is willing to change jobs and start working at a college (even as a cook or janitor) you can almost always get free tuition for your kids. There are a lot of things you can do, and I think that most parent's default into the "scholarship question" which is really (IMO) the wrong question. For many people, they can look at a price tag and say "wow, I'm saving 50%, so this is a great deal" while others will say "forget the percentage, tell me the dollars" so it depends on what point of view you take. My son could have taken an athletic scholarship, but it would have required him to borrow over 50k vs MY PLAN which means we are all in for about 10k lol. Again, it's not right/wrong but I think there are many ways to get the costs down.

PS to add, military is also still offering free tuition.

[cannoda]

$1480 

USNY - BSb in Accounting with approx. 130 semester hours of credit

mid 1980s.   all but 9 credits by exam.

  includes enrollment fees, test fees, couple of correspondence courses, all books, graduation fees. 

[MNomadic]

PS to add, military is also still offering free tuition.

Yes and no. People who served in the military don't pay for their tuition with money but they do pay.

[dfrecore]

You can get a BSBA or BALS at TESU for less than $3500 if you utilize all of the different ways to get cheap/free credits - free credits through Sophia, NFA, The Institutes, 6 free courses through the Guardian/Study.com scholarship, multiple courses through Shmoop, $25 courses through Saylor, and as many courses as you can pass for free using the ModernStates/CLEP partnership (free CLEP tests and even reimbursement of test center fees).

That amount will change when the Study.com affiliate membership agreement expires on 6/30 - prices will go up. But, it should still be under $4,000.

For that price, I would say that you should definitely take some classes at your local CC (it's kind of a drag to take EVERYTHING online, take some interesting things from some good professors at college), and even take some more expensive UL courses in your major at another school - things that really interest you and you want to really delve into. Get the rest through testing out/online courses, and you've got yourself a pretty good degree.

And like Jennifer likes to say, if you've got a kid who wants a higher degree like a master's, you should DEFINITELY spend as little as possible on the BA, and then you can splurge a bit on the MA.

[clep3705]

I'd have to add up all of the years of lost income and add that.

[MSK9]

Guess it's all relative to your circumstances. I haven't lost any income finishing school.