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Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - Printable Version

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Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - JordanF - 03-16-2023

Location: Southern California, United States
Age: 19
Degree Type: Leaning towards AS in business management
Budget: I would like to spend as little as possible. I have $10k saved up, but I will be buying a car soon
Current Credits/ACE: None
Dedicated time to study: Currently I can spend full time, but I will be getting a job to fund my tuition, so that will likely change.
Timeline: I have no set timeline. Budget and accommodations are more important for me
Disability: Accommodation Insufficiency and Convergence Insufficiency

Information
I have been homeschooled for my entire life, mostly due to an eye condition that makes it difficult for me to look up close for longer periods of time.  I probably won't be able to get a traditional office job due to this (unless it's remote), so I just want to get a simple degree to aid my resume in any other job I want to get.  I should also add that I can't take SATs as it is done in person, and I can't concentrate on things close to me for long periods of time. 

What's a cheap, easy, and open admissions online college that I can attend?  I would also prefer to avoid colleges that proctor their exams, and instead go to one that is open book.  The reason for this is that I've had iffy responses when it comes to proctors and my use of a projector.  In addition, I just get very nervous with the idea of being watched throughout taking a test.  Again, I was homeschooled, so the idea is somewhat foreign to me. 

I am completely ok with a diploma mill, as long as it is affordable.  I would also prefer it to be regionally accredited, but I wouldn't have any problem with a nationally accredited university if it was very cheap and lax.  The ability for the college to accept credits from a program like Sophia would also be greatly appreciated, but this is not mandatory for me.

As for one last question.  If I were to get a degree in Information Technology instead of Business Management, would this be very useful for non IT jobs (e.g. being a retail manager)?  And how realistic would it be to enter the IT field purely remotely?  Again, I would likely have difficulties working in a physical office. 

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I hope I created this post right.  If I have unknowingly broken any rules, please let me know and I will fix my post. I am a bit lost in life right now, so I will deeply appreciate any answers given to me!

RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - bjcheung77 - 03-16-2023

Throw out and discard the thought of a degree mill, pass on the nationally accredited ones as well for now.  When do you turn 20?  Did you get a homeschool/high school diploma yet?  Since you mentioned Sophia.org and Business/IT, I suggest you take exactly that route and supplement it with Coursera TADA offerings for extra credit towards a Pierpont BOG AAS with emphasis in either Business or Info Systems.

BTW, you missed the template and last post addendum here: New to DegreeForum? How this Area works! | I usually recommend people to fill in all the info so it gives us a clearer picture of what exactly you're looking for and with these details it provides us a better overview of your goals, it helps us determine how we can best help you as each person has a different situation or scenario... 

Again, focus on three things, Certs, Degree, Experience - Coursera/TADA will provide free certs and you'll gain some experience in the courses taught.  You can ladder those up to an Associates degree from Pierpont by the time you hit 20 or 21, take as many inexpensive offerings and freebies available for you, even the TEEX Cybersecurity courses and others as well...

RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - rachel83az - 03-16-2023

Depending on exactly when your birthday is, you actually have a couple of choices. I would honestly skip the idea of an AS and just go straight to a Bachelor's degree. A Bachelor's degree, ironically, can be faster, cheaper, and easier than most Associate degrees. Your best options are as follows:

  1. Pierpont's BOG AAS - this is the cheapest Associate you can get
    • You need to have graduated HS at least 2 years ago and you need to be at least 20 years old (maybe 21?). If you are almost 20, this is a great and inexpensive way to earn an Associate degree while you work on your Bachelor's degree. A Bachelor's degree is going to be a much, much better boost to your resume than any Associate degree.
    • This degree is FREE, except for the cost of Sophia.org and Arizona State University Universal Learner credits. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Pierpont_C%26TC
    • Sophia should cost $300 or less, depending on how fast you are able to work through the Sophia courses.
    • The single ASU credit you need costs $25.
    • If you want an Area of Emphasis in Business or in Information Systems, you can also take certificates on Coursera. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera The cost for this ranges from free (through The American Dream Academy) to maybe $100. Cost depends on certificate and how fast you can complete them.
    • Coursera, Sophia, and this ASU class do not use any proctoring!
  2. UMPI
    • UMPI requires students to be at least 21 years of age.
    • UMPI does not have any true technical degrees. The closest is probably their BLS with a Concentration in Management Information Studies. They have multiple business degrees, including one for Project Management.
    • The Sophia courses you took for the AAS could be used for UMPI, so long as you plan ahead.
    • Cost is only $1400 per session, which works out to $700/mo. Most students are able to complete a degree in 2-3 sessions, after maximizing transfer from Sophia.
    • Courses consist of papers or projects, not proctored exams.
    • Degree plans for UMPI are here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI
  3. Perdue University Global
    • Minimum age for enrollment is 18.
    • I don't think that there are any proctored exams, just writing. A lot of writing. dfrecore should be able to confirm the lack of proctored exams (her husband has attended PUG for his Bachelor's degree) or just contact the university directly.
    • Can transfer in credits from Sophia to lower time/cost. Unlike UMPI and Pierpont, however, we don't have any really clear guidelines on what classes to take prior to enrollment and which would be unnecessary. But we can make some good guesses, should you choose PUG!
    • Cost is $2500 per 10-week term for ExcelTrack. I believe students need at least 2 terms, often 3, because of the writing.
    • ExcelTrack has Information Technology available as a degree.
  4. SNHU
    • This is the most expensive option because you're looking at a minimum tuition spend of at least $10k.
    • Cost is per-credit, not per term or per session like PUG or UMPI.
    • Pretty clear mapping - we know what courses would be needed and from where in order to minimize tuition at UMPI.
    • Least expensive degree would require Study.com credits. You'd have to contact Study.com about possible disability accommodations. They are disability friendly. https://study.com/academy/popular/accessibility-and-disability-accommodations-at-studycom.html Although proctored, Study.com courses do not use a LIVE proctor. This gives SDC itself discretion regarding what is and is not allowed. Study.com is usually very, very helpful. Most of the time, nobody even looks at the video for the proctored exam.
    • SNHU has a Computer Science degree available. This would arguably be more in-demand for someone wanting to work remote than a degree in IT.
    • Degree plans for SNHU are here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI


RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - Vle045 - 03-16-2023

A degree mill is never accredited. And no employer will take it seriously. If anything, it will decrease your chances of getting a job. So don’t bother with them.

My suggestions are the same as rachel83az’s first two options.

RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - dfrecore - 03-16-2023

I don't think an AA will enhance your resume at all - very few jobs require one, so you can either get a job that doesn't require any degree at all, or a job that wants a bachelor's degree, in which case an AA won't suffice.

But grabbing the Pierpont AAS on the way to a bachelor's degree is an easy win.

I would add TESU and/or Excelsior to your list of bachelor's degrees. Excelsior is a great option if you want to take ALL of your courses via Sophia and Study.com (Sophia for everything you can, and Study.com for your UL.

RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - JordanF - 03-18-2023

(03-16-2023, 01:41 AM)bjcheung77 Wrote: Throw out and discard the thought of a degree mill, pass on the nationally accredited ones as well for now.  When do you turn 20?  Did you get a homeschool/high school diploma yet?  Since you mentioned Sophia.org and Business/IT, I suggest you take exactly that route and supplement it with Coursera TADA offerings for extra credit towards a Pierpont BOG AAS with emphasis in either Business or Info Systems.

BTW, you missed the template and last post addendum here: New to DegreeForum? How this Area works! | I usually recommend people to fill in all the info so it gives us a clearer picture of what exactly you're looking for and with these details it provides us a better overview of your goals, it helps us determine how we can best help you as each person has a different situation or scenario... 

Again, focus on three things, Certs, Degree, Experience - Coursera/TADA will provide free certs and you'll gain some experience in the courses taught.  You can ladder those up to an Associates degree from Pierpont by the time you hit 20 or 21, take as many inexpensive offerings and freebies available for you, even the TEEX Cybersecurity courses and others as well...
Thank you for your response! I have added some additional information in the main thread.  I do have my high school diploma. However, it isn't a diploma from an official high school because I was (legally) homeschooled.  

(03-16-2023, 05:34 AM)rachel83az Wrote: Depending on exactly when your birthday is, you actually have a couple of choices. I would honestly skip the idea of an AS and just go straight to a Bachelor's degree. A Bachelor's degree, ironically, can be faster, cheaper, and easier than most Associate degrees. Your best options are as follows:

  1. Pierpont's BOG AAS - this is the cheapest Associate you can get
    • You need to have graduated HS at least 2 years ago and you need to be at least 20 years old (maybe 21?). If you are almost 20, this is a great and inexpensive way to earn an Associate degree while you work on your Bachelor's degree. A Bachelor's degree is going to be a much, much better boost to your resume than any Associate degree.
    • This degree is FREE, except for the cost of Sophia.org and Arizona State University Universal Learner credits. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Pierpont_C%26TC
    • Sophia should cost $300 or less, depending on how fast you are able to work through the Sophia courses.
    • The single ASU credit you need costs $25.
    • If you want an Area of Emphasis in Business or in Information Systems, you can also take certificates on Coursera. https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera The cost for this ranges from free (through The American Dream Academy) to maybe $100. Cost depends on certificate and how fast you can complete them.
    • Coursera, Sophia, and this ASU class do not use any proctoring!
  2. UMPI
    • UMPI requires students to be at least 21 years of age.
    • UMPI does not have any true technical degrees. The closest is probably their BLS with a Concentration in Management Information Studies. They have multiple business degrees, including one for Project Management.
    • The Sophia courses you took for the AAS could be used for UMPI, so long as you plan ahead.
    • Cost is only $1400 per session, which works out to $700/mo. Most students are able to complete a degree in 2-3 sessions, after maximizing transfer from Sophia.
    • Courses consist of papers or projects, not proctored exams.
    • Degree plans for UMPI are here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI
  3. Perdue University Global
    • Minimum age for enrollment is 18.
    • I don't think that there are any proctored exams, just writing. A lot of writing. dfrecore should be able to confirm the lack of proctored exams (her husband has attended PUG for his Bachelor's degree) or just contact the university directly.
    • Can transfer in credits from Sophia to lower time/cost. Unlike UMPI and Pierpont, however, we don't have any really clear guidelines on what classes to take prior to enrollment and which would be unnecessary. But we can make some good guesses, should you choose PUG!
    • Cost is $2500 per 10-week term for ExcelTrack. I believe students need at least 2 terms, often 3, because of the writing.
    • ExcelTrack has Information Technology available as a degree.
  4. SNHU
    • This is the most expensive option because you're looking at a minimum tuition spend of at least $10k.
    • Cost is per-credit, not per term or per session like PUG or UMPI.
    • Pretty clear mapping - we know what courses would be needed and from where in order to minimize tuition at UMPI.
    • Least expensive degree would require Study.com credits. You'd have to contact Study.com about possible disability accommodations. They are disability friendly. https://study.com/academy/popular/accessibility-and-disability-accommodations-at-studycom.html Although proctored, Study.com courses do not use a LIVE proctor. This gives SDC itself discretion regarding what is and is not allowed. Study.com is usually very, very helpful. Most of the time, nobody even looks at the video for the proctored exam.
    • SNHU has a Computer Science degree available. This would arguably be more in-demand for someone wanting to work remote than a degree in IT.
    • Degree plans for SNHU are here: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI
I just wanted to say, thank you so much for all of this information!  I was considering SNHU before, but Pierpoint looks rather appealing now.  I saw on their website that if you don't have SATs, then you might have to take a placement exam.  Is this exam proctored? And is it very difficult to gain entry into business?

RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - rachel83az - 03-18-2023

For the Pierpont BOG AAS, there is no entrance/placement exam. All you need is a HS diploma or GED and to be at least 20 or 21 years of age (I think it is 20, but I don't want to give you the wrong information). You will not be taking any Pierpont classes for the degree, so placement exams don't matter. You'll transfer in everything from Sophia and ASU. Maybe Coursera, if desired.

RE: Looking For Cheap, Simple College For AS Degree For My Disability - bjcheung77 - 03-18-2023

JordanF Wrote:@BJ - Thank you for your response! I have added some additional information in the main thread.  I do have my high school diploma. However, it isn't a diploma from an official high school because I was (legally) homeschooled.  

@Rachel83Az - I just wanted to say, thank you so much for all of this information!  I was considering SNHU before, but Pierpoint looks rather appealing now.  I saw on their website that if you don't have SATs, then you might have to take a placement exam.  Is this exam proctored?  And is it very difficult to gain entry into business?

@JordanF, you didn't confirm when you turn 20. It won't really matter, I would still suggest getting credit through Sophia.org for now and then laddering that up with Coursera/TADA to get some more Business/IT credits under your belt.  This should also add some experience to both fields as those interest you most it seems.  For the Pierpont degree, the courses we recommend are all self paced and non-proctored.

rachel83az Wrote:For the Pierpont BOG AAS, there is no entrance/placement exam. All you need is a HS diploma or GED and to be at least 20 or 21 years of age (I think it is 20, but I don't want to give you the wrong information). You will not be taking any Pierpont classes for the degree, so placement exams don't matter. You'll transfer in everything from Sophia and ASU. Maybe Coursera, if desired.

@JordanF, exactly what I mentioned in the previous post, work on the certs from Coursera in Business/IT through TADA.  Also work on Sophia.org courses that will go towards the Pierpont BOG AAS, and a future Bachelors.  You should take a look at the Pierpont to UMPI BLS WIKI, I suggest multiple minors such as MIS and Management.

Complete the TEEX Cybersecurity, Coursera/TADA, and Sophia.org offerings through the following links here:
Credit: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Free_Sources_of_Credit
Coursera: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Coursera
Pierpont: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Pierpont_C%26TC