Strategizing Best Degree for FAST Completion?

[:-)]

Hello forum folks, 

Having delved into the rich trove of knowledge within this forum, I come before you today seeking guidance and strategy in my quest to earn my degree in the fastest way possible. 

Your Location: Chicago, USA

Your Age: A young and eager 21.

What kind of degree do you want?: I will be tapping into my employer's generous 100% covered degree plans. Here's my order of preference.
 - BS in Business Analytics - Oregon State University
 - BS in General Business: Business Analytics - LSU Online
 - BS in Business Administration (BSBA) - University of Arizona
 - BS in Business Administration - Southern New Hampshire University

So far, I've amassed a humble 9 credits. They look like this.

City Colleges of Chicago:
 - ENGLISH101: Composition - 3 Credits
 - MATH118: General Education Math - 4 Credits
 - MATH18: Co-Curricular for Math 118  - 2 Credits

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits: None.

Any certifications or military experience? Nada.

Budget: I am only choosing one of my employer’s covered degrees. Outside of that, money isn't the issue. Time is what I'm chasing, so I'll splash the cash for whatever speeds things up. 

Commitments: I work both a full-time job and an internship. I work nearly everyday, often for long hours, and I would be using as much free time as possible for this. I'd much rather endure a few hellish months of caffeine fueled all-nighters than drag this out for years.

Timeline: The faster, the better. If I could lay my hands on a degree within a year, it would be nothing short of a dream come true. 

So, if you've got any lightning-fast academic hacks or sage advice for this speed demon's journey, fire away!!! 

What would be the best degree to pursue and credits to achieve this?  

[bjcheung77]

@:-) I've got hair on my smiley face! Anyways, great post and introduction, it's got the basic addendum/template details. Just wondering, does your employer work with Bright Horizons (EdAssist) or Guild Education for your tuition reimbursement? Do they only have a select few colleges/universities they 'partner' with and it has to go through them? Most tuition assistance programs don't really care who you go with, some have a preference, and others only select institutions... Do you know the limit to that 100%, is it the standard 5K or more?

[rachel83az]

Definitely answer bjcheung77's questions because it's entirely possible that you've overlooked a school somehow. However, of those you listed, SNHU is going to be the fastest. It won't be super fast, because it'll still take over a year from where you are now, but it's the most transfer friendly (as far as we are aware) one there. There are degree plans on the wiki to help make the degree completion take as little time as possible: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:SNHU

[Heartstrings]

Is there a reason why you want the degree as fast as possible? You're only 21. I am in my 40s and I remember when I was in undergrad in my 20s. I was majoring in accounting and my advisor said I will not graduate until 2008. So I took the fastest route and majored in psychology. 2008 has come and gone and I would have had a career in something where I didn't have to live in poverty. Just something to think about.

[bjcheung77]

Some people want to get things done quickly, so they're ahead in life... just like this person here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...thout-CLEP

[Heartstrings]

Some people want to get things done quickly, so they're ahead in life... just like this person here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...thout-CLEP

I agree that people can be ahead in life at any age but instead of majoring in what can be completed the fastest what about majoring in something that they like or are passionate about.

[allvia]

Is there a reason why you want the degree as fast as possible? You're only 21. I am in my 40s and I remember when I was in undergrad in my 20s. I was majoring in accounting and my advisor said I will not graduate until 2008. So I took the fastest route and majored in psychology. 2008 has come and gone and I would have had a career in something where I didn't have to live in poverty. Just something to think about.

.

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Some people want to get things done quickly, so they're ahead in life...

I agree that people can be ahead in life at any age but instead of majoring in what can be completed the fastest what about majoring in something that they like or are passionate about.

@Heartstrings - Based on your own statements it seems that a business degree path would not have been wasted; which is the path the the OP is looking to take. I don't see how your personal experience changing from a business AOS (accounting) to psychology relates to this particular OP. If anything your experience suggests that the business path is a wise choice. Actually, psychology requires education beyond a bachelor for a professional role. So in your case, your 20-something self ended up putting you on a path that would require far more time in school than had you stuck with accounting as you had originally planned.

@:-) - Your choice of Business Admin for a bachelor is a good choice. It is a degree that will help you progress professionally in any field (no matter where your passion takes you), as every career is connected by business. If speed is your goal, then as rachel83az pointed out, SNHU offers the fastest path based on the school choices you listed; this because you can transfer in a significant number of quick and low cost alternative credits to them to reduce the amount of traditional courses you'll need to take. Yes, those alternative credits would be an out of pocket expense to you, but a small price to pay to maximize your current employer's tuition assistance.

[LevelUP]

Is there a reason why you want the degree as fast as possible? You're only 21. I am in my 40s and I remember when I was in undergrad in my 20s. I was majoring in accounting and my advisor said I will not graduate until 2008. So I took the fastest route and majored in psychology.  2008 has come and gone and I would have had a career in something where I didn't have to live in poverty. Just something to think about.

Liberal Arts majors can be valuable, provided you are aware of their limitations.

Psychology is popular because it can be applied to a wide range of fields, including healthcare, teaching, criminal justice, business, or any profession involving human interaction.

To thrive in the job market, strong communication and creative skills are essential when pursuing a liberal arts degree.

In the case of a business/technology degree, having strong communication and creative skills can be advantageous, although technical skills alone can sometimes suffice.

Having said that, you can achieve anything you set your mind to. For instance, some English majors end up becoming software developers.

[Heartstrings]

Is there a reason why you want the degree as fast as possible? You're only 21. I am in my 40s and I remember when I was in undergrad in my 20s. I was majoring in accounting and my advisor said I will not graduate until 2008. So I took the fastest route and majored in psychology. 2008 has come and gone and I would have had a career in something where I didn't have to live in poverty. Just something to think about.

.

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Some people want to get things done quickly, so they're ahead in life...

I agree that people can be ahead in life at any age but instead of majoring in what can be completed the fastest what about majoring in something that they like or are passionate about.

@Heartstrings - Based on your own statements it seems that a business degree path would not have been wasted; which is the path the the OP is looking to take. I don't see how your personal experience changing from a business AOS (accounting) to psychology relates to this particular OP. If anything your experience suggests that the business path is a wise choice. Actually, psychology requires education beyond a bachelor for a professional role. So in your case, your 20-something self ended up putting you on a path that would require far more time in school than had you stuck with accounting as you had originally planned.

@:-) - Your choice of Business Admin for a bachelor is a good choice. It is a degree that will help you progress professionally in any field (no matter where your passion takes you), as every career is connected by business. If speed is your goal, then as rachel83az pointed out, SNHU offers the fastest path based on the school choices you listed; this because you can transfer in a significant number of quick and low cost alternative credits to them to reduce the amount of traditional courses you'll need to take. Yes, those alternative credits would be an out of pocket expense to you, but a small price to pay to maximize your current employer's tuition assistance.

Business degrees are a dime a dozen these days now too. I couldn't tell you if it is a wise decision. Life is short and it is even longer if you're doing something you hate. If someone is passionate about history and anthropology it wouldn't make sense to have a job in a corporate office if they would rather be outdoors. I have actually seen some people on this forum and this not something I want to continue to be apart of. This is my last post.

[:-)]

@:-) I've got hair on my smiley face!  Anyways, great post and introduction, it's got the basic addendum/template details.  Just wondering, does your employer work with Bright Horizons (EdAssist) or Guild Education for your tuition reimbursement?  Do they only have a select few colleges/universities they 'partner' with and it has to go through them?  Most tuition assistance programs don't really care who you go with, some have a preference, and others only select institutions...  Do you know the limit to that 100%, is it the standard 5K or more?

My employer goes through Guild! I have a couple of other programs available, but these are the ones that are fully covered for me.

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Is there a reason why you want the degree as fast as possible? You're only 21. I am in my 40s and I remember when I was in undergrad in my 20s. I was majoring in accounting and my advisor said I will not graduate until 2008. So I took the fastest route and majored in psychology.  2008 has come and gone and I would have had a career in something where I didn't have to live in poverty. Just something to think about.

I work in finance and want a bachelor's degree in order to obtain certifications/licensure that requires it. My employer is completely onboard in helping me advance in my career, so I just need to do my part.