Next Steps for Bachelors

[liz0814]

I have come to the point where I need to decide where to go to complete my bachelors. I was at the local community college, and ready to transfer to a university here in KS (FHSU), but I really want to accelerate my path. I have started the application process at WGU, with a current start date of September, and wasn't thrilled with my transfer eval (18 units awarded) and while researching some Sophia classes, came across UMPI and now I just don't know what route to take. I am wondering if it seems reasonable to crank out some Sophia credits (maybe Study.com, too), start UMPI in September, and finish within a year (or less, I'd be totally fine with that!). I'm struggling to figure out which classes will transfer for what, besides the obvious ones, in order to determine what to take through Sophia.

Your Location: currently in Kansas, but a FL resident (military spouse)
Your Age: 35
What kind of degree do you want?: I was planning to do Sociology at FHSU, swapped to Middle Grade Mathematics Teaching at WGU, and now am considering Psychology at UMPI. My ultimate goal is to get my Master's in School Counseling, which doesn't require any specific bachelor's degree, hence the range of different paths.
Budget: As low as possible. I haven't paid anything out of pocket yet thanks to FA and a small scholarship, and would like to maintain a similar trend in order to afford the Masters program.
Commitments: I am a stay-at-home mom but my kids are all school-aged. So just that, my spouse and pets.
Dedicated Time to Study: I typically commit to schoolwork from 9-2 M-F but can find an extra hour or two here or there throughout the week. (25+ hours a week).
Timeline: ASAP, one year if possible.
TA/Employer Reimbursement: None, though I qualify for FA.
Current Regional Accredited Credits: 
University of South Florida (19):
A&P I, 3, C
A&P I Lab, 3, F
English 1, 3, B
Intro to Sociology, 3, C
Origins: Big Bang to Ice Age (Geology), 3, D
Introduction to Oceanography, 3, B
World Geography, 4, C

Barton Community College (33):
Computer Concepts and Applications, 3, A
Interpersonal Communication, 3, A
Basic Nutrition, 3, A
College Algebra, 3, A
Introduction to Counseling, 3, A
English II, 3, A
Physical Geology, 3, A
Physical Geology Lab, 1, A
Psychology of Serial Killers, 3, A
Spanish I, 5, A
Contemporary Social Problems, 3, A

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits:  None

Any certifications or military experience? None

So grateful for all of the information shared here! Thank you to everyone who dedicates their time to helping others!!

- Liz

[Duneranger]

I have come to the point where I need to decide where to go to complete my bachelors. I was at the local community college, and ready to transfer to a university here in KS (FHSU), but I really want to accelerate my path. I have started the application process at WGU, with a current start date of September, and wasn't thrilled with my transfer eval (18 units awarded) and while researching some Sophia classes, came across UMPI and now I just don't know what route to take. I am wondering if it seems reasonable to crank out some Sophia credits (maybe Study.com, too), start UMPI in September, and finish within a year (or less, I'd be totally fine with that!). I'm struggling to figure out which classes will transfer for what, besides the obvious ones, in order to determine what to take through Sophia.

Your Location: currently in Kansas, but a FL resident (military spouse)
Your Age: 35
What kind of degree do you want?: I was planning to do Sociology at FHSU, swapped to Middle Grade Mathematics Teaching at WGU, and now am considering Psychology at UMPI. My ultimate goal is to get my Master's in School Counseling, which doesn't require any specific bachelor's degree, hence the range of different paths.
Budget: As low as possible. I haven't paid anything out of pocket yet thanks to FA and a small scholarship, and would like to maintain a similar trend in order to afford the Masters program.
Commitments: I am a stay-at-home mom but my kids are all school-aged. So just that, my spouse and pets.
Dedicated Time to Study: I typically commit to schoolwork from 9-2 M-F but can find an extra hour or two here or there throughout the week. (25+ hours a week).
Timeline: ASAP, one year if possible.
TA/Employer Reimbursement: None, though I qualify for FA.
Current Regional Accredited Credits: 
University of South Florida (19):
A&P I, 3, C
A&P I Lab, 3, F
English 1, 3, B
Intro to Sociology, 3, C
Origins: Big Bang to Ice Age (Geology), 3, D
Introduction to Oceanography, 3, B
World Geography, 4, C

Barton Community College (33):
Computer Concepts and Applications, 3, A
Interpersonal Communication, 3, A
Basic Nutrition, 3, A
College Algebra, 3, A
Introduction to Counseling, 3, A
English II, 3, A
Physical Geology, 3, A
Physical Geology Lab, 1, A
Psychology of Serial Killers, 3, A
Spanish I, 5, A
Contemporary Social Problems, 3, A

Current ACE, CLEP, or NCCRS Credits:  None

Any certifications or military experience? None

So grateful for all of the information shared here! Thank you to everyone who dedicates their time to helping others!!

- Liz

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

All you need to know. It's a new degree and I haven't seen many people finish it. The research class tends to get people for some reason.

[RachelB]

What kind of degree do you want?: I was planning to do Sociology at FHSU, swapped to Middle Grade Mathematics Teaching at WGU, and now am considering Psychology at UMPI. My ultimate goal is to get my Master's in School Counseling, which doesn't require any specific bachelor's degree, hence the range of different paths.

I've considered going the school counselor route, too, so I'm curious if you already know where you want to do your Master's?

[bjcheung77]

@liz0814, Welcome to the board, great intro post with the addendum and template. If you are certain that you can get into a few of the Masters programs in School Counselling without any major, then you can go for the UMPI BLS with minor in Educational Studies and take the 4 classes that can go towards the MAOL if you want to have a Masters later in Organizational Leadership (can be used in a school setting or any where else).

Review these links, create a spreadsheet of the requirements and use it for reference and tracking purposes, you may want to link us to your one/google drives, make the file viewable (not editable) and we can comment on any changes or recommendations if needed. The main thing is, transfer a max of 90 credits, and complete the 30 residency credits at UMPI.

UMPI: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Un...esque_Isle
WIKI: https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/Category:UMPI

so grateful to  have this information

Welcome to the board, you may want to create a new thread for your own personal educational journey, by filling in the addendum and template, similarly to what the original poster has done. The more info, the better we can picture your overall scenario and can help you with your goal, or at least point you in the correct direction...

[allvia]

Many schools have military tuition rates available to spouses of active members - I know TESU does, so you may want to look into their options as well. You have plenty of RA credits already, and TECEPS count towards residency for military - https://www.tesu.edu/military/spouses-dependents

[natshar]

WGU also has a pschyology degree as well as many different education studies degrees. The educational studies are like the teaching ones but without the student teaching portion. People have been able to complete the educational studies degrees in one term. Another option is stay with WGU and do more CLEP/ACE, etc. to get more credits done before Sept 1st.

[liz0814]

What kind of degree do you want?: I was planning to do Sociology at FHSU, swapped to Middle Grade Mathematics Teaching at WGU, and now am considering Psychology at UMPI. My ultimate goal is to get my Master's in School Counseling, which doesn't require any specific bachelor's degree, hence the range of different paths.

I've considered going the school counselor route, too, so I'm curious if you already know where you want to do your Master's?

I don’t! I am such an over-thinker that I just have to focus on one step at a time or I will overwhelm myself ?‍?

---

WGU also has a pschyology degree as well as many different education studies degrees. The educational studies are like the teaching ones but without the student teaching portion. People have been able to complete the educational studies degrees in one term. Another option is stay with WGU and do more CLEP/ACE, etc. to get more credits done before Sept 1st.

That is such a great point. I was so frustrated by my transfer evaluation that I didn’t even consider alternative routes at WGU. My thought with the teaching cert program was that it will be readily useful if I need to work a bit before I jump into my Master’s. I’m going to look into the other options you mentioned! Thank you!

[bjcheung77]

degree attestation:That is such a great point. I understand how frustrating transfer evaluations can be. It’s essential to consider alternative routes. 
degree equivalence These processes ensure your qualifications are recognized, which can open up more opportunities for you.
scholarships available can also be a game-changer, helping to fund your studies and alleviate financial stress. Additionally, keeping up-to-date. 
university information about programs and requirements can provide more clarity and options.
The teaching certification program sounds like a practical step, especially if it offers immediate job opportunities before you pursue your Master’s. Exploring all these options will definitely give you a broader perspective and more choices. Thank you for sharing, and good luck!

Note: I have edit your post and removed a link for your 'scholarships' info, it's pointing to a PK government website...

[ss20ts]

https://degreeforum.miraheze.org/wiki/UM...egree_Plan

All you need to know. It's a new degree and I haven't seen many people finish it. The research class tends to get people for some reason.

On Discord there are people who have completed the BA in Psychology at UMPI. There are quite a few students in it right now. They chat quite a bit about their courses.