Question - Can not find answer anywhere!

[cookderosa]

Hello fine folks,

I am 46 years old and about to go back to school! I have reached a point in my life where I am ready to commit. I travel with work a lot, so online self paced classes are a must. I have also read a TON here on this site and want to pursue as much of the DIY credits as I can. And this brings me to my question...

First, my employer has a credit agreement with American Public University (APU). I have received extensive training on the job and have confirmed APU will offer me 28 to 30 credits for my work training portfolio. However APU will ONLY allow a total of 30 "Non Traditional" credits to be transferred. This includes ACE credits, as APU considers these as "non traditional". So this drastically limits any ACE transfer credits (and on top of that I am already getting the 30 non traditional on the job credits, so none of the ACE credits would transfer).

My thoughts... (and will this work): Enroll with Thomas Edison University (now, or later date) and peruse ACE credit courses and submit to them for credit. I would eventually build a transcript with them as they accept the ACE courses. And when I reach a certain point, transfer my Thomas Edison transcript to APU as "Traditional" credits (APU will take up to 90 traditional credits I think - or a combination of).

To sum it up... Will APU have anyway of knowing (or care) that my transcript at Thomas Edison was built-up by "non traditional" credits?

(another way to ask... Can I use Thomas Edison to launder ACE credits into traditional credits

Thanks in advance to all who replies!

Take care,

vcv.

The whole APUS system caps undergrad degree alternative credit at 30 (I think it used to be higher, this might be a new development).

APUS defines *Nontraditional Transfer Credit as:

Non-Academic - earned based on an assessment, competency testing, experience, and/or determination of knowledge.

Military Occupation - earned through experience.

Acceptable Sources of Nontraditional Transfer Credit:

American Council on Education (ACE)
National Guide - corporate/agency training
Military Guide - military occupations
Career Portfolios
College Level Exams (ALEKS/CLEP/DSST/AP/Excelsior Exams)
Internal Credit Recommendations (IRs) not evaluated by ACE
International Baccalaureate (IB)
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) that have been evaluated by ACE and
recommended for undergraduate level credit
Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) not evaluated by ACE
National College Credit Recommendation Service (National CCRS)
formerly known as National PONSI
Prior Learning Assessment
StraighterLine

What's Accepted-Undergraduate

My opinion, which you're not going to believe, is that you should leave the 30 credits from your job on the table. Don't even pursue them. They are a tremendous distraction.

(and no, you can't launder credit.)

Earning 30 credits through a company like Straighterline or via testing like CLEP will take you somewhere in the neighborhood of 3 months or less. It will cost something between $500-$1500. In other words, to get to the same place where APUS is putting you would take very little cash or time, it's not the advantage you think it is.

After they award you the 30 job credits, you're still left with earning 90 more- and doing that at APUS is going to be expensive and time consuming. EVEN IF you were able to transfer in from your community college, you're trying to construct a degree in a way that is using a dozen moving parts for 3x the cost.

Credit for Prior Learning is a wonderful marketing tool that universities use. It has huge enticement value, and makes you feel like your work history is really being validated- a huge ego boost to those who may have felt underemployed by not having a degree, or beat out for promotions by some kid who doesn't know squat but has a piece of paper. Don't fall for it. This is a "coupon" for an otherwise very expensive, over-priced product that you can do elsewhere for the same results AND pennies on the dollar.

EDIT to add: there are COMMUNITY COLLEGES that allow more alternative credit than this. Scott Community College, my employer for 18 years, allows students to bring in 45 toward a 60 credit degree. APUS isn't a deal.