Speed/Ease of completion - SL vs SDC vs Penn Foster

[ryanaryn]

Long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I completed my BSAST (Nuc Eng Tech) at TESC (I mean, "TESU") waaaaaay back in 2004. I mostly followed the old bain4weeks.com plan that was accurate at the time. I took over a dozen CLEP/DANTES exams, and transferred in copious credits from my military training. A few graduate courses at a brick and mortar state university closed some gaps, and voila, I had a degree. 

Fast forward 15 years, and I'm looking to tack on a bunch of credits to my existing TESU transcript via credit banking so that I can qualify to sit for the CPA exam. I met the experience requirement to become a CPA about a decade ago. I work only in tax, via an IRS-issued credential (Enrolled Agent). I don't do income tax preparation, but rather work on higher level, complex business tax matters. I have zero desire to ever work in audit or any other accounting arena.

The desire for a CPA license is purely for personal satisfaction, not professional. In fact, I don't even care about the CPA license itself, I just want to prove to myself that I can pass all four parts of the exam. But in order to sit for the exam, I need to meet the education requirement.

Most of the required business courses I can complete via additional CLEP/DSST exams. I'm fairly confident that I can pass the federal income taxation TECEP and the CSU Global SSA/CBE exam for federal business taxation with almost no study. But this leaves me with 15 semester hours of Upper Level accounting courses that my state will still require.

Based on other threads I've read through here on DegreeForum, some combination of Straighterline, Study.com, and Penn Foster courses will get me across the goal line.

Of the three, which provides the courses that can be completed the fastest?

I am looking at this regardless of cost, and regardless of whether I actually learn anything. I realize this latter statement may be grossly offensive to a lot of people, but given that my objective is merely to qualify to take the CPA exam rather than practice, I believe it to be a reasonable position to take.

Thank you!

If you are looking for pure speed, SDC can't be beat.  You can fly through the quizzes without needing to watch the videos because the answers are provided to all the quizzes.  That is especially helpful when you already know the content, as you clearly do.  Writing the essays for the UL courses is easy enough too.  You don't need a high grade to pass, just make sure you follow the grading rubric and you'll easily get the 57% you need.  It doesn't sound like you need to study, you just need to pass the class.  So for your situation SDC is great.  I completed 8 classes in one month, averaging a B for each one and that included writing several essays.  It's hard work, but once you find your rhythm it's pretty easy.