Options for "Fast/Cheap" Credits that Give a Letter Grade at the Big Three?

[dfrecore]

The Big Three let us bulk import ACE credits to satisfy degree requirements. Most of us are aware of the opportunity cost trade-off in doing so: they're just credit, not a letter grade that impacts your GPA. Depending on your exact situation, this can be a benefit or a drawback.

I'm attracted to the speed of credits from the likes of Straighterline, but would like a GPA grade. Are there realistic options for this that are similarly low cost and self-paced?

I've looked at pen and paper correspondence courses — though rare, those are still a thing — but they do in fact look like full courses worth of workload and less like "cram like hell and take 1-5 tests and you're ready." I'm not sure if those would yield a GPA grade or not.

I've also looked at the ePacks from TESU but it looks like I'd have to formally enroll. That's a bit of a turnoff, as I'd like to delay my enrollment until I'm ready to cash out my credits and graduate.

I realize I am trying to bake my cake and eat it too: cheap credits, with 3-14 days worth of effort, a GPA grade, and a low price point. Thoughts?

If you want graded credits from an RA school, there are lots of decently-priced options, but they will all require time and completing a full course.  Nothing like $30/cr.  If you want free or ultra-low-cost then you get those from alternative course/exam providers and don't get a grade.

The only exception is that COSC will bring in a grade from some cost providers (OD, Study.com, SL - I think).  But if you were to go to another school later for another degree, and they wanted to see your transcripts, these probably won't work since the "grades" are COSC's invention.