Florida International University Online Degree ($10k! ACE accepted)

[sambam0812]

Hmm.. that almost makes them close to the "big 3", and very, very close to COSC, just 30-50% more depending on which big 3 and how frugal you are shooting for

Yes, but they're more prestigious than any of big 3. In fact, they have the 6th largest facilities among US universities.

Their ACE credit requirement isn't that simple though. You must pass proctored finals with good grades.

6th largest facilities in the US? Are we talking about football stadiums or research facilities? Where I live no one cares about FIU and most people have never heard of it. Same holds true for many universities. It all depends on your location if it's impressive.

I think that’s based on the fact that their campus is pretty much spread across Miami; so they do own quite a lot of real estate. 

Depending on the program, you either have heard of FIU and it’s prestigious, or there’s another Florida school that’s better so everyone talks about that one. 

I only wish their grad program costs were as nice as their undergrad.

They're 6th largest because of the real estate they own? That could be all dorms. Absolutely meaningless. Where I live no one cares about Florida. It's thousands of miles away. If someone earned a degree from a school with big name recognition like USC that matters even though it's on the other side of the country. FIU isn't going to be a big deal to much of the country especially since their claim to fame is real estate holdings. I mean the University of Rochester is in my backyard, but they are an internationally renowned medical research facility. They brag about that not how much real estate they own or lease and trust me they're all over the place with medical offices. I go to their doctors because of the specializations they offer not because they own 100 buildings in a 10 square mile distance.

Inadvertently, you are. More buildings means more funding. More funding means better quality staff, better quality facilities, a higher chance they perform significant research, etc.

Same applies for universities. As I said, it’s usually only in relation to one or 2 programs (In this case it’s marine science; they have the worlds only underwater lab). They also have a pretty decent business school.

Notoriety and renowned aren’t the same thing. There are plenty of articles on how many ways FIU has plenty of fantastic programs that are well known in the US. In circles where they matter (namely their international business school and marine science department) people know about them, regardless of where those people live. The fact that you haven’t seen them on the 6 o clock news and therefore claim no one cares about them where you live is probably a good thing.