Athabasca University- Prov gov trying to kill

[Johann]

Athabasca is great if you have some credits from college already for transfer, they have the BGS and it's possible to transfer in 100% of the degree, you just pay the current price of application/graduation fees and voila, you're done with the degree. 

The BGS is a 3 year degree. 90 credits. That might not suit a lot of Americans. Also, these days,nowhere do they come out and say in black and white it's 100% transfer possible. At least nowhere I could see it. They used to - that was the big feature of this ONE degree. I believe some things have changed in that regard. I know they don't take CLEP etc. so if you have a pile of transfer courses from that or other test-out sources or providers like Sophia, you're probably out of luck. You'll probably get credit for those you took at other RA (or Canadian) schools and maybe a bit of PLA or experiential learning if you complete the meticulous portfolio process AND your credits match one of the 2 BGS streams. As I said - this is not quite a "Big 4th."  Maybe not even close.

I wouldn't doubt you could still complete the process for this ONE DEGREE without Athabasca courses - but you'd probably spend a lot of time and $ at other schools, under the watchful eye of Athabasca - and it would cost plenty. Anybody who's done it in the last few years - I'd love to hear disagreement and stories of how you completed your BGS degree for a reasonable cost.  I'd especially like to know where you took the required courses, if other than Athabasca. Back in the early 90s I heard very encouraging things. It's been a long while... except on the Canadian side. I think a 2-year Canadian CC diploma with high marks would net you something like 45 credits "Time Served." on the BGS provided all the courses matched up (and the Warden liked you.)  I think you could get up to 60 credits (2 years Time Served) on a 4-year degree, depending on course requirements.

I don't believe it's a "voila you're done." If not Athabasca, you have to take / have taken the prescribed courses at an approved school. It can't be a hodge-podge. Your credits have to match the requirements. One of 2 streams. I doubt the "usual" 3rd party course-suppliers are going to do you any good here. This is not UMPI. It's not even TESU. (and I'm not saying those aren't good schools - they are. I think they're just way more flexible on amount of transfer credit or how you earn credits.) 

Athabasca was never an "easy" school. Nor was it inexpensive. Expedient? Often. Good? Yeah - always. I have to give 'em that. You have an Athabasca degree? That's something! Congratulations. You earned it. And you paid for it.