09-14-2023, 06:26 PM
I originally made this post on reddit and was directed here.
I am a non-traditional student (I'm 41) who entered the working world at 19. I quickly discovered that work experience trumps all, and I've only recently returned to school because of various factors that would take too long to relate here. I am also not a USA citizen.
I find that a lot of what I have learned in university so far (I'm 70 credits into my BA, I have an Associate's) is stuff I've already either learned on the job or through my own experiences.
How do I finish the degree with a minimum of fuss, bother, and money? Since I'm already 70 credits in, I want to just finish it up at this point. I have some money, but not a lot. Scholarships would be good (I have gotten them at every school I've attended, 3.8 GPA)
I'm potentially interested in an MA/PhD, but only if it can be obtained efficiently and affordably.
I'm interested in that and similar methods of gaining credit or bypassing courses based on demonstrated knowledge. For instance, I have been self-studying psychology for about 2 decades now, so I am beyond the MA level (my therapist agrees) I have a diverse skill set in many areas (acting, writing, business) which I can provide references for.
I have Googled this, but as it is not a common query there is not a lot of information on it. A lot of universities also have their own stipulations - some accept work experience, some don't, some grant partial credit, some...it's too individual for me to ask EVERY college I want to enroll in.
Most people advised talking to advisors. For a lot of universities, that is gated behind an official enrollment, which means I need to pay money. I'm not willing to do so unless I know I will be attending the school. The few universities I contacted were not helpful, and I've experienced huge delays (sometimes half a year) in trying to get my queries answered.
I figured I'd ask here again because I am only one person and it's a big world.
tldr; I want to obtain a BA with minimal fuss, I have the skills and not the papers
I am a non-traditional student (I'm 41) who entered the working world at 19. I quickly discovered that work experience trumps all, and I've only recently returned to school because of various factors that would take too long to relate here. I am also not a USA citizen.
I find that a lot of what I have learned in university so far (I'm 70 credits into my BA, I have an Associate's) is stuff I've already either learned on the job or through my own experiences.
How do I finish the degree with a minimum of fuss, bother, and money? Since I'm already 70 credits in, I want to just finish it up at this point. I have some money, but not a lot. Scholarships would be good (I have gotten them at every school I've attended, 3.8 GPA)
I'm potentially interested in an MA/PhD, but only if it can be obtained efficiently and affordably.
I'm interested in that and similar methods of gaining credit or bypassing courses based on demonstrated knowledge. For instance, I have been self-studying psychology for about 2 decades now, so I am beyond the MA level (my therapist agrees) I have a diverse skill set in many areas (acting, writing, business) which I can provide references for.
I have Googled this, but as it is not a common query there is not a lot of information on it. A lot of universities also have their own stipulations - some accept work experience, some don't, some grant partial credit, some...it's too individual for me to ask EVERY college I want to enroll in.
Most people advised talking to advisors. For a lot of universities, that is gated behind an official enrollment, which means I need to pay money. I'm not willing to do so unless I know I will be attending the school. The few universities I contacted were not helpful, and I've experienced huge delays (sometimes half a year) in trying to get my queries answered.
I figured I'd ask here again because I am only one person and it's a big world.
tldr; I want to obtain a BA with minimal fuss, I have the skills and not the papers
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