03-31-2024, 10:18 PM
Not only is the path to an MSW feasible using one of the Big Three, I and a friend of mine have done it (I have my MSW, he is in his last semester), and I have another friend taking the same route who will be starting his MSW in the fall. And I was older than you when I started. 
Your path will be slightly different because you have no college credits to start with, but this should not pose a major hassle.
I (and two other friends of mine) personally went the TESU route, which is more expensive than the UMPI route, but in your case, UMPI might make more sense since you have no college credits to start with. The trick is, TESU will require 16 credits earned from institutionally accredited colleges, from somewhere, to transfer in, or you can earn them at TESU.
Regardless of whether you choose UMPI or TESU, I think those will probably be better options than Excelsior. Charter Oak, in my opinion, is not remotely worth considering; they've done a fabulous job of ruining what was once a really good degree completion program.
You can earn most of your undergraduate credits at Sophia.org. That's about $100/month, and if you are really diligent, you can probably knock out 18-21 credits/month through Sophia. Others with more knowledge can help with how best to navigate TESU's requirement to earn 16 accredited credits if you go that route. I chose TESU because its general education requirements are among the most flexible, there's no foreign language requirement, and, being a math phobe, I liked being able to earn my math credit using CSM Learn, which is interesting and not your typical math course. TESU accepts it as your math credit; I don't know if UMPI does.
The route I and my two friends took was to earn credits through Sophia and Coopersmith (and I did a few CLEP exams, but now Sophia has pretty much all the coursework, making the CLEPs less valuable.). Transferred into TESU, took the two required courses (cornerstone and capstone), and graduated.
During my first-and-last semester at TESU, I applied to MSW programs. I was accepted at both schools I applied to and started my MSW just a few weeks after finishing my BA.
There are a bunch of options for the MSW, but I'll save you the several weeks of research I did: Western New Mexico University is where I went. It's an excellent, school, with the most flexibility of any program I found. You can take as many or as few credits per semester (within reason) as you wish, faculty are great; I didn't have any professors who were awful, and only one I'd classify as "bad" (only because she basically ghosted the class). Everyone else was outstanding, the administration is very accessible and helpful. It's a small school (about 2800 students total) that's been around for 100+ years, part of the NM state university system. And it is among the least expensive online programs in the country at about $35K all in for the two-year non-adavnced standing.
As long as you have a strong GPA for the classes you take at TESU or UMPI (3.0 or better), and write a compelling Statement of Purpose (your admissions essay), you will likely get in; because they are a virtual program, they can increase or decrease faculty as needed to meet student demand.
20K won't get you through both, obviously, but FAFSA direct unsubsidized student loans are available to pay for your MSW, so you can pay cash for your undergrad (Unless your income is low enough to qualify for Pell grants in undegrad). I don't know what the cost would be at UMPI, but I suspect, based on what I understand, that it would likely be a bit less than TESU. At TESU you're looking at about $7-8K +/- all in if you take the route I took. You have to add into that the cost of the 16 RA credits you'll need, which you can earn at a community college or other sources. That can be as cheap as $750, perhaps even less.
Outside of the RA credits, you should be able to complete the undergrad in maybe a year if you're putting 15-20 hours/week into it. The MSW, my friend went full time and also worked full time, so that's doable. Keep in mind, the MSW will require about 900 hours of practicum at an appropriate agency. Most agencies do not pay their practicum students, but paid practica do exist (I was lucky enough to get one) and WNMU definitely allows them (some schools do not.)
Fee free to message me if you have other questions. And good luck! There were many students in their 40s, 50s, 60s when I was at WNMU, so you won't be alone.
Your path will be slightly different because you have no college credits to start with, but this should not pose a major hassle.
I (and two other friends of mine) personally went the TESU route, which is more expensive than the UMPI route, but in your case, UMPI might make more sense since you have no college credits to start with. The trick is, TESU will require 16 credits earned from institutionally accredited colleges, from somewhere, to transfer in, or you can earn them at TESU.
Regardless of whether you choose UMPI or TESU, I think those will probably be better options than Excelsior. Charter Oak, in my opinion, is not remotely worth considering; they've done a fabulous job of ruining what was once a really good degree completion program.
You can earn most of your undergraduate credits at Sophia.org. That's about $100/month, and if you are really diligent, you can probably knock out 18-21 credits/month through Sophia. Others with more knowledge can help with how best to navigate TESU's requirement to earn 16 accredited credits if you go that route. I chose TESU because its general education requirements are among the most flexible, there's no foreign language requirement, and, being a math phobe, I liked being able to earn my math credit using CSM Learn, which is interesting and not your typical math course. TESU accepts it as your math credit; I don't know if UMPI does.
The route I and my two friends took was to earn credits through Sophia and Coopersmith (and I did a few CLEP exams, but now Sophia has pretty much all the coursework, making the CLEPs less valuable.). Transferred into TESU, took the two required courses (cornerstone and capstone), and graduated.
During my first-and-last semester at TESU, I applied to MSW programs. I was accepted at both schools I applied to and started my MSW just a few weeks after finishing my BA.
There are a bunch of options for the MSW, but I'll save you the several weeks of research I did: Western New Mexico University is where I went. It's an excellent, school, with the most flexibility of any program I found. You can take as many or as few credits per semester (within reason) as you wish, faculty are great; I didn't have any professors who were awful, and only one I'd classify as "bad" (only because she basically ghosted the class). Everyone else was outstanding, the administration is very accessible and helpful. It's a small school (about 2800 students total) that's been around for 100+ years, part of the NM state university system. And it is among the least expensive online programs in the country at about $35K all in for the two-year non-adavnced standing.
As long as you have a strong GPA for the classes you take at TESU or UMPI (3.0 or better), and write a compelling Statement of Purpose (your admissions essay), you will likely get in; because they are a virtual program, they can increase or decrease faculty as needed to meet student demand.
20K won't get you through both, obviously, but FAFSA direct unsubsidized student loans are available to pay for your MSW, so you can pay cash for your undergrad (Unless your income is low enough to qualify for Pell grants in undegrad). I don't know what the cost would be at UMPI, but I suspect, based on what I understand, that it would likely be a bit less than TESU. At TESU you're looking at about $7-8K +/- all in if you take the route I took. You have to add into that the cost of the 16 RA credits you'll need, which you can earn at a community college or other sources. That can be as cheap as $750, perhaps even less.
Outside of the RA credits, you should be able to complete the undergrad in maybe a year if you're putting 15-20 hours/week into it. The MSW, my friend went full time and also worked full time, so that's doable. Keep in mind, the MSW will require about 900 hours of practicum at an appropriate agency. Most agencies do not pay their practicum students, but paid practica do exist (I was lucky enough to get one) and WNMU definitely allows them (some schools do not.)
Fee free to message me if you have other questions. And good luck! There were many students in their 40s, 50s, 60s when I was at WNMU, so you won't be alone.
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