Most affordable way to finish undergraduate college degree? (Bachelor's)
May 28, 2017 6:54 AM Subscribe
My partner had to leave college many years ago before completing his undergraduate degree. He now works full-time and a few months ago, he was able to start taking classes again at a different, local university. However, he has massive student loans already and this program may double his debt. There must be more affordable ways to do this, right? We are willing to get creative!
Seven years ago, my partner had to leave college in the middle of his senior year (without his degree) due to multiple semesters of failing grades. Since then he's been working full-time, developing a solid career, and working on improving the habits that tripped him up in college. And sending a lot of his income toward his student loans, which are massive with a balance around $70K right now.
He stayed eager to complete his degree and a few months ago he was able to start taking classes again. He chose a well-regarded local university with an all-online undergrad program for "busy adults" / nontraditional students who are finishing their degree. It's a quality program that allows him to finish classes quickly (he can fit in 30 credits per year while also working full-time) with a convenient structure (all online, no in-person classes) -- but it is very expensive, in line with the university's "prestige". When he registered, it seemed like the best option when we weighed all the factors. But, we underestimated the number of credits that he needs to graduate and just learned that he actually has 50+ credits left, or 2 years. That's a long way to go and we've estimated that the whole thing will cost an additional $50-60K by the time he's done.
It is hard to overstate how flabbergasted and overwhelmed I am by the expense, and it is making us reconsider the decision. I come from modest, frugal background and it's hard to accept it's our best option. To make things more complicated, we just got married a few months ago (yay!) and are talking about whether/when to buy our first house and whether/when to have children. I'm almost 35 so we don't have a lot of time to waste on the kids front, should we decide to have them ourselves. But the idea of carrying that much debt while taking on such a massive life change freaks me out. If it were up to me, we'd have no debt before taking on any of those challenges, but that doesn't seem realistic at this point.
So, the way I approach this is to see this as a puzzle. We have these constraints and goals, and we're trying to find the optimal solution for him to complete the degree as quickly and affordably as possible, and we are willing to think outside the box. There must be better options out there than what we've found so far, right? If you have been in a similar situation, I would love to know -- how did you complete your degree? We are looking for any and all ideas right now about how to do it. For example: I know that in some countries, college is *free* or very inexpensive so could that be an option? Either to move there OR if they offer an online degree program? Is there a program that is so accelerated that it is worth him quitting his job to do school full time, like if they could fit 60 credits into one year? Are there programs that offer some college credit in exchange for real-life live/work experience, that he has so much of? Etc....
Any and all creative ideas and advice would be so, so appreciated, including specific programs that you may have had success with or known people who did. General advice is welcome too. We're determined to figure this out. Thank you in advance.
PS. The one alternative we've started looking into so far is the less "prestigious" universities in our area, because some offer more affordable programs for nontraditional students. In general I'm a fan of this because I like the idea of the cost savings (they cost only 50-60% of his current university), which translates to a few years less of debt payments. The disadvantages are that they require in-person class time and they move slower (he may only be able to finish 15-18 credits per year, not 30) so it would take him 4 years instead of 2 years to graduate. He also believes that the prestige of his current university is worth paying for - but I'm not convinced that it really matters. It's hard to decide how to weight those factors.
Seven years ago, my partner had to leave college in the middle of his senior year (without his degree) due to multiple semesters of failing grades. Since then he's been working full-time, developing a solid career, and working on improving the habits that tripped him up in college. And sending a lot of his income toward his student loans, which are massive with a balance around $70K right now.
He stayed eager to complete his degree and a few months ago he was able to start taking classes again. He chose a well-regarded local university with an all-online undergrad program for "busy adults" / nontraditional students who are finishing their degree. It's a quality program that allows him to finish classes quickly (he can fit in 30 credits per year while also working full-time) with a convenient structure (all online, no in-person classes) -- but it is very expensive, in line with the university's "prestige". When he registered, it seemed like the best option when we weighed all the factors. But, we underestimated the number of credits that he needs to graduate and just learned that he actually has 50+ credits left, or 2 years. That's a long way to go and we've estimated that the whole thing will cost an additional $50-60K by the time he's done.
It is hard to overstate how flabbergasted and overwhelmed I am by the expense, and it is making us reconsider the decision. I come from modest, frugal background and it's hard to accept it's our best option. To make things more complicated, we just got married a few months ago (yay!) and are talking about whether/when to buy our first house and whether/when to have children. I'm almost 35 so we don't have a lot of time to waste on the kids front, should we decide to have them ourselves. But the idea of carrying that much debt while taking on such a massive life change freaks me out. If it were up to me, we'd have no debt before taking on any of those challenges, but that doesn't seem realistic at this point.
So, the way I approach this is to see this as a puzzle. We have these constraints and goals, and we're trying to find the optimal solution for him to complete the degree as quickly and affordably as possible, and we are willing to think outside the box. There must be better options out there than what we've found so far, right? If you have been in a similar situation, I would love to know -- how did you complete your degree? We are looking for any and all ideas right now about how to do it. For example: I know that in some countries, college is *free* or very inexpensive so could that be an option? Either to move there OR if they offer an online degree program? Is there a program that is so accelerated that it is worth him quitting his job to do school full time, like if they could fit 60 credits into one year? Are there programs that offer some college credit in exchange for real-life live/work experience, that he has so much of? Etc....
Any and all creative ideas and advice would be so, so appreciated, including specific programs that you may have had success with or known people who did. General advice is welcome too. We're determined to figure this out. Thank you in advance.
PS. The one alternative we've started looking into so far is the less "prestigious" universities in our area, because some offer more affordable programs for nontraditional students. In general I'm a fan of this because I like the idea of the cost savings (they cost only 50-60% of his current university), which translates to a few years less of debt payments. The disadvantages are that they require in-person class time and they move slower (he may only be able to finish 15-18 credits per year, not 30) so it would take him 4 years instead of 2 years to graduate. He also believes that the prestige of his current university is worth paying for - but I'm not convinced that it really matters. It's hard to decide how to weight those factors.
I would go to the admissions office of the nearest community college and meet with a counselor. They will be able to set you straight.
I went to community colleges whose classes and degrees were recognized by the institution that I finally graduated from. I took every class that would be accepted at the less expensive school.
Unless the prestigious school is an Ivy or similar it probably doesn't matter. "Life experience" schools almost never have sufficient accreditation and seem to be largely scams. The same with "for profit" universities. Be aware that many non-traditional schools exist for the sole purpose of separating you from a large amount of money. Do not fall into that trap.
posted by pdoege at 7:21 AM on May 28, 2017 [15 favorites]
I went to community colleges whose classes and degrees were recognized by the institution that I finally graduated from. I took every class that would be accepted at the less expensive school.
Unless the prestigious school is an Ivy or similar it probably doesn't matter. "Life experience" schools almost never have sufficient accreditation and seem to be largely scams. The same with "for profit" universities. Be aware that many non-traditional schools exist for the sole purpose of separating you from a large amount of money. Do not fall into that trap.
posted by pdoege at 7:21 AM on May 28, 2017 [15 favorites]
First of all, I think he needs to clarify his reasons for wanting to finish his degree. Is this primarily about job opportunities that he thinks he's missing out on because he doesn't have a degree? Or is a psychological need to finish what he started? This may help him understand whether the prestige of the university really matters. In general, I tend to agree that institutional prestige isn't really going to be a factor for someone who has established a career, and maybe just getting any degree would be enough. If it's psychological, then he's going to have to way the expense against the psychological rewards of having a prestigious degree. I don't think it would be worth it for me, but we're not talking about me.
Has he checked out your state's flagship public university? They probably offer an online degree for people in his situation, and it wouldn't necessarily matter whether he's in the area. That could be a way to balance his desire for prestige vs. the expense. On the other hand, he should bear in mind that the online format can be pretty challenging, because online classes require a ton of self-discipline.
And yeah, definitely see if he can do any of his classes through community college. It's much cheaper, and community colleges are set up to accommodate working adults.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:24 AM on May 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
Has he checked out your state's flagship public university? They probably offer an online degree for people in his situation, and it wouldn't necessarily matter whether he's in the area. That could be a way to balance his desire for prestige vs. the expense. On the other hand, he should bear in mind that the online format can be pretty challenging, because online classes require a ton of self-discipline.
And yeah, definitely see if he can do any of his classes through community college. It's much cheaper, and community colleges are set up to accommodate working adults.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 7:24 AM on May 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
I'll second pdoege on access your local community college. The cost will be about a quarter of what the university is charging if not less. The point being that credits applied to your graduation requirement do not have to come from the university granting the degree.
posted by ptm at 7:26 AM on May 28, 2017
posted by ptm at 7:26 AM on May 28, 2017
A lot of the prestige of an institution derives from its selectivity, so open-enrollment programs don't carry nearly the same weight as a degree granted to someone who went through the regular admissions process. Here in Boston, both Harvard and Boston University offer separate degree programs for non-traditional students. Both are good programs, but neither has the admissions selectivity of the primary undergraduate programs, and most course are not taught by the same faculty as the primary programs. So, while the degrees they grant are legitimate, they don't carry the same weight with recruiters as the regular undergrad degrees.
posted by mr vino at 7:29 AM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by mr vino at 7:29 AM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
Prestige can matter for graduate school applications (but is by no means necessary) and can help with some kinds of career changes in specific situations. But if you just want a BA for completeness or to qualify for a promotion, in most cases it does not matter at all if it is from Prestigious Private U or the local Directional State University.
I'd go with the cheapest real option (meaning, no for-profits), including your local places as well as good online options. Don't just look at the price per credit hour -- talk with them to understand how many classes will actually be required and what the financial aid options might be.
I was helping someone research this a couple of years ago, and at that time our local non-prestigious state university had a program to streamline "returning" or non-traditional students at a fraction of the cost that your partner is currently looking at. At an absolute minimum, I would want to run the numbers to show that the expected gains in income would outweigh the student debt you are looking at taking on.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:35 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'd go with the cheapest real option (meaning, no for-profits), including your local places as well as good online options. Don't just look at the price per credit hour -- talk with them to understand how many classes will actually be required and what the financial aid options might be.
I was helping someone research this a couple of years ago, and at that time our local non-prestigious state university had a program to streamline "returning" or non-traditional students at a fraction of the cost that your partner is currently looking at. At an absolute minimum, I would want to run the numbers to show that the expected gains in income would outweigh the student debt you are looking at taking on.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:35 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
What is his major and what does he want to do when he graduates? Does he have data to show that the difference in salary upon graduating from this more prestigious school will pay for the increased cost? Or that there’s no way he’ll get the job from other than a top-tier institution?
For the vast majority of careers, especially those that only require a bachelors, the prestige of the school really doesn’t matter. If he’s staying in the same career he won’t be looked at as a new grad so the college he graduated from matters even less since they’ll look more at his work history. No one talks about where they went to school except maybe casually when telling a story or something. If he’s not attending in person he’s also not getting the networking and recruiting benefits that some more prestigious schools provide.
Unless he really does ‘need’ to go to the most prestigious school, he should pick a state school that will let him pay in state tuition rates and take the community college approach others have mentioned. Alternatively he can look for non-local universities that offer affordable online only programs.
posted by jshort at 7:46 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
For the vast majority of careers, especially those that only require a bachelors, the prestige of the school really doesn’t matter. If he’s staying in the same career he won’t be looked at as a new grad so the college he graduated from matters even less since they’ll look more at his work history. No one talks about where they went to school except maybe casually when telling a story or something. If he’s not attending in person he’s also not getting the networking and recruiting benefits that some more prestigious schools provide.
Unless he really does ‘need’ to go to the most prestigious school, he should pick a state school that will let him pay in state tuition rates and take the community college approach others have mentioned. Alternatively he can look for non-local universities that offer affordable online only programs.
posted by jshort at 7:46 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
My friend was able to complete her BA after 10 years away by asking for a more flexible schedule at work and being a full time student at CUNY (which offered many classes with AM and evening and weekend sessions) and full time employee. It was an incredibly tough haul for two and a half years, but she did it.
I'd be very wary of spending that much on ANYTHING given your life plans. How many courses is 30 credits? Is he really going to become educated blasting through coursework like that? Is the online version of that school the same education with the same admission standards, or more like a for-profit operation using the brand of the school to charge people insane amounts of money? Is he going into one of the very few lines of work where your alma mater means anything?
posted by kapers at 7:50 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'd be very wary of spending that much on ANYTHING given your life plans. How many courses is 30 credits? Is he really going to become educated blasting through coursework like that? Is the online version of that school the same education with the same admission standards, or more like a for-profit operation using the brand of the school to charge people insane amounts of money? Is he going into one of the very few lines of work where your alma mater means anything?
posted by kapers at 7:50 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
All of the advice above is sound. In general, on-line degrees do not offer the same prestige as in-person. And, at his age, with his career already underway, the prestige of his alma mater matters very little. His career track record is far, far more important.
I would suggest he meet with college advisers at all of the local, cheaper, public universities, with transcripts in hand. Ask them what he needs to complete his degree. How many of these credits can be done at the local community college, which will be cheaper and often with more flexibility in the schedule?
posted by umwhat at 8:01 AM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
I would suggest he meet with college advisers at all of the local, cheaper, public universities, with transcripts in hand. Ask them what he needs to complete his degree. How many of these credits can be done at the local community college, which will be cheaper and often with more flexibility in the schedule?
posted by umwhat at 8:01 AM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
Wait, he's already in $70k student loan debt? This seems INSANE to me. Even if you weren't planning for a family, what kind of life does he envision in $130k of debt?
Prestige is overrated even if he could afford it. I don't care where a job candidate went to school. I don't think you need to leave the country, I think he just needs to take as many community college credits as he can handle even if it takes longer. Is he simply determined to get an undergrad degree, or is he going into another line of work where he needs the degree right now? I'm not clear in the goal here.
Some jobs offer tuition assistance.
posted by kapers at 8:05 AM on May 28, 2017 [8 favorites]
Prestige is overrated even if he could afford it. I don't care where a job candidate went to school. I don't think you need to leave the country, I think he just needs to take as many community college credits as he can handle even if it takes longer. Is he simply determined to get an undergrad degree, or is he going into another line of work where he needs the degree right now? I'm not clear in the goal here.
Some jobs offer tuition assistance.
posted by kapers at 8:05 AM on May 28, 2017 [8 favorites]
This decision really is huge if you want kids, because how much you can spend on daycare (or having someone stay home) is going to be hugely different based on this choice. From the fact that he's spending huge amounts of his paycheque on loans currently, unless this exact degree (unlikely in an online program) is guaranteed to produce a much larger income, this is not either going to push your plans back years or make it a lot harder. Don't forget to account for "grandma gets sick" if you are depending on free care.
posted by warriorqueen at 8:08 AM on May 28, 2017
posted by warriorqueen at 8:08 AM on May 28, 2017
I completed a 2-year program similar to the one your spouse is talking about taking, designed for nontraditional students. It was an evenings/online program where you took 1 class every 4-6 weeks, so theoretically up to 36 credit hours a year. At the end of two years, I had my bachelor's, but the cost per year was closer to $6k. $25k/year is nuts, especially on top of your current debt load. I wouldn't be looking to add to the amount you already owe unless getting his degree would do something like double his income (for me, it did).
The only way I found about the nontraditional student program was by prepping to enroll in the day university and finding out that it wouldn't work with my work schedule. The counselor pointed me to the other program and saved me so much money and time. I'd talk to any local colleges in the area and see if they have any options like this. The day university cost per year was like 5 times the night school cost for me (it was, oddly enough, a private university, so don't exclude those from your searching).
posted by possibilityleft at 8:31 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
The only way I found about the nontraditional student program was by prepping to enroll in the day university and finding out that it wouldn't work with my work schedule. The counselor pointed me to the other program and saved me so much money and time. I'd talk to any local colleges in the area and see if they have any options like this. The day university cost per year was like 5 times the night school cost for me (it was, oddly enough, a private university, so don't exclude those from your searching).
posted by possibilityleft at 8:31 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: There's some information missing, such as the field he's working in, field studying, and your household income. As some have mentioned, prestige matters little for non-traditional students (with some caveats). For example, the company I work for just picked up an electrical engineer for ~$85K that graduated from FSU, while one of staff engineers graduated from the Naval Academy and makes about the same.
I'm 42, former military, and I completed my AAS, BA, MALS, and MPA between 2012 and 2016 (I had some credit for advanced military schools and some stray credits). The college I went to, Excelsior, is one of the grandfathers of distance learning and offers credit for practical, verifiable experience in your field. It's regionally accredited (in accreditation, regional means more than national), and relatively affordable. They offer payment plans, traditional student loan assistance, and have eight and sixteen-week terms. Essentially, they offer six terms every year (there are some self-paced options, but I wouldn't recommend them). I was tripling up for my undergrad, and doubling up for my graduate courses. With only needing ~50 hours, it's a solid option.
Now, my experience is a little unique, because paying for it wasn't a huge deal with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, but my "battle buddy" that went through the process with me didn't have it. He financed a bunch of it with Pell Grants (for the undergrad), scholarships (quite a few available), tuition assistance from our company, payment plan, and finally student loans (for what he couldn't cover).
We finished at the same time (up to the MALS).
Excelsior was my first choice, because it has a partnership with the US Army Sergeants Major Academy. I taught there for my last assignment in the Army. I looked at Western Governors University, which is also a solid option. It has an AYCE model, where you pay a standard tuition/fee and take all the classes you can in that year. The reason I didn't go was because their degree programs aren't quite as diverse (Teaching, Business, IT, and Health Care).
http://www.excelsior.edu/
https://www.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/tuition
posted by Master Gunner at 8:34 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm 42, former military, and I completed my AAS, BA, MALS, and MPA between 2012 and 2016 (I had some credit for advanced military schools and some stray credits). The college I went to, Excelsior, is one of the grandfathers of distance learning and offers credit for practical, verifiable experience in your field. It's regionally accredited (in accreditation, regional means more than national), and relatively affordable. They offer payment plans, traditional student loan assistance, and have eight and sixteen-week terms. Essentially, they offer six terms every year (there are some self-paced options, but I wouldn't recommend them). I was tripling up for my undergrad, and doubling up for my graduate courses. With only needing ~50 hours, it's a solid option.
Now, my experience is a little unique, because paying for it wasn't a huge deal with the Post 9/11 GI Bill, but my "battle buddy" that went through the process with me didn't have it. He financed a bunch of it with Pell Grants (for the undergrad), scholarships (quite a few available), tuition assistance from our company, payment plan, and finally student loans (for what he couldn't cover).
We finished at the same time (up to the MALS).
Excelsior was my first choice, because it has a partnership with the US Army Sergeants Major Academy. I taught there for my last assignment in the Army. I looked at Western Governors University, which is also a solid option. It has an AYCE model, where you pay a standard tuition/fee and take all the classes you can in that year. The reason I didn't go was because their degree programs aren't quite as diverse (Teaching, Business, IT, and Health Care).
http://www.excelsior.edu/
https://www.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/tuition
posted by Master Gunner at 8:34 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
I'm in an online bachelors completion program for social sciences right now at the University of Washington -- you don't mention what geographic area you're in, but there are plenty of people in my cohort who are out of state (or even outside the US). Consider looking at online completion programs that are not specifically in your area (i.e., not run by your local university) but that are accessible to people in your area. Master Gunner mentioned Western Governors University, and I can confirm it's a solid option -- I worked with a woman several years back who was working through her bachelors degree there, and not only do they work on an AYCE model, students can earn credit for knowledge obtained outside the classroom. In other words, you can keep costs down by testing out of courses on material you already know, instead of being forced to take a course that would be deadly boring due to easiness just because it's a required credit. So that helps a lot.
posted by palomar at 8:49 AM on May 28, 2017
posted by palomar at 8:49 AM on May 28, 2017
Oh, and the woman I worked with who was going to Western Governors U? She got her degree within a couple of years, while also working two jobs and being a single parent of three daughters, and now she's wrapping up an MBA at Gonzaga. So. Maybe really look into WGU.
posted by palomar at 8:51 AM on May 28, 2017
posted by palomar at 8:51 AM on May 28, 2017
Try Southern New Hampshire University, they have accelerated degree programs.
posted by SyraCarol at 8:57 AM on May 28, 2017
posted by SyraCarol at 8:57 AM on May 28, 2017
Wait, he's already in $70k student loan debt? This seems INSANE to me. Even if you weren't planning for a family, what kind of life does he envision in $130k of debt?
It is functionally insane but unfortunately not all that unusual. But part of that is the scam sold to lower income families that the prestige of college is worth it . . .
I agree with asking why he wants to finish at all. Also, is there a reason he's not going to HR at his job to see if they'll pay for any continuing ed? If he goes full time, many colleges will let him take a courseload of, say, 20 credits a semester to finish faster though I'm not sure it's really worth forgoing all income for that.
I think you're right about this one and he needs to look into cheaper options, if he really needs to finish at all. This will impact not only how much daycare you can pay for but also retirement and your children's future college options.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:58 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
It is functionally insane but unfortunately not all that unusual. But part of that is the scam sold to lower income families that the prestige of college is worth it . . .
I agree with asking why he wants to finish at all. Also, is there a reason he's not going to HR at his job to see if they'll pay for any continuing ed? If he goes full time, many colleges will let him take a courseload of, say, 20 credits a semester to finish faster though I'm not sure it's really worth forgoing all income for that.
I think you're right about this one and he needs to look into cheaper options, if he really needs to finish at all. This will impact not only how much daycare you can pay for but also retirement and your children's future college options.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:58 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
Both Western Governors and Excelsior are non-profit universities, which is significant. I would avoid for-profits, which have poor outcomes and not-great reputations.
There is a benefit to doing a program at a state university in your state, which is that you get in-state tuition. But definitely price out other options, because they may be cheaper.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:59 AM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
There is a benefit to doing a program at a state university in your state, which is that you get in-state tuition. But definitely price out other options, because they may be cheaper.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 8:59 AM on May 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Of the constraints you mention, I'd personally start working on the raw number of credits he needs to complete his BA. Another 50 credits (=18 courses, correct?) seems awfully high given that he's already had 3.5 years of undergrad (and he couldn't possibly have failed all those classes) + some additional continuing ed. Be aware that different schools will vary on how many of those previous courses they'll allow to transfer, and that this is absolutely something he can negotiate, particularly if he's shopping around between programs.
Continuing-ed programs are cash cows for universities, and all of them have enrollment quotas to meet; so admissions officers should be pretty willing to work with your husband to get the maximum credit for the education he's already completed, thus reducing the amount of coursework remaining for the degree. He should shop around all the options for continuing ed in the area, let them know he's shopping around, and have each of them look over his transcripts and rough out a degree plan. Then, he should take the option that offers him the most favorable combo of price + time to completion, which is likely to be considerably less than 50 credits.
Just as a side-note, though-- are you 100% sure you understand your husband's motivations in all this? If he's viewing this very expensive degree from "a well-regarded local university" not as a cold-blooded, well-researched career move, but as a way to make up for his past academic failings or to prove that he is, too, smart enough to get an impressive degree after all-- that is, if any part of this is about his self-esteem, his ego or his guilt over earlier choices, vs. simple economics-- then you're not going to be able to use reason alone to persuade him that prestige doesn't matter (which, as everyone's said, it totally doesn't in this case). So as you navigate this, maybe spend a bit of time discussing why it's so important to him to have a degree he perceives as "prestigious," independently of what it'll do on the job market.
posted by Bardolph at 9:04 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Continuing-ed programs are cash cows for universities, and all of them have enrollment quotas to meet; so admissions officers should be pretty willing to work with your husband to get the maximum credit for the education he's already completed, thus reducing the amount of coursework remaining for the degree. He should shop around all the options for continuing ed in the area, let them know he's shopping around, and have each of them look over his transcripts and rough out a degree plan. Then, he should take the option that offers him the most favorable combo of price + time to completion, which is likely to be considerably less than 50 credits.
Just as a side-note, though-- are you 100% sure you understand your husband's motivations in all this? If he's viewing this very expensive degree from "a well-regarded local university" not as a cold-blooded, well-researched career move, but as a way to make up for his past academic failings or to prove that he is, too, smart enough to get an impressive degree after all-- that is, if any part of this is about his self-esteem, his ego or his guilt over earlier choices, vs. simple economics-- then you're not going to be able to use reason alone to persuade him that prestige doesn't matter (which, as everyone's said, it totally doesn't in this case). So as you navigate this, maybe spend a bit of time discussing why it's so important to him to have a degree he perceives as "prestigious," independently of what it'll do on the job market.
posted by Bardolph at 9:04 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
I think he should look at whether any local masters programs will consider his life experience and allow him to do a full-time program for working adults. If I was going to spend $50k when I already almost had a full degree and years of experience, I would be looking for a solid MBA program, honestly. (And, by solid, I mean a real local university with an evening/weekend program.)
posted by shockpoppet at 9:52 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by shockpoppet at 9:52 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
(To clarify, I mean a full-time program that runs on weekends and evenings and not that he should drop out of work.)
posted by shockpoppet at 9:54 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by shockpoppet at 9:54 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
I don't think it makes sense to finish his degree unless it is a calculated career move, or you're desperate and his returning to school would send his loan payments into deferral for the duration. If he must finish his degree, we cannot answer this without more detail. We need to know:
1) How much transfer from elsewhere credit the university will accept-- if you can do it anywhere, obviously pay for the cheapest option.
2) Whether there is a credit-by-examination option (example: take biology exam because you already know the material, pass and receive credit, skip course)
3) Whether there is credit for experience (Sometimes a university will grant a chunk of credits to people who have career or military service, and the process will vary from proving you have experience to writing a justification report)
4) Whether he needs just credits, or if he needs specific program credits. If he needs specific program credits (like, "You must take 25 credits of This Specific University's Specific Program") then I would not finish the degree unless someone else was paying for it or it was definitely going to help his career. But if it's just "elective credits" and you can make them up from anywhere, then go for it.
Basically, find out exactly what you have to do and what you can be exempt from. Can he take a test to get out of something? Great, do that. He may be able to take a test or complete an assignment and "reactivate" some of his old credits. Some schools will cut you a deal.
Find scholarships. His work might pay for it-- it's work checking if there are tuition reimbursement programs or scholarships. My union is currently paying for my AA degree-- maybe there's something like that for him. Professional associations, churches, clubs, etc. Little bits of money do count.
FWIW These FEMA courses are easy, did not take me as long as advertised, and you can get transfer credit for $80-ish per unit
posted by blnkfrnk at 10:04 AM on May 28, 2017
1) How much transfer from elsewhere credit the university will accept-- if you can do it anywhere, obviously pay for the cheapest option.
2) Whether there is a credit-by-examination option (example: take biology exam because you already know the material, pass and receive credit, skip course)
3) Whether there is credit for experience (Sometimes a university will grant a chunk of credits to people who have career or military service, and the process will vary from proving you have experience to writing a justification report)
4) Whether he needs just credits, or if he needs specific program credits. If he needs specific program credits (like, "You must take 25 credits of This Specific University's Specific Program") then I would not finish the degree unless someone else was paying for it or it was definitely going to help his career. But if it's just "elective credits" and you can make them up from anywhere, then go for it.
Basically, find out exactly what you have to do and what you can be exempt from. Can he take a test to get out of something? Great, do that. He may be able to take a test or complete an assignment and "reactivate" some of his old credits. Some schools will cut you a deal.
Find scholarships. His work might pay for it-- it's work checking if there are tuition reimbursement programs or scholarships. My union is currently paying for my AA degree-- maybe there's something like that for him. Professional associations, churches, clubs, etc. Little bits of money do count.
FWIW These FEMA courses are easy, did not take me as long as advertised, and you can get transfer credit for $80-ish per unit
posted by blnkfrnk at 10:04 AM on May 28, 2017
Of the constraints you mention, I'd personally start working on the raw number of credits he needs to complete his BA. Another 50 credits (=18 courses, correct?) seems awfully high given that he's already had 3.5 years of undergrad (and he couldn't possibly have failed all those classes)
There's a handful of things that may be going on here:
(1) He has a number of courses that he passed but where his grades weren't high enough to qualify for transfer credit at one of the colleges he's looking at transferring to.
(2) Having passed courses that don't transfer means that he'll have gaps in prerequisite chains, meaning that he'll have to start that course sequence from scratch. If he's looking at a STEM major, this can play a significant role. For example, if he got a D+ in Calc I and a B- in Calc II, be might have been eligible to continue to Calc III at his first institution, but a new college might expect him to complete their Calc I and II because both credits aren't transfer-eligible if they won't accept courses with a grade below C.
(3) A number of his passed courses are too old to transfer (again, sometimes matters more with STEM majors).
posted by blerghamot at 10:49 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
There's a handful of things that may be going on here:
(1) He has a number of courses that he passed but where his grades weren't high enough to qualify for transfer credit at one of the colleges he's looking at transferring to.
(2) Having passed courses that don't transfer means that he'll have gaps in prerequisite chains, meaning that he'll have to start that course sequence from scratch. If he's looking at a STEM major, this can play a significant role. For example, if he got a D+ in Calc I and a B- in Calc II, be might have been eligible to continue to Calc III at his first institution, but a new college might expect him to complete their Calc I and II because both credits aren't transfer-eligible if they won't accept courses with a grade below C.
(3) A number of his passed courses are too old to transfer (again, sometimes matters more with STEM majors).
posted by blerghamot at 10:49 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Well, if we're being honest, the cheapest way is just to insinuate he already has a degree. On his resume, he could just say "XYZ University 2006-2010". He was, after all, there for four years. As long as he doesn't say he earned a degree, he's not lying. If someone takes that to mean he did, it's their problem. And I don't really encourage this, but if you don't have an ethical problem taking it a step further, most employers aren't going to ask for decade-old transcripts. Unless he has a job where there's an entire beat of investigative reports checking on his background (e.g.), there's one "creative idea" for you.
In all honesty, most people overestimate the prestige of universities. Unless you live in Princeton, NJ, your local university probably isn't as prestigious as you think it is. My alma mater is just outside the top 50 in the US News rankings, putting it pretty safely in the top 10% of all colleges in the country, not far from top 5%, and outside of my state, it's regarded as barely more than a community college. Aside from the Ivy League, there are probably 15-20 schools max that could be considered "prestigious": Duke, U of Chicago, Stanford, etc. From your previous Asks, it looks like you're in St. Louis, which would make the local school Wash U. They're in a tough spot for prestige. It's a good school, but it's regarded by people who care about undergraduate prestige as kind of déclassé, new money. It's ridiculous, but that's the way it is. Meanwhile, locally, it's regarded as second fiddle to SLU, which is also ridiculous, but that's where the local elite went. Wash U is basically the worst of both worlds. (And if he's going to SLU, well, he'll be in good shape if he decides to run for mayor one day, but otherwise it's a mediocre school that in no way justifies its price tag.) He'd be much better off at UMSL.
The bigger issue, regardless of where he decides to go, is why he's paying for it at all. Does his employer not offer tuition reimbursement? Because that's kind of ridiculous. Even my employer does tuition reimbursement, and until recently they didn't even match our 401k contributions. Heck, I've heard of gas stations that offer it. It's a pretty standard benefit these days. If his current employer doesn't offer it, he should find a new job that will. And while he's out looking for jobs, why doesn't he look at the university he currently attends? Free or reduced tuition is one of the common perks of academic employment.
(One of the reasons his employer might not offer tuition reimbursement is that the major is not related to his job. If that's the case, getting an undergraduate degree is probably not worth it. It won't make him more marketable, and if he's thinking about grad school or something, he should probably focus on that full-time.)
There are numerous highly-regarded online programs from reputable schools out there. BYU is famous for their online education, and I've heard Texas A&M does a lot too.
I have to say, though, that maybe taking it slow wouldn't be the worst idea. The first time was hard enough for him when he was a full-time student. Now he's going to take an elevated course load while also working full-time? Even if he has gotten over the issues from before, that's still a recipe for burnout and failure. Maybe slow it down a bit. The people who run these schools are experts - they know how much students can handle. If they don't want him to take 30 credits a year, there's probably a reason why.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:09 AM on May 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
In all honesty, most people overestimate the prestige of universities. Unless you live in Princeton, NJ, your local university probably isn't as prestigious as you think it is. My alma mater is just outside the top 50 in the US News rankings, putting it pretty safely in the top 10% of all colleges in the country, not far from top 5%, and outside of my state, it's regarded as barely more than a community college. Aside from the Ivy League, there are probably 15-20 schools max that could be considered "prestigious": Duke, U of Chicago, Stanford, etc. From your previous Asks, it looks like you're in St. Louis, which would make the local school Wash U. They're in a tough spot for prestige. It's a good school, but it's regarded by people who care about undergraduate prestige as kind of déclassé, new money. It's ridiculous, but that's the way it is. Meanwhile, locally, it's regarded as second fiddle to SLU, which is also ridiculous, but that's where the local elite went. Wash U is basically the worst of both worlds. (And if he's going to SLU, well, he'll be in good shape if he decides to run for mayor one day, but otherwise it's a mediocre school that in no way justifies its price tag.) He'd be much better off at UMSL.
The bigger issue, regardless of where he decides to go, is why he's paying for it at all. Does his employer not offer tuition reimbursement? Because that's kind of ridiculous. Even my employer does tuition reimbursement, and until recently they didn't even match our 401k contributions. Heck, I've heard of gas stations that offer it. It's a pretty standard benefit these days. If his current employer doesn't offer it, he should find a new job that will. And while he's out looking for jobs, why doesn't he look at the university he currently attends? Free or reduced tuition is one of the common perks of academic employment.
(One of the reasons his employer might not offer tuition reimbursement is that the major is not related to his job. If that's the case, getting an undergraduate degree is probably not worth it. It won't make him more marketable, and if he's thinking about grad school or something, he should probably focus on that full-time.)
There are numerous highly-regarded online programs from reputable schools out there. BYU is famous for their online education, and I've heard Texas A&M does a lot too.
I have to say, though, that maybe taking it slow wouldn't be the worst idea. The first time was hard enough for him when he was a full-time student. Now he's going to take an elevated course load while also working full-time? Even if he has gotten over the issues from before, that's still a recipe for burnout and failure. Maybe slow it down a bit. The people who run these schools are experts - they know how much students can handle. If they don't want him to take 30 credits a year, there's probably a reason why.
posted by kevinbelt at 11:09 AM on May 28, 2017 [4 favorites]
Thomas Edison State University, a public and accredited New Jersey university, specializes in helping adults who are looking to complete a degree started elsewhere.
In addition to a wealth of degree programs that can be completed online, their credit transfer program tends to be more lenient than many other schools, which means that if your husband has a large number of credits from other schools, he will likely to be able to apply more of those to a Thomas Edison degree, resulting in a faster and less expensive path to his BS/BA. They will also accept CLEP test credits - a College Board test similar to the AP tests offered in high schools - for many required courses. The University is a state school that's really designed specifically for your husband's situation.
It won't have a prestigious name on the degree, and it isn't free, but it is a real BS or BA that he likely could complete at a much lower cost than with the university that he's currently attending.
posted by eschatfische at 11:58 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
In addition to a wealth of degree programs that can be completed online, their credit transfer program tends to be more lenient than many other schools, which means that if your husband has a large number of credits from other schools, he will likely to be able to apply more of those to a Thomas Edison degree, resulting in a faster and less expensive path to his BS/BA. They will also accept CLEP test credits - a College Board test similar to the AP tests offered in high schools - for many required courses. The University is a state school that's really designed specifically for your husband's situation.
It won't have a prestigious name on the degree, and it isn't free, but it is a real BS or BA that he likely could complete at a much lower cost than with the university that he's currently attending.
posted by eschatfische at 11:58 AM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
An alumni seconding Excelsior. CLEP exams, AP exams, and credit for life experience took care of a lot of requirements. The jobs I was looking for required a bachelor's degree, period. If all you need is the accredited degree this is the way to go.
posted by KneeDeep at 1:19 PM on May 28, 2017
posted by KneeDeep at 1:19 PM on May 28, 2017
Nthing Excelsior. It was originally called the New York Regents External Degree Program, that was back in the 1970s when I got a BA from them, mostly by taking exams. Years later I went to an Ivy grad school.
Also check out Empire State College. My daughter-in-law got her bachelors from there and then also went to an Ivy grad school.
If you want, tell us where you are, and maybe we can help you find something more local.
posted by mareli at 2:52 PM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Also check out Empire State College. My daughter-in-law got her bachelors from there and then also went to an Ivy grad school.
If you want, tell us where you are, and maybe we can help you find something more local.
posted by mareli at 2:52 PM on May 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
I just completed my degree at Lesley University. They have a degree completion program that is cheaper than their regular price. They also have online classes, weekend classes, and you are also able to take CLEP exams for credit.
posted by momochan at 4:40 PM on May 28, 2017
posted by momochan at 4:40 PM on May 28, 2017
I've done hiring for extremely prestigious companies that generally do not hire candidates without BA degrees. Off the record, degrees completed online weren't really considered either.
What I'm saying is that in terms of earning potential, experience is worth far more than a finished degree in any case; I don't believe an online degree is going to matter much to the places which constitute exceptions to this rule; there's no way an online degree is worth going into debt for; and certainly one zillion times not when you've already got a giant chunk of debt. Heartened to see that there seem to be lots of cheaper programs suggested in this thread.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:56 AM on May 30, 2017
What I'm saying is that in terms of earning potential, experience is worth far more than a finished degree in any case; I don't believe an online degree is going to matter much to the places which constitute exceptions to this rule; there's no way an online degree is worth going into debt for; and certainly one zillion times not when you've already got a giant chunk of debt. Heartened to see that there seem to be lots of cheaper programs suggested in this thread.
posted by fingersandtoes at 8:56 AM on May 30, 2017
Off the record, degrees completed online weren't really considered either.Would they necessarily know? At my institution, there are a couple of degrees that are only offered online, but there are other online degrees that are identical to in-person degrees, with literally nothing on the transcript to indicate how the student did the work. Same with online vs. in-person classes: the only way to know the format of a class would be to ask the student, because it's not indicated on the transcript.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 9:43 AM on May 30, 2017
This only checks one of the two boxes (affordable but not quick) - get a job at the university he wishes to attend. The vast majority of universities in the US include free education as a benefit to salaried employees.
Also, when thinking of "well it will be this much quicker if he could go full-time", make sure you're not just counting credits, but taking stock of all the pre-requisites as well. You could have only 3 courses left to take for a degree, but still have to take a year if each is a pre-req for the next (unless of course you convince the school to make an exception)
posted by czytm at 10:21 AM on May 30, 2017
Also, when thinking of "well it will be this much quicker if he could go full-time", make sure you're not just counting credits, but taking stock of all the pre-requisites as well. You could have only 3 courses left to take for a degree, but still have to take a year if each is a pre-req for the next (unless of course you convince the school to make an exception)
posted by czytm at 10:21 AM on May 30, 2017
Response by poster: Hi everyone!
inatizzy's partner, here.
Thank you all so much for all of your responses. It was difficult to read some of them, and we've got a long road ahead regardless of what path we choose. But all of these responses were extremely helpful.
At the moment, I'm focused on three things-
1) Pursuing other scholarships and grants available at the current university
2) Running the numbers on courses from two local state universities (and looking at programs)
3) Contacting and possibly applying to local universities and a small number of online options (including some of the ones you all mentioned)
Thank you again and have a great week!
Carp and Walnuts,
-[redacted]
posted by inatizzy at 6:18 PM on June 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
inatizzy's partner, here.
Thank you all so much for all of your responses. It was difficult to read some of them, and we've got a long road ahead regardless of what path we choose. But all of these responses were extremely helpful.
At the moment, I'm focused on three things-
1) Pursuing other scholarships and grants available at the current university
2) Running the numbers on courses from two local state universities (and looking at programs)
3) Contacting and possibly applying to local universities and a small number of online options (including some of the ones you all mentioned)
Thank you again and have a great week!
Carp and Walnuts,
-[redacted]
posted by inatizzy at 6:18 PM on June 5, 2017 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by aniola at 7:16 AM on May 28, 2017 [1 favorite]