Life and getting a college degree often don’t go together. But some degree options can make them work together. It might be best for students who want to get a quick online degree to go this way. Some online programs let students work at their own pace rather than four years to get a bachelor’s degree.
Other programs speed things up by requiring students to take a lot of credits to graduate early. There are two ways for students to save time. Experts say that adult learners, especially those looking for a new job or wanting to move up in their current one, are more likely to sign up for these kinds of programs.
Learn Online and Earn a Degree at Your Speed
For self-paced online degree programs, students usually sign up for a certain amount of time. By the type, of course, the length may vary. There are many self-paced online programs at the school’s US News talked to. The subscriptions last from three to six months. “Instead of taking courses over a semester, you work on projects and sign up for three-month blocks of time.
It’s up to you how quick or slow you perform to complete as many projects as you can while you’re still in the class. One important thing is that it’s project-based instead of course- or semester-based. This is a big difference. “He is the senior associate vice president for academic affairs at the University of Wisconsin. Aaron Topper is the administrative director of the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus.
The UW Flexible Option is a self-paced, competency-based program that can earn several degrees. Instead of going to class, students work on “competency sets” to get closer to getting a bachelor’s degree. Competency sets are like courses that students take as they take tests. It says that some tests and projects are used to measure a student’s progress, while other tests and projects ask for a student’s portfolio to be looked at.
Students can use this method to earn an online degree at their own pace, whether they want to do it quickly or slowly. As an example, motivated students who have already made their registered nurse credentials can finish the UW Flexible Option nursing program in just 18 months, says Brower. Brower says that the RN to BSN program will last two years, but Brower thinks it can be done in less time.
With Accelerated Degree Programs, you can get on the fast track to getting your degree faster
People who go to schools that use more common online education models can also speed up the pace to finish their classes faster. That’s true at Tidewater Community College in Virginia, where students can earn an online associate of arts degree in half the time. In 12 months, Meredith Pollard, an academic counselor at the Norfolk campus of TCC, says, “We can get you through your associate degree.”
TCC only has one accelerated online program: business administration in the short term. Gordon says there are methods to count more. An associate degree from Tidewater can be completed in less than a year by taking 12 or 13 credit hours in a series of five mini-semesters that each last eight weeks. A total of 61 credit hours must be earned.
Pollard says that the program was made with the idea that graduates could go to a four-year college after they finish it. As Pollard puts it, “You should be able to get out into the world a year faster than you think.” Another way to speed up getting a degree through competency-based programs is to transfer credits. Though colleges have the power to decide what coursework can be used to earn a degree, transfer credits may help.
There are a lot of students who come to Brower and Gordon with a lot of money. We can work with students who have up to 90 credits from another school and use that to help them finish their degree with us. There are usually about 35 transfer credits undergraduates bring when they start at a new school.
How to Prepare for Online Degree Programs That Take Less Time
Though the standards may be additional, professionals agree that students who like to obtain an accelerated online degree must be inspired. “Obtaining a good education should be an excess of work. People who desire to acquire a bachelor’s or a master’s grade should do better than paying for it with their cash. Be ready to give up a lot of your time and energy to finish a degree. “Brower thinks that way, too.
Pollard says that time management skills, a little tech know-how, and a steady internet connection are all critical for a job. Gordon says that the flexibility of NAU’s competency-based online degrees makes them appealing to people who aren’t traditional students. The adult learner is a big part of what we do, says Gordon. “We have a full-time job, we have family obligations, we have kids, or we have elderly parents that we have to take care of,” he says.
Decide if Online Degree Programs Are Legal
The idea of getting an online degree quickly may sound appealing, but it’s important to note that there are also bad options out there, so students should do their homework. Websites that promise to turn life experience into a college degree in as little as a week, with transcripts and a diploma, appear on a quick web search. Online Learning Consortium Director of Research Lynette O’Keefe says that students should look out for low admissions requirements for supposed degree programs. This is a red flag, O’Keefe says.
It’s not good if you only need to send in your resume or pay a fee to join. Ensure that the school you’re looking into has been accredited by the state where you live. If you look at a school website, you can see if it is accredited. There are searchable databases for this information kept by the Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. “It must be accurate and have been approved by a well-known accrediting agency.
They need to look for a lot of the same things that they would in a traditional program: advising, a viable degree plan, student services, and so on, but differently “O’Keefe says that. O’Keefe says that diploma mills exist on the fringes of online education, but he says there are good options. People can get fast online degrees, but they need to do their research first to make sure the school is good.
