UMPI portfolio review / credit for experience

[bjcheung77]

I asked earlier in a thread of yours, if you paid the Summer Session 2 yet... If you have, continue on... If you haven't, then you may want to do this: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid421993

[Kjnova]

I have enrolled, I have not paid - but I don't want to delay it eight weeks due to other life situations (basically I am unemployed right now and have plenty of time and a perceived urgent need to add the degree).

I do wish that I had started this exploration a bit sooner. I would love to have another week or two before the term starts.

I lost a number of weeks gradually realizing that NCSU had made it virtually impossible to finish my English degree without walking around campus with a Jansport.

Thanks!

[Duneranger]

I am stuck at the hospital for 10-12 hours a day most days of the week and I finished in one term. They add classes quickly when you finish (couple hour turn around sometimes).

UMPI hands out As like candy. Its rare to have people graduate without honors. I got a 4.0 with meh effort honestly whereas my brick and mortar bachelor's I scraped by with a 3.4.

[bjcheung77]

Enrollment starts when you've paid, you're confirmed for enrollment... There's a slight difference between the two, you're confirmed for enrollment vs you're enrolled by paying the enrollment fee. You have 3.5 days to pay, otherwise, you're bumped to the next session... I mentioned in another thread to make sure to get everything done at least a couple of weeks ahead of time, don't wait until the last few days. https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid421737

[davewill]

Thanks, is there a thread where somebody discussed their experiences doing it?

Because right now, it seems like "nobody has done it, but everybody knows" 

You can follow the link in my signature for a thread describing my and others experience doing it at TESU. I did it because there were no alt credit courses for the CS area of study available at the time (now there are plenty). If I could have merely done an alt credit course, I would have done that.

I don't recall anyone here having done PLA at UMPI, but I can't believe it would be any easier.

[ss20ts]

When I first enrolled at UMPI, I asked about the PLA credits and was told by several staff members that the YourPace courses are faster and easier. They're also significantly cheaper. With each PLA credit, you pay per credit. You may not even receive credit after paying and submitting the work. Each credit requires 3-5 papers, documentation, letters from managers, etc. There were classes, that only had 1 5-7 page paper so why would I write 3 times as many papers with no guarantee of acceptance and pay per credit?

I wouldn't count on completing 15 courses in 8 weeks at UMPI. The terms are only 8 weeks long and you can't submit a rough draft in the final week. No one recommends submitting the Final Assessment without a rough draft because you don't want to fail or get a crummy grade.

[Kjnova]

My main "decision time" thread is probably the right place to respond to that point, but if I could see the future, this is how I would approach it.

Scenario 1: I can complete either BLS or BABA in a single term.
What I would do: BABA.

Scenario 2: I can't complete either BLS or BABA in a single term but I could do either in two terms.
What I would do: Grumble a lot, and do BABA.

Scenario 3: I can complete BLS in a single term, but BABA would take two terms.
What I would do: BLS. (Then maybe do the Study.com 5 classes, and come back in the future to hopefully get BABA in one term.)

And this is one I haven't spelled out before because I hope it is not necessary:
Scenario 4: BLS would take two terms, BABA would take 3 terms.
What I would do: Revisit TESU English degree program due to lower residency requirement.


I have a five-page and counting thread trying to figure this out, though I realize it's a difficult question since everybody is different in how they approach this stuff. My two paths have very limited overlap, even though the BLS plan has a Management minor - the courses are nearly all different from the BABA courses. So if it turns out I'm in Scenario 3 but I think I'm in Scenario 1, I could waste enough time doing BABA courses early on that I end up in Scenario 2.

This is why nearly all of my questions and thoughts relate to managing risk 

My risk as I perceive it is not about hours in the day (I have that) or money (I have that) but about weeks in the session vs time it will take to do the classes (because overwhelmingly strong preference is to finish very very fast).

[allvia]

With your background, and the fact that you're currently being able to work on this full time, you're looking at Scenario 1 or 2.  I suspect Scenario 1 (even with the BABA). If you would go take the few you can on Study.com while your waiting for the Sophia grades to post, I'd double down on the BABA bet (and I'm not a gambler by nature!). I believe you're going to find yourself with some time on your hands while waiting for grades (time which could be used to finish up recommended study.com courses).  Remember Sophia and Study.com don't impact GPA, all you have to do is pass (with an overall 70%) to get the transfer credit. Also study.com has a very good discount right now for first time members. It's clear to everyone who has read your posts that you want the BABA (vs BLS), so instead of spending time researching scenario options on where things could fail, go get to earning the remaining transfer credits to make it happen.

[Duneranger]

BABA has way more utility.

Lets be honest, the BLS is a nicer name for a General Studies degree with a management minor. I would only do this if you really need to just check the box.

Scenario 1 or 2 makes more sense. Getting two BAs (from the same school at different times) is sort of a waste of time. Just move onto a MBA. I went to UMPI purely for fun, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten a second BA  (unless I was doing a totally different career switch).

[Kjnova]

We should probably shift discussion of me picking between BABA and BLS to the other thread:
https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...Management

So they don't get duplicative. This one was to try to see if anybody has actually tried to get UMPI portfolio credit.

For a brief answer, though, I do feel some urgency to check the box. My situation is somewhat specific, probably not unique, but I do have a set of factors that matter to me that may not matter in every situation. I am trying to balance rushed and urgent box-checking with what I think will be the ultimately more valuable degree.