UMPI vs WGU

[dfrecore]

I would say that it depends on the degree you want to get.  If UMPI doesn't have the degree, then you shouldn't go there.  OTOH, if they have something you want, then you could discuss comparisons.

The thing with WGU is that they don't have a lot of Gen Ed's, and zero electives; UMPI has 40 (?) GE's plus lots of space for electives depending on the degree.  It is going to be MUCH easier to make the credits you already have fit within most UMPI degrees; not so with WGU as you've discovered.

So, first, tell us which degree you want; then we can help you.  Also, my advice is to always look forward rather than backwards.  Looking backwards is saying "here's what the school brought in of my completed credits." Looking forwards is asking "How many credits do I need to take to complete my degree, how much time/money will it take to bring things in, and how much time/money will I spend at the school for the remaining credits?"  If you do that with a degree from both schools, you'll be able to compare and see what you have left to do, and THEN you can make an informed decision.

The degree is the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration – Marketing Concentration.

In that case, you would have to make degree plans for both degrees, and then compare how to get the remaining credits.  WGU has examples of what you can bring in from Saylor, Sophia, Study.com, and SL.  UMPI has a page on the wiki to tell you what to bring in for that as well.

You throw in your current credits, what you think you can complete via alt-credit, and then what you want/need to complete at the school.  Since WGU has a longer term (6mo), you'll want to do more there I think.

Also, if you list your RA credits, we can give a bit more info on where they'll fit at UMPI.

[iggydawn]

I would say that it depends on the degree you want to get.  If UMPI doesn't have the degree, then you shouldn't go there.  OTOH, if they have something you want, then you could discuss comparisons.

The thing with WGU is that they don't have a lot of Gen Ed's, and zero electives; UMPI has 40 (?) GE's plus lots of space for electives depending on the degree.  It is going to be MUCH easier to make the credits you already have fit within most UMPI degrees; not so with WGU as you've discovered.

So, first, tell us which degree you want; then we can help you.  Also, my advice is to always look forward rather than backwards.  Looking backwards is saying "here's what the school brought in of my completed credits." Looking forwards is asking "How many credits do I need to take to complete my degree, how much time/money will it take to bring things in, and how much time/money will I spend at the school for the remaining credits?"  If you do that with a degree from both schools, you'll be able to compare and see what you have left to do, and THEN you can make an informed decision.

The degree is the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration – Marketing Concentration.

In that case, you would have to make degree plans for both degrees, and then compare how to get the remaining credits.  WGU has examples of what you can bring in from Saylor, Sophia, Study.com, and SL.  UMPI has a page on the wiki to tell you what to bring in for that as well.

You throw in your current credits, what you think you can complete via alt-credit, and then what you want/need to complete at the school.  Since WGU has a longer term (6mo), you'll want to do more there I think.

Also, if you list your RA credits, we can give a bit more info on where they'll fit at UMPI.

What are RA credits?

Here are all my credits. 

Community College
CISC-1470 Intro to Compt 4
OFC-172 Beg Typing 3
ITSC-2435 Application Problem Solving 4
ENGL-1301 Composition 3
HUMA-1301 Int Humanities 3
PSYC-2301 Intro to Psych 3
BUSI-1301 Intro to Busin 3
IMED-1316 Web Page Design I 3
IMED-1301 Introduction to Multimedia 3
ARTC-1302 Digital Imaging I 3
ARTC-2305 Digital Imaging II 3
HIST-1301 History of the U.S. 3
SPCH-1311 Intro Spe Comm 3
IMED-2315 Web Design, II 3
MRKG-2312 E-Commerce 3
ITSE-1429 Programming Logic and Design 4
MATH-1342 Elementary Statistical Methods 3
ITSE-2409 Database Programming 4
total 58

Sophia
Algebra 3
Environmental Science 3
Project Management 3
Microeconomics 3

[MNomadic]

RA = Regionally Accredited

[iggydawn]

If you are able to transfer in 80-90 credits to UMPI, it's super easy to finish at UMPI within 4-6 months. If you only have 58 credits, UMPI students and alumni can assist you in figuring out what else you can take to transfer to UMPI.

It sounds relatively easy to get 80+% on most papers/exams/projects at UMPI.

I'm not sure that the concept of "retakes" applies to UMPI as such. It might. I do know that you are permitted to submit your draft paper/project first to get comments/suggestions from your instructor. If you make the suggested alterations, it seems like you're pretty much guaranteed an A or at least a B. I'm not sure how it works with courses that have exams.

Yes, most work is a paper or a project of some kind. There are not many exams.

If you are enrolled, you are not allowed to submit further courses from Sophia/SL/SDC without permission. Permission seems relatively easy to get, but it's easier still to just transfer in 80-90 credits and not deal with getting further permission.

UMPI requires science-with-a-lab and a foreign language. If you don't already have them, SDC's BIO 101L is an easy way to get the science and InstantCert is the easiest way for non-speakers to get a Spanish credit. If you're fluent (or partially fluent) in another language, CLEP or ACTFL are your friends. All you need is 3 language credits.

Thank you for all this feedback.  Did you attend UMPI?

---

Hi All!

I am trying to decide if I should apply at UMPI.  I have already applied and been accepted to WGU however WGU did not accept many of my credits (18 out 58) and I am hearing that UMPI accepts way more.

I have some questions but welcome any comments or suggestions. 

• I have been told WGU is not super hard and very easy to accelerate.  How does this compare to UMPI?
  
• Is it hard to get 80s on the projects/finals at UMPI?
  
• How many retakes are allowed?
  
• Is there a ton of papers at UMPI?
  
• Has anyone continued to submit transcripts from Sophia/SL/Study after being accepted?
  
• Anything else I should be thinking of to make this decision?
  

I want to do the BABA in marketing. 

Thanks!

• . I have been told WGU is not super hard and very easy to accelerate. How does this compare to UMPI?
  

I know nothing about WGU, but I can assure you that if you are looking for speed, UMPI is ideal.

• Is it hard to get 80s on the projects/finals at UMPI?
  

This is not easy to answer because what is easy for you could be hard for someone else. I am a 50-year-old immigrant, plus English is my second language, and even then, I was able to complete seven classes in a session.

• How many retakes are allowed?
  

With classes with a final paper as your final:
You can go through the course at your own pace, do the quizzes and milestones, and once you feel ready to take the final, you can send a draft to your professor. You wait for their response, and then after making the needed corrections, you submit your final paper. No retakes, as far as I know.
For finals with a multiple-choice exam: You have two chances to pass with at least 80% correct.

• Is there a ton of papers at UMPI?
  

I heard it is worse at other places. 

• Has anyone continued to submit transcripts from Sophia/SL/Study after being accepted?
  

I did with my advisor's permission. However, I would advise you to have at least 90 credits before enrolling at UMPI. The easiest and fastest way to get it done is to take Sophia's courses. 

• Anything else I should be thinking of to make this decision
  

UMPI is not for everyone. If you are a young person looking to "learn" from scratch, this is probably not the best way to gain that knowledge.

---

Please define easy? BIO 101L at study.com was far from easy .It was a nightmare.

It's still way easier than chem or physics. Biology is probably the easiest lab science. There are easier sciences, but most don't have labs.

I agree with that.

Did you attend UMPI?  If so, how many terms?

[dfrecore]

The degree is the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration – Marketing Concentration.

Community College
CISC-1470 Intro to Compt 4
OFC-172 Beg Typing 3
ITSC-2435 Application Problem Solving 4
ENGL-1301 Composition 3
HUMA-1301 Int Humanities 3
PSYC-2301 Intro to Psych 3
BUSI-1301 Intro to Busin 3
IMED-1316 Web Page Design I 3
IMED-1301 Introduction to Multimedia 3
ARTC-1302 Digital Imaging I 3
ARTC-2305 Digital Imaging II 3
HIST-1301 History of the U.S. 3
SPCH-1311 Intro Spe Comm 3
IMED-2315 Web Design, II 3
MRKG-2312 E-Commerce 3
ITSE-1429 Programming Logic and Design 4
MATH-1342 Elementary Statistical Methods 3
ITSE-2409 Database Programming 4
total 58

Sophia
Algebra 3
Environmental Science 3
Project Management 3
Microeconomics 3

I'm guessing you sent your CC credits, and WGU gave you English Comp I, Intro to Comm, Intro to Hum, US History, Stats, & Psych, leaving you with Comp 2, Critical Thinking, Colege Algebra and Physical Science?  And then Sophia will bring in Algebra, Science, Microecon, and PM? So now you just need to figure out where another ~60cr will come from (you have 30, and WGU will require 30).

For UMPI, you're choosing a degree (BABA) with very few electives available.  That, in addition to the courses you've taken, mean that you have a ways to go with that degree as well.

So I think it's a toss-up as to which one will be faster & easier - meaning, one probably won't be faster/easier than the other.  At least, not by much.

You really are going to have to spend some time planning out the remaining credits and determine which one you like more.  For instance at UMPI, you must take a lab science, so Study.com's Bio w/Lab is your best bet there (you already have a Physical Science).  At WGU, you don't have to take any more science courses.  Not sure if that makes or breaks your decision, but it will come down to things like that.

Keep in mind, either way, there are no more spaces for Free Electives, so you need to plan out every credit to maximize your time/effort/money.  Every course you take that doesn't fit in your plan is time and money wasted.

That being said, if you really want to maximize your credits earned, you could opt for the BLS degree instead; not sure if you can get a Marketing concentration/minor in addition to one of the others though.

[iggydawn]

The degree is the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration – Marketing Concentration.

Community College
CISC-1470 Intro to Compt 4
OFC-172 Beg Typing 3
ITSC-2435 Application Problem Solving 4
ENGL-1301 Composition 3
HUMA-1301 Int Humanities 3
PSYC-2301 Intro to Psych 3
BUSI-1301 Intro to Busin 3
IMED-1316 Web Page Design I 3
IMED-1301 Introduction to Multimedia 3
ARTC-1302 Digital Imaging I 3
ARTC-2305 Digital Imaging II 3
HIST-1301 History of the U.S. 3
SPCH-1311 Intro Spe Comm 3
IMED-2315 Web Design, II 3
MRKG-2312 E-Commerce 3
ITSE-1429 Programming Logic and Design 4
MATH-1342 Elementary Statistical Methods 3
ITSE-2409 Database Programming 4
total 58

Sophia
Algebra 3
Environmental Science 3
Project Management 3
Microeconomics 3

I'm guessing you sent your CC credits, and WGU gave you English Comp I, Intro to Comm, Intro to Hum, US History, Stats, & Psych, leaving you with Comp 2, Critical Thinking, Colege Algebra and Physical Science?  And then Sophia will bring in Algebra, Science, Microecon, and PM? So now you just need to figure out where another ~60cr will come from (you have 30, and WGU will require 30).

For UMPI, you're choosing a degree (BABA) with very few electives available.  That, in addition to the courses you've taken, mean that you have a ways to go with that degree as well.

So I think it's a toss-up as to which one will be faster & easier - meaning, one probably won't be faster/easier than the other.  At least, not by much.

You really are going to have to spend some time planning out the remaining credits and determine which one you like more.  For instance at UMPI, you must take a lab science, so Study.com's Bio w/Lab is your best bet there (you already have a Physical Science).  At WGU, you don't have to take any more science courses.  Not sure if that makes or breaks your decision, but it will come down to things like that.

Keep in mind, either way, there are no more spaces for Free Electives, so you need to plan out every credit to maximize your time/effort/money.  Every course you take that doesn't fit in your plan is time and money wasted.

That being said, if you really want to maximize your credits earned, you could opt for the BLS degree instead; not sure if you can get a Marketing concentration/minor in addition to one of the others though.

I had not looked at the BLS degree.  This one https://online.umpi.edu/programs/bls-man...minor.aspx has 62 electives.  Are you saying it would use more of the credits I have earned?  If so, I am liking what you are saying!

[dfrecore]

I had not looked at the BLS degree.  This one https://online.umpi.edu/programs/bls-man...minor.aspx has 62 electives.  Are you saying it would use more of the credits I have earned?  If so, I am liking what you are saying!

Yes, if you choose a BLS degree, you're going to have the same GEC to complete, but you will be able to use the rest of your credits in the General Electives area.  So instead of needing 88cr, you'll only need 52cr.

There are lots of posts here about how to get the GEC done, as well as a wiki page on how to get credits inexpensively.  Just don't do what some say and take ALL of Sophia's credits, as you only need very specific ones for the GEC.  Plan wisely.