Grad School & General Resources Assistance

[alexiarnps]

Hello all! I found this forum while researching CLEP-style graduate-level credit by exam.

I am needing a little help navigating all of the fantastic information I have been finding here while figuring out my educational path. I'll try to be brief about my current enrollment and situation. I know it's long, but stick with me! :-)

I am enrolled in 16 quarter credits at Bellevue College (online) and a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) workshop at Maryhurst University here in Portland. Summer quarter I will be doing the 6 quarter credit class, but writing PLA papers for 15 credits, then completing a full time year (F/W/S) which includes a couple more PLA classes with 3 credit hours and 9-12 credits in addition for PLA papers. I have also identified several credit by exam tests that I will be taking that MU accepts (CLEP, DSST & Excelsior). I am expecting to graduate Sprig 2014 with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Public Administration and Women, Infant and Child Health. I am basically completing 90 credits over the next four terms, of which only 48 are traditional, in-class (or online).

My issue is that I need to direct the focus of what the topics of my PLA papers will be in order to make sure I am meeting any requirements for a Master's program. I am at the end of my funding for my undergraduate degree and need to "step over" into the graduate side if I want to keep going (and yes, this is all avenues, my first year of undergraduate studies back in the '90s was at a private school). Anything that I want to do requires that I have a Master's. I don't really have additional funding for "mistakes" with undergraduate credits / prerequisites for graduate school entry. I may be missing a FinAid caveat that they consider upper division undergraduate credits that are unfulfilled prerequisites for graduate program entry? But I doubt it.

I'm still chin deep in my existential crisis about not knowing what I want to be when I grow up, caused entirely by having no clue what Master's programs I *can* attend. When I started this journey I was going to go to school for my MPH (I'm certified in half a dozen peri-natal fields already) and follow up with a PhD in Public Policy. Now the issue is that I either need to finish in one year with tuition and fees coming in less than the $20,500 annual maximum for graduate loans, or I need to find a longer program that is ridiculously cheap so I can hope for some residual income from loans (not ideal, I know). In Portland because of the competition Graduate Assistanceships are rare, so that isn't an option.

I am solidly in the Medical Social Work, (Certified) Counseling / Psychologist, School Counselor / Psychologist, Public Administration: Healthcare Management, Social Work, etc. category. I'm looking to make sure that I am not cutting myself off from the possibility of semi-retiring in 20 years into high school teaching or guidance counseling, but will be looking for something that will put me in an administrative role (with administrative pay). I have saved information for American Military University (which sadly has a lapse in the accreditation for its MPH program right now), Columbus State University and Fort Hayes State University.

I am open to graduate credit by exam, inexpensive transfer credits, yearly packages, self-paced programs, tips on starting at one place and transferring to another later, pitfalls y'all have run into. Anything. If anyone here can help me "unlock" the magic that will get me my degree without having to cave and go back to menial jobs (that also ironically boot me out of FinAid while I do it), I would be eternally grateful!