Need help getting started... ready to get a degree

[rachel83az]

Sophia is, hands down, both the fastest and the cheapest way to get credits. End of story. You can get 90 credits in under 5 months and this is something that's difficult or impossible to do with other options. Some people may argue that the quality of those credits doesn't match up to other alternate credit options but that is a different point entirely. Sophia is entirely appropriate for adult learners who just need a degree to show what they know and can do.

StraighterLine is not as cost-effective and they require that you schedule their proctored exams ahead of time, which really limits how many credits you can complete in a set time period. They do offer some courses you can't get through Sophia but this is mostly a moot point when you are trying to get "any" degree".

CLEP: a lot of testing centers are still closed and/or have limited testing availability. Same with DSST (formerly Dantes). This is not a fast way to gain credits, Though, again, there are some credits that you can't get anywhere else, this is not a fast way to get credits.

FEMA: Most schools no longer accept these credits. If they do, it's an expensive and lengthy process. End of story.

Study.com: Limits you to approximately 15 credits (5 exams) per month. This is set in stone and you cannot go any faster than that. Sophia allows you to complete as many courses as you are able to while your subscription is still active.

I also understand the need for incremental steps. You never know if you're going to get sick or if something else might interrupt your degree process. This is why I suggested Pierpont. It is both the fastest and cheapest way that you can attain an associate degree. UMPI is arguably the fastest and cheapest way to obtain "any bachelor's degree".