Hello everyone, I have bee a viewer of this forum for a couple of years, and I am currently in my last semester with Ashworth College. I currently have 47 credit hours (Psychology). This is what I need: A Bachelors degree (RA) in anything. I plan on a career change involving athletic coaching on the high school level. The owners of a local private school will hire me as the school manager(setting up budgets and such) for now. I need to get some type of Bachelors degree quickly (1 to 2 years) to ensure my qualification. In Louisiana you may be hired as an athletic coach with only a bachelors degree in any major, but from an RA school. Does anyone know the fastest way through distance for any major that is RA? Thanks, Ray_Ray
The fastest way is most likely Excelsior College, because you can earn all of your credits through testing. Thomas Edison and Charter Oak can also be done through testing, but Excelsior offers the most credit for GRE subject exams.
Welcome, Ray Ray. Anthony's advice is good. Use the search function (top right corner of screen) for MUCH info and discussion about these three "Big 3" assessment colleges. Good luck to you.
Ashworth College is DETC accredited and its courses are not ACE approved. From what I have read here, their credits are not routinely accepted by the Big 3. If I am right (at the very least, check with Ashworth and each of the Big 3), there are many RA colleges that will transfer DETC and other nationally accredited courses. There is a list (now dated) in another forum here. Or you can get a DETC bachelor's.
I assume since you have already earned 47 hours from Ashworth that you would like to transfer those hours into a RA BA program, correct? Your options are going to be a bit more limited because a lot of RA schools are not going to accept the DETC credits from Ashworth. Liberty University comes to mind as a good candidate. (It seems I am always referring someone to this school!) Liberty is RA, will accept your DETC transfer credit, and offers BA's in a variety of fields (Psychology, Business, Religion, and Multidisciplinary Studies). If you decide to go that route you only need to take 30 hours from Liberty to graduate, so you could firts complete your Ashworth hours (60), then do another 30 hours or so through CLEP or Life Experience (Liberty offers this option). You could also take 30 hours or so at LSU (really dirt cheap) and then transfer to Liberty for the last 30 hours to graduate. Warning - Here in Maryland (where I live), the state has a similar requirement in that one need only hold a RA BA in anything to qualify to coach, teach, whatever. However, if the BA is not earned in the field of Education (leading to a teachers certificate), one must first get a teaching certificate. In order to qualify for this certificate the state performs a credit count on your transcripts to ensure that at least 120 hours were earned at RA schools...ALL 120 hours. They WILL NOT recognize any NA credits, even if the actual degree itself is granted from an RA school. Crazy, I know. You may want to double check the criteria in Louisiana. Pug
Detc Thank you all very much, The commisioner of the state board of regeants recommended DETC schools to me a couple of years ago to get started. I am not sure about the accepting of the NA credits down here, but thanks for the warning info. I will look into it. All of your input is much appreciated, Ray_Ray
Page 15 of Liberty's Catalog states the following: "TRANSFER OF CREDITS...Only courses and degrees from regionally accredited institutions or those accredited by other accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (e.g., SACS, TRACS, AABC, etc.) will be evaluated for transfer credit." This obviously applies to the DETC as well because they are recognized by the US Dept. of Education. I looked into this extensively and exchanged emails and phone calls with an admissions counselor last year before I enrolled at Briercrest. (I plan on attending Liberty for graduate studies.) Yes, I agree that this reflects well on them. I wish more schools had similar policies. Pug
