Online university with 8 week sessions that I can enroll in right now?

I just enlisted in the Marine Corps and I need to earn 15 college credits in 100 level classes or above in 8 weeks. The problem is I ship to boot camp on January 8th and therefore must earn the credits before then, so basically my only option is an online college offering 8 week sessions so I can earn the credits ASAP.

What would you guys recommend?

Thanks!

 

I know that Liberty University offers 8-week classes. I teach for them in the Religious Studies Department. However, the 8-week classes for November have already started. You might call them and see if you can slip in since they JUST started.

Hope that helps...

 

Take three 6-credit CLEP exams (3x6=18).

 

Try Louisiana State University. Tuition is under $300 per course and you'll earn a certificate

http://www.is.lsu.edu/CreditCertificateProg.asp?nid=103&Level=CO&Online=1

 

Are CLEP exams equal to 100 level classes?

 

100 and 200, they are all lower level college courses.

 

I just called my USMC recruiter and he said the the 15 credits must be earned in classes from an accredited university recognized by the Department of Defense and that CLEP, DANTES, etc. while recognized, aren't acceptable for the promotion to PFC which is why i'm trying to earn these credits. So CLEP is a no-go.

 

American Military University (AMU) are definitely military-friendly and offer both 8-week and 16-week courses. For undergraduate courses the tuition includes textbooks (USD750.00 per 3-credit course).

You can still enroll in November start date courses if you hurry.

Good luck!

 

Thanks, I just called but unfortunately all classes are closed and I can't sign up until the next session in January which would be too late .

 

I have been calling AMU all day long and no matter what option I choose I keep getting a voice mail, I can't get through to an actual person. I have also e-mailed them three times over the past two days and have not received a response.

AMU sounds very promising, especially one of those certificate programs like Military Leadership, but it's impossible to contact them!

 

How about St Joseph's of Maine. I believe you can begin your studies any time, and the classes are self paced and internet based. It looks like undergraduate courses are $260 per credit.


http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/military.htm
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/undergraduateprograms.htm
http://www.sjcme.edu/gps/distance_ed.htm
http://catalog.sjcme.acalog.com/content.php?catoid=1&navoid=30

 

Have you thought about CLEP and DANTES exams? I earned 51 credits in 6 weeks. These tests are free to the military.

 

I doubt you would be able to earn 15 credits in 8 weeks. That would be equivalent to earning 30 credits in a normal semester.
Why do you have such a tight timetable anyway?

Tony

 

If you did nothing but study, you might be able to bust through the courses from Louisiana State University. I believe they are self-paced, both online and paper-based courses, and they have open enrollment. The courses are very reasonably priced as well.

It doesn't make sense that they won't accept CLEP, but that's the military for ya! (I'm a vet...I feel your pain).

By the way...thank you for volunteering to serve our country!

 

Very unlikely one could complete LSU in 8 weeks. Although self paced, they have a limit on how quickly you can submit assignments...no more than 3 lessons per week I believe. Plus, some lessons require hearing back from the instructor prior to submitting the next assignment. Best bet is probably to keep trying to reach AMU. Have you looked at Kaplan?

Another thought...the military recognizes national accreditation. If you can confirm with your recruiter that NA is okay, and I am 99.9% certain that it is, you could take 5 courses from Eugene Bible College (EBC) http://www.ebc.edu/. EBC offers religion classes as well as general ed, counseling, etc. They are self paced with no restriction as to how quickly you can complete them. Most courses consist of self-check assignments that are not turned in, a final exam and a project. The project is typically a short essay. You'll need a proctor (librarian, pastor, etc.). If you really put your nose to the books, you can do 5 courses in 8 weeks, no problem. If you go this route, stay away from the english/writing courses...they are quite intensive. Stay with the religious classes, counseling, sociology, etc. Dave Sinclair runs the Distance Ed department...make sure you call him before ordering the classes so you can make sure you pick courses that he has in stock, otherwise you won't get the materials in time. EBC is also quite affordable at $60 per unit. Most classes are 4.5 units (3 semester hours) so you're looking at about $270 per class, plus about $30 or so in books.

I thought about Penn Foster but I'm afraid they move too slow for your needs.

Pug

 

I have to agree on Penn Foster. I don't think they move too slow, but you would have a hard time finishing three courses in eight weeks. With Penn Foster, you take one course at a time (at least in a degree program you do), and the assignments are very reading intensive. I am currently studying Principles of Management, and my current assignment consists of 160 pages of reading, and I have four more of those before I get to the first of five exams.

 

You could try Brigham Young University. I believe their courses are open enrollment and self-paced. A 3-credit course costs $390. Most of the assignments are submitted online.

You can find more info here:
http://ce.byu.edu/is/site/courses/select.cfm?type=univ&subject=21#to_course

 

Having taken taken courses from BYU and EBC, I'd say your chances of doing 5 classes in 8 weeks are much better at EBC. BYU was fairly intense and required a lot of individual writing assignments to be submitted for grading. The thing that makes EBC potentially very fast is that there are no assignments that are submitted for grading, only a final exam and small project.

Pug

 

What are the final exams like?

 

I don't have any options other that what has been stated, but as a member of the military myself, why do you need to earn 15 credits before you ship?

And best of luck to you in the Corps.