Is it it possible to complete a DL/online AS degree course in months...?

Dear all,
With the way things go with my Associate degree course which I recently registered for, I have a feeling that I could complete the whole program in months and not 2 years. For examples, am in my first semester and already read books and answered almost all of the questions associated with the courses online. This brings to my mind the question if distance learning univeristies and colleges like Ashworth, Pennfoster among others can be completed in matters of months and not years... Anyone with advice or experience please? Maybe am missing something...

 

Ashworth, PennFoster and Cleveland Institute of Electronics offer AS degrees which can be completed at your own pace. New Charter University offers a self-paced low cost AS in business.

Remember though - that all these are Nationally Accredited (by DETC). If you don't mind an NA degree, they are all great choices.

 

Thank you for the response. I think I understand it now. For me, I don't think NA accreditation matters since am not a US resident and am not planning to come to the US in person for further education... Of course upon completion of the AS degree programme, I will transfer to an online Bsc Programme in a RA or NA school in the US or wherever it is possible to do so. I think, if I have my facts right, that Peru state college is RA and accepts Penn Foster degree into their programmes...

 

Taking exams for credit, such as CLEP and DSST, can certainly help you do it.

 

While this may be true (I have not looked into it), I would be concerned with a plan to get an NA associates if you know you want an RA BS. What if Peru State changed the rules at some point between your start and end? By the AMU is RA and NA and it would work there also. Since you are out of the US, I would assume CLEP exams are not an option.

 

With Ashworth, the question is, how quickly and effectively can you read 800 and 1000+ page books? How quickly can you grasp the material and write effective papers?

If you plan to shoot for a high GPA, you can't skip the reading. Unlike other online programs I've been apart of where you can skip reading the materials and still get a good grade, Ashworth's material is so heavily based on the textbooks that you'll have to read practically every page of every book, and every lesson plan.

If say you didn't care about your GPA and had no intention of really letting the material sink in, you could easily finish the whole degree in a few months, though it would be a terrible approach to things.

 

Can you please shed more light on the CLEP and the DSST way to a faster degree? Can I benefit from this even though I do not live in the US but Bratislava in Slovak Republic? Thanks

 

I think I understand what you mean and I quite agree with you. However, sometimes an adult feels he knows his corn and he understands the materials based on a similar non-certified studies or experience somewhere such that he feels a need to unfaithfully skim through the new materials, go ahead to answer the exams so he could get certified on time. This is how I feel with some of the courses in the first semester. Aside Almighty College Algebra which I never took before, I do not think I should have problems finishing a semester in a couple of weeks or at worst one month..

 

Although generally speaking I wouldn't advocate the approach, I do understand your reasoning and situation.

The Algebra course was tough as the book I had completely stunk, because it pushed processes that were just overkill. I wound up not using it at all and just talking with one of the math instructors (who by the way was absolutely brilliant). Ashworth eventually switched to a new textbook for it but I never seen it myself. Supposedly it's using clearer, more concise steps.

 

Oh, you had your studies at Asworth? For me, it is Penn Foster. I do not know the textbook they (Penn Foster) provide or use for Algebra as I am yet to get my materials sent to me by post. Though I have downloaded the online guidebook and material on Algebra, I think Algebra will take my time than I earlier thought.

 

@Amnestylaw

I see that you've chosen Penn Foster. I'm curious; what swayed you to them over Ashworth?

 

Actually, I wanted to go for Ashworth in the first place. I called Asworth and man who spoke to me was asking me questions rather than answering mine. He doesn't sound like one who knows something more about the school. Then I called Penn Foster and it went well with them. However, my decision to enrol with PF was not unconnected to the fact that I read that they were accredited Regionally. I saw this as a plus for PF over Ashworth. I had already bitten the bait before I learnt that PF college was not RA but NA. I found out only PF's career courses and high school are RA. It was my fault that I did not read between the lines before paying. I wanted to withdraw when I found out but I gave it a second thought and concluded that- since am not in the US and am not likely to come there, it does not matter if my degree is RA or NA. What matters is that it is accredited by a government approved agency. I also felt like, after the AS degree, I could pursue a BS program in Ashworth (maybe they would have been RA by then) or any other college or University that is RA (Peru State College et al).
But I think the program in PF is becoming interesting for me. I enjoy studying the courses as they are easy to understand and it is self paced...

 

Actually, I wanted to go for Ashworth in the first place. I called Asworth and man who spoke to me was asking me questions rather than answering mine. He doesn't sound like one who knows something more about the school. Then I called Penn Foster and it went well with them. However, my decision to enrol with PF was not unconnected to the fact that I read that they were accredited Regionally. I saw this as a plus for PF over Ashworth. I had already bitten the bait before I learnt that PF college was not RA but NA. I found out only PF's career courses and high school are RA. It was my fault that I did not read between the lines before paying. I wanted to withdraw when I found out but I gave it a second thought and concluded that- since am not in the US and am not likely to come there, it does not matter if my degree is RA or NA. What matters is that it is accredited by a government approved agency. I also felt like, after the AS degree, I could pursue a BS program in Ashworth (maybe they would have been RA by then) or any other college or University that is RA (Peru State College et al).
But I think the program in PF is becoming interesting for me. I enjoy studying the courses as they are easy to understand and it is self paced...

 

General information about CLEP examination information CLEP - College Level Examination Program (CLEP) -Save Time. Save Money. Take CLEP | College Board CLEP Site

To find an international CLEP test center Test Center Search | CLEP

General DSST information http://www.getcollegecredit.com/

Find a international DSST test center http://getcollegecredit.com/institutions/search/

 

I went for Penn Foster because I thought they were RA. I saw it as a plus which Ashworth did not have. By the time I realized their college was not RA but NA, it was kinda late. I decided to stick with them after having found out that it may not matter that much to me- after-all, I am a foreigner and not living in the US. Maybe the NA would be enough after-all. Initially, I had wanted to go for Ashworth but the person whom I spoke to over the phone (from Ashworth) could not answer my questions- instead he was asking questions from me. PF were fast with their services and answers were satisfactory. Their learning materials, so far are ok too..