Earn a College Degree in Months Instead of Years? Check it Out, Then Decide

1) Does it matter how and where I finish my degree? How you answer that depends on several things.

If I am I after a degree as a stepping stone to an opportunity, such as a Liberal Arts degree or a Bachelor of Business, then it probably makes very little difference what the name of the institution on your diploma happens to be. Therefore, credit by exam would be a viable alternative to sitting through class semester after semester.
However, if you are pursuing a professional degree, the courses related to your major tend to require a high level of competency and carry over as you progress through the degree plan.

So traditional "brick and mortar" schools and online courses would be a more appropriate choice.
Even so for the lower level basic core courses, advance placement exams are still get some courses out of the way.
2) Does it matter how long it takes me to graduate, just as long as I do? That of course depends on your reason for returning to school.

If there is an opportunity waiting for you to finish, then sooner is obviously better than later. In many career fields, it is the 4 year degree that is important, not the major, so get the fastest degree possible.
If on the other hand you are pursuing the degree for some other personal satisfaction reason, just to feel good or make your parents proud then the time is of much less importance.

3) I haven't taken a college class in 12 years, so what is the value of my transcript? Once again we are in one of those "it depends" situations. Lower level courses have a very long shelf life because the basic knowledge doesn't change very rapidly. However, courses in theory of macro economics, computer science, health sciences the information changes very rapidly making courses taken 10 years ago obsolete and no longer fit a degree plan.

4) My employer won't pay for my schooling so what would be the cheapest way for me finish up? By selecting a degree plan at a school where you can take full advantage of credit by exam, you will able to finish quickly.
This will save you money and prove to be the cheapest overall.

5) Where could I find a degree plan that would allow me to finish fast and save money? You can select a college like Excelsior College of New York, which is very credit by exam friendly. Excelsior College will allow you to take advantage of credit by exam for all course requirements in Liberal Arts.
Therefore, it is possible to save money on tuition, expensive books, transportation, parking fees, student activity fees.

6) Is Excelsior College an accredited school? Excelsior College is a New York State school.

It is accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

(MSCHE) You can Google CHEA and check on the accreditation.
7) OK, so if I choose to finish at Excelsior College, what do I do next? The first step is to apply so that there will be a file where they can receive and evaluate your transcripts and formulate your degree plan.
You can contact Excelsior College Admissions office by phone, or email. The application fee is $75. 8) What is my next step? Contact all of your former schools and request to have an official transcript sent to Excelsior College. If for example you had gone to Evangel University in Springfield, Mo.

You would do the following procedure: Contact the Evangel University Records department to request the proper form, fill out the form and mail it with a $3 check.

It really is that simple. 9) When can I finish this and get on with graduating? You are almost there. After you have your degree plan, work out your strategy for your testing schedule. Group related courses for study purposes, order the appropriate study guides if you need them. They are written with the tests in mind, so they are an invaluable tool. After you take a couple of exams, you will get the feel for the process and have an idea about how fast you can go.
10) When do I graduate? When you complete all of the requirements for the degree and the enrollment paperwork with Excelsior College you will be ready.

Some people have done this in a matter of months, but they were really motivated. How badly do you want it? Just as I thought, you will graduate soon.