Posted October 27th, 2015
By Kris Powers
Have you taken some college courses but have not earned a degree or certificate yet? Have you thought about going back to school, but feel overwhelmed by the cost and complexity of the process? You are not alone. An estimated 32 million nontraditional students across the nation have some college experience but no degree to show for it, according to the American Council on Education. Many of these students may want to pick back up and start again, but aren’t sure how to go about it.
For those out there who have started and stopped their education (and who want to start again), the American Council on Education (ACE) has the answer. This past week, ACE announced the pool of courses selected as part of ACE’s Alternative Credit Project,™ a groundbreaking initiative to boost the ability of millions of nontraditional learners to gain a college degree. A national program of the American Council on Education (ACE), and supported by a generous $1.89 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the ACP is designed to help adults finish what they started; get a degree, or a post-secondary certificate.
Going back to college is easier than you thought.
The 111 low-cost, lower-division general education online courses were submitted by a group of non-accredited course providers, including Ed4Career, chosen to participate in the Alternative Credit Project. Forty colleges, universities and systems are taking part in the project and have agreed to grant credit for a large number of these courses, which include disciplines such as business, critical thinking and writing, foreign language, humanities, mathematics and natural and physical sciences.
What Does the Alternative Credit Project Mean for You?
The Alternative Credit Project makes a college degree or certification more attainable, especially for students who already have some college experience and credits. Taking advantage of the affordable online courses allows the student to lower the total cost of their degree significantly. Plus, if you opt for online courses, you have the opportunity to complete your studies anywhere, anytime – making it easy to balance your coursework with work and family obligations.
After completing courses through the Alternative Credit Project, you can easily transfer to a respected college or university to finish your degree. With dozens of schools to choose from, you are sure to find an academic institution that offers your desired major.
ACE’s Alternative Credit Project’s website makes it easy to:
- Research online courses available. As you do so, you will see which courses are accepted by which institution and how many credits will transfer. Visit Ed4Credit to see the list of the courses offered by Ed4Career.
- Research colleges and universities. See if they participate in the ACE Project and how your courses might transfer.
- Put your plan in place. Although ACP courses are low cost; financial aid is available – but only when you have enrolled in a program at your selected college or university. Connect with your school’s financial aid office and determine what steps you need to take now.
- Register and complete your courses at your own pace. Along the way, you will pick up important skills regarding study habits, work/life balance, how the online learning system works and much more!
- Transfer! Once you are ready to apply for admission to your chosen college or university, have your ACP transcript sent directly there. It’s that easy!
Ed4Career is honored to have been chosen to participate in this ground-breaking initiative to help students further their academic dreams!
Sources:
http://www.alternativecreditproject.com/
