Air Power

How to Fast Track College Degrees

- Steps to complete degrees quickly are listed below, with the priority being time savings rather than cutting costs — though these steps accomplish both

- None of the steps are mandatory, and the sequence is flexible, since each person’s preferences, capabilities, and specific degree requirements may be different

- The American Council on Education (ACE) & National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) are national organizations that evaluate online courses and training programs, certify that they are college‑level and recommend how many credits universities can accept


Fast‑Track College Plan (Simple Version)

Step 1 - Knock out free credits first

  • Take Modern States courses
  • Get free CLEP vouchers
  • Pass CLEP exams (aim for 6–10 exams)

Step 2 - Add DSST exams if needed

  • Use DSST for subjects CLEP doesn’t cover
  • Target 6–12 credits

Step 3 - Fill remaining credits with Sophia.org

  • $99/month unlimited courses
  • No proctored exams
  • Finish 6–12 courses per month

Step 4 - Choose your course format (real-world options)

  • Competency-Based Education (CBE)
    • WGU - CBE with subscription-style 6-month terms
    • UMPI YourPace - project-based, no proctored exams

  • Accelerated Online Courses
    • 6-week courses
    • 8-week courses
    • 12-week courses
    • Common at community colleges

  • Traditional Semester Courses
    • Standard university classes
    • Slowest pace, highest cost

  • Hybrid / Evening In-Person Courses
    • Example: UMGC Pearl City
    • 6pm–9pm classes
    • Instructor physically present

  • Fully In-Person Courses
    • On-campus lectures
    • Labs, group work, attendance requirements

  • Self-Paced Online Courses
    • Sophia.org
    • Study.com
    • StraighterLine

Step 5 - Finish remaining courses at your chosen school

  • Excelsior: 7–12 credits in‑house
  • UMPI: 30 credits in‑house
  • WGU: finish as fast as possible

Self‑Paced Credit Platforms | ACE & NCCRS
Sophia.org - NOT FREE
$99/month | Unlimited courses | ACE evaluated | Great for gen eds | No live sessions | Fastest/cheapest ACE source
Study.com - NOT FREE
$235/month | ACE evaluated | Has upper division ACE courses | Best for business/psych/IT major requirements
Coursera - SOME FREE
You can audit most courses for free | Certificates cost money | ACE credit only for specific programs (Google, IBM, Meta, etc.)
Some ACE programs = graduate level credit (rare and valuable)

Other Google/IBM ACE Certificates (Harder, Higher Pay Later)
These do NOT give graduate credit, but they give undergraduate ACE credit and lead to high paying jobs
Google Data Analytics Certificate
12 ACE undergraduate credits | Not easy, no final exam | Very employable | This is one of the largest ACE credit awards for any Coursera program
IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate
10 ACE undergraduate credits| Not easy, no final exam | Excellent for federal / résumés because it’s a “Data Analyst” title

ACE Graduate Level Certificates (Google + IBM)
Google Project Management Certificate
9 graduate credits | 6-8 weeks motivated pace | 3-4 months Coursera estimate
Google Cybersecurity Certificate
6 graduate credits | 8-12 weeks motivated pace | 4-6 months Coursera estimate
Google UX Design Certificate
9 graduate credits | 8-12 weeks motivated pace | 4-6 months Coursera estimate