Accelerate Your Degree - Sophia Learning
You may have heard about Sophia Learning from friends or coworkers, seen students talking about it on Reddit, or come across Sophia Learning YouTube ads. The question is, what is Sophia Learning and how can it help you accelerate your degree progress?
As an adult learner, getting your Bachelor's degree in the shortest time possible may be a priority. You may be looking to reduce your financial aid loan amounts or to save money. You may be required to have a Bachelor's degree to get that promotion at work or may be eager to obtain a better-paying job and kick-start your career. For many students, Sophia Learning can be an effective way to accelerate degree completion, reduce educational costs, and satisfy certain degree requirements outside of their regular SNHU coursework.
Sophia Learning is an independent organization that partners with SNHU and many colleges around the country to provide college-level self-paced classes. It offers over 70 courses that can be completed to either fulfill general education or free elective requirements. These classes are approved and recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) and are graded pass/fail.
If you decide to complete Sophia Learning classes, you will need to pay for a subscription. Sophia offers several subscription options, but the most popular one is the $99/month option. There is no limit to how many classes you can take in a month, but the caveat is that you can only have two active courses at one time. I have worked with students who have completed anywhere from 1 to 10 classes in a month! If you have the time, you can get through them very quickly. Many report completing a course within a couple of days to a couple of weeks!
One thing to consider when deciding to complete Sophia Learning classes is if you plan to apply to graduate school. Graduate school admission requirements vary by institution. While many graduate schools recognize degrees earned at regionally accredited universities such as SNHU, it is always best to verify transfer-credit policies directly with any graduate programs you are considering.
Because Sophia Learning courses and transfer equivalencies can change, you should always consult with me before enrolling in a Sophia Learning course. Completing a course through Sophia Learning is ultimately done at your own risk.
So what courses should you not complete through Sophia Learning? I strongly recommend that you stick to completing general education and/or free elective requirements. While Sophia Learning does offer English Composition I (ENG-130 - Foundations of Written Communication), English Composition II (ENG-190 - Research and Persuasion), and Introduction to Statistics (MAT-240 - Applied Statistics), these courses are best taken at SNHU. You will get more out of these courses by taking them at SNHU and will be more prepared to complete upper-level classes. Sophia Learning does offer some major classes, such as Introduction to Psychology and Lifespan Development for Psychology students, but it is strongly advised that you complete any major courses at SNHU. All major courses are best completed at the university.