Cheapest online college? (cheap tuition, bachelors, Ivy League, skills)

[compwiz02]

Posted on yahoo answers and I'll post here as well (I like to ask on multiple networks):

I'm from the US living in the Philippines. Got 2.5 years of in-the-classroom credits in the US and 1 year of in-the-classroom credits in the philippines. I've also taken 1 trimester of distance education in the Philippines. My problem is: I am looking for an online bachelors program or diploma course that is 100% purely online, meaning ALL classes AND exams/quizzes are online. I'm also looking for an online college who can accept my transcripts from past colleges.

So far Ashworth College in the US is the cheapest college I've found so far but at around $1,200 per semester, it's really expensive for a guy like me on a budget but I love their program. Giving you credits based on experiences with approval from the dean, 100% online, and completely self-paced...you can finish as slow or as fast as you want.

Any other suggestions for online colleges? Please don't give me any crap like "online colleges just want your money. they're not worth it. Go to a REAL college." Every college wants your money. This is a bucket list/personal thing for me. I'm not going to use my degree to market myself. I despise people who think they're intelligent because they can use the piece of paper to make their ego and confidence swell up like a balloon. I just want the degree as a personal achievement to finish what I started on the lowest budget possible. And for those who say "well you will never get a decent job with a crappy degree from a crappy college", trust me, I already have a career. You don't need a degree to find an awesome job. All you need is skill, experience, and the ability to use your brain. A lot of smart people in the world without degrees.

So yea, that's basically it. Really straightforward. Well on Yahoo Answers, I had to be straightforward because a lot of biased users on there. I want a low-budget degree from an accredited college. It's a personal, finish-what-you-started, bucket list thing for me. Any recommendations? The Philippines' best online college is offered from their #1 ranked university system which offers tuition at 15,000 pesos per trimester at full load which is around $350 per trimester (3 months). If any online college in the US can compete with that, I'd be happy. I want a college that is 100% purely online. No traveling. I've got a work-at-home job that requires me to be at home.

[joe from dayton]

You will be lucky to find a US school that charges $350 for a semester hour, let alone $350 for a full load of classes.

[L210]

I doubt you're going to find anything cheaper. The U.S. has two sets of accreditation: regional accreditation and national accreditation. Generally, regional accreditation is supposed to be more desirable even though the government recognizes both. Among RA schools, I really doubt you're going to get anywhere near the equivalent of $350 per trimester. Associate's degrees in the U.S. are usually around 60 semester hours (credits). Bachelor's degrees are usually around 120 semester hours. Some schools are on the quarter hour system making associates 90 credits and bachelors 180 credits. These are the cheapest RA schools I can think of for out-of-state/international students.

Western Governors University: $2890 per 6 months. You can complete as many credits as you can per term for that price.
Northern Arizona University (competency-based programs): $2500 per 6 months. Complete as many credits as you can per term.
Southern New Hampshire University (competency-based associates program): $2500 per year. Complete as many credits as you can for that price.
Peru State College: $220 per credit hour.
Fort Hays State University: $182 per credit hour.
Chadron State College: $220 per credit hour.
Columbia College: $245 per credit hour.

If you had residency in a state, then you could possibly find a 4-year, state college that charges around $150 per credit hour or a community college that charges $50-100 per credit hour.

[mattywo85]

OP, I would honestly avoid online colleges all together if possible. They are usually in it for profit and most employers don't take them to seriously.

[Nomadicus]

I'd take all the online classes from a local community college if possible for the least cost. Same credits as in he classroom if you are a self starter. Some classes are just better absorbed with interaction in the classroom.

[compwiz02]

Yea, I know I probably won't find any college in the US that offers $350 per semester haha...but it's worth a shot to ask around. I'm from the US and even I know that I will be lucky to find a college that offers cheap tuition but people are sometimes lucky to find an institution that does lower down the rates.

@mattywo85, yea and I don't plan on applying for jobs whose employers judges its employees soley on the college they came from and their degree. Every college is in it for the money. As my dad would say (he's got a bachelors degree, masters degree, and a certification), all you need is the paper. And I agree. Nobody will care what college you came from after 5-7 years of work experience. Use the paper to get through the door. Use your experience and skills after that. Sure, graduating from an Ivy League school makes you look intelligent but that's just labeling. Let's see how well you do in the field. If a Harvard graduate can produce good work, then great.

[L210]

Only one of the colleges I posted is 100% virtual. Most online programs come from colleges with brick and mortar campuses. Even many of the for-profits have brick and mortar campuses. Also, none of the colleges I posted are for-profit. Often, the term "online college" is misused.