When it comes to college, a lot of people take the accelerated route. Some people want to get into the workforce as quickly as possible. Some want to balance school with other responsibilities. Still, others may want to take advantage of a time period when they don’t have a lot of obligations. Whatever the reason, accelerated online degrees can help students achieve their goals fast.

Some accelerated online degrees are faster than others, so how can you make the most of these programs? If you want to earn your degree and graduate fast, here are a few things you can do to speed the process.

Generous Transfer Policies 

Accelerated online degrees may let you graduate fast, but they still require the same amount of coursework as a traditional degree. Essentially, students compress four years’ worth of courses into a short amount of time. As a result, these programs can become challenging and even overwhelming. The good news is that some degree programs can decrease your course load without making you sacrifice speed. The key is to look for programs with generous transfer policies.

For instance, have you already taken some college courses? Then you might transfer those credits to your new school. Look for schools and programs that accept a lot of transfer credits. For reference, most bachelor’s degree programs require 120 credit hours, while most master’s degree programs require 30 to 40. The more credits you can transfer, the faster you can finish your degree. As a bonus, generous transfer policies can help you save money on your degree, since you won’t have to pay for courses that you don’t take.

But what if you don’t have any college courses under your belt? Don’t worry. Even if you haven’t taken any college courses yet, you can still take advantage of certain transfer policies. Some colleges and universities offer course credit for experiences outside the classroom. Those experiences can include:

• Work-related experience in your field of study
• Military experience
• Professional licensure or certificate

Not every college offers credit for experience, but many do. Look for these colleges when you research accelerated online degrees.

Flexible Login Times 

For online degree programs, some colleges have specific login times. Students must log in to their courses as set times for lectures and class discussions. These programs do have their advantages. For example, they can prevent students from putting their courses on the back burner and taking longer to finish their degrees.

That coin has two sides, though. Set login times can also prevent students from finishing as quickly as they’d like. They keep students from finishing their coursework ahead of schedule, even when students may have a block of free time to finish schoolwork.

If you’re self-motivated or have a strong accountability system, look for programs with no set login times. If you can finish your coursework on your own time, that means you may finish your coursework early and earn your degree that much faster.

Adult-Specific Colleges and Universities 

Some colleges and universities were built specifically for adults. They cater to non-traditional students by offering weekend courses, accelerated online degrees, and other resources that help students balance school with their careers. You might explore these options while looking at degree possibilities. These colleges may have more resources than traditional schools to help you earn your degree fast. Faculty members and administrators will likely understand your needs.

These days, you have more options than ever for your college education. By using the options above, you can make the most of your choices and earn the degree that will fit your needs. And at the end of the day, earning an accelerated degree can help you boost your career that much faster.