Hi Guys, I am actually student in associate degree programm at Penn Foster.  I am completing this year and would like to know if you are aware of any Us or Canadian universities who accept Penn Foster degree for credit transfer.  Is there any university/college which recognize Penn Foster for completion degree program?

This is a current list of colleges and universities who accept ACE credit:
http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Learners&Template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=18861

The American Council on Education (ACE) is an independent accrediting body that evaluates:

1. Formal college courses and programs
2. Certification exam taken outside traditional college and university degree programs

The benefits of ACE credit recommendations are that:

1. Students can participate in corporate tuition assistance programs to pay for these programs.
2. Students have the potential to apply college credit to a formal degree program.

As the majority Penn Foster's courses are ACE-reviewed, credit transfer shouldn't be an issue. For some more info, read this blog post by Terry, a current Penn Foster student: http://community.elearners.com/blogs/penn_foster_college_blog/archive/2006/08/28/ACE-your-classes.aspx.
 

Helen has given you some great advice.  Since the majority of courses in Penn Foster College's degree programs are evaluated by ACE, you will find many regionally and nationally accredited institutions which will accept most of your credits, if not the entire degree, if you decide to go on and earn your bachelor degree.

 From talking to other students, I do know that schools such as Peru State, Bellevue University, American Military University, Liberty University, Western Governors University and University of Phoenix accept degrees from Penn Foster College, but there are many others.  Also, Penn Foster College has entered into a transfer agreement with Mountain State University, a regionally accredited college which will accept an entire Penn Foster College associate degree in transfer. 

 If in doubt, contact the admissions department of the university you are interested in attending after PFC and find out if your associate degree will be accepted.  Be sure to mention the ACE reviewed courses.  It really does make a difference. 

 

Thanks for the information.  But is Mountain State University approved by canada?  Are you aware of anything related to recognition of its degree by canadian authority, cause i intend to move to canada and i have heard they value only canadian approved qualification.

You might try Athabasca University.  They're Canada's best known distance learning institution and they're accustomed to dealing with American institutions, they're even regionally accredited by an American organization.  They have a Bachelor of General Studies program that lets you transfer in up to 100% of the credit you need.  Since most Penn Foster courses are ACE evaluated, they may be acceptable.

-=Steve=- 

---

B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Anoushka:

Thanks for the information.  But is Mountain State University approved by canada?  Are you aware of anything related to recognition of its degree by canadian authority, cause i intend to move to canada and i have heard they value only canadian approved qualification.

 

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "approved by Canda".  If you are asking if most Canadian institutions will accept credits and degrees from Mountain State University, I imagine they would, since Mountain State University is regionally accredited, just like all state colleges and universities in the United States.  You may want to check with the appropriate Crown authority or any Canadian institutions you plan to transfer to following your bachelor degree.   

Have checked the Athabasca site but they are not offering bachelor inthe field am interested-Computer Information System with sp;ec. in Business management.  Have you heard about Devry in Canada? I mean Is it worthy?

Thanks. Am going to enquire about it?

In my experience, having worked with members of the military community and their families, Active, Reserve, and National Guard, and Government Employees, mililtary counseling staff strongly advise on  NOT taking courses from a nationally accredited institution, due to the fact that the more difficult it is to get into a particular traditional college (classroom based or online), the less likely those nationally accredited institutional credits will transfer.  To find out if the institution is accredited and the type of accreditation, go to http://chea.org/search/default.asp 

BOTTOM LINE, in order to get the most credits to transfer, the schools will make you pay top dollar tuition for that right or you are forced to attend a private institution (usually meaning paying a higher tuition).  Also, do not be fooled by the MILITARY FRIENDLY INSTITUTION information found on a school's web site or other publications.  That usually means they accept the MGIB.  Some of those schools require payment up front for students receiving MGIB , because they know the government is slow to pay. 

There are good counselors and bad counselors at all institutions, especially in the financial aid department.  I advise not taking out any student loans, if at all possible, since if you default on a student loan, you usually cannot get any future governmental or institutional financial aid.  Unless you are paying cash for your degree, you need to do a lot of follow up with the financial aid department.  If you are receiving several types of aid, make sure you do not allow the financial aid office to dip into your loan funds if they do not get paid on time.  This information will go on your credit report (if you have a possible total of $10,000 in loan aid and you only use $1,000, you have a line of credit for $10,000). 

If mom and dad send a check to the school for your tuition and it bounces, you are responsible (thanks in part to FERPA).  The same goes if your employer (including the federal government)  is paying for any part of your education up front.  The school will not contact you when they dip into different pots of your education funds.   Schools are like any other company and have bills to pay, so they all have due dates for payment and it is easier and sometimes more cost effective for them to dip into your student loan account at any time or sell your delinquent account to a collection agency than to work with you.  Sometimes you will find, years down the road, when you try to obtain a transcript, that monies are owed to the school.  My advice for the future, is that you obtain on a regular basis and keep individual copies of OFFICAL TRANSCRIPTS (sealed in individual envelopes) in case they are needed for future education or job applications.  Employers will usually accept official unsealed copies of transcripts. 

My advice is that if you cannot afford to pay cash for your education in case of any problems with the institution or its employees, do not go to that institution.  

 A good, non partial source for information for approximately 150 commonly used colleges by the military, was developed by the Active Component of the US Army to allow for 24/7 use of its educational resources to its members.  It is https://www.goarmyed.com  The home page is for use by the public, so go to "Earn a Degree or Credential" to start your research of colleges or contact your state's department of post secondary education for listing of schools in that state (the following file has the web site of every state's agency)

 http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_Web/library/docs/distribution/2418.pdf

 If you know someone in the military who is still serving, ask them to contact their Military Education Counseling office for their input on schools that have accepted Penn Foster college credit. Military members receive promotion points toward further education, so counselors at times have to evaluate credits from multiple institutions.