Allyson has returned to complete her Bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at City University of New York School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS), one of our many college credit partners. She has earned 6 credits from Saylor courses so far and plans to take more. Read about her experience below!

 

 


Saylor Academy: Hello Allyson! How did you find out about Saylor and our free courses?

Allyson Carroll: Dr. Sparrow from CUNY leads a ‘Credit for Prior Learning Class’, and I believe she told me about the Saylor option. I was not aware of it when I applied to return to school.

SA: Which college credit courses have you completed? 

AC: ‘Corporate Communication’ and ‘Principles of Management’ (so far); I plan on taking BUS 101 next.

SA: What are your career goals? And how has what you learned/the skills you obtained through Saylor Academy prepared you to achieve those goals?

AC: I’d like to pivot from fashion retail leadership into the tech space or apply what I am learning in new ways. Whatever the industry, my career focus is likely to stay within organizational development.

SA: What is your major, or what are you studying?

AC: I’m completing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and hope to go on to earn a master’s degree within the organizational development sphere.

SA: Do you have any advice for adults looking to finish their degrees or return to school?

AC: My advice would be to jump right in at the pace your life allows. I was thinking about returning to school for years, but it didn’t feel relevant to where I was in my career. Ultimately, I found myself wishing I could skip ahead to an advanced degree which is when I knew that finishing my BA was worthwhile.

SA: How has Saylor Academy and the flexibility of our courses helped you in your journey to complete your degree?

AC: Saylor is a great option because CUNY SPS allows a generous number of credits to be applied after taking the Saylor exams. Because I have an extensive business background, I am focused on taking as many business exams as I can to accumulate credits and graduate faster. If I would have known about credit for prior learning, I would have returned to my degree years ago.

SA: Would you recommend Saylor to others looking to finish their degrees?

AC: Saylor credits can accelerate your degree whether you need to knock out some general education requirements or want to specialize in business classes like I am. You will be surprised how much you already know, and CUNY wants to give you the credit. Saylor is saving me a lot of time, letting me bypass traditional classes for things I already know well. I can save my time for the classes that pertain more specifically to my degree.

SA: What are your plans for the future, after graduation?

AC: I would like to work towards a master’s degree and take some of the research I will be doing for this degree further, in hopes of making an impact in my professional realm. In tandem, I would like to apply my work in organizational development in new ways.


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