Posted on by Sofia Chilquillo

Rudi Sellers left an unfinished undergraduate degree back in the ’90s when he moved to the UK. More than twenty years later, amidst the COVID 19 pandemic, Rudi finally earned that well-anticipated first degree at  City University of New York School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS), one of our many college credit partner institutions. Here’s his story! 

"I set myself an ambitious target to graduate within a year of starting and I would not have been able to do this without the credits I gained when I passed my Saylor exam." – Rudi Sellers Click To Tweet

Saylor Academy: Tell us a little bit more about yourself.

Rudi: I am a lifelong learner and though I have several degrees and qualifications, all gained in the UK, I had always planned to return to learning to complete my first undergraduate degree.  After some consideration, I decided to change my major from English Literature to Communication and Media Studies. I chose this degree as my career path has largely focused on telecommunications and media.

SA: How did you find out about Saylor Academy? What was your first impression after taking your first course with us?

R: I learned about Saylor Academy from the CUNY SPS website. I was keen to understand what forms of prior learning might be accepted for credit and I discovered that Saylor courses could be used to demonstrate my competence, and gain full course credit. Signing up for Saylor Academy was easy and the course was well laid out with high-quality reading and viewing materials. 

SA: Which Saylor course did you take to help you get back on track to completing your degree?

R: I took one Saylor course BUS210: Corporate Communication. I needed to build up credits in my new major and this course matched my professional experience. It was also a great way to get me started in my new major covering subject matter that I was familiar with. 

SA: Looking back at it, how do you think taking the Saylor course impacted your trajectory in college?

R: My Saylor course accelerated my learning. My Saylor credits were my first official credits at CUNY SPS as they were awarded very shortly after taking my exam during my first semester. I set myself an ambitious target to graduate within a year of starting and I would not have been able to do this without the credits I gained when I passed my Saylor exam. 

"Taking the course at my own pace was a real help when I needed to juggle my time with work and family commitments. Saylor really does fit around you." – Rudi Sellers Click To Tweet

SA: What comes after graduation for you?

R: Now that I have completed my degree I am looking at post-graduate options. I’ve become a real fan of online learning so many of the options I have under consideration take a similar approach to Saylor in terms of course delivery.

SA: Anything else you might want to share about your experience with Saylor Academy?  Would you recommend our courses to students looking to finish their degrees?

R: I would recommend Saylor Academy to anyone who is looking for a high-quality way to get credits without comprising the academic rigor found in other forms of learning. I especially liked that I could study for free and for just a small fee get proctored for the exam that my university recognizes. Taking the course at my own pace was a real help when I needed to juggle my time with work and family commitments. Saylor really does fit around you. 

If you are looking to finish your college degree, click here to learn more about our Direct College Credit Program where you can complete your degree with substantial tuition savings!  Read more student interviews here and learn about their experiences earning their certificates.