The University of Maine Presque Isle (UMPI) is one school that has gotten better at college hacking. However, is this school even worth it at all? You will be able to make this decision at the end of this post. This post is basically a University of Maine Presque Isle review, where you’ll find out whether it’s legit or a degree mill, and we will also see if it’s a good school to hack college credits.
The University of Maine Presque Isle is actually a legit school. So, we will see if this university has what it takes to be an easy school to hack into. We will look at different areas to help rate UMPI, including credit transfer, attendance fee, etc. UMPI is a public school, and actually a great online school, except that it’s best for people who are too busy with work.
University of Maine Presque Isle Review: Is This School Really Hackable?
As I mentioned earlier, we’d be looking at the University of Maine Presque Isle from different important aspects that will help you decide if this school is worth it for you. Let’s get started.
1. UMPI is Good at Accepting Transfer Credits
The University of Maine Presque Isle accepts all the big names, such as DSST, CLEP, Study.com, Sophia, and StraighterLine. Even though UMPI won’t say they accept Sophia and DSST, they do. You only need to do 30 credits or 25% of your degree with them. This means you can use other credits for up to 90 credits in many of its degrees.
UMPI is open about the credits they accept. However, since this is a state school, there are more rules about what credits they can take. They don’t offer a huge list of degrees and courses, so sometimes some of your credits may not be accepted because UMPI doesn’t have the course for it. This could mean you can’t transfer as many credits as you could at schools like Liberty University, which is a private school and may not check as closely. But, UMPI still accepts a lot of credits, so many of your credits will still transfer.
2. Affordable Fees
If you participate in YourPace programming, you’ll pay $1,400 flat-rate tuition per session as an undergraduate or $2,000 per session for graduate courses. In this period, you can complete as many courses as you can. You can possibly complete a lot of courses. Let’s say you plan for the 90 Credit Max to take 30 credits at UMPI. You could spend between 1-5 terms, which translates from $1,400 to $7,000. This is an incredible value, possibly even cheaper than the University of the People, known for its nearly free tuition.
So, really, the cheapness of UMPI’s fee depends on how much work you can invest. If you prefer a more relaxed pace, taking it easy with just a couple of courses every term, it’s still a good bargain. But if you are eager to graduate faster and save money, UMPI is the go-to in terms of affordability.
3. UMPI is Flexible
When it comes to flexibility, UMPI is unbeatable. Many of its specialized majors allow for 19 to 34 credits of elective courses. UMPI’s liberal studies degree, which comes with various specializations and includes the so-called Chipotle degree, is incredibly flexible. You can use around 60 credits for elective courses. This means if you have a lot of credits from other colleges, work experience, or tests like CLEP or Sophia, you’ll be able to use them here. So, even though the University of Maine Presque Isle’s variety of programs isn’t the best, its flexibility makes up for it.
4. Limited Degree Options
When I talk about the options for degrees, I mean I’m looking for a good mix and the ability to choose from many. UMPI is a bit of a mix here. Its variety isn’t its strongest point in online degree options. They offer six main majors, but if you count the specializations, it feels like 14. However, a bunch of these are essentially business majors, just split into different areas. They do offer degrees in business, accounting, criminal justice, English/journalism, history/political science, and even a unique program they call the Chipotle degree, which I’ve talked about in a video right here. But what they’re missing is a lot—there’s no psychology, technology, or healthcare administration, which are all really popular fields. So, I’d say about 70 to 80 percent of people might find a degree that fits them perfectly here, but the rest might need to look elsewhere.
5. Low Graduation Rate
UMPI claims a 99% graduation rate, but you need to be 18 to join. The real graduation rate seems to be around 39% to 44%, which probably includes both on-campus and online students. If we’re just looking at the online program, the graduation rate might actually be average, maybe between 30% and 40%.
6. UMPI Uses a Competency-Based Program
This is set up so that every 8 weeks, you begin two new courses, and you have 8 weeks to complete them. UMPI provides all the homework, videos, and materials you need. At the end of each course, when you feel ready, you either take a test, do a project, or record a speech to show you have studied the material. A professor then grades it, and if you do well in all the necessary areas, you pass.
However, if you don’t do well in just one area, you fail. The grading is based on what UMPI considers to be B-level work. This may seem intimidating and tough, but the best part about UMPI is that you get two chances to submit your work. The first submission is a practice run where you get feedback from the professor on what to improve, and then your second submission is for your actual grade. This method of learning is not for everyone, but for many, it’s a major advantage of UMPI. The big advantage is that you can graduate quickly while spending less.
So the third reason is about how this model could mean you end up doing less homework. Normally, in a typical class, you might have to write two or three essays, take a midterm, a final, and even some quizzes. But here, if you mostly work on a final project and do a lot of reading and watching, you are doing less homework overall. The catch is that the final project is judged strictly.
Now, this way of learning works well for many people, but not for everyone. If you like having deadlines, need more interaction with teachers or classmates, or rely on regular feedback, UMPI may not suit you. With UMPI’s courses, you are basically teaching yourself with the materials provided and occasional feedback from faculty. Now, while this setup can be ideal for some, it can also be a nightmare for others.
7. It Lacks Traditional Campus Experience
If you plan to study at the University of Maine Presque Isle online, you won’t have the typical traditional school experience. Despite being a small online program, which could be seen as a drawback since they may lack resources for unique student needs, many people appreciate the personal attention. Also, you receive quick responses from the staff at a traditional school, who are often the decision-makers themselves.
University of Maine Presque Isle Online Reviews
So, when you check out what people say about UMPI online, pulling from sites like niche.com and Rate My Professor, it has a 3.3 and 3.4 rating, respectively. That may not seem great at first. But, you see, UMPI is mainly a place where students live on campus, so a lot of the bad reviews are about aspects such as a boring night scene, the dating scene, or no dorms.
If you take the time to sift through all those comments and find the ones from students who actually take classes online, you’ll see they’re really positive. Now, I’ll be honest, if you want more of a nudge from your teachers or more face-to-face time with them, UMPI is not the university for you.
Generally, the University of Maine Presque Isle is for people who want to complete their studies fast and without spending a lot, so they can start the career they’re excited about. If that’s you, then UMPI Online is a good school for you.
Is UMPI actually a good school?
UMPI is regionally accredited and is a state school, which gives it a solid reputation. The disadvantage could be its small size, with the online program having about 500 to 1000 students. So, it’s not very well known. However, it definitely has the necessary credentials. It’s a real school that offers real degrees, not a degree mill.
Conclusion
So, this is really what you need to know in this University of Maine Presque Isle review. This is a school for someone who is mostly working and is not prioritizing campus life experience. UMPI is also a cheap school, and flexible enough for you to progress rapidly in your studies. This online university is also good with transfers, and if it only had a bit more variety in its degrees, UMPI would be even more outstanding.
