Baker College’s new low-cost course option allows students to ‘try on’ college, earn significant scholarships

Baker College and StraighterLine have partnered to reduce financial concerns of students hoping to fulfill undergraduate higher education goals. StraighterLine is a provider of low-cost, self-paced online courses and is nationally recognized by the Department of Education.

"Our partnership with StraighterLine is based on its high quality of education delivered at a low cost,” said Jill Langen, Ph.D., Baker College Online/Center for Graduate Studies president. “Strong in our evaluation of StraighterLine’s courses were the identified learning outcomes, validation of assessments and available tutoring.

“This partnership is especially supportive of students who wish to ‘try on’ college or a major, or test oneself to see if college is right for them now.”

Students study and learn on their own schedules and move at a pace that fits their lives. Those who complete four or more StraighterLine courses qualify for a 25 percent tuition scholarship.

Through StraighterLine, students can save hundreds of dollars by taking as many Baker College general education online courses as they wish for a monthly fee of $99 and a per-class fee starting at $49. In addition to the low cost, the courses offer little risk to students: There is no penalty for incompletion; courses don’t affect a student’s GPA because they transfer as a pass; and students can explore multiple careers through introductory courses at low cost.

The Department of Education selected StraighterLine as a partner in the department’s Educational Quality through Innovative Partnerships (EQUIP) program. Established October 2015, EQUIP was designed to accelerate and evaluate innovation through partnerships between colleges and universities and non-traditional educational providers to equip more Americans with the skills, knowledge and training needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

All StraighterLine credit-bearing courses are approved by the American Council on Education (ACE), which allows the credits to transfer seamlessly to Baker College, and have been designated Approved Quality Curriculum status by The Distance Education Accrediting Council.

StraighterLine Founder and CEO Burck Smith said, “As a student-centric, career-focused college, Baker College aligns well with our own mission of saving students money and guaranteeing credit transfer into applicable degree programs. By partnering with StraighterLine, Baker College is helping students achieve their personal, academic and career goals.

"Research from our partner colleges shows that students who transfer credits from StraighterLine are nearly 20 percent more likely to persist to a degree than the rest of a college's cohort."

There are 19 general education and career introductory StraighterLine courses guaranteed to transfer to Baker College. Significantly more courses will be added when the college transitions from quarters to semesters in fall 2017.

Students complete their programs at one of Baker College’s on-ground campuses in Michigan, 100 percent online or a combination of both.

Though Baker College is the first higher education institution in Michigan to partner with StraighterLine, more than 100 schools across the country have signed on with StraighterLine since the company was founded in 2009.

StraighterLine approached Baker College for inclusion in this innovative program because of the college’s excellent reputation and number of campuses available throughout Michigan. In addition, in 2016 Baker College Online was one of the first two institutions ever to receive the highest ranking for online higher education programs – the Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement – awarded by the Online Learning Consortium.

For more information about Baker College-StraighterLine course options, visit www.straighterline.com/colleges/baker-college, or contact Chuck Gurden in the admissions office at 800.469.3165 or adm-ol@baker.edu, or visit www.baker.edu.

About Baker College

The largest private college in Michigan, Baker College is a not-for-profit higher education institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Founded in 1911, Baker College grants doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees, as well as certificates in diverse academic fields including applied technology, business, education, engineering, health science, information technology and social science. Baker College has on-ground campuses throughout Michigan and offers online programs that can be completed 100 percent online without ever visiting a campus. In 2016, the Online Learning Consortium recognized Baker College Online with the OLC Quality Scorecard Exemplary Endorsement, the highest ranking for online higher education programs. For information, visit www.baker.edu or follow Baker College on Twitter, @bakercollege, or on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bakercollege.

About StraighterLine

StraighterLine is an innovative higher education model that provides high quality online general education courses that colleges recognize for credit. StraighterLine’s low-cost online courses are offered to students for a $99-a-month subscription.

StraighterLine is among a select few online course providers to be invited to participate in the Department of Education’s EQUIP (Educational Quality through Innovation Partnerships) Program, which allows students to access federal financial aid for the chosen programs.

StraighterLine has developed a network of over 100 leading adult-serving colleges and universities that guarantee acceptance of StraighterLine courses. Having been evaluated and recommended by the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT), StraighterLine courses will also be considered by more than 2,000 other colleges and universities for transfer to their degree programs upon request. StraighterLine currently serves 20,000 individual students a year. Visit www.straighterline.com for more information.

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