Course Catalog / BMU 104 / Course project

Course project

How to Choose a College. Do this after Lesson 5. About 30 to 45 minutes.

This is where you show you can do what the course promised. Build your project in the builder below. The site checks each rubric row and tells you what to fix. Your certificate needs this step and a passed Posttest.

Capstone rubric

The site checks each part. A row passes when your work matches Ready. You need all six rows.

Part	Not yet	Getting there	Ready
Needs	No needs list.	Some parts.	Goal, credential, license, and format.
Accreditation	Not checked.	School checked only.	School and accreditor checked; program too if needed.
Net price	Sticker price only.	One school.	Net price for two or three schools, plus costs beyond tuition.
Outcomes	None.	One number.	Graduation, earnings, and debt for each school.
Red flags	None checked.	Some checked.	All red flags checked for each school.
Decision	None.	A choice, no reason.	A choice with two reasons and one next step.

Compare your capstone: example answers

These are made up examples. Compare your work row by row.

A strong example

Needs: nursing, an associate degree, a license, evening classes.
Accreditation: both schools on DAPIP; the nursing program also checked.
Net price: from each school's calculator, plus books and travel.
Outcomes: graduation, earnings, and debt for each school from College Scorecard.
Red flags: all five checked; none at School A, two at School B.
Decision: School A, for a lower net price and a checked program. Next step: meet an advisor by March 3.

A weak example, with feedback

Weak: Price: the sticker price only. Why and how to fix: Use each school's net price calculator, and add costs beyond tuition.
Weak: Accreditation: the recruiter said yes. Why and how to fix: Check it yourself on DAPIP or CHEA. Check the program too for a licensed field.
Weak: Decision: School B, it felt right. Why and how to fix: Give two reasons from your sheet and one next step with a date.

Fix it and try again

For each row that says Not yet, read the feedback above, go back to the lesson for that part, and fix it. Then press Check my project again. You can do this as many times as you want.

End of course self check

Mark how sure you feel about each goal. This is not a grade, and it does not change your certificate.

I can...	1 = not yet, 2 = with notes, 3 = on my own
Write a needs list for my goal.	1 2 3
Check a school's accreditation.	1 2 3
Find and compare net price.	1 2 3
Read graduation, earnings, and debt on Scorecard.	1 2 3
Spot red flags at a school.	1 2 3

Build your course project

Build your project here, step by step. When you are ready, press Check my project. The site checks each rubric row for you and tells you exactly what to fix. Fix it and check again as many times as you need. When every row passes, your project is complete, and you can download or print it.

Your answers save in this browser as you type. Nothing is sent to BMU. Files you upload stay on your device; the site only reads their name, type, size, and length. The checks test what a page can test: the parts, the math, and your choices. They cannot see what you do offline, so do the real steps too.

Needs

My job goal

Credential the job posts ask for

Does the job need a state license?

Format I can keep for the whole program

Two or three schools

Your schools

Use College Scorecard and the school's net price calculator.

School	Accreditor	Found on DAPIP or CHEA?	Sticker price a year	Grants and scholarships a year	Net price a year	Graduation rate %	Median earnings	Typical debt	Red flags seen (0 to 5)

Red flags

The five red flags: Pressure to sign today; Big promises with no proof; Accreditation I cannot find; Loans pushed before costs in writing; Bad numbers on Scorecard.

A recruiter says the price is only good if you sign today. That is

Decision

The school I choose (same name as in the table)

Reason 1

Reason 2

One next step

Date for the next step

Rubric rows

Needs: Not checked yet
Accreditation: Not checked yet
Net price: Not checked yet
Outcomes: Not checked yet
Red flags: Not checked yet
Decision: Not checked yet

Your finished project

Next up

Take the Posttest if you have not yet. When both are done, get your Certificate of Completion. It says you passed its Posttest and completed the course project.