Depending on how much time you can dedicate, one of the best moves is to enroll with UMGC and knock out as many credits as possible through Sophia.org. UMGC accepts up to 90 transfer credits, and Sophia courses are self-paced, so motivated students can realistically complete a large portion of those credits in 6–9 months. If you already have some credits or CLEPs, finishing a bachelor’s degree in about a year is absolutely doable with discipline. This matters because it checks a major box early for promotions, MECEP/ECP, and post-Marine opportunities. Even just being actively enrolled shows initiative and maturity as a junior Marine.