You have options, and that is exactly the problem. The student who posted this is doing the right thing by pausing before paying for a certificate, because not all Excel credentials carry the same weight or require the same investment. The practical answer is that your fastest path depends on what you actually need to prove, and for a future college student in business or accounting, that usually means a recognized certification rather than a course completion certificate.
The student mentions seeing Coursera and community college options, and both are legitimate, but they serve different purposes. A community college course often provides structured instruction, instructor feedback, and a transcript that may transfer or at least hold more academic weight. Coursera offers flexibility and lower cost, but the certificate alone may not signal the same level of proficiency to an employer or internship coordinator. If your teacher specifically said "Excel certificate," they likely mean a credential that demonstrates measurable skill, not just attendance. That points toward the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) certification, which is widely recognized and can be taken through testing centers or sometimes through your future university. The student should check whether MSU offers a discounted or bundled certification prep for incoming students, because many universities do.
The deeper point here is that the student's extracurricular background in accounting and business organizations already gives them an edge. They are not starting from zero, and they do not need a generic course to teach them what Excel is. They need targeted preparation that maps to the exam objectives and fills gaps in their current knowledge. That means looking for practice exams and study guides specific to the MOS Excel Associate or Expert exam, rather than signing up for a broad "Excel for beginners" class. The fastest path is often the one that respects what you already know and focuses your time on the areas where you are weakest.
So before you pay for anything, ask the university's business school or advising office what they recommend. They see hundreds of incoming students every year and know which credentials matter in the first-year internship search. Then, if a community college offers a short, exam-focused prep course that aligns with the MOS exam, that is likely a better investment than a longer general course. If not, self-study with official practice tests and a modest subscription to a platform like LinkedIn Learning or Coursera may be all you need. The certificate is the goal, but the real value is in demonstrating that you can handle data with confidence when it matters. Choose the route that gets you to that point with the least wasted time, and you will be ahead before your first lecture begins.