RE: http://forums.military.com/finding-a-school/is-online-for-real

Online schools can be a great way to get an education if you're on the move. One thing I've found to be true is that the value of an education comes from not only going to class but the job prospects once you've graduated. If you're getting out of the military then this is especially important. I've got a few friends that have graduated from lesser known institutions with the same degree and they're still trying to find a job. I'm graduating this semester from a ranked business school, completed 20+ interviews, and have a career waiting for me. The synergy of the career center, future employers, and you is one the best attributes to reputable schools. Most people may not care about this until it's time to graduate and then its too late. Great jobs are competitive and having a good school on your resume will get you in the door while your GPA, experience, and everything else will give you an edge over the other prospects. Hope this helps!

A degree from an accredited online school is accepted like any other degree. I retired from active duty in 1993 and finally got around to pursuing my educational goals in 2004. Within two years I was able to earn a BBA and an MBA through an online institution. The work was hard and really fast paced as we typically completed an entire text in five weeks. Some of those texts are taught over two 16-week semesters in traditional schools. I wanted an MBA to be able to teach college courses. Now I am teaching some of those same courses as a part-time lecturer at a local college. Interestingly, my hiring interviewer was impressed by an online degree since this school, like many others today, is moving toward offering online courses in addition to the traditional classroom offerings. The bottom line is that online schooling is not for everyone; it demands a tremendous focus, discipline, and dedication of one’s time to complete the assignments within the compressed time frame. Another necessary skill is the ability to read and comprehend new information with little or no assistance from instructors. The onus to learn is clearly on the student and one must not get behind to achieve high grades. These are all basic traits of a successful military experience, by the way. I had taken a few accelerated courses at a community college while on active duty, giving me the confidence to take on an entire course in five weeks. In short, if you can arrange your schedule to accommodate an online learning experience, you will most likely succeed. I cannot overstress the importance of allowing sufficient time to complete the class assignments. A typical week included reading several chapters of the text, working some of the self-test items, posting a response to a discussion board item, commenting on the response of others, and submitting a weekly assignment that is usually in essay form. Each of my courses also included one group project that was done through online collaboration with my fellow students. The good news was that after two successive five-week courses, we had one week off to catch up on life before returning to another ten weeks of class.

The decision to accept and recognize the “degree” rest entirely with the hiring body. Yes, the degree you earn on line carried “accredited status” but accredited status does not mean fully transferable or recognized. It is not uncommon for one institution to NOT recognize the credentials –or even credits- earned at other institutions. Earning an Ed.D. or Ph.D. from an online university will give you a sheep skin but it may carry a stigma that will not allow you to enter the academic teaching profession! It may be an unfair bias but be aware of this as you move forward with you academic growth. You can of course overcome any stigma attached to any degree from any institution by demonstrated performance and outstanding achievement in the field itself. Actions speak louder than words and “Letters” on paper!
Dr. James P. McGuire Ph.D., MKC –USCG-r

It sounds as if there may be some mixed feelings on online degrees.
I have waited too long to go back to the classroom setting with the younger generation and have been pondering the idea of online schools to recieve my degree.

Anybody have any advice as to a school that will meet my educational goals. I am looking for a BSA in engeneering. I have around 80 credits so far in this field, but they are over 6yrs old and from a school outside my state that does not offer an online program.

Any help?

IF the desired profession requires a license or certification to be able to practice (not all do), be sure the college/university is accredited by an accreditation board AND be sure the program is accredited by that licensing board. For example, in order to sit for the Bar to practice Law, the school and the program must be accredited by the ABA (American Bar Association). Many professions carry requirements such as this. Some do not. Most on-line Doctoral degrees do NOT meet these requirements. Many on-line Masters degrees do NOT meet these requirements. On-line schools are typically private schools and are very expensive. They can be worthwhile for many individuals and worthless for others.

quote:

Originally posted by SJohn1:
It sounds as if there may be some mixed feelings on online degrees.

SJohn1,

I can proudly say that I just completed a 20 year goal and earned my bachelor's degree, which I did online through University of Phoenix. My program took just slightly over three years to complete.

What's more, I can tell you that in all the time I interviewed for jobs, there were no employers that had a centric focus on which college I was attending. The only thing I was told in a few instances was, "come back when you're done." Thankfully, I was able to gain employment as a consultant until I was able to complete my degree.

What I have learned from my discussions with startup to Fortune 50 companies, since retiring in 2004, is that it comes down to experience (in the industry) coupled with a degree. I have had no one tell me, "University of Phoenix? That's not a degree." The fact of the matter is I have had many that praised my efforts.

If you are looking at your undergraduate work, then it's highly unlikely anyone will care where you attended, as long as the university if accredited. All employers care about is that you earned your degree, and in some instances you will see a requirement for a GPA of 3.25 or higher. (Sounds ludicrous, but I have seen numerous job postings with that requirement.)

Here is the bottom line: Many adults did not have the luxury of attending college for a myriad of reasons. At the end of the day, whether you were able to go at the expense of your parents or on your own dime as an adult does not matter. Remember, you get out of your degree what you put into it. Research has shown that those who have to pay for college on his or her own dime are more likely to complete the degree, and then go on and get jobs (or remain in the workforce).

Now, if you plan to be an executive of a Fortune (fill in the number) company, then brand counts. I am actually starting my master's program in five days from Colorado Technical University, which is an online program, and aligns with my background quite well. I do plan to pursue an MBA later, and will bust a$$ to get into Penn State University -- and well respected university, which will help me with my long-term goals of being a C-Level executive of a major firm.

My advice (and I hate to do this) is attend college and get your degree. If you get your bachelor's online, at a brick and mortar, or local community college, god speed ... it takes hard work and dedication. Do your research. Google the universities that you are interested in and do not focus too much energy on the kvetching of others that may not have liked the university. In stead, focus on pursuing the degree of your choice, from the university that is respected and that meets your education needs -- and most importantly that will not financially devastate you. The return on investment for earning your degree is well worth it.

Best of luck!

Dave

This message has been edited. Last edited by: arcticjrny,

SJohn1,
I can give you any information you probably need about getting an online engineering degree. The deal with an engineering degree is that for many states it must be an ABET accredited program. The only place I have been able to find that offers anything close is DeVry for an electronic engineering technology and Old Dominion which offers several engineering technology degrees online. I was searching for an online electrical engineering degree, because due to the travel required for my job it is impossible to try and make any on campus classes. Hope that helps.

quote:

Originally posted by SJohn1:
It sounds as if there may be some mixed feelings on online degrees.
I have waited too long to go back to the classroom setting with the younger generation and have been pondering the idea of online schools to recieve my degree.

Anybody have any advice as to a school that will meet my educational goals. I am looking for a BSA in engeneering. I have around 80 credits so far in this field, but they are over 6yrs old and from a school outside my state that does not offer an online program.

Any help?

I was told by my Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor that the degrees you get from these type of schools are not worth the paper its on, and they will not pay for me to take courses from University of Phoenix. Can anyone shed any light on this. I live in the state of New York

Online Education is for real. The trick, and the problem, is that many online schools are not accredited, but most of them are. For those schools that are not accredited, the degree is not worth the paper it is printed on. There is a very common misconception that Online Education is a scam. I for one am a staunch advocate of Online Education. In today’s fast-paced world, Online Education is one of the most relevant ways to pursue education. Getting a traditional degree through a brick and mortar school can take a military member up to ten years to complete; meaning, roughly 80 – 90% of what was learned in the classroom is outdated and irrelevant by the time they cross the line and are awarded their sheepskin. Because of the nature and pace of Online Education, it is not for the weak-hearted. It is literally similar to cramming for an exam every single week. While attending Online Education, your life consists of only three things: Eating, Studying, and Working. On average, I slept about 4 – 6 hours every night during my studies (most weekends were devoid of sleep). In closing, for the schools that are accredited, they are reviewed and go through the same evaluation processes as traditional brick and mortar schools. The biggest difference between the two: There are no sports teams.

Hope this sheds some light,

Stephen W. Hogarth, M. Ed.

quote:

Originally posted by 6177308:
I was told by my Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor that the degrees you get from these type of schools are not worth the paper its on, and they will not pay for me to take courses from University of Phoenix. Can anyone shed any light on this. I live in the state of New York

I hope you've read some of the other posts here and realized by now that maybe your votech counselor is very in-the-know about online universities. The military does pay TA for these classes. I completed my Master's in Instructional Technology with American Intercontinental University. Phoenix University now offers online AND campus classes. There's a UP right here in Omaha NE. If you're in the military, and are ready to take classes, talk to your Education counselor. The hardest thing about online classes....discipline to be there for every class and be prepared! It's fast, sometimes frantic, and always interesting. Give it a shot!

quote:

Originally posted by 6177308:
I was told by my Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor that the degrees you get from these type of schools are not worth the paper its on, and they will not pay for me to take courses from University of Phoenix. Can anyone shed any light on this. I live in the state of New York

We have Voc Rehab students taking classes with Univ of Phoenix to apply toward their degree at our University. Most Voc Rehab counselors are against any veterans in the program taking any online classes because so many veterans in the past fail to complete these classes or fail or barely pass the online courses. When I used Voc Rehab for my Bachelors degree, I had no problem taking online classes because I maintained a 3.5 or higher GPA each semester. I know many others who were not allow to take online classes because of their GPA.

The Univ. of Phoenix is a great school now, 15 years ago or so, they were considered a diploma mill - just giving diplomas for money. Don't know if that was ever true or not - just what i have been told.

Look for two important facts about the school.

1- Is it accredited by national and regional accreditation boards?
2- Do they have an actual campus with real students attending on-campus.

If both 1 and 2 are met... you are good to go.

My Voc Rehab counselor had absolutely no problem with my wanting to earn an online degree. He even suggested the school to get it from. That school is Park University.

Park University, in the Northwest Kansas City Missouri metro area (The town of Parkville), is a Private University that serves over 25,000 active duty, guard and reserves, and some VA Voc Rehab students. The Park "Pirates" athletic teams offer everything but football on campus. They have on-campus housing for the students attending classes there.

I am in an fast-paced, all online (with proctored exams) program that allows me to take from 6 - 9 credit hours every 8 weeks. I have just wrapped up two "terms" which equals one semester with 18 credit hours and a GPA of 3.75. I currently have a total of 81 credit hours and plan to graduate, with high honors, in December 2010. Basically 4 semesters away.

The tuition is high but I had already been approved for a private school locally for on-campus attendance so I was approved for Park University with no problems. They took nearly all of the credit hours that I wanted to transfer to the school but denied 6 hours because they did not meet Park's standards. Those hours were from an on-campus college in Utah.

I have to say, I just finished two courses with the same professor (for both) and he is one of the best instructors, of any kind, I have ever had. Fully engaged and always available, he was very active in both courses. He has 5 degrees and has also been awarded a number of times for his innovations in the development of online education.

Check it out. It is worth your time and effort!

Like others have said... it takes A LOT of both! I spent an average of 10 - 15 hours per class/per week to maintain my GPA. Park U. offers fully accredited Masters Degrees as well.

Park University has been in place and educating students since 1885. It may not be as well known as Penn State or any of the other Ivy League Schools but neither is Westminster College. (That was the private school I was approved for in an on-campus format) However, Westminster consistently ranks in US News and World Report's Best Education Edition. (But had you ever heard of it?) Park University is ranked in the top 2% of online institutions in the US.

Sorry if I rambled on a bit but I am tired of hearing "Your degree won't be worth anything" etc. etc. from people who do not know the truth.

Your diploma and transcript do not state that you took classes online, at a school like Park that has a real campus. It is a diploma and transcript just like any other accredited institution has to offer.

Hard as hell to earn but well worth the effort to do so.

If you want Ivy League... go to an Ivy League school. If you want your degree to get your foot in the door and to accentuate your hands-on experience any accredited college/university will do the trick. If you are seeking to be licensed in your trade or craft... simply call your local or state board of higher education (or find their web-site) and learn the requirements. DO NOT take advice on such important matters from internet chat forums! These are opinions and experienced based answers but may not apply to your individual circumstances depending on the degree and profession you are seeking.

It is up to you to put in due diligence in your search for the most important thing you can do to improve your future employment prospects. Remember... a person with a BS/BA makes, on average, $1,000,000 more in their working life than does someone with a high school diploma! (DOL, 2007)

Scott

United States Department of Labor, Annual Report, June 2008, Retrieved: 12 December 2008, http://dol.gov

This message has been edited. Last edited by: srchn4,

I done a good portion of my schooling online and thought it was great.

An Open Thank You to Military Families...

We recently interviewed a candidate for a Military admissions position and listening to the candidate really got me thinking about all of Herzing’s students and graduates who are (or were) in the Military. It also got me thinking about all of the Military wives that attend our online college because it allows for the flexibility to pick up and move across the country or the world with their spouses. I give them credit as I can’t imagine the stress they endure and I also give them profound respect and appreciation for their many personal and family sacrifices.

Sharonda Simmons, one of Herzing’s own, is a military wife raising two kids and working full time as an Admissions Advisor while her husband, Ty, is in Iraq defending our nation. She sets a great example as someone who has their chin up and celebrates her husband’s success as a soldier. She tells great stories about how her one-year old thinks that Daddy lives in the computer. When asked “Where’s Daddy?” her daughter points to the computer. During his last visit home the baby was confused as to why she could see Daddy and he wasn’t on the computer anymore. This simple, terribly adorable and heartwarming story is a little reminder of just a small sacrifice a Military family makes each and every day.

This last November we put up a virtual “Veteran’s Wall” and gave thanks to all of the Veterans in our lives. I started by posting my grandfather’s name and his twin brother, my Uncle Pat, who both fought in WWII. The number of students, staff and graduates who followed, adding names to the wall everyday for weeks, was incredible. As I reflect, I see that in one way or another we have all been touched by what our Military and Service Members do for our country.

Well, all of this had me thinking about what Herzing University can do to better service the Military; what is our role as a University? What can we do to show our collective gratitude? Research shows us that most university systems offer discounted tuition to active and veteran Military; as we were discussing this in a manager’s meeting I shouted out (yes I am taking credit for this), “What about their spouses…and children….and parents? They’ve all made sacrifices too, don’t they deserve some of the same benefits?” A smile came across our new President’s face as he said, “Yes they do.”

I am proud, so very proud to announce that Herzing University is extending the same discounted military tuition that we give to our veterans to their spouses, children and even their parents. We still extend and even bigger discount to active military as many of them are currently serving in harm’s way. This is our way of saying thank you for your service and your sacrifice. We are proud to assist our servicemen and women achieving a great education and new career.

Drum roll please… starting with our May 2009 term, our active military members (including the Reserves and National Guard) receive tuition at a cost of $285.00 per semester credit hour which includes books at the undergraduate level. Military students can receive up to $4500 per fiscal year with military TA. So this can significantly reduce the cost burden on our service members and empower them to continue on to graduate degrees if they so choose.

Veterans, Military spouses, their children and their parents will all receive a 20% discount on their tuition at the undergrad level and 15% at the graduate level. For all Herzing University undergraduate programs books, software and lab fees are all included in tuition rates and our number one goal is to see our students grow into great careers and become successful graduates. Additionally we support our Military student body and their families with Military specific mentor groups, virtual resource center and a Career Specialist Liaison specializing in the career transition from the Military to private sector.

So if you are out there fighting for us, on your way home back to us, a family member who seeks to better their career opportunities or a Veteran looking for adventures in learning please give us a call. We are happy to share Herzing University with you and yours.

Amy