Published on October 26, 2005 By pseudosoldier In Life Journals
Having acquired my Associate of Arts in Arabic from the Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center, I faced a decision on what was next for me, educationally. Granted, I'm in the middle of an online History of the US 2 course, and have just started Philosophy 1, also online, but I was more concerned with what I would do degree-wise.

My first possible choice was to simply not do anything to alter my projected degree. However, an Associate of Arts in General Studies wouldn't add any value to the AA I already had obtained.

I could switch to another Associate Degree... as long as the Education department didn't find out I had my first. The Army is a stickler for only funding "continuing" education; you have to be working towards the next level of degree above what you already have. I can't wait to start work on my Doctorate...

I examined the AAs offered to me through the "eArmyU" program I'm signed up for. Only one seemed enticing at all: AA of Computer Science - Information Technology. It's still an Associate Degree, but at least it's in a completely different field, and would complement what I already have (both degree and skill) well.

My other option seems to be going to Excelsior College in Albany, NY. Formerly known as Regents College of New York (SUNY, I believe), they have a reputation... no, a STIGMA as a "degree mill" or "diploma factory." This should have less to do with their lax attendance standards (you don't have to take a single class there as long as you have enough transfer credits to obtain a degree) than it does with what they allow for transfer (anything that's not failing... my 'D' in Junior year Army ROTC gives me 3 upper level credits!). It would cost me $350 out of pocket, plus costs for books... but I'd only have to take 4 upper level courses with them, one upper level math from a local college (Tarleton offers Discrete Math), and a 1-credit-hour class on the internet that I could finish in 5 days if my unit let me go take it.

I'm leaning heavily towards Excelsior. I could finish a Bachelor's in Liberal Arts in less than a year if I bust my hump. A BS in Liberal Arts would certainly check that box for potential employers... but there is the stigma attached to it, and I've run into some flak from someone near and dear to me because of it already.

Still. I have to finish both my HIST II class and INTRO TO PHIL class before I consider it. As they aren't required for the other degree plans, I'd have to pay for them after the fact if I switch while I'm in them.

Wish me luck.

Comments
on Oct 27, 2005
they have a reputation... no, a STIGMA as a "degree mill" or "diploma factory."


Not from the Department of Education! Excelsior College, formerly Regents College or the University of the State of New York, does have a broad understanding of how one obtains credits, but they are not loose with granting them. They are a state university, on par with any other state university, such as University of Texas or UNC-Chapel Hill.

Excelsior is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, which oversees collegiate programs in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. They share their responsibility with other accreditation agencies that cover other regions of the nation. They are all chartered by the Department of Education. According to their website, the Department of Education feels this way about accreditation: "The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accreditation in the United States involves non-governmental entities as well as governmental agencies."

Regional accreditation holds Excelsior to the same high standards as Syracuse, Villanova, Princeton, or Penn State. Graduates of Excelsior have gone on to graduate work at Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, and anywhere else. Those other schools see regional accreditation as the gold standard, which Excelsior meets.

I've run into some flak from someone near and dear to me because of it already.


Don't you fret about your Excelsior degree. Those who even know who Excelsior is will know what Excelsior does for working adults. If you're worried that someone may poo-poo your distance learning degree, they can kiss your voluminous (but ever-shrinking) butt.

on Oct 27, 2005
Try columbia College, they offer BA, BS and a variety of associates on line and are tailored for the military and working adults. I have accumulated 110 credits there and hopefully will soon graduate with my BA in Business.
http://www.ccis.edu

I have heard about Excelsior also, but have never heard anything negative about Columbia......
on Oct 27, 2005
Dave - Thank you for the affirmation about Excelsior. Makes me feel better already...

TasT - Congratulations on being that close! I know the pain of cobbling that amount of credits together. And thanks for the tip about Columbia; I'll check them out.
on Oct 30, 2005
There really is not much of a stigma for this anymore as many "real" colleges have moved into the same business with distance Ed. I wish *I* had a Regents degree right now! No one in the job market gives two shits about which college you went to unless they are the top colleges in their field. So unless you are debating between Regents and MIT I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.
on Nov 02, 2005
I wish *I* had a Regents degree right now!

No one in the job market gives two shits about which college you went to


But I guarantee you they want the piece of paper. Absolutely. Life experience is one thing, but a degree is infinitely more persuasive.
on Nov 02, 2005
But I guarantee you they want the piece of paper.


How much weight would you say that a BS or BA has over an AA?