Is it worth switching from DETC to RA?

Hi everyone! I have a dilemma of sorts that I have been turning over and over in my mind that I figured I would post about here to collect some outside opinions on.

I initially attended a brick and mortar RA college for 3 semesters out of high school. Due to circumstances beyond my control I had to leave school and relocate to a non-English speaking country. After some years I decided I wanted to complete my Bachelor's in computer science. Due to where I live, going to a traditional school was not an option so I decided to take the DL route. At the time, I reviewed as many CS DL programs as I could find and ultimately settled on a DETC school (ACCIS). ACCIS had, to me, by far the most interesting program, along with a very liberal ammount of flexibility (I have been doing IT certs for awhile, and wanted a program that let me study in the same free-form way). At the time, I did not fully understand the nuances of DETC vs. RA. I was basically under the understanding that so long as it was accreddited that it was a legitimate degree, and there was always the possibility that a given traditional school may or may not accept credits for transfer or graduate studies from a DL school (or any other particular school for that matter). When I made the decision to get my degree, I had no intention of pursuing a Masters afterwards.

However, times have changed, and I have decided that I most definately want to pursue a Masters in computer science. I am a good way through my degree with ACCIS, with about 8 classes to go. In my search for information on pursuing graduate studies, I have become much more aware of the whole DETC vs. RA thing, and fear that my chances of getting into a graduate program will not be as good as had I attended an RA. Furthermore, I have literally worked my butt off for this degree, and the thought that it may be "less valuavle" than an RA degree is a bit crushing to me now. So, what I have been wondering to myself is whether I should withdrawl from my DETC school and try to transfer to an RA DL program to complete my BS.

One thing I would like to add is that my academic experience at ACCIS has met and exceeded all my expectations. For anyone wanting to study CS, the cirriculum is top notch and very modern. I found my experience with ACCIS far more acedemically rewarding than my 3 semesters of "normal" school. I did not know much about ACCIS's questionable path, but I can say that at least now, acedimcally it has been extremely sound. If ACCIS were RA, I wouldn't even think twice about moving on to their Masters program. But, should I continue there with my BS, it would be very important for me to get a Masters from an RA.

So, like I said, I have been thinking about all this alot, and just can not settle in my mind what approach I should take. Should I try to finish my degree at an RA so that I can improve my chances of getting into a graduate program, or should I finish out my time at ACCIS, possibly limiting my choices in the future.

Anyways, thank you all for taking the time to read through my whole story, and I look forward to hearing any insights and suggestions.

 

Do not switch.

There are a significant number of regionally accredited schools that will accept you into a masers program. It may not be the school of your choice but a regionally accredited bachelors might not get you that either.

I don't remember the exact numbers but Dr. Bear's research indicated that about half of college registrars would always or sometimes accept DETC accredited programs.

 

It's true that a DETC degree won't open as many doors as RA. However, I think that you should finish up at ACCIS. A DETC degree is much more valuable than DETC credits, especially when considering graduate school. The utility difference between DETC and RA narrows in the commercial sector compared to the academic field. It may be more difficult finding the Master's program that you want but I'm sure that you'll find it, even if you have to go for a DETC accredited program.

 

It couldn't hurt to explore the RA alternatives. A couple of RA schools that will accept your DETC credits toward a Bachelor's degree are Western Governors University and University of Phoenix. Some others are listed here:
http://www.degreeinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10029

Estimate the time and cost to complete an RA Bachelor's. You may well still decide to finish up at ACCIS, but you'll be more confident in your decision.

 

There are always risks with any program. However,you indicate some good ones for staying. You are enjoying the coursework, it is a quality learning experience and it has been better than your RA experience. I think you are better off staying the course. I think you will find an RA prgram that will meet your needs, it will just be more challenging.

 

I echo this response. I would not change schools and you will be able to get into an RA masters with a DETC BS. The options will just be limited.

 

Hello: Just as an FYI, Northcentral University (RA) reached an agreement with DETC to accept students with an earned Bachelor's degree from a DETC school into their Master's program. As others have indicated, there are options, certainly more than their used to be and as also stated, it is better, given that there are options, to complete your degree since accepting a degree is somewhat easier than trying to get credits accepted - including the fact that you might be asked to take as many as 30 credits at the new institution in order to earn their degree unless you go the big 3 route. Good luck.

Mary A.

 

Hello again everyone.

Thank you all for your comments and insights. I am still fairly conflicted on this issue, but have decided to put my nervous energy to some good use. I took [email protected]'s advice and decided to at least see what is available to me, so that I can be completely sure of all my options. I also took my ACCIS acedemic advisor's advice and checked out some schools I am interested in to see if they would let me enroll in a graduate program with a DETC degree. So far, my findings have been mostly depressing.
First, I sent emails to some schools to enquire about about transferring to finish my Bachelors degree. It went something like this:
FSU - Will only accept credits earned at regionally accreddited schools
Excelsior - Only RA accepted
Charter Oak - "No we do not accept credits from ACCIS"
WGU - I went so far as to talk to an admissions advisor, and can still not figure out if they will take my credits.
Touro - They WILL accept credits from DETC schools

The next thing I did was send out some emails to schools I found had interesting Masters programs to see if they would accept DETC degrees. I still haven't heard back from them all yet, but so far it has not been great. I've recieved back two that have said they will not accept non-RA, one that said they do not know and will get back to me, and one auto-response. There are a few more that I have yet to hear from. I do know that AIT and UOP will accept DETC degrees for their graduate programs, but neither offer Masters in Computer Science, which is my true goal.

I had pretty much decided that I would continue on with my DETC degree for now, but after this little experiment I am a bit discouraged again. I still have 8 or 9 classes left, which for me will take awhile. I do not know if I can motivate myself for that long knowing that the degree I get will not be accepted among so many schools out there. One thing I would like to say though is that my ACCIS acedmic advisor has been absolutely awesome with regards to helping me through this dilemma. He has been completely forthright and extremely helpful. It is really a shame that a degree from such a good school with such great people is held in less regard by so many.

Anyways, my mind is still undecided, but I did send along my transcripts to Touro to get a pre-admission assessment. If it doesn't put me too much in the hole credit-wise, I may very well transfer. The only downside is that my ACCIS tuition is already paid for thanks to my employer. I doubt they would be happy with the thought of helping me further with tuition if I withdrew from ACCIS. But Touro is not terribly expensive either, and I don't have too much farther to go. Does anyone have any experience with Touro? Does it have a good reputation? Is it fully and properly accredited in such a way that I won't face discrimination from other schools when I apply to graduate programs? I'll probably start another thread in the appropriate forum to find more info about Touro's BSCS program.

Anyways, thank you all again for taking the time to read my post and for your thoughtful replies. You all hold a great wealth of information and insight!

-Wolf