? about DL degrees from "real" schools

I am currently working on my Assoc. degree from our local comm. college. Because I work over 60 miles from the college (and home) I have switched from actually attending classes on campus to earning my degree online. My entire degree is offered exclusively online. (Lib Arts.) I am looking to earn a bachelors, and for personal reasons I have completely ruled out the likes of Phoenix, Capella, Excelsior, etc... I make no judgements about those schools, I have just decided not to consider them. I am currently looking at a few "real" schools that offer DL degrees, and want to know if anyone has graduated from them and what their thoughts are -
Frontrunners -
Kansas State - BS in Inter. Social Science
Troy State - BS in Political Science
These other schools, I either have doubts about, or I am unsure about whether I can achieve the entire degree online.
U of Illinois - Bachelors in History or Lib Studies
NYIT-Ellis College BS in Inter Social Science
Penn State - BA in Letters, Arts and Sciences.
So. New Hampshire Univ. Bachelors in Social Science.
U of Wyoming Bachelors in Social Science.

So I guess what I am actually looking for is whether anyone has graduated through DL from these schools, what the response is to their degrees (and what their degree actually says) and how their experience was. Thanks in advance.

 

Just curious, what do you mean by "real school"? Having a physical campus as well?

What is your measure, accreditation, location, reputation, tuition?

The board is loaded with information, if you have some criteria, that would be helpful. How did you rule those out?

It sounds like you may have heard of the stigma of DL, but there are more considerations, so let us know of what your guidelines are.

 

Sorry for being vague. I have a coworker who attended Phoenix and a friend who attended TESC, and both said they had problems with some interviewers buying into their degree. I have essentially decided to try to make that a non-issue by earning a degree from a state school. I am essentially going on the reputation of the school...

 

Let me just add a few other things. I have just begun to consider the DL method of acquiring my degree. I have no need for what I see as the quick fix method of receiving my degree. Before I started being keenly aware of the toll my commute was taking on my schoolwork, not to mention my home life, I was planning on physically attending East Stroudsburg U here in PA. But real life intervenes, as I am sure everyone in this group is aware. I am willing to accept that it may take me 4 or more years to get my Bachelors after I receive my associates. But I am looking for good name recognition, and wondering if the degrees conferred make a distinction that it was earned by distance education.

 

Just my opinion but I think you may be short changing yourself by not looking at other schools. If someone questions the school the very simple answer is that is was an accredited DL program not unlike ___________ (you name the school that the person would recognize that offers a DL program -- it may just be your local state land grant institution).

John

 

People don't hire you because they "buy into" your degree. You have to sell YOURSELF, not the degree. I have a BA from MSU, and have yet to see anybody "buy into" it.

 

Gmattox wrote:

I'm not sure what you mean by "buying into their degree". TESC and Excelsior have very good reputations, especially in the DL community.

Finding a 100% online BA from a state school is gonna be hard to find. I know state schools that offer online masters and doctorates but not an entire BA.

Honestly, for a BA, the general perception that I get is that almost no one cares where you got it from as long as it is accreditted (unless you're a grad from Harvard, Princeton, etc.).

-S

 

Folks, this wasnt intended to pit a state university system against a "virtual" university. I have no doubt about the validity of a degree earned through these institutions. I have just made a decision to not consider them, for personal reasons. I know I may be shortchanging myself, but its a personal thing for me. Ii would never discount anyone on these boards nor in real life who earned a degree from a Phoenix or TESC or any other legitimate online university... So please dont take this as a slight against those places. I am honestly just looking for information. Sorry if I offended anyone with my initial statements...

 

I do not have any experience with the listed schools but here is a few links to start with to find a wide selection of schools. You would need to see if they can be done 100% online-

http://www.gospelcom.net/bakersguide/bachelors.php
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/online-bachelor/index.html
http://www.extension.harvard.edu/
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Haven/2386/distance.html
http://collegedegrees.tripod.com/

 

OK, now that you clarified, here is what I think.

First, I am a graduate of a state school, and they are not considered top tier schools, so you will have a strike against you going in, if you solely are basing your decision on reputation.

Between Kansas State and Troy State (not knowing about them at all), I would go with Kansas, since it has a traditional naming culture.

Penn State is a great school, but I don't think you can do it all online, which kind of defeats your purpose.

I understand the DL stigma, but picking a state school to get away from it is not logical to me. I didn't pick Sac State for its reputation, I picked it becuase of the convience. I know that some pick a B&M and DL school for your reasons, but you aren't going that route - maybe there is more than we know or you would like to share... and that is OK.

So, picking a school because it has a traditional naming culture... not a wise decision to me, but good luck with it.

 

The last time I checked, UoP has about 95,000 students taking "real" classes in local campuses.

 

UoP isn't an online university. It is an "on ground" university with a prolific online program. It was "on ground" for more than 15 years before it started online programs.

 

I dont think I am holding anything back about my reasoning, at least not consciously. I guess I just have a problem with schools like Phoenix for a few reasons - First, they are predatory. When I inquired about Phoenix through there website, it was a full scale blitz. The spam I got from them was unrelenting. And TESC wouldnt even give me tuition info without me submitting my personal info. I guess that stuck with me. Second, and this is based off of Phoenix, their prices are crazy.... I am not prepared to spend that kind of money on a school that I already have respect issues with. I cant make a true judgement about Excelsior, as my experience with UoP and TESC ruined my feelings toward these institutions. And the final thing I guess I am looking for is a sense of community with the alumni. When I went to college 12 years ago, fresh out of high school, the only part of it I enjoyed was the sense of belonging. That when I graduated, I could proudly state I was a VT grad, and that instantly made me a part of something. So like I said, these are all personal things for me. I am not really concerned about what others will think of where I got my degree, but what I think of where I got my degree. Selfish and stupid - probably. But I guess I am looking to regain what I lost when I quit college... I want stay as close as possible to the traditional college life I stupidly left 12 years ago...

 

Actually, I knew that. My coworker who studied there took his classes at one of their physical locations in Philadelphia. I detailed my aversion to UoP in my last post, and I guess that feeling has wrongfully carried over to some other places.... But I think I explained that best in my last post...

 

You might want to check at the University of OKlahoma.
They have a new 100% online bachelors in Liberal Studies.

http://www.ou.edu/cls/Current/Bachelors/100online.htm

-S

 

You might want to add to your list UMass-Lowell, which offers a Bachelor of Liberal Arts totally online.

 

Kristie7 wrote:

> First, I am a graduate of a state school, and they are not
> considered top tier schools, so you will have a strike against
> you going in, if you solely are basing your decision on
> reputation. [...] So, picking a school because it has a traditional
> naming culture... not a wise decision to me,

I think GMattox is more nearly correct than Kristie7.

Every hiring manager knows alumni of state schools, and hence knows that state schools provide a solid education. Some hiring managers may not know many alumni of DL-only schools, and may be suspicious of what they don't know.

One question for GMattox, though: If you're expecting to spend "4 or more years" to get your Bachelor's after you receive your Associate's, have you considered that this time might be better spent on a quickie Big 3 bachelor's followed by a "name" master's?

 

Re: Re: ? about DL degrees from "real" schools

The program you are looking into through Penn State can be done entirely online but the price is high and there are no discounts for state residents.

Mansfield University has a BA in Art History that can be done entirely through DL and allows you to take advantage of the state resident tuition rate. www.mansfield.edu

 

Thanks for putting it that way. That was the point I was trying to make. And as for your question - I actually hadnt thought about that. But it is a valid idea. Which of the colleges are considered big 3? Phoenix, Charter Oak and Excelsior? Phoenix is definitely off of my list, for the reasons I mentioned in the other post. But I have never really looked into the others, just based off of the Phoenix experience.

 

Excelsior, Thomas Edison State College, Charter Oak State College