Recent article about the new UOP president talking about the for profit industry. http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/10/13/university.of.phoenix.ap/index.html
I'm sure I'll take a beating from for-profit proponents on this, but it seems that a common argument from Phoenix and its ilk is that they have to have high educational quality or else they won't have any students. The underlying assumption is that most students want a high quality education and not just the fastest, easiest route to that piece of paper. Call me a cynic, but I'm not sure that assumption is valid. -=Steve=-
In fairness, I should add that there's nothing inherently unreasonable about students wanting a fast track, that I did, and that this is why I went where I did for undergrad. -=Steve=-
On the other hand, as a manager I have sent people to UOP to get master's degrees. I have also sent managers to the Universiy of Washington, the University of Oklahoma, Portland State University, Gonzaga University, Western Washington University, East Central University, Utah State Univeristy, Univeristy Idaho, Oklahoma Central Unviersity and several others. My experience is that the managers have had similar experiences. At UoP they were focused on practical managment tools that many managers could apply in the actual work setting. UoP was dedicated to getting people practical information they could actually apply. It was way too expensive to send them there, but the education was comparable to other places and in the end it was worthwhile.
I think that DL schools are a good option for those who can't attend a traditional institution. Even us citizen soliders have a difficult time attending B&M schools. A lot of my folks choose UOP because we have so much things on our "plates" during the week that it is impossible to complete a degree program therefore we settle for what we can get. Just being able to complete a degree program is a worthwhile endeavor in itself.
As an Army veteran I would tell you that in 2006 your options extend far beyond UoP. For that matter, your options likely extend far beyond what your post/base Education Center is able to provide you detailed information about. Ten years ago this wasn't the case; a deploying service member was in many cases restricted to choosing from a limited number of schools affiliated with SOC and/or DANTES, or those with which the DoD entered partnerships (Maryland, Oklahoma, Webster, Troy, etc.). We are now in a time when you can pick and choose from many different schools. While not all schools will have extensive experience with accomodating military-specific schedules or tuition arrangements, most DL programs take it as a given that in catering to working adults they will have to offer some flexibility in terms of attendance, assignment deadlines, etc.
Couldn't agree with you more. We now have a full array of programs and services available. I completed a certificate from Indiana State when I deployed back in 03. CMU and Troy State are popular choices for both active and reserve members. But it comes down to individual choice. Despite the variety, many (in my area anyway) choose UOP for there education.
As a Phoenix grad, I can say that while I did work, sometimes very hard, to earn my degree there - I never had illusions that I was getting a high quality education like I would have from a top tier business school. Only thing is that I can't go to a top tier business school while working full time. Now that it's time for the Master's degree, I can. Which is why I won't be returning to UoP for a master's program.....
