Schools and employers asking about your extra DL degree?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by excel, Oct 7, 2009.

Loading...
  1. excel

    excel Member

    I know there are tons of posts about how a distance degree is perceived. I am wondering something specific about grad schools (and employers, but I am less worried about them) and multiple degrees. If one of the schools was Excelsior, then that might flag them to ask about distance/online learning, right? Do you think it would "raise suspicion" about your other degrees too?

    Because I am considering getting one degree at COSC and one at Excelsior. Instead of just double majoring at Excelsior. Part of the reason is because the COSC name looks good... and they would likely assume it was a B&M? But then once they see Excelsior, won't that ruin the plan and they'll figure out that my COSC was distance too?

    (Even if one of my degrees was actually B&M I wonder if they'd ask about it and question it, after finding out that the Excelsior was distance.)

    OR... Should I not worry about this because they'll see all the "testing out" I did anyway (GREs at 24 credits each and lots of CLEP/DANTES/ECE) so then there is no point to have the "non-suspicious" COSC name anyway? Also because I am probably taking some DL courses from schools in various states so then DL is the only 'explanation' for me having gone to so many places.

    I feel like it's still better to have the 2nd Excelsior degree than to have only 1 degree. However, I wonder, esp with COSC not having major.
     
  2. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Most employers only care that you have a degree from an institution recognized by the US Department of Education. However, some employers do require the degree by from a regionally accredited institution and do not recognize nationally accredited degrees. Other employers make no distinction between the accreditation type (national versus regional). Graduate schools have varying policies concerning acceptance of undergraduate degrees earned from nationally accredited institutions and some even only accept regionally accredited degrees from the regional accrediting agency that granted their own institution its accreditation.

    As for asking about multiple degrees the same questions could be raised by having multiple degrees from various brick-and-mortar universities where a student studied on campus.
     
  3. 03310151

    03310151 Active Member

    I never list my second BA. I only list the one I earned in residence. Both degrees are kind of related, so there is no need to put both on a resume. Most people, not on this board, view having two bachelors degrees as weird. Why not go for the masters degree?

    I'm really beginning to see that all this education is a waste of time for me personally. Have you thought about what you need two for? Ego? I think that is why I did it. Now, it does absolutely nothing for getting a better job. I think a masters would be a better move.

    Anyway, good luck to you.

    Cory
     
  4. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    Sometimes I list my Thomas Edison degree, sometimes I dont. It is on my one of my resumes, but I do not want folks to think it is overkill.
     
  5. excel

    excel Member

    Hm, I thought it was "not allowed" to leave out a degree or partial degree.
     
  6. jaer57

    jaer57 New Member

    When you're applying for a graduate school, or maybe to work at a university, you should list all your academic credentials. However, when applying for a non-academic job, your degrees, training, and experience irrelevant to the position are not necessary. I could be wrong, but this is how I've always viewed the norm...
     
  7. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    You don't have to list every job/degree on your resume. I do not list my PhD ABD unless it is related to the job I'm applying to. I also don't list that I worked at Burger King while I was in high school.

    What gets people into trouble is when they list a degree on their resume that they don't have!
     
  8. tomball

    tomball New Member

    Get real please

    Looks like you are wasting your money ($$$$) stick with Excelsior and get one (1) RA Bachelor level degree; step 2 - get a Masters that fits your life path.



    I've been in your shoes, with 2 BS degrees (WASTE OF MY MONEY) BTW, one is from YES Excelsior.
     
  9. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Much ado about nothing

    What a bizarre question. This is 2009, not 1997. Very few employers or grad schools are going to have a problem with your undergraduate work having been online. My degree from Charter Oak got me into a top-25 grad school and has been instrumental in getting several jobs that I wanted. I'm not sure what you're so worried about.

    -=Steve=-
     
  10. excel

    excel Member

    I was using Charter Oak as an example of a school name that did not bring up the online red flags. I am thinking of going to Charter Oak. I'm prob not going to Excelsior anymore.
     
  11. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    That's my point, I don't see why you think that something that's online raises a "red flag" at all. It seems to me that perspective is out of date.

    -=Steve=-
     
  12. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    >>

    Honestly, if you think having an online degree is something to hide, but you like taking classes online, I'd suggest maybe taking a few online classes en route to earning a degree through a B&M university. Since all schools mentioned are RA, the credits should transfer without issue. Maybe you'll feel better at your local university, and most (>98%) have online offerings. Having pride in your degree, in my opinion, is very important. It's the part of being a graduate that makes you believe in yourself, not the part you learned in the books. You don't want to spend the rest of your life ashamed of your degree!!

    Just my .02 cents here, but perhaps some of this anxiousness is from the leaps you'll make through testing out rather than doing classes at a distance. I won't lie- I felt some of that too. Having tested out of my gen eds was a huge fast forward to finishing my degree, and there was a twinge not unlike survivor's guilt. Perhaps using the GRE is a little more than you are comfortable with.
     
  13. excel

    excel Member

    I don't want to go to a B&M, but I think you're very right about the feelings. I'm still searching for a school that might fit better than COSC. There may or may not be one that is worth doing. On one hand, I'd feel better if I did 30 credits (or at least 15, of solid coursework!) in residence and it was a school that everyone had heard of before. Long-term, yeah, I think I'd be more proud of it, but on the other hand, practicality tends to rule. With COSC I'd probably have the degree sooner and cheaper. And I don't think I would lose out on any jobs, salary, etc. Just wouldn't feel quite as good when I have to say the name, or when they see the transcript.
     
  14. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    On a resume, list the degree if it applies.

    On an application, list the degree if it applies, unless there is verbiage asking for all attainments.
     
  15. ideafx

    ideafx New Member

    Perhaps I'm in the minority here, but I believe that the college you attended is an important factor when it comes to getting a job. Someone with a degree from a B&M school is going to he more highly recruited. Those who claim that DL degrees aren't an issue are generally mid-career professionals. They likely have several years of experience in their particular field, and just needed a quick degree in order to move up. In the future, your college is going to be a more important factor in the hiring process as competition becomes fierce.

    So, if you're younger and don't have the work experience, I think DL might actually hurt you a bit. Age is a very important factor. I'm 25 and just recently finished my BS in Information Systems Studies from COSC. I finished rather quickly, and although I knew that the degree wasn't going to help me find a job, I continued anyway.

    I regret it now, because I can't receive financial aid for a second bachelors degree. I'd like to pursue an engineering degree so that I can actually find a job that pays well enough to survive on my own. Looks like I'll have to save my pennies.

    I suggest you pursue a degree from the best institution possible, even if it takes a little longer or requires more study. You'll thank yourself later.
     
  16. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member


    I worked for a major aerospace company which hired a lot of non-degreed (or wrong degreed) personnel - some took advantage of company funded education and earned bachelors (including engineering), masters, and doctorate degrees.

    You could start your engineering degree by taking a lot of required courses at community colleges (math, physics, chemistry, etc). You probably have all the general education courses. Another option is to earn a BSET through one of the big three, then earn a masters in an engineering field.


    If I was starting over (in engineering) I would pursue civil or chemical engineering - that is where I see a growth in the demand for engineers.
     
  17. ideafx

    ideafx New Member

    I'm interested in civil or environmental (clean water, water structures, etc.). Problem is, I think those engineering jobs for non-engineering majors are few and far between these days. There are plenty of engineering grads for recruiters to choose from, and quite a few companies have cut their tuition reimbursement programs significantly.

    I've considered joining the Navy, but I have a couple of health issues and would likely need a medical waiver. The local CC offers an AS in Pre-Engineering with an articulation agreement worked out with four universities in my state. This would be more cost-effective. Unfortunately for me, I CLEPed several of my gen-ed credits, so I'll have to take those courses since these particular universities don't accept nearly as many CLEP credits as the Big 3. I'll have to get private loans to pay for the rest.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 8, 2009

Share This Page