DE school tarnishing my application?

Hello!

Okay, brief personal history - I graduated in 2006 with a BA in English from a private, non-profit B&M University. Last year, I attended IADT Online (for-profit accredited school) to get an Associate's in Web Design and Development. I'm disabled, so the online option worked for me at the time. I don't feel like I received a decent education there, especially compared to my previous school, but I made that mistake and I've moved on.

I am starting the process of applying for my MA/PhD in English, and I'm looking into East Carolina University, Monmouth University, and Princeton University. Only the first has an online option, but the classes are scheduled identically like their B&M classes, so that is appealing to me. Anyway, I was wondering if the degree from IADT Online will tarnish my application. I'm proud of my first college, but not IADT - and I know many people will look down upon a for-profit school - especially Princeton University.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance

 

What school is your BA from? I know it is non-profit, but is it regionally accredited? It is possible (but not absolute) that both schools you would like to enter will not honor your BA if it is not regionally accredited.

I don't think that Princeton would consider you to be tarnished because your IADT degree is from a for-profit school. On the other hand, it probably will not help you either. Most likely, it will be neutral.

 

I'd say that since it has no relevance to your application to graduate study in English, you probably don't need to include it. It seems unlikely to me that it would hurt your application, but there's a small chance that it might, and I don't see any way that it would help you gain acceptance since it's a lower degree than your BA.

 

In and of itself, your Web Design degree shouldn't hurt you, as long as your BA is from a RA school. If possible, you could indicate that the Web Design degree was done for "personal enrichment" rather than educational attainment. Since it is unrelated to a PhD in English, I doubt a school would negatively base an enrollment decision off of the for-profit nature of an unrelated degree.

 

I don't think ADT Associate degree would hurt your application, but a little odd that Associate was done after Bachelor. I would recommend to include it into your admission, which gives a little more credential and kills that you have. What if you have to develop webpage is part of your Ph.D research. Just as other replies as long as your BA is regional accredited, then the Ph.D admission does not require a Master degree. Then you will be fine!

 

Yes, the school where I received my BA is regionally accredited. I did an AA after my BA, because I wanted have a degree in web design (since I wanted a job in that field) and was told I could just continue with my BA if I liked the program. Well, I didn't like the program, so I just stopped at the AA

I always thought you HAD to include all the schools that you attended on your application, but if you don't, I will probably leave it off of Princeton's application.

Thanks for the info!

 

The application will specify. If they ask for everything, absolutely include everything. If not, then use your own judgement. Good luck!

 

I don't think I have included every school I have attended on any application I have ever filled out. No one has ever questioned.

 

In your case, it probably doesn't matter. But in some situations, full disclosure of your previous educational history is expected, and there can be repercussions if you omit relevant information.

For example, some schools (like the University of Illinois) have tougher admissions and financial aid policies for people who want a second bachelor's degree. So there is an incentive for applicants to hide a previous bachelor's degree. However, this would be unethical, and potentially illegal, even if the two degrees are in completely different fields of study.

Some professional programs, like law, require that the degree be completed within a certain number of years after the start of study. So if you drop out of law school, and then want to try again at another school, there is an incentive to hide your first enrollment, in order to "reset the clock". Full disclosure is mandatory on law school applications, under penalty of perjury.