wondering if someone could help me out

i kinda had some problems when i was going to college, i was a math major in a 4 year school and transfered from a community college, but now i cant seem to get into a 4 year school and was thinking of trying distance learning to earn an accounting degree but not sure what the best way to do it would be, or if i should try community college again, i need to work too, im wondering if i can get the same value degree as if i went to the "brick" type school and if employers look at it differently, i know its a lot but im running into a wall right now and need some type of school

 

You have several options:

1. Once you have fulfilled all of the requirements at the community college, (in CA) the state university system must admit you. If you failed classes, you may need to take them over, but they are required to admit. Each state may be different.

2. You could move to a private university, like those given online. Make sure to do your homework, some are not accredited, which can make the degree not worth as much to employers and schools.

3. You could finish your AA at the community college to get that under your belt, then see what options come up.

 

Most DL bachelor's degrees are either from unaccredited schools or, more likely, from accredited school, but a qualified "division" if you will...ie a school of Professional Studies or continuing education or University College.

I recommend going in Real Life for the rest of your undergrad. Which state are you in?

 

I think that it will be difficult to give you useful suggestions until we know what is keeping you out of four year schools.

If (and I'm guessing here) your problem is a low grade point average, distance education might not be your best answer. If you had trouble maintaining your GPA on campus, DL may be a challenge.

I'd look at community college. Have you already completed all of your general ed? If not, you can do those classes at community college and get your GPA back up in an environment where a lot more support is available.

My suggestion is to talk to the counselors at your local community college and see what their advice is.

Try to remain optimistic. You have plenty of options. It's just hard to decide which ones are best for you without more information.

 

I would agree with Bill. It is not easy to start over. DL is a truly great thing, but you have to have your own internal support system pretty well developed to make it work right for you.
I do not know how old you are. If you are young, and if you don't yet have a lot of career experience that balances out your difficulties in school with successes at work, it's important to have the support of "in person" teachers and advisers--not to mention fellow students.
The Carpathian peasant wishes you every success.

 

It is kind of strange that people in this forum give advice to go to on-ground universities instead of on-line. I agree that the ideal thing is to go to take an on-ground program, but not everyone is in the position of doing this and that is why they look for DL as an alternative.

Not all the RA online degrees are from low tier universities. Even Harvard university offers some online courses.

 

No one said all DL programs were low tier, though most are or they are the continuing ed arms of upper tier schools. Either way, people know the difference. No one is confusing a UMUC degree with one from the University of Maryland for example.

I would submit that Harvard Extension does provides DL courses, but the analogy is deceptive. You can get a degree in mixology (certificate in bartending) from HES. No one will confuse it as a degree from Harvard however. Let's be frank.

That said, many top tier engineering schools on the other hand offer continuing Ed from their legit Engineering Schools DL, as do a very select few MBA programs (ie Columbia-Fu Foundation offers on line programs for engineers that are not affiliated with the Extension School). Nonetheless, those programs have equally high standards for acceptance as the on ground programs, otherwise they would be part of the extension programs of the named school (ie Boston U's Metropolitan College is distinct from its traditional schools and has open admissions-and MVC appears on the degree).

As for OP, I submit there is an accredited on ground college for anyone. DL is a great method for delivery, but it is important to gain the most credible degree possible from a lifetime value perspective. Going to Penn State World Campus will not carry the same value as Penn State-U Park for example.

 

There is advantages to both on campus and DL programs. IF, and I say if, since we do not know all the details, that if one struggled with the on campus forum, they may have more difficulty in the DL forum.

The DL forum makes one very responsible for "figuring out" many of the aspects that if in an on campus forum could be explained by the Professor's.

Also, if a student is the type that does not keep up with work, it may be most difficult to keep up with an online forum.

I have taken Statistics online, which was more difficult for me than the marketing classes I have taken, since it comes more easily for me. In contrast, my group memebrs in my marketing class were engineers, and had a more difficult time with the "soft " subjects online, and found the math classes easier.

 

OK, let's be frank. When I got my Bachelors degree from Harvard Extension I applied to six different graduate schools (including the Harvard University School of Education) and was accepted into all six. If you're looking for frankness then I'd say you don't know what your talking about.
Jack

 

A Harvard degree is a Harvard degree no matter what. Few people in the world know the difference between Harvard Extention and Harvard. Many big name universities have Cont Ed departments, so do you mean that if you do your degree in the adult education faculty is not as prestigious? Who will bother in real life to check if it was Cont ed or day courses.

 

HES/Harvard is Harvard

"including the Harvard University School of Education"

To Jack: No one belittles your accomplishments. But let's not get carried away. I know people who went to U of Phoenix for their undergrad but did well enough and also aced the LSAT and got into Yale Law. So I fail to see your point. I never said people with a continuing studies degree couldn't make it in the world. Kudos to you. My undergrad degree is no better quality imho. And Sam Walton made an empire in Business without a HS degree. I was able to get into Cornell Johnson with a UMBC degree for chrissakes.

To RFValve: H extension, UCLA extension, etc etc all serve great purposes--to outreach to the community at large who wouldn't otherwise be able to tap into the resources of a prestigious University. But If you want to believe HES and Harvard are viewed exactly the same by grad schools and employers, then we can't even talk.

 

"Many big name universities have Cont Ed departments, so do you mean that if you do your degree in the adult education faculty is not as prestigious?"

Yes. Do you actually dispute that the degree is not as prestigious? Or are you referring to faculty? Indeed they may share some of the same faculty...but so what? UCLA and Cal State LA share many of the same faculty. But the degrees are quite different.

"Who will bother in real life to check if it was Cont ed or day courses."

If you lie, maybe no one. You could neglect to put the word "extension" I guess.

The CEO of a big company got fired recently for claiming he had an MBA from Stanford. It was a great big lie.

Recently a PA government official and Accounting Head was reprimanded for claiming he got his MBA from Penn State U Park (he even wrote "Smeal School of Business" - an outright lie). Turned out his MBA was actually from Penn State-Grand Valley.

 

Re: HES/Harvard is Harvard

I never said that they were viewed as being "exactly the same" but neither is there a world of difference. The courses are mainly taught by Harvard professors (the rest by professors from those "second rate" schools across the way such as BU, BC, MIT, Tufts, etc.) You are the one saying that a HES degree is not a Harvard degree, an assertion that is untrue on its face, it is a degree offered by Harvard University. If you're in doubt as to the utility of such a degree in business or academics you can visit the HES alumni website. I'm sorry you feel badly about your undergrad degree. If you work hard perhaps you can make up for it in the future.
Jack

 

"I never said that they were viewed as being "exactly the same"

Jack, thank goodness for some realism in your post.

However If you believe for one minute that the experience of someone going to HES by writing a check and the experience of someone going to Harvard Proper because they busted their ass to score high on the SAT, write perfect essays, get top notch recommendations, achieve much outside of academic work, and be among the chosen few to be accepted to a school where some of the best and brightest study amounts to not "That much difference" then I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. But at least drop the veiled attempts at being a smart ass. At least I am out with my propensity to be an ass. You're just being cute.

By the way, Suffolk, UMass Boston etc also share faculty to HES...but you fail to mention those schools.

Wonder why?

Anyway let me say this. An HES degree is a Harvard degree, except that the word "Extension" appears on it.

Why do you think it is necesary for them to put that qualification there? I'll leave that one open.Not a slam on your credentials ... just a reality check.

 

Matter of Semantics....

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2002-03/help/default.jsp#hc

What is the Extension School's connection with the rest of Harvard?

Harvard Extension School is part of the Division of Continuing Education, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University. One of 12 degree-granting schools at Harvard, the Extension School is distinguished by its program of open admission, part-time study, evening courses, and low tuitions dating from 1909.

Can I take Extension School courses and then transfer to Harvard College?

No. Harvard Extension School and Harvard College are two separate schools.

 

tchuk tchuk tchuk squee squee

Mr or Miss Crofoot: Just ignore them. The reason I suggested a "brick & mortar" college or community college is that I guess that you are still normal college age, and I know from what you have said that it has not been an easy go for you so far. You will almost certainly get a lot more interpersonal support and likely much more feedback from your instructors at a B&M community college. Do not be offended at this, but if you need remedial work of any kind (I have NO idea whether or not you do), you can get it more easily through counseling/advising services where you deal with an adviser face-to-face.

None of this is to suggest that DL is OK for us but not for you. Unless you are in a remote location or your job simply makes it terribly difficult to attend B&M classes, DL is likely a second-best choice for you, based on the limited information in your post.

Posters on this BB have mixed opinions on the AA degree. I do not have an AA, but I think that the achievement of that first degree would give you the boost you need to move on to the next level. Achieving the AA must be closer to you than achieving the BA or other bachelor's degree. Take it one step at a time.

Then, when you have aged considerably and are clearly on the downhill side of life like most of us, and are established in your career, you can do what we do and fuss with DL until the cows come home (or the squirrels calm down).

Best of luck to you.

 

Uncle Janko: please see Repel And Kill for solution to your squirrel problem.

 

A more humane method and my favorite book title of all times:

"Outwitting Squirrels: 101 Cunning Stratagems to Reduce Dramatically the Egregious Misappropriation of Seed from Your Birdfeeder by Squirrels"

(Copies available at Amazon.com)

 

I've found that this little beauty does the trick nicely, plus provides some entertainment until the squirrels catch on.


Bruce

 

Gert: I'm serious for a moment. Being in a semi-rural area, the numbers of bugs are really atrocious. Everybody here laughs it off but I'se regusted. Do those sonic gizmos actually work?

So much for whatever it was crofoot wanted...