Looking at getting my undergrad from either PFC, NCU or CCC... advice?

Over the last few days I've been exploring my options for an inexpensive undergrad degree. As the moment the three places that have picked my interest are:

• Penn Foster College
• New Charter University
• Clovis Community College (since they only offer Associate degrees they may be dropped from this list)

In my previous thread (Inexpensive Nationally Accredited Bible College) I said i was trying to decide to pursue a start to finish religious degree or go secular undergrad then religious grad. That said if I go the split route I'm considering enrolling in the Criminal Justice program offered at one of these schools to seek employment as a Probation Officer and then pursue a religious grad degree.

Again like I said in the my other thread I'm married and have three children and we're a single income family...so I'm having to be picky. I don't want to just spend money on a degree that becomes a wall hanging and nothing else. As much as possible I'd like a quality education that when complete will help me find quality employment.

So... any advice on these schools and their Criminal Justice programs?

 

Why not a combination of all? Excelsior College allows you to use credits from different schools.
Penn foster has the lowest credibility from the ones mentioned but their courses are very cheap. You can use Penn foster credits towards an Excelsior College degree but there is a maximum you can transfer from DETC schools.

 

PFC has lowest credibility? I'd say lowest recognizablility, maybe, but it is DETC accredited like New Charter.

 

My suggestion, for what it is worth: Get an Associates from Clovis and then start on a Bachelors from LSU. Both can be done at a distance. Criminal Justice is a good degree but have you checked the availability of employment with this degree. In my part of the country, the south, there are about as many people with CJ degrees are there are licensed life insurance agents. At this point, you really do not have to choose a major. Most degrees require the same CORE requirements. Good luck on your educational pursuits.

 

What was New Charter University's old name?

 

Andrew Jackson University

 

There is nothing inherently wrong with any of the schools listed, but I always recommend RA programs over NA programs, simply for acceptability in employment and especially graduate school. While the federal government now accepts NA degrees for employment (good), most graduate programs require an RA undergrad degree for admission (bad).

I second the advice about Clovis; it's RA and you can get a lot of the general education credits out of the way, along with many of the free electives you're going to need at the Bachelor's level. Because it's RA, the credits will transfer to other RA (and also NA) schools. That will give you some time to thoroughly investigate your options at the Bachelor's level while still making progress towards your goal.

If you decide to not move on after Clovis, you have an RA Associate's degree, which is nothing to sneeze at.

 

Since you are looking at Clovis CC, what about community colleges in you backyard in VA? Three of my children and my wife have taken classes at Clovis, so I'm not knocking the school, but have you looked at VA Community Colleges?