Don't want no stinkin DL grads!

This is 4th hand information, so don't trust my word for it: I read a post here where someone said their buddy saw an ad in the employment section (see what I mean?) that specifically stated that this employer was not interested in someone with an online degree. Has anyone else had any experience where an employer singles out DL grads and says not to bother applying?

Disclaimer: This is the banking industry which is notorious for being obdurate. Also, I'm personally not worried about this at all and I am definitely not trying to create a fuss here; I'm just interested to hear what everyone has to say about it. There are always going to be a few employers who fail to keep up with the times.

 

I vaguely remember a post (or perhaps something similar) in which an ad for some company stated that they would not accept University of Phoenix MBAs. I can't remember the details though.

-Matt

 

How do they know if you have a DL degree though if it is not from a school such as UOP that is known for DL degrees? This is what I have been trying to figure out from all these posts because as far as I know it does not state it on your degree does it?

I also think it is BS if they do not want to accept a DL degree anyway unless it is from a known diploma mill or something. But a degree is a degree is a degree and if you can prove you know what they want what does it really matter ?

 

Eilla, I'll be happy to fill you in on that. Usually, if your degree is from a traditional school, there is not much way that anyone will know the difference. There is usually nothing on the diploma that says "online". The problem is that many schools offer only online degrees, my school NCU for example. They see NCU and, if they know anything about DL, will recognize it for what it is; an online school. Most employers don't care, but a few curmudgeons do care.

 

When I first took courses though UoP about 5 years ago, my transcript DID say "online" above the courses. Now it does not. It simply lists the courses. While most people know that UoP is a distance learning institution, it does have regional campuses where people can take classes through the good ol' butt-in-seat method.

-Matt

 

That was me! My friend has been looking for a job for almost 8 months now. He's been in banking his entire career since we graduated college in '92. I'm his resume person, and he'd called to ask me to change the wording of something. Anyway, it was really out of nowhere. We were talking about cover letters for a few positions and he just threw out there that some of the ads he'd circled/considered said "no online degrees." His tone was very much, "What's up with that?" but we really didn't talk about it further because neither of us knew anything more, you know?

Also - don't know if this means anything, either, but he's in Houston.

 

It's not a shock they wouldn't take someone with a DL degree, especially if you read some of the posts here for "quickest and easiest" degrees.

The for profit side (publicly traded) has ruined the image of DL. That same side has allowed substandard students into its ranks and that causes other problems - as found in your newspaper ad. Maybe substandard is too harsh, but the fact is these same schools make people believe they are going to receive the same utility for something they pay _more_ for and we know that to be untrue. There are exceptions, but many are fooled.

I've graduated from Indiana University, UoP (publicly traded), and Capitol College (private, not for profit) --- the students are vastly different in terms of quality. The cost and educational value between the three? - that's another discussion.

 

My UF certifcate says "online" and I was not real happy about that but UF is such a strong name and I live about 90 minutes away that I do not think anyone gives it a second thought.

 

Sorry I didn't give you credit, I couldn't remember which thread I read it on. Too lazy to look for it.

 

Remember though, there are a lot of excellent students mixed in with those "substandard" ones.

 

Some universities won't fill their positions with candidates who have online degrees, even if those universities offer online degrees themselves.

 

That's hypocrisy in my opinion.

 

All written without a single reference to a "fact". I think his follow up was regarding the moon landing never happening

 

Just like how NA schools won't hire NA grads....

 

Oh, golly - I didn't mean it like that! I read so much on here I'm always trying to remember where I saw things. I was just excited because this was one time where I *didn't* have to think, "Hmmm... yeah, I saw that somewhere, too. Where was that again?"

 

Very good, I didn't think you meant anything negative or were miffed. I just wanted to give credit where credit was due.

 

If your dog ate your certificate and you had to order a new one, would it still say online? I'm doing a graduate certificate with UF, and the Dept. (Education) told me all their distance certificates/diplomas are indistinguishable from campus documents.

Might be worth a try...

 

I was told it did change so...maybe my dog got hungary...

 

Honestly, I too looked down upon DL students before I became one myself. The work I've done at UMUC is just as rigorous as at the traditional school I went to, with a few exceptions. Those exceptions being testing and demonstration of doing the reading. There is less testing at DL schools, or at least mine, so you do not have to study in the traditional way as much. More often you prove what you've learned in papers, and aren't employers looking for people with good writing skills?

All I am trying to say with what I wrote above is that DL students may vary in "quality" but those of that do succeed are not doing so because we are merely logging in and writing 1 post a week, we actually have to put work in. Any employer should be happy to have an employee that can write well and wants to work hard.