Why an online degree may not be a good investment

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by decimon, Feb 27, 2017.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Another gem that is referenced infrequently is the PhD in Catholic Studies (I believe this could easily be tweeked into philosophical research) at Maryvale Institute.

    Maryvale Institute - Research Studies
     
  2. FTFaculty

    FTFaculty Well-Known Member

    I propose we entitle their study "Why Authoring a Poorly-Thought Out Study on Online Education is Not a Good Investment of Your Time."

    The article's akin to producing a study about "Why marriage may not be a good investment" and simply throwing all marriages, millions of them, into one big category, and basing your conclusion on divorce rates that approach 40 to 50% without trying to differentiate between those factors that make for a good marriage and a poor one. Of course many people have gone into massive debt because they fell for some for-profit's hard sell, didn't do their research into all the available programs, told all their friends "I'm finally going to college!" and four or five years later (at best) walked away with a watered-down, low grade degree with little to no utility and a five figure debt load.

    But there are also many who do their research, attend a good program or one that they determine to be sufficient for their purposes, and get great use of it. Without an online masters from an AACSB university, I very likely wouldn't have gotten into full time academia at an AACSB. It certainly worked for me.

    If they do a follow up study which paints with a brush less than 100 feet wide, they might produce something of value.
     
  3. jhp

    jhp Member

    I would really like a study where the real costs associated with developing, maintaining and delivering an online course, and an in-residence course are compared.

    I have the suspicion the costs are not even close.:firedevil:
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    That's a logical suspicion or why would schools take to DL with such zeal? They can increase enrolment and revenue to a great extent without permanent faculty, extra classrooms, new buildings and dorms etc. To say nothing of the associated maintenance expenses & salaries. Wow! Many schools could probably afford a new football stadium from DL profits and a $5-million-a-year football coach for the day crowd!

    There's been a mass adoption of DL here in Canada, too - for exactly the same reason. (Heads bowed, moment of respectful silence, please.) MONEY!

    Don't know what they're doing with all those extra $ here, though. The highest-paid (by far) Canadian University football coach earns $260K, last I looked. A total of two others earn $150-200K. Rest likely average under $100K.

    J.

    PS - And what does the DL student save? Squat - except no need to pay for on-campus parking. That saving alone could probably cover the internet connection for the DL course.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 28, 2017
  5. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I just read a little thing online that said that Geno Auriema, the Coach of the UConn women's basketball team, is the highest paid public official in Connecticut.
     
  6. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member


    Could be a tough job.
     
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Great advance for women's basketball, I guess, considering that in 39 states, the highest-paid public employee is either a football or a men's basketball coach!

    39 US states where the highest-paid public employee is a college coach - Business Insider

    Tell me - for $5 million, do you get 25 times the coach you get for $200K? The whole college sports thing is ridiculous to the point of obscenity. Take Texas. I looked it up:

    Gov. Rick Perry's salary - $150,000.
    Texas A&M Coach Kevin Sumlin - $5 million.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 1, 2017
  8. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Well, in Geno's case I think the answer is yes. He has 100+ consecutive wins, 11 national championships and on and on. But that's not the point. The point is whether this is the priority of the university, and of the state. I'm assuming that he must be making money for the school although I've been told otherwise. I have a very cynical attitude toward big-time college sports as the games have been elevated over the real purpose of colleges/universities. At the same time I'd want to point out that the vast majority of college athletes are just kids having fun as they work their way through school, many not even getting scholarships. And most college sports programs emphasize the importance of academics, graduation rates, etc. and these programs exist in appropriate proportion within their respective university budgets.
     
  9. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I would think that the proceeds from popular sports programs should fund academics, not the other way around.

    :eek:fftopic: This got me thinking, what college team would I root for if I ever did? My local state university? The one with the nicest colors? Maybe I should root for Rutgers because TESU was once almost going to be Rutgers.
     
  10. Helpful2013

    Helpful2013 Active Member

    One of the things that KUL has that deserves highlighting is ongoing and dynamic research activity at the university. They not only have well-published faculty, but the university is a center for major international conferences, such as their KUL Patristics Conference. Some of the places discussed on DegreeInfo have webpages with loads of information that never seems to change from term to term, or even year to year. When the only activity a university appears to have is students taking set classes, then that is a red flag to me suggesting that something vital is missing.
     
  11. TomE

    TomE New Member

    To be fair, in regards to the bolded portion, much of those high salaries are derived from donations funneled through foundations and are not directly paid out by the universities. Sketchy in its own way, sure.
     
  12. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Online is not necessary cheaper than on Campus, maybe cheaper if you put room and boards into the equation and while living at home is not considering paying the university. My Master degree from Southern Methodist University is more expensive for distance learning students. The video lectures are uploaded/ship out via DVD; both online and on-campus students have access to blackboard. Since online students received video lectures cost extra money for cameraman and shipment; so the school charge about $100 to $200.00 per credit additional to the actual tuition.

    I am not sure about earning less for online degrees holder, but I am sure I make more than 80% of people at my age. The majority of my degrees were earned via online or limited residencies. I am 33, and I have 16 plus year experiences in the world force. I started working full-time since I turned 17, and have been working full-time. Last year I made about $180,000.00 plus my return on investment, so to annual income was about $200,000.00. So, for my case I don't see online degrees would earning less. It depends on how to find the way to enhance your career.

    If I spent only time for colleges, properly I spent 10 years without working to earn my degrees. However, I did not waste those 10 years...plus I was paid for those 10 years while working plus experiences. Also, at the end with my employer tuition reimbursements, and post 9/11 GI Bill...I actually made money from earning my degrees.

    The only thing I regret that there was no prestigious online degree while I attended school. I started out with Indiana University's non-degree program, but I realized I need a degree concentration. Therefore, I applied to Troy University.

    If I have a choice again, I would still attend online school with top school. Maybe a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at University of Florida and a Master of science in Computer Science from Columbia University or an Master of Business Administration from University of North Carolina at Chappel Hill.
     
  13. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    It's a common theme, though. We do it here. How often have we engaged in the "Is an NA degree worth it?" argument. Numbers get trotted out where we review what admissions officers have to say. Sometimes we even see what HR people have to say.

    But, in the end, NA degrees work just fine for a variety of people in a variety of situations. For myself, my MSM helped me score a promotion by allowing me to check a box. It also allows me to teach at an NA CC.

    Will my RA/AACSB MBA open up more doors? Probably not. And if I were paying for it out of pocket I cannot imagine how I would justify the cost. But I'm also at a point in my career where I could, if I really wanted to, start applying everywhere to be a VP of HR. I don't because I value longevity at my current company over bouncing around for ever escalating job titles (particularly when that leap would likely result in far more than the 50 hours I work weekly right now).

    But that's just me. There is no "typical employee." Geography, career level, non-degree certifications, actual skills all play into the equation.
     
  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I'm way past cynical! To have fun, college athletes don't need 5-million dollar coaches, cheating, recruiting scandals (e.g. U. of Louisville) complete with hot-and-cold-running hookers, etc.
    As I said, no big money in college sports here in Canada. College athletes still get their fun. In fact, I wish major-league sports were the same way; it pains me to see someone, whose skillset consists of throwing a ball or sacking an opposing player, earn 50 times what a doctor earns, who saves lives daily. It pains me so much --- I don't watch sports! EVER. :smile: There have to be better uses for great pools of money.

    Many sports programs are 'way past being conducive to any legitimate purpose of a University. And quite a few schools that say they "earn money" by sports programs -- don't. I read of one recently that proudly stated it "earned" a million dollars in a year - but neglected to mention that was only after $7 Million in extra funding was pumped in by the "good ole boys" - alumni & foundation.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 1, 2017
  15. Helpful2013

    Helpful2013 Active Member

    Just to expand that last bit a little more, one of the seminaries mentioned on this site had a ‘What’s New’ tab. The only item languishing there was over a year old, and I believe it was congratulations on the graduation of a doctoral student. A new administration quietly removed the tab.
     
  16. TomE

    TomE New Member

    I can see how this irritates people and it irritates me to a degree as well.

    That being said, wouldn't the simple solution be to convince everyone not to be so interested in it/so vested in it?
     
  17. Neuhaus

    Neuhaus Well-Known Member

    Do you think that Penn State fans would be any less vested in Penn State if their coach only made, say, $200k instead of $4.3M?

    The biggest issue with one school lowering the salaries is that he would likely flee to another school and get just as much money. But if there was, say, a cap on coach salaries (in higher ed) at $300k you'd have a different situation entirely.

    Will the fans be less passionate? Will the throngs of people stop attending Virginia Tech or Florida Gators games if the teams don't have multi-million dollar locker rooms with hot tubs, LED lighting effects and full towel service?

    I've spoken with Canadian friends who are every bit as passionate about their Canadian teams despite those players having an average salary of just under $90k (with a team salary cap at $5M).
     
  18. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Simple solution? How would one do that, exactly? It would be like convincing the whole world not to drink beer - or even coffee, perhaps.

    Yes, that's true. I know - for the last 25 years, I've lived about 100 yards from a major stadium. I once said something like "Pro sports should pay minimum wage -- oh, wait a minute, we have one that does -- the CFL (Canadian Football League)!

    But that will NEVER happen in the US - College or Major League. The excess is ingrained there - much like the big-money soccer craze in many countries. Big money has transformed spectator sports into spectacles of lavishness and excessive rewards. I don't think this one will go back in the bottle - on College or Professional levels.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 2, 2017
  19. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Molon labe!

    Sure you're not just mad because you had to kick the American teams out of the CFL because we started taking the Grey Cup south of the border? :sasmokin:
     
  20. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think he's mad because all the football fans from that stadium throw beer cans on his lawn.

    [​IMG]
     

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