BusinessWeek article: For-Profit Colleges Target the Military

I meant specifically graduate certificates, I know there are a bunch of non-credit resume boosters. He can go choose some AACSB or otherwise respectable school that offers a graduate certificate online (or not, maybe something local) in finance or accounting or whatever (not my specialty). If it happens that somebody confuses the grad certificate with a non-credit certificate, he can always correct them during the interview, with much joy (and/or make sure to clearly explain it in the CV)

The big name should help to avoid "resume-to-trash" mentality of a particular employer with strong beliefs and attitudes towards for-profit online schools.

Or better yet, since AMU recently got that award in emergency management, why not get a grad certificate specializing in that? It reinforces the master's, makes you able to paint AMU in great colors at an interview:

"Well, sir, it is a well organized online school with a military background and a strong reputation in emergency management, it was actually recently awarded at blahblahblah, In fact it's so great that the faculty actually made me decide to specialize in EM after finishing my MBA, so I also took the grad certificate in EM at that other wonderful school you all must have heard about, it was rigorous but very satisfying and offered a lot of opportunities to meet experts in the field blahblahblah. And I feel not only prepared to do actual work in EM, but it has made me prepared to work in a business environment fraught with risks, plan ahead and handle times of crisis in a calm manner while working and looking ahead blahblahblah"

Or any other myriad of combinations. Just sell yourself, 03310151. If you came to me with that attitude "I'm so sorry that I got a Master's degree from AMU. Please forgive me. I am heartbroken over all that money and time" I wouldn't wan't to hire you because of the attitude.

Don't take this personally, I have a friend with a Bachelor of Engineering in Communication Engineering (one of the hardest degrees to complete here) and he continuously complains, continuously gets fired and continuously is asking why and cursing his destiny. Oh why did I have to stay here, why did I waste my youth fighting in the war, why didn't I go to Germany or Sweden like everybody else who was smart, no one appreciates me...oh come on, snap out of it already.

Sorry if I seem a bit harsh, but I hate to see a smart man telling himself he is stupid and hopeless.

 

Very good advice. In my neck of the woods we like to say "ya gotta race with what you brung!"

 

My father used to say a similar thing back when I was a kid and complaining I wasn't tall enough.

 

Thank you for the encouraging words, I appreciate them. I am the fatalist, realist, pessimistic eeyore type.

The glass is half empty and there is a crack in it and WHY IS ALL THIS WATER LEAKING OUT!!!!!......is kind of how I see things.

It must come across.

Play the hand you are dealt
Dance to the tune that is played
Row with oars you have
etc, etc, etc.

 

TONY: Steve is right, I only read Businessweek when someone calls an article like this to my attention. Actually, I received a call last week from Distance Education Report, that asked if they could quote from and recommend one of my articles that was published in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration and interviewed with the Chronicle of Higher Education couple of weeks ago. I have another interview with another media outlet (not quite CNN, but OK-sized) scheduled tomorrow. I'm having a great time with this DL stuff

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I actually like being "called out," which is one reason why I have always used my real name on Degreeinfo. My webpage and vita are easy to find, as are some of my pbulications and a number of my activities. When I started posting soon after the establishment of Degreeinfo, I taught for California State U., then later moved to an administrative position (and also taught classes) at Northeastern Illinois University. 1 1/2 years ago, I became Dean at Sullivan, Kentucky's largest private university (and my first for-profit). I have not noticed any "dismissal" by my "traditional" academic peers. My articles continue to be published in peer-reviewed journals, I continue to hold leadership positions in national and international professional associations, my conference presentation proposals continue to be accepted and I get calls from "head hunters" who try to recruit me to other universities.

I know that the above sounds really egotistcal (and I apologize for that). I just wanted to illustrate that working for a for-profit has not hurt my professional standing. That is why in discussions about DL, I tend to rely on the published studies, in contrast to Golden's article, that relied chiefly upon uniformed opinion. I say "bring it on"

My friend and colleague Steve is. as usual, right on the mark. Our doctoral faculty are expected to publish, present, write grants, etc., but most of the undegraduate teaching faculty do not have this expectation (sort of like faculty at community colleges). As a Dean, I am not bound by "publish or perish," but I choose to do it anyway--I think that it makes me a better and more informed teacher and dean.

 

I actually subscribe to Business Week; and it’s a reputable periodical. However as you’ve already pointed-out … I wouldn’t expect DL or university articles to emerge from this particular publication nor anyone researching this magazine for such.

 

That’s a splendid notion; however, how many publications /authors could be named that has had at least, perhaps though seldom, primary inaccuracies from time-to-time … and occasionally even by way of experts? Inadvertent error is one thing … deliberate though is quite another. BTW Mr. Crichton provides a well written, thought provoking piece regarding speculation and prediction failure /futurism miscalculation; thanks for providing this.

 

+1 from the resident Texas boy. People around here are known to drive 2 hours for Krispy Kremes.