Advice for 35 year old

What's your financial aid availability look like? If your income is limited do you qualify for a PELL grant? Money like that can be applied to very comparatively priced CC's such as New Mexico Junior College or Luna CC all completed online and bulked up with CLEP. Would bring you back to RA.

 

While the PRN Chaplain work is certainly an option, I think you'd likely be better served to just earn a Masters and apply for a CPE Residency. You typically need one CPE unit to apply, the gig lasts a year and by the end you earn 3 CPE units all with a living stipend.

They are competitively I recommend checking the postings (even in areas where you don't intend to move) to get an idea for what will make you the most competitive. If you can't move and are locked into an area then yeah PRN might be your only option. And that might be a good option while earning that first CPEunit. But the residency is worth considering to finish off those requirements.

 

Okay, time for a painful reality check – as painful for me to provide since you sound like a nice guy who’s sincere about his goals.

First, you didn’t “go to” Andersonville. You pursued their program, you earned their degree (such as it is), but you didn’t go there.

Even if you had, you’d be in the same position you’re in now, because Andersonville is a degree mill. Pure and simple, it’s a sham.

Even on their current web site, they cite their accreditation by the Transworld Accrediting Commission (a full-blown accreditation mill) and their affiliation with the National Christian Counselors Association (a credential mill with zero credibility).

Others who have responded to you have soft-pedaled your options. In my opinion, you don’t have options except to start over, since any credential or degree issued by Andersonville is worthless.

Here’s what I wrote about Andersonville in the last (1994) edition of Name It & Frame It:

They’ve come a long way in their presenetation – thanks to the growth of the Internet. But they still charge only $1,500 for either a bachelor’s degree or a doctorate degree. And you get what you pay for. In this case, nothing of any worth.

You’re getting a song and dance from schools that tell you they will evaluate your credits. They will – and then they’ll reject them. They just don’t want to tell you that up front. And any legitimately accdredited school that says they will accept ATS credits is not sufficiently knowledgeable about accreditation in itself.

It’s that simple. You were ripped off once, then went bhack to be ripped off again. Any degree(s) you hold from ATS are worthless. And if you want any type of position, whether pastoral or chaplaincy, you will be up against people with better credentials than yours. And you will lose.

Best of luck.

 

Ouch. That stings more than a little

 

Have to agree with this. I applied and was accepted at a VA one. Problem for me was the stipend was not good enough. At age 35-40 it would have been enough.