Choice between California Coast Univ & Columbia Southern Univ MBA programs

Thank you. After all, success is measured by results, and you obviously have demonstrated that your school choices have added to your personal and professional success.

How can you argue with that?

I wish you the best with your studies at Aspen!

Pepe

 

The only information I have about Aspen is what students on this very forum have reported. Students, very recently in fact, have reported the “$15/paper graders” as well as the limited amount of feedback on the papers. So I question how much teaching is going on there. Reading a book and giving a paper to a $15 grader is not what an MBA is all about.

Strange that there are so many conflicting reports from Aspen.

 

I did not know Aspen had $15 per hour graders. I know Grantham pays that much because I applied for a job there.

 

I don’t know if the Aspen $15/paper is correct or not but I did read it here as well. At 8 modules per course, with Aspen, that works out to $120 per student. I recently read that CTU pays $1300 for a class of 27-37 which comes out to $35-$48 per student. I’ve also seen an example of someone being offered $800 to teach 20+ students at UoP , only $40 per student. I’ve read on other threads anywhere from $500 a class to $3000. When you divide it by the number of student is $120 that low?

 

Speaking of not adding anything constructive....

Brushing people anonymously and with such a broad stroke doesn't help. If you have something specific about something someone else says, great. But I submit your post is inflammatory and useless. I'll give you an example of responding to something specific:

You said, "It is funny how some people seem to put down certain institutions without a clear understanding of how their programs work or without having personal experience with the schools."

I say things don't have to be experienced first-hand to be analyzed and understood. For example, the utility of a degree can be discerned without actually spending a couple of years earning it. Learning methodologies can be examined through documentation and having knowledge about such things.

If you have an objection to someone's criticism, and that objection is based on the person's lack of personal experience, say so specifically. But trying to negate a lot of people's positions with your broad statement is illogical.

If you disagree with something someone has submitted as fact to support a point of view, challenge that fact. Be a mensch, not an after-the-fact whiner.

Finally, I would submit--opposite of your opinion--that personal involvement in a school brings bias into the discussion. You then have a dog in that hunt, as it were. That doesn't negate your opinions, but if you don't back them up, yours could be dismissed as biased. For example, when I discussed the limitations of earning degrees from DETC-accredited schools, I do so with absolutely no personal interest in the outcome. If such degrees turned out to be utterly useless, or if they turned out to be absolutely comparable to those from RA schools, it doesn't matter to me. The truth does, however.

 

One school I teach for pays $1,400 per 12 week class and they all start with 20 students and end with 15-18. The other school pays $1,500 and it is a 5.5 week course with a max of ten students.

 

One poster (singular) said he heard that from a friend. I do not consider hearsay fact. The funny thing, is it seems like many RA schools use this operation method, so I am not sure what MacAttack is getting at.

In the end, it is more nonsense being stirred up. I am too busy writing a twelve page paper. Take care Randell.

Abner

 

I'm done with this thread as well, I'm too busy studing for the CPA exam. Sounds like things are going well for you.

 

Well, I'm too busy to get any studying done because I am reading this thread.

No, wait...

 

Hello Rich,

First of all let me say that I enjoy engaging you intellectually; it becomes a mental exercise for me as I’m still 10 classes away from a BSBA and you have a Ph. D. But I love to exercise both my physique and my intellect.

Back to your comments. I do post anonymously because I want to protect my privacy. This is a public forum and since I’m not “selling” anything, I have no intention of airing my personal information. The opinions and views I express reflect my own experiences, so I, like you, have no interest in the outcome.

Rich, you have selectively dissected my post altering its context. However, I stand by what I said; those who feel alluded know who they are.

As for being inflammatory, I disagree! When someone puts down a person or an institution, nothing constructive is added to the conversation.

You mentioned that things don't have to be experienced first-hand to be analyzed and understood. I agree completely! And that’s the difference between you and those who simply express opinions without researching and learning about the subject. There lies the problem.

Now, lets get specific here, you said that I’m trying to negate a lot of people's positions with broad statements. Please, Rich, the terms I used were “some” and “a number,” not a lot. Big difference!

I don’t have a problem with opinion diversity but with the distribution of distorted and incomplete information. For example, you often talk about degree utility. Your opinions are based on research and empirical data; no problem with that. However, degree utility is not being discussed here.

Specifically, macattack mocked pugbelly for showing interest in Aspen’s Master’s program (Aspen- prepaid option, post # 39), also, macattack insinuated that Aspen is a degree mill (Aspen-prepaid option, post # 41).

Rich, if you find that comments like these are beneficial to the readers, and if you feel that they express valid opinions and positions, then I must say that your logic defies comprehension.

Pepe

 

If the full program at Aspen is 3K, they obviously have cheap labour in order to make a profit. I wouldn't be surprised if markers are in India.

 

I'm suggesting addressing issues, posts, opinions, facts, etc. directly instead of offering a wide-sweeping complaint. It doesn't matter whether you said "most," "some," "a few," or even "one." "Alluding" to people and counting on them knowing who they are is lame. This is a public board. Many people read it. They may not know who or what you're talking about. But the detached way you pose it paints a lot of people, even ones who are not your intended targets. Plus, you have an "out" away from your comments if someone objects: "Oh, I wasn't talking about you." I think you should take on these things directly, not obliquely. You do what you want.

 

To whom are you directing this post? Who should feel alluded?

How lame...

Just kidding Rich! As always, I enjoy our conversations.

Take care, and have a great day!

Pepe

 

You, too.

And to the question posed by the thread, who cares? A degree from either one will mean exactly the same. Choose the one that best fits one's desired time-in-program expectations, costs, instructional delivery method, perceived support from the school, etc.

 

I haven't been all the way through the thread yet, but R. Douglas's contention begged a response.

Price, to me, seems to be one of the more compelling factors in choosing NA over RA schools. Granted, as some have pointed out here, the difference may only be $60 per unit, but that might be enough to force a decision in one direction or another. That, and I've yet to see Cal State offer a Master's degree for $3000.

 

If you're a geezer (I'm getting there), California State Universities are virtually free. They waive tuition and registration fees. Here's SF State's 'Over 60 Degree Program', but my understanding is that it's a system-wide policy and that all the CSUs do it.

http://www.cel.sfsu.edu/mature/over60.cfm

For those between 50 and 60 like me, the CSUs waive the normal Open University fees, permitting us to take any regular university course on a space available, audit basis with instructor approval, for a flat $55/semester fee. There's no need to apply for admission, just show up the first day of class and see if there's room, get the instructor to sign your form and you're in. They also let us use the library and gym facilities and waive any normal fees associated with that.

http://www.cel.sfsu.edu/mature/eldercollege.cfm

NA can't beat that!

 

Which NA school offers a $3K master's?

Give me an example of an inexpensive NA master's, and I'll find you a comparably-priced RA DL master's. There might be an exception or two for specific and narrow areas, but this will hold true in the long run.

In a 36-credit master's, $60 per credit amounts to a little over $2K. Considering both the cost and the potential career impact of a master's degree, that ain't much. And in most cases, there are RA programs that are as low or even lower than many NA programs.

Price is definitely not a discriminator.

 

Rich:

Aspen is currently $3k for all masters.

Would love to hear of more RA US degree options in this price range or lower!

Greg

 

Interesting. Not according to their webpage on tuition:

http://www.aspen.edu/tuition.htm#grad

Looks like about $9K. Significantly, one may pre-pay for $4,500, plus books. Books and materials will add $2,100. Even if one ignores the books, you've still got to add the materials part, which is $75 per course. That brings the total to $5,400, plus books, which is the figure I'd use to compare to other programs.

Hey, a master's for $5,400 (plus books) is pretty cheap. But if money is the key, it's likely one would not have all of that up front! And if one does, why not spend a little more and get an RA degree?

No $3K master's that I can find. Do you have a reference for this?

 

Hi Rich...

This was via email offer. Myself and others got the following email from Aspen several days ago...

-----------------------------------------

You have been awarded a $1,500 Scholarship Grant!

With your $1,500 scholarship grant you can earn any Masters or Bachelors Degree at Aspen University for a total tuition of only $3,000.*

Scholarship grants must be used by April 30th.

If you are interested in taking advantage of earning your degree for a tuition of only $3000* click here to complete the online form, and our Admissions Department will contact you.

* Tuition does not include books and course material.

Greg