Clark Howard: If It's Not RA, It's 'Bogus,' '[Not] Any Good,' 'Worthless'

Russ,

You are exactly right! If you become a California lawyer with an unaccredited degree, MOST of the time, the school matters less than the fact of your law license and your prefessional reputation.

As always, the question is, "Will THIS degree meet my forseeable professional and personal needs?"

 

Clark Howard is played on our local radio station and I listed to him once in a while. He is far from the pontificating shock jock most of these talk radio guys are, and when people have a difference of opinion he is more than willing to listen. On his website he has a "Clark Stinks" forum where people can, and have many times in the past, tell him how wrong he is and why.

I didn't hear the program regarding "RA or it's bogus", but from reading the notes of the show from the website, it seems his message was 1)for-profit schools can be great because they can give students more options, and 2) if you want to be sure you don't get screwed over, make sure it is RA.

Sounds like pretty good advice to me.

 

I think Howard has simplified a many-factored issue to the point of inaccuracy. It's not true that merely sticking to RA will keep all educational and academic doors open. A job or a subsequent degree may still reject a candidate with good grades from an RA school because his alma mater lacks a particular professional accreditation or prestige. Having a regionally accredited degreee is not always necessary - members here have achieved academic and vocational goals using DETC-accredited degrees, for instance - nor is it sufficient.

That said, let me restate the facts that regional accreditation is the gold standard and that most people will enjoy the greatest success with an RA program. It's when somebody brings a school like American Military University under the umbrella of 'crummy' that I feel a challenge must be made.

 

While Clark occasionally gives advice towards issues that he is not qualified to give (his comments regarding health and exercise are a little off track), he does offer good advice regarding saving money and living life debt-free. I've learned a great deal from his radio show which is a far cry from most annoying talk show hosts who are biased one way or another. He's the good guy of radio and I continue to listen to his program whenever possible. Also, I saw him live with several other money-concious presenters at a local university. He was the only one to speak to financially lay people (like myself) in a way that was understandable.

I like Clark Howard and have to defend him on this issue. He simplified it for those who cannot make fact-base decisions for higher education online.

 

hikergirl...if you really feel that way you really should check out

http://www.daveramsey.com/

I've been listening to Dave for the past six months and he has changed my way of thinking. I now have a six month plan for being out of debt...though I am financing my education which I am sure he would frown on...I did pick the least expensive option I could find that fit my needs.....also the school was just too nice to walk away from...but that's another story.

Check him out.

 

Ooooohhhh... I've tried listening to Dave Ramsey. He's so annoying. But then again, some people say the same about Clark.

 

My point about Clark Howard is that his statements obviously show a lack of knowledge that even the average user of this website has.

Just because someone has a microphone doesn't mean they have the ability to use it properly. The fallacy of all opinions being valid is really tired.

 

Humor, definitely. I laughed out loud (literally) upon reading Des Elm's reply. First the blanket statement that he surely knew might raise a few hackles, followed by the very careful qualifiers, then ending with "But I'm just sayin' ".

Des Elms does a lot of "just sayin", here's hoping he never stops.


Kit

 

What is the topic of this thread again?

Oh, yes! IIRC, it is about the Hot-Air/On-Air falsetto maestro, Clark Howard, and his "If it is not RA, it is bogus?" conundrum.

My correction/addition to his generally flawed thesis:

If it is not RA and not NA and not PA and not mGAAP and does not have several Nobel laureates on its faculty, then .......Yes! It is most probably BOGUS (or, almost universally, close to it)."



Thanks.