Why the snobbery?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by DegreeDazed, Apr 14, 2010.

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  1. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator


    This argument gets tiresome but it never goes away. All the objective evidence indicates that degrees from DETC universities are less acceptable by employers and other universities than are degrees from RA universities. This is not "self-annointed." This is across the board. You can argue that this is an injustice to DETC universities but then you have to produce some evidence to support your case.

    If I am a millionaire and you are on welfare it is not snobbish to note that I have more money than you (although it may be in poor taste). It's not snobbish, it's a fact. If I say that I'm a better person than you because I have more money well, that is being snobbish.
     
    Kizmet, Apr 17, 2010
    #61
  2. The_Professor

    The_Professor New Member

    I agree with the overall premise but some of the language used here reeks of highfaluting snobbery.
     
    The_Professor, Apr 17, 2010
    #62
  3. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Kizmet, Apr 18, 2010
    #63
  4. BlackBird

    BlackBird Member

    BlackBird, Apr 18, 2010
    #64
  5. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    But...you thank the Army more...because we are better...right??? ;)
     
    Randell1234, Apr 18, 2010
    #65
  6. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I'm taking the 5th
     
    SurfDoctor, Apr 18, 2010
    #66
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    We are snobbish because we are naturally superior. :D
     
    Ted Heiks, Apr 18, 2010
    #67
  8. The_Professor

    The_Professor New Member

    Yes, you are, indeed, legends in your own minds... ;)
     
    The_Professor, Apr 18, 2010
    #68
  9. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    I think you are all superior...in an equal sort of way. :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 18, 2010
    SurfDoctor, Apr 18, 2010
    #69
  10. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    From the Pen of Orwell

    "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."


    Animal Farm
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 18, 2010
    Maniac Craniac, Apr 18, 2010
    #70
  11. The_Professor

    The_Professor New Member

    From the pen of John Buchan

    “The true definition of a snob is one who craves for what separates men rather than for what unites them.”
     
    The_Professor, Apr 18, 2010
    #71
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    You know what you never see in these discussions? Any serious attempt to refute statements regarding the limitations inherent in taking degrees from NA schools. Complaining? Lots. Crying the role of victim? Loads of that, too. Shooting the messenger? All the time. But no real effort to show that the basics are, in fact, wrong.

    Because they're not.
     
    Rich Douglas, Apr 19, 2010
    #72
  13. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I said much the same thing in my post yesterday. The Professor agreed with me but then said that snobbery is afoot. To me this is like saying that while we all recognize that 1,000 is more than 100, pointing this out is snobbery. I think that the Professor wants us all to quietly pretend that 1,000 and 100 are equal. It's just gauche, awkward and snobbish to state the truth.
     
    Kizmet, Apr 19, 2010
    #73
  14. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I wonder how the opposite of snobby could be termed. If one knows that 1000 is more than 100, yet consciously chooses and defends 100 like it deserves to be considered equal, what should we call that?

    I usually don't have much to add to these discussions because my knowledge of schools, programs and academic history is limited; however, I will add my observation here that hardly anything is ever said about the education received in an NA as opposed to an RA program. The reason, I'm sure is that you can get a either great or a lousy education regardless of the accreditation. Personally, I respect both and believe that there is room for both to coexist.

    When it comes down to it though, facts are facts. An extremely small percentage of RA schools may make a concession to some students allow for some credits to be transferred from an NA school. Whenever the question of transfer of NA→RA transfer is brought up in any number of forums, usually the entire forum community can only think of less than 5 schools that would do this (note, however, the words that I wrote in bold in this same paragraph). How often, however, will an NA school accept RA transfer credits? I don't know specifically that any NA school has a policy against accepting RA credits. Telling, also, is that the question is never asked.

    Also, if you can find an RA graduate program, anywhere at all, that accepts an NA undergraduate degree as meeting minimum admissions criteria, you will have found the absolute remote exception, and possibly a candidate for loss of accreditation.

    Most employers don't know or don't care at all about accreditation. The ones that do nearly always prefer RA over NA, or, will at least look at them as equal and never as NA>RA.

    As you can see, there is absolutely no situation in which NA compared to the same degree from RA can be considered more valuable and only the rare situation in which they could be considered equal.

    There is only one way I could foresee this ever changing, and that is if RA schools decide one day that they view NA as their equal, accepting transfer credits and viewing NA credentials as valid for admission to graduate school. Then, and only then would the differences between the two types of accreditation become moot.

    This argument has gone from ad absurdum to ad nauseum to ad infinitum and I am ready to officially declare it ad infernus.
     
    Maniac Craniac, Apr 19, 2010
    #74
  15. The_Professor

    The_Professor New Member

    It's not the premise of the argument, but the words that are chosen, that smacks of snobbery.


    “Snobbery is the pride of those who are not sure of their position.”
    - Berton Braley
     
    The_Professor, Apr 19, 2010
    #75
  16. Lindagerr

    Lindagerr New Member

    The state of NJ are snobs?

    These requirements are directly from the state brochure. The boldface is mine.

    GUIDE TO CERTIFICATION IN NEW JERSEY/2009-10

    New Jersey State Department of Education
    Office of Licensure & Credentials

    Requirements for a Standard Instructional Certificate
    1. Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

    TWO-YEAR COLLEGE CREDITS. Courses taken at accredited two-year colleges are accepted toward meeting requirements for licensure only if such courses appear on an official transcript of a regionally accredited four-year college.

    This is why I would not consider a NA school I would be back to 0 as far as the state is concerned.
     
    Lindagerr, Apr 19, 2010
    #76
  17. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    OK. So since we're basically in agreement, maybe you can go back into this thread and tell me exactly which words were used that reflect snobbery. You can quote the posts that indicate snobbery. Mind the context now.
     
    Kizmet, Apr 19, 2010
    #77
  18. imalcolm

    imalcolm New Member

    I've never heard of a regional accreditor doing this.
     
    imalcolm, Apr 19, 2010
    #78
  19. emmzee

    emmzee New Member

    While I agree with everything else in your post, this paragraph is a bit too strongly worded, especially the last part of it.

    Ex, All of Liberty's masters programs clearly state in their admissions requirements that applicants need a "regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree":
    Master's programs | Liberty University Online

    Ex, WGU says that "Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or DETC-accredited college or university." Now, granted, WGU itself is both NA and RA ... but still. I'm pretty sure AMU/APU has a similar policy and is also NA/RA.

    So again while I agree with everything else in your post and think it was quite well worded, I don't think it's as rare to be accepted into RA grad programs with NA undergrad degrees as you're suggesting.
     
    emmzee, Apr 19, 2010
    #79
  20. The_Professor

    The_Professor New Member

    It’s interesting that this post started out as “Why the snobbery?” which had nothing to do with the RA v. NA debate until it was hijacked by the “RA superiority” minions. A consciousness of guilt, perhaps...
     
    The_Professor, Apr 19, 2010
    #80
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