WWYD? Re: CA MFT

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Lauradglas, Jul 19, 2005.

Loading...
  1. Lauradglas

    Lauradglas New Member

    So, if you had the choice, and money WAS an issue, would you go with a CA approved school which is unaccredited if the degree was under 10,000 for an MFT or would you pay the big bucks for a RA degree which has a high probability of being accepted anywhere?
    worldu.edu is approved by the BBS in CA for their MFT licensure. The cost is 100.00 a unit. But will not having RA seriously effect my ability to find a job? And, will it hurt me if I have to move out of CA for some reason?
    Pacifica and a variety of other RA schools approved for licensure have exhorbitant tuition. Any thoughts?
     
  2. bing

    bing New Member

    I have met people with unaccredited degrees and generally they can only hope that someday they never get questioned about it. One man I know got a degree from the old CPU and then later decided he needed an RA degree. The man later picked up a BS from Charter Oak. All in all, this cost him extra money and time. Had he only started doing the Charter Oak program in the first place he would have been well ahead.

    I think that the unaccredited degree often calls like the Siren of the Sea to the sailor. The price, effort, and time make it sometimes hard to think about future realities.

    There is currently a thread on another forum here that discusses a policeman making application to different cities. One city has questioned his degree, which seems to be Kaplan College now. However, it was questioned and likely he lost the job due to it. You can learn a lesson from this thread on RA vs non-RA.

    You just take a chance on a non-RA school. Can it work out for now? Sure. Yet, the simple fact of life is that plans do change and circumstances along with it. Be very sure you ponder it good and hard before you go non-RA. Look at all funding possibilities for an RA degree. No one ever seems to ask the question, "Should I get an RA degree?" They always ask, "Would I be OK with a non-RA?"

     
  3. Guest

    Guest Guest

    I agree with Bing on all counts.
     
  4. Lauradglas

    Lauradglas New Member

    Sorry if I wasn't clear. The school is not RA but it is approved by the state of CA Board of Behavioral Science for licensure as an MFT. In fact I found the school through them. So therefore, I know for a fact that it is an approved school for licensure. My concern is whether or not anyone cares where my MA came from if I have my license. Thanks in advance.
     
  5. Guest

    Guest Guest

    In that case I don't think it would matter. I would check to see with graduates what their experiences have been if you can.
     
  6. Guest

    Guest Guest

    If the degree will allow you to get licensed in CA then I would choose the school if money is an issue.

    As far as using the degree out of state, once you are state licensed as an MFT, this will not matter.

    Also, most states have reciprocity for licensure. Check the states you think you may eventually move to and see if they offer reciprocity and if any qualifiers exist.

    You can find the info here.
     
  7. bing

    bing New Member

    I don't have knowledge about the MFT licensure being reciprocal. However, I know that one can be a licensed attorney in California and still not be able to practice in other states due to the school you attended.

     
  8. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Bing:
    "However, I know that one can be a licensed attorney in California and still not be able to practice in other states due to the school you attended"


    I think that only applies if school is not ABA
    approved.
     
  9. Lauradglas

    Lauradglas New Member

    Actually I do know something about this: California (unless something very recently changed) is one of the only states in the nation that does not require a degree to become a lawyer. If you can sit the bar exam and pass it, you can practice. So that may have some effect on the reciprocity issue! LOL:D
     
  10. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Laura

    According to friend of mine in law school
    apprenticeship route is no longer available.
     
  11. DougG

    DougG New Member

    My main thought: A career can be a long and winding road. Apart from licensing questions, I’d ask myself – explore, in fact – if it’s possible that down the road I might find myself in locations or engagements where the non-RA degree could be a liability to career advancement, or at least an embarrassment, or even a source of anxiety. Personally, if any of those four forms of fallout were possible, and I could scrape together the shekels to avoid them, I would.
     
  12. bing

    bing New Member

    From what I have read I don't believe so. I think most states, Alabama might be the exception, require one to have an ABA degree for reciprocity. So, if you attended some CA approved law school you could pass the bar exam and practice in California. However, you would not be able to practice in any other state that I know of.



     
  13. aptmusic

    aptmusic New Member

    non-accredited institutions

    Wow! embarrassing? I'm embarrassed sometimes to encounter folks who went to accredited institutions and are about as smart as cardboard boxes. For sure you will want to be certain that you are able to function in your chosen career with whatever degree you choose, but attending a non-accredited institution at times might be better than an accredited one. Accredited institutions do not often offer programs that deviate from the giant classroom, lecture format. I went to a non-accredited institution (it since earned accreditation) for my BA and truly felt like my education (10 people per class, Socratic Dialogue method) there was worth a thousand fold what my peers at State and even some private institutions received. Also, don't be so certain that a non-accredited institution will be inexpensive or half-hearted as a matter of fact the programs at some of these schools is way more stringent.
     
  14. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I went to a non-accredited, but state-licensed, broadcasting school. What did it get me? A 20-year career in the radio and TV industry.

    Would I do it again? No. Not having a degree or a credential from an accredited school held me back during my entire career, and I had to work twice as hard as those who had bachelor or master degrees to get each promotion and job that I had. I also made less money than many of my peers.

    Get the best education you can possibly and reasonably afford. It will be worth it in the long run.
     
  15. aptmusic

    aptmusic New Member

    Not sure I'm understanding this one. You went to a non-accredited school and didn't get a degree? Or you went to a trade school?
     
  16. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    Right, it was essentially a vocational-technical school, where I earned a diploma (not a degree) in Radio/TV Broadcasting (with honors!). I went on to work for some of the biggest names in broadcasting: CNN, FOX, CBS...but they were not the high-paying jobs I would have otherwise been qualified for if I had a degree. Even an AS from a community college would have helped me get my foot in the door or considered for better opportunities.
     
  17. TEKMAN

    TEKMAN Semper Fi!

    Well, I don't follow everyone's inputs; however, I would not recommend you to choose only state approve for your degree. Think about nowaday, people move everywhere in the United States, and of course maybe one day you don't want to live California. Then your degree maybe useless...so, at the minimum is NA accredited degree.
     
  18. aptmusic

    aptmusic New Member

    Vocational vs College

    Okay, so it really wasnt' the fact that the school was non-accredited, it was that you didn't go to a college or university and get a four year degree. There are non-accredited schools that give BAs and MAs. Though my BA school is now accredited I have found no stumbling blocks or issues with my BA degree whatsoever, as a matter of fact a lot of my employers have been impressed with my non-traditional and academically rigorous choice of education.
     
  19. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I'm not saying my non-accredited credential was worthless. It definitely helped me. But, I wouldn't necessarily say "it wasn't really the fact the school was non-accredited". You're missing my point. Why get a non-accredited degree when there are many cheap, accredited programs out there? The point I was trying to make was I went cheap (vo-tech instead of college, non-accredited instead of accredited). It's worth it to go to an accredited school even if it costs you a few extra buck now. At least you won't pay later down the road.

    Of course, you'll have to decide what is the best option for your own personal situation.
     
  20. japhy4529

    japhy4529 House Bassist


    May I ask what school you attended?


    Tom
     

Share This Page