Thinking about going back to school

[Fedorgasm]

It’s always bugged me that I never finished my degree. Back when I was 18 I started pursuing an English degree, got 2 years in, and once I learned how stupid of a degree it was, I just quit college altogether because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Now I’m at a point where if I want to be promoted any further at my company, I’d need at least a bachelor’s in business if not an MBA.

The problem is I work a crap ton of hours (as I said before, trying to get a promotion) and I have small children at home, so time is limited. I need to get my degree as efficiently as possible.

I’ve considered online schools, but I’m a little concerned about their reputation. I mean if you had to choose between two job applicants, would you choose the one that went to a state university, or the one who got a degree from the university of phoenix?

I also have the impression that because online schools have a reputation of being too easy, that they’re starting to make their classes harder in order to fight that reputation. Like since you don’t get to attend actual lectures, they make up for it by assigning twice as much homework. So you end up getting a degree that everyone thinks was easy, when it was actually harder than a traditional school.

I also know that I can challenge some courses. I don’t know if they have this at every school, but basically it means that if you don’t want to take say, history 101, you could just go take a history test and if you pass, you get credit for that class even though you never attended. Would be awesome if I could get like 75% of my degree just by challenging classes. Although I’m sure they probably have limits on that kind of thing.

Anyhoo, all advice/shared experience is welcome.

 

[Bukowski82]

Do it. My advice is to stop whatever you're doing right at this moment, no matter what it is, and spend at least 30 minutes starting this off. Whether that be applying to a school online, filling out a FAFSA, looking into courses, scheduling a meeting with an advisor, etc. Whatever it is, if you take 30 minutes right now and start on it, you'll be far more likely to keep going on this and not just talk about it.

 

[Clippys Mom]

Never to late to ask "what do I enjoy doing, would like to do, or am good enough at that people will pay me in accordance with the lifestyle I desire"

 

[Clippys Mom]

If you are making good money for somebody else, learn what you need to do to make it for yourself.

 

[dije1]

What do you do? What degree are you thinking about getting?

 

[Clippys Mom]

I don't know the specifics but, If they are requiring you to get a MBA, or a bachelors in business, then in my opinion, you are at a dead end with them anyway. If they are not willing to bring you up in the ranks without hoop jumping, its time to shove off. Unless they are willing to offer specific educational training with a new earnings bracket awaiting, contingent on predetermined, agreed upon outcomes.

I biased as they get though. I encourage everyone to go the entrepreneurial route.

 

[Fedorgasm]

What do you do? What degree are you thinking about getting?

I'm in middle management and have over a decade of experience. Was thinking about getting a business management degree or something, then maybe an MBA later.

That way I'd be more likely to get a promotion. Or if god forbid something happens to my division and I need to find a new job, I'd be more marketable. The company pays for my degree as long as it's related to business, so I feel pretty stupid for not taking advantage of this sooner.

 

[sub_thug]

Education is never a bad call. Seriously, getting your degree is an excellent idea. Do it.

 

[JohnnyTowers]

Go for it while the mood suits you. It really is not difficult at all to sign up, just get the ball rolling while you have the motivation, and don't stop until you have completed whatever you decide to major in.

On a related note. I just watched the first season of Better Call Saul on Netflix, and he took an online course to obtain his law degree. Just thought I would throw that out there. Not that it is entirely relevant, being as that he is a fictional character, but it's the thought counts.

 

[JohnnyTowers]

especially since it sounds as if you are a family oriented individual. It most certainly makes things more expedient.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

online degrees aren't bad per se, most public schools have online programs now anyway (or distance learning, same ish). The reason Phoenix and the rest get shit on, and they should, is that they're NATIONALLY ACCREDITED, FOR PROFIT private universities. Besides that they cost more than the degree is worth (by far), the credits aren't likely to transfer to other schools so you essentially have to finish your program or you're dicked....

If you want to do legit research, by school, or funding, or major, or graduation rates, etc....look at this site. I literally do this for a living, let me know if you have any questions....
http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

edit: it sounds odd, but national accreditation is not 'better' than Regional, in fact it's the opposite. Less standards (for example, a person can teach outside of his/her degree field at a nationally accredited school, certainly not at a Regional), not inspected as often to ensure standards, etc...

ALL PUBLIC SCHOOLS Are REGIONALLY accredited, including junior/community colleges

 

[thebluerider]

your thoughts are boring imo

 

[HunterSdVa29]

I'm in middle management and have over a decade of experience. Was thinking about getting a business management degree or something, then maybe an MBA later.

That way I'd be more likely to get a promotion. Or if god forbid something happens to my division and I need to find a new job, I'd be more marketable. The company pays for my degree as long as it's related to business, so I feel pretty stupid for not taking advantage of this sooner.

Not a bad plan. Plus they have many 'executive' MBA's now that work much better w/ a presumed full workload, and some even transfer experience into credits (for at least your undergraduate degree). Got my MBA last year after getting out the Army, and i worked full time as well. It left me w/o too much free time, but worth it now that i've been promoted and on the rise

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

I am actually an expert on this topic, so I will provide you with as much information as I can, I am attending school online right now, but it is an extension of the brick and mortar university I went to when I was fresh out of highschool. I actaully made it 3 years then dropped out because of reasons. I have since gone back, best case you can "transfer in" 75 credits to most every school, but I am guessing you are sitting at closer to 60 if you only did 2 years. Next step is a portfolio process , this comprised of 15 additional credits, plus up to 15 more for your "real world experience". To put it in perspective, my recently completed portfolio I was seeking the 19 credits I needed to graduate still, ended up as 54 pages of writing. It also took 4 classes over the course of this last school year to finish.
I am also in a similar situation, as I work full time and have 2 young"ish" kids at home, so going online was my only option. Also, my degree with still have the same school name at the top, and since I went there no need to specify that I comleted the final few courses online, as a student who actually attended class on campus like you, same rule applies, unless u of phoneix, i am pretty sure everyone knows that as the typical online school.
the class work is actually the exact same workload for online and in class students, as most of them are offered in both formats by the same professor, so work load should be more or less the same regardless, i feel liek in 2016 the stigma of online learning be inferior is slowly becomming a thing of the past. with the amount of our lives we now live online, learning should not be the only exception. I have loved the classes so far, even the ones i only took to satisfy some crappy requirement i did not need for degree execept for it being a requirement.
now to get my grad school shit in line, so i can make enough money to pay back my student loans unless bernie sanders makes them magically dissapear!

 

[HunterSdVa29]

it's not challenging classes either, i'm assuming you're referring to CLEP testing where you test out of entry level, lower division classes. And you can't do 3/4 of a degree, schools make money of attendance so they only allow so many transfer or substitute credits. For example, I came in w/ 28 credits as a Freshman from AP classes/tests (Calculus, Government, US History, Physics, and English). Not sure they would even have let me come in w/ much more than that, each school has a general cutoff

 

[WorldofWarcraft]

Tell em you're going to school and after a few years, print out a degree and give it to them.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

plus if you're back in school, you can get a forebearance or deferment on your loan payments from the first time, as long as you're enrolled. Granted you still accumulate interest, but it frees up some spending money if need be. Or you can simply pay them down since work will reimburse our for school costs

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

also the clep testing you want to do does not earn you credits, it just crosses off that requirement. They are free to take but administered ona strict schedule, usually 2 or 3 times per semester. I considered doing this for a math requirement, but in order to keep 5k in scolarships and my full financial aid pckg i needed to be full time, so i picked up and algebra 1 class that is ez pz and kept my money.

 

[NoGoodNamesLeft]

Do it. My advice is to stop whatever you're doing right at this moment, no matter what it is, and spend at least 30 minutes starting this off. Whether that be applying to a school online, filling out a FAFSA, looking into courses, scheduling a meeting with an advisor, etc. Whatever it is, if you take 30 minutes right now and start on it, you'll be far more likely to keep going on this and not just talk about it.

i agree with this, the only out of pocket you need until day 1 of a class starting is usally a 1 time application fee, and if you sweet talk them they might waive yours, mine did,.

 

[HunterSdVa29]

Fill out a FAFSA, but since you're fulltime employed for years, your income threshold is likely too high for grants (it is for me, plus grants can't be used after you've earned a four year degree). Still can't get loans, work study, or often even apply for scholarships w/o it however