Getting my degree... advice?

So I am more and more aware of the fact that I need to finish school. I have a couple years completed from the university of Nebraska, but I stopped taking classes a while back due to trying to pay for rent/bills/car insurance, etc.

I still don't feel like I have the time or money for a traditional university/college, and have been looking into online schools. I have a couple I am looking at, but honestly, I would be getting a degree for the sake of having one, and programs I'm really interested in don't really exist in online/distance learning form.

If I am getting a psych degree, with no plans to actually go into psychology, will the average employer really see online schooling any differently than a traditional school, or is it only relevant that I have a degree at all? I want to be able to go at my pace financially, balancing work/bills/school, but I don't want to start an online program only to find out most employers see this type of education as less credible than a traditional approach.

Need some advice for anybody who has a similar experience or input! Please and thank you :)

Online colleges are definitely less credible IMO.

Have a few hippie buddies that live in Olympia :)

Yeah, depending on what kind of course work you are interested in online classes are not always a smart option, though it may look good on paper. The best approach in my honest opinino is to find your local university, or at least within a reasonable driving distance, and talk to an advisor there about enrolling in online classes through that university. If you are talking about "University of Phoenix" or something, employers will typically discredit your education, heck there may be even a special place for that on some employers check boxes during interviews this late in the game. None the less, if you can enroll in online course work from a local university that has you come in within a set amount of time to take your test in person, and attend lectures once a week in an online chatroom, this will be FAR more credible than the other online options out there.

The only degree I know a lot of people push getting online is a teaching certification, which still requires you to go to a testing center for certain qualifacation exams, and requires you to still do your in class time with an actual classroom of students. These seem to hold their own fairly well, but mainly for those who have already attained a degree and are just adding the teaching certification as they can.

Have you looked into advance learning night classes that may fit your schedule and allow you to take 1-2 classes a semester and slowly get your credits you need? Also, I'm not sure how it works in your state, but some states have an expiration on your credits if you fail to complete a degree. In Texas you have 7 years from the start before you have to retake your pre-requesite course work.

Being as this is a reptile forum, if you'r'e more interested in going with a degree in something like Biology or Natural Science, online classes will not get you there, the amount of laboratory course work needed will make it impossible, outside of some classes that is like GIS.

Hope this helps!

Well, I have to disagree about credability of online courses. I got my Bachelor's in business management from Kaplan University and my course load was way more than the majority of the folks I talk to that go to brick and mortar classes. I had to do weekly online seminars that was just like being in a classroom except it was online. I had to write a minimum 5 page paper every week (using APA format), post answers to at least two forum questions, and respond to at least two students per question each week. The responses couldn't just be "yes" or "no" answers. I initially took the online classes because I thought it would fit my work schedule at the time, not realizing the time it took, and that it would be a little easier (BOY WAS I WRONG). I had to read the books, take tests (sometimes had to be proctored), and do finals. The final papers for each class had to be a minimum of 15 pages. Then I had to follow my degree plan which had me taking college algebra and accounting at the same time for example.

I'm not bragging but I graduated Suma Cum Laude and worked HARD for every grade I got. Don't under estimate online classes, they aren't always a breeze nor frowned upon as some may think.

Good point Jedi - But still, Kaplan is a brick and morter / online. There is a local branch of Kaplan here for students that use the online class to have a place to go for testing, and even lab course work. When most people hear online degree they think of the University of Phoenix. . . Not bragging here either - but it took me every part of 4 and a half years going to class and working full time to finish my degree from a brick and morter in B.S. Biology / Chemistry, and A.S. in Natural Sciences / Geology.

Business school is one of those good exceptions that the class load can be done via online classwork without much negativity! And yes, most reputable places will make it harder ;-) After all you're paying for an education, NOT a degree! I'm happy to say I know what I know because I studied and learned, not because I went to college. Anyone can pass a class with a C and never learn the point of a single lecture, it's not too difficult. Congrats on Suma Cum Laude, it was always cool getting named on the presidents and deans lists here :-)

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Originally Posted by reptileexperts

Good point Jedi - But still, Kaplan is a brick and morter / online. There is a local branch of Kaplan here for students that use the online class to have a place to go for testing, and even lab course work. When most people hear online degree they think of the University of Phoenix. . . Not bragging here either - but it took me every part of 4 and a half years going to class and working full time to finish my degree from a brick and morter in B.S. Biology / Chemistry, and A.S. in Natural Sciences / Geology.

Business school is one of those good exceptions that the class load can be done via online classwork without much negativity! And yes, most reputable places will make it harder ;-) After all you're paying for an education, NOT a degree! I'm happy to say I know what I know because I studied and learned, not because I went to college. Anyone can pass a class with a C and never learn the point of a single lecture, it's not too difficult. Congrats on Suma Cum Laude, it was always cool getting named on the presidents and deans lists here :-)

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Thanks for the congrats. Great job on sticking with it for those years and graduating. To me the hard work was worth it. I was actually convinced by my VA rep not to attend Phoenix even though we have a brick and mortar University here. Don't know if it was credit transfer troubles at the time for the University or what but Kaplan came highly recommended.

I think it depends, make sure that whatever online class you take is credited. That way if you decide to go to a traditional for an advanced degree or try to get a job you are not forced to take extra courses. My college is now charging a $440 fee for every credit after 16 credits. Thank God its my last year but you can see how this adds up. Honestly most employers now (unless you are looking for a specific job in a specific field) do not really care what your degree is in, all they care about is that you have you bachelors degree. It is definately worth completing in my opinion with the economy the way it is, the more educated you are the more attractive you will appear for prospective employers.

my opinion, is this why work and pay for a degree you do not intend on pursuing? sure it may be a resume booster, but really, i doubt most employers will care if you have a Psych degree going into food services. hypothetically of course.

if what you where doing before in school is the career you want, DO IT. yes you will have to make changes in life and sacrifice things. but in the end i think you will be far better off and much more happier then some crappy online school that does not count for crap in a bucket in the real world. the sooner you complete it the sooner you can rebuild your sacrifices.

trust me, i recently tried returning to school only to find out my HS has no transcripts for me. Life happens, trust me i know, but taking the time you need now to better yourself is a lot better than wasting valuable time and being stuck in my position in life.

Go back to school even if it is a class or two a month, but do not waste your time or money on something you do not intend to pursue.

If you love animals and wildlife go for biology or wildlife science I tried other majors but my heart is with wildlife. It is sooo much easier to major in something that you love!

Many traditional schools offer entirely online programs. It is called distant learning and some schools including one public university in Maryland specialize in it. A degree earned from distant learning courses is identical to one that a student earned from attending class on campus every day. There's no need to choose between online schooling and a traditional school.

IMO, if your going to spend all the time and money on a degree, go for a degree that is worth something in the workforce. There are many jobs that only care about a degree, any degree, but there are many careers that will pay you very good money for a degree in a useful field (such as computer science, engineering, chemistry, business etc).

I earned my Bachelor's degree at the University of Phoenix for Software Engineering, and I loved it. I personally do not think online colleges are less credible than brick-and-mortar colleges. Experience is much more important that where you earned your degree. I have been having trouble finding a job in my field, but not because of the school I went to. They all tell me that they are looking for someone with two to five years work experience in software development, and not one has mentioned the college I went to.

Luckily for me, I am able to develop at work. From the development that I have been doing at work, my company is most likely going to promote me to a full time programmer. If that falls through, at least I am getting tons of work experience, which I can put on my resume.

If it wasn't for online school, I would have never went to college. I also feel that I learned a ton more online than I would have going to a traditional school. I always did horrible in junior high and high school, because I worked full time, and was so tired all of the time. I also missed a ton of days. With online school, I was able to go to class when it was best for me. I ended up with a 3.78 GPA, because I learn much better on my own than with a teacher trying to teach me.

Good luck on whatever you do decide.

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Originally Posted by reptileexperts

Good point Jedi - But still, Kaplan is a brick and morter / online. There is a local branch of Kaplan here for students that use the online class to have a place to go for testing, and even lab course work. When most people hear online degree they think of the University of Phoenix. . . Not bragging here either - but it took me every part of 4 and a half years going to class and working full time to finish my degree from a brick and morter in B.S. Biology / Chemistry, and A.S. in Natural Sciences / Geology.

Business school is one of those good exceptions that the class load can be done via online classwork without much negativity! And yes, most reputable places will make it harder ;-) After all you're paying for an education, NOT a degree! I'm happy to say I know what I know because I studied and learned, not because I went to college. Anyone can pass a class with a C and never learn the point of a single lecture, it's not too difficult. Congrats on Suma Cum Laude, it was always cool getting named on the presidents and deans lists here :-)

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University of Phoenix has branches all over too. There are two in my area. You are able to take many of the courses at the branches, and go there to study or test.

I earned my Bachelor's degree in a standard program at the University of Georgia. My Master of Science was through a joint online/on grounds program at Brenau University. Employers don't care how you got your degree, as long as it is from an accredited institution and can be applied to the job and career you are pursuing. This doesn't mean you have to become a psychologist if you want a psychology degree, but be prepared to explain why that education is beneficial to the field you do want to enter. My Master's is in Organizational Leadership, and I currently work in Supply & Logistics. The standard fields for that degree are Human Resources and Occupational Therapy, which I have zero interest in. However, I can easily explain to potential employers the benefits of my education in change management, leadership, etc., for almost any position I pursue in the future.

As a side note: My online courses were actually more expensive than my on ground courses per credit hour, so that is something to keep in mind. I also felt that I got the most benefit out of the courses where I had peers to discuss and expand upon theories and ideas with, which is much more limited when communicating through online forums.

Thanks for all the responses, guys =) Gives me some things to mull over.

This may or may not help but ill give my opinion as a current college student. I took all in class courses my first semster and this semester im doing 3 on campus and one online class. The online class is a math class, which isnt my best subject but im also not terrible at it. I dont really like it though which doesnt help lol. It is by far the most demanding class im taking and it requires a ton of self discipline to log on everyday or every other day to do HW, quizzes, labs, tests, and exams. If youre the type of person who procrastinates or hates sitting in front of a computer then do not take online classes! It will be a waste of money. It would be more beneficial to take only 1 or 2 classes a semester at your local community college or university. Or maybe split it and do 2 online and 2 on campus. Also another thing is my school has hybrid courses where you meet once a week in the class to do a lab or whatever and then you do all the work online. Im taking one of those too for bio and i like it alot.
These are all just some things to consider :)

What ever you do, make sure all your credit will go to new school. Also do something you will use and love, I do not use mine and my both my girls have ther BA's and working one working on a Master for she now become a teacher which is not what she left collage with, she is a Astrophysics, Astronomy, Math Major with 35 K in debit in loans and cost of school 120 K and still has to pay for the masters. I have done online classes and they can be very hard, with any help from teachers or others and time does become a problem when you have kid and pets and work (ARMY). But you do have Pets lots and work, it relley depends on the online school for employment, I worked in the Army which it did not matter, State Government where it matter and Federal Government not so much and the Civilian Side where it did also but more in management. Just be wise with what little time and money you have.

Terrance

I think that fields such as software engineering, IT, Information Systems, etc are far more likely to disregard (read: accept) the "Online" aspect to your education. However, if you desire a position in medicine, I can assure you that online programs are still regarded as substandard. While certainly unfair, as a health care practitioner, brick and mortar reigns supreme.

Education, of any variety, is a quality path when faced with the alternative.

Regards,
Hopkins

Do something you Love, or you will just get caught up as you get older in something just to make the bills. Find Your Love and go after it.

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Originally Posted by Anatopism

So I am more and more aware of the fact that I need to finish school. I have a couple years completed from the university of Nebraska, but I stopped taking classes a while back due to trying to pay for rent/bills/car insurance, etc.

I still don't feel like I have the time or money for a traditional university/college, and have been looking into online schools. I have a couple I am looking at, but honestly, I would be getting a degree for the sake of having one, and programs I'm really interested in don't really exist in online/distance learning form.

If I am getting a psych degree, with no plans to actually go into psychology, will the average employer really see online schooling any differently than a traditional school, or is it only relevant that I have a degree at all? I want to be able to go at my pace financially, balancing work/bills/school, but I don't want to start an online program only to find out most employers see this type of education as less credible than a traditional approach.

Need some advice for anybody who has a similar experience or input! Please and thank you :)

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anatopism

If I am getting a psych degree, with no plans to actually go into psychology, will the average employer really see online schooling any differently than a traditional school, or is it only relevant that I have a degree at all? I want to be able to go at my pace financially, balancing work/bills/school, but I don't want to start an online program only to find out most employers see this type of education as less credible than a traditional approach.

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Have you considered majoring in another department?
I mean, why get a psych degree if you don't plan on pursuing a related career? Isn't that a waste of an education, time, and money? What sort of career are you interested in?

Also, grad school is the new undergrad.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Have you considered majoring in another department?
I mean, why get a psych degree if you don't plan on pursuing a related career? Isn't that a waste of an education, time, and money? What sort of career are you interested in?

Also, grad school is the new undergrad.

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I have considered psychology for animal assisted therapy. I am also interested on phobias. I like helping people, but I would love to do something with animals. I suck at math... borderline panicky in a math class. Didn't do too bad in physics classes, but definitely struggled through chemistry. I don't want to be a vet, but am much more interested in the exotics. Honestly I would be happy cleaning rhino and tiger poo from a zoo enclosure, if only to be near the animals. I have also pondered the idea of animal behavior, but I don't really want do do dog training, again, more interested in the exotics.

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Originally Posted by Anatopism

I have considered psychology for animal assisted therapy. I am also interested on phobias. I like helping people, but I would love to do something with animals. I suck at math... borderline panicky in a math class. Didn't do too bad in physics classes, but definitely struggled through chemistry. I don't want to be a vet, but am much more interested in the exotics. Honestly I would be happy cleaning rhino and tiger poo from a zoo enclosure, if only to be near the animals. I have also pondered the idea of animal behavior, but I don't really want do do dog training, again, more interested in the exotics.

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I am at Texas Tech right now getting a second undergrad degree. I know they offer an animal science major if animals interest you, so I'm sure there are a bunch of places that offer the same kind of program. My advice is to get an industry specific degree with some specialization. My first degree was Economics from University of Texas but after I graduated I found it fairly difficult to find a job, my assumption being that economics was too general. I worked for a bank for a while and hated it so I decided to pursue Petroleum Engineering. I now realize that the economics background helped me to land a dream internship which will hopefully lead to my dream job, but like others said its important to do what you like. I have found that because I find engineering very interesting, even though it's a tough degree, it is definitely a lot easier to get through because I am enjoying what I am learning.

Also Marsha Sinetar has a book called "Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow: Discovering Your Right Livelihood" that I would recommend as a good read.

Got the point, I as just trying to say I wanted to do something at 18 and now at 50 I did not do it and now I am in the hole.

I wish you always the best and the success you will have.