online degree vs. traditional degree

[tdeancon]

Do potential employers look disparagingly at online degrees?

[y82benji]

Online degrees aren’t a complete waste of time, but you can only help yourself by pursuing a traditional degree at a more prestigious institution. I think the expectation that a traditional degree is more prestigious and meaningful than an online degree or even a set of correspondence courses is fairly ubiquitous. It sorta depends on what you mean by “online degree” also. There are some degree programs in which you can take some of the courses online. There are other “degrees” where you simply order it online. The closer you get to a more traditional, critically evaluated set of courses the more weight your degree will have. A potential employer might not hold the online degree against you, but another applicant with a traditional degree will probably have an edge up on you.

[cartman]

I would only recommend an online degree if you can’t go to class and you are staying at your current company. My company gets resumes from online alumni seeking clerical jobs and we definitely have a disparaging view about the online schools.

[Posc]

Considering the spam generated by online degree mills like PHoenix and their lack of selectivity, how else do you expect people to view these schools?

Support terrorists. Vote Bush out of office.

[y82benji]

I definitely agree with Posc. There are probably a handful of good online programs but the sheer number of programs whose spam advertising style makes them seem phony hurts the image of all online programs.

[brandonw_395]

quote:

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Originally posted by tdeancon

Do potential employers look disparagingly at online degrees?

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In a word yes. If online MBAs were becoming CEOs and millionaires these schools would be advertising that fact.

[sition]

There may be some good online schools, but Id stay away from all of them. Go to a school you will be proud of and have an active alumni network.

[brandonw_395]

quote:

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Originally posted by sition

There may be some good online schools, but Id stay away from all of them. Go to a school you will be proud of and have an active alumni network.

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Very good point! If the school is large doesn’t have a list of happy alumni you can speak with in your area, then you know something is very wrong. That network can be quite valuable down the road if the alumni are active and proud of the school.

[Whizzy]

I don’t think my company would ever seriously consider an applicnat with an online degree. (I’m with a boutique investment bank.)

[AStudent]

tdeancon: I am currently pursuing an online degree program with a very good school. I did my research, and found cost to be a non-issue (my online degree costs as much as a classroom degree). The quality is very high because of the level of student to student and instructor to student interaction, participation requirements, knowledge quizzes, and assignment requirements. This is definitely the future of education.

To answer your question, the employers who did not earn their degrees online (if they earned a degree) definitely look disparagingly at online degrees.

It’s called ignorance.

I have, as it were, been interviewing in Manhattan for a sales position. I have years of experience in my field. When the topic of education comes up, it has been me educating the interviewer on distance learning. Most have admittedly no knowledge of the merit of online degrees vs. traditional.

I have subsequently turned down 3 offers based primarily on the myopic and outdated knowledge and assessment of education for the positions they are hiring for.

One large company was very excited to hear that I was pursuing my degree online because they are very forward-thinking and they believe that distance learners indicate a resiliency to do well and have a disciplined work ethic.

This public company happens to be growing internationally and has a very rigid interview process, which I am in the process of completing (they called to let me know they are checking my references and background). If they make me an offer, I will definitely take it because they appear on every level to embrace change, and respect my education format.

When I am in the hiring seat, I will more than likely question those who don’t use their time well and fear change. The business world doesn’t have room for people like that. Since the degree is such a big indicator for everything else, let’s start the assessment there!

brandonw_395: How long does it take to become a CEO or a Millionaire (degree related millionaire)?

How many CEOs and millionaires does your school advertise to potential students?

Your question is not valid.

cartman: Clerical jobs? You are lucky to have people with degrees applying! Have you ever owned a business?

y82benji: “A potential employer might not hold the online degree against you, but another applicant with a traditional degree will probably have an edge up on you.”

I’m sure a lot of other people with traditional degrees hope so too!

I am content, proud and excited about earning my BS degree online. As for my Masters/Doctorate…I may end up in a more traditional format of learning because of the nature of my future profession, however, let’s all be careful about sounding so knowledgable about distance learning, when most of you don’t know much about it at all.

Respectfully,

AStudent

[chaosassasin]

Ok, I saw this and had to reply.

Factor everything in, not just what people tell you here. Ask an HR rep from a company you want to work for.

If you go to an ACCREDITED online university, (University of Phoenix) you will be scored on most hiring sheets in the same bracket as low/mid tier or state schooling (i.e. Ohio University, ETSU, ETC.) PLUS you will have the added addition of several years work experience that others of your age group will not have because they went to traditional schools.
Don’t expect the same results from your degree as a student from stanford or yale. That is extremely unrealistic. Only smaller employers will have any problem recognizing your degree at the same level as a traditional degree from a similiar University.
It might surprize you to know how many empoyers have professional contracts with schools like the University of Phoenix for their employees. (I work for Sprint/nextel and University of Phoenix is a preferred provider)

The worst part of going to an online program is the amount of work required. You will write two papers a week MINUMUM, one individual, one team. You will answer serious of discussion questions EVERY week, generally 5-6 that will be seen and commented on by all your peers. You will also have extensive reading and questions from your text. You will also be given midclass and final exams. Some classes also require more extensive work.
Now imagine taking a class like probability and statistics online. Your personal motivation teaches you. If you are not the most motivated person you know, dont waste your time.

[iceman]

“Factor everything in, not just what people tell you here. Ask an HR rep from a company you want to work for.”

Agreed. That’s the single best piece of advice on this thread. If you want to move up in your current company, online may be the way to go. If you want to work for a bulge bracket bank as an M&A professional, it’s clearly not the way to go.

The online schools have some advantages, but they come with disadvantages. They don’t want to turn anyone down and that short term outlook harms them.

My girlfriend is a F500 recruiter and she has received resumes from online MBA grads looking for AA positions. Sadly, when she looks at the work experience, the AA position is a step up for them. She’s smart enough to judge people as individuals but I’m sure there are others who worry what you learn from such a fellow student or that get peeved off by the spam these schools generate. The “If you already have an MBA, would you like to be a professor for us” mass mailing messages don’t sit very well with me.

[TBI109]

well, we need to see the writing on the wall. Online education is on its way…very soon. So for those folks who are thinking about it, do it, and get a jump on the rest of the world before rates/tuition becomes a major expense.

[TBI109]

All disciplines, not just legal. When one gets older they realize GPA
ADMISSION scores are not important. experience is the key to a better positon. i did not learn from books, i learned from those who wrote the books that i worked for.

[TBI109]

first-of-all, 19 20 21 is too young to be deciding what you want to be doing in life for the next 40 years; just ask those, in my case, at our hospital, if they had it to do over again would they be doing something different. ull see 8 out of 10 respond with a yes..these are professional employees such as pharmacist, social workers, MD’S. JUST REMEBER THIS 10 TO 15 YEARS FROM NOW. MY TWO CHILDREN, A BOY AND A GIRL MAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. ONE HAS A ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM WVU THE OTHER DECIDED TO GO TO WORK INSTEAD OF SCHOOL. WELL, THE DAUGHTER WITH THE ENGINEERING DEGREE MAKES GOOD MONEY BUT THE SON WHO CUTS GRASS MAKES MORE THAN SHE DOES IN HALF THE TIME. IF YOUR ATTENDING COLLEGE FOR A PROFESSION I CAN UNDERSTAND,WHEREAS IF YOUR ATTENDING COLLEGE FOR MONEY THEN YOUR IN THE WRONG PLACE. MY POINT IS, at your young age their is nothing wrong with a less expensive online education at this point. college is a businees and they get folks all- stirred- up wiht GPA’S AND SCORES then they take your money.. believe me there is no subsitute for experience..

[Author]

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