Furthering one's education

[nutryb at mindspring.com]

I finished my BA through an online program, but it was not in CS or IT, it was a social sciences degree. As such, I can offer a little bit of knowledge....

Phoenix is crap. Strayer is crap with perfume. Look for a legitimate, respected school that ALSO offers online or distance programs in ADDITION to its regular, residential degrees. I can't give you any specific suggestions, but good places to look are schools that traditionally have targeted adult learners in the past, as they are usually more "ahead of the curve" on implementing stuff like online learning successfully. I got my degree through the New School in New York, which has done the "adult learner" thing since, like, the early 1900's. They don't offer tech degrees, or I'd recommend them in a heartbeat. 

Any distance program that promises to get you out TOO quickly is probably more like buying the degree; in that case, save your money and get a cert that means something, like RedHat.  A program that actually teaches you stuff will take at least two years of hard work, and that's if they count your Associates degree for a full two years worth of credits. 

It really boils down to what you want the degree for. If you just want tech knowledge, buy some books, take a training class, or get a cert. If you want more pay/better job opps that only come with degrees, get the degree any way you can. 

All this should be taken as my opinion, only. Hope it was worth something to you, and not a total WoB. 

Paula

-

	o Anyone else been in this boat, or similar? What'd you do?
	o Are the degrees from on-line universities like Phoenix or
Strayer generally given the same weight as "real" degrees?
	o Would it be better to prioritize my time/money towards
certificates and professional training?