My Ashford University Experience : distance education

Routines and Rhythms: The keys to your success

Cajun — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 01:50:00 GMT

I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, two things you need to be successful as an online student, especially one who is also professionally employed, is good scheduling and time management skills. The thing that I use to meet the rigors of...(read more)

Fall is just around the corner: Football, Thanksgiving, kids going back to school…

Cajun — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:34:00 GMT

So Fall of 2008 is just around the corner and the usual excitement that goes with that is crackling in the air. The NFL is ramping up, the BCS people are already arguing over who the next college football champ will be, the kids are looking at going to school, the Class of 2012 is beginning their freshmen year in college or high school, etc. So what about you? Have you thought about going back to school? Is there something that perhaps you started many years ago that you never had an opportunity to finish or perhaps you never even got as far as starting? Fall of 2009 will be coming up before you know it as will Fall of 2010. Time waits for no one.

I had a guy comment to me not too long ago that it’s too late for him to go back to school. He’s got 2 kids, a full time career, and an ex-wife who pesters him nonstop and he thinks that it simply takes too long and he’d be too old for it to matter by the time he finishes. Currently he’s 44 and by the time he would finish his BS he would be 48. Well I’ve got news for him, he’s going to be 48 in four years whether he finishes his BS or not. Procrastination and making excuses will not slow time nor will it suddenly excuse the necessity for a degree to get to that next level. Excuses may placate a personal drive, but likely only for a short time. Instead this is the time for starting something new, something different, a blank slate if you will. If you’ve been considering college but have been putting it off for years seriously ask yourself “why”. You may be surprised to discover that you really don’t have a good reason for doing so.

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Texas Will Now Recognize National Accrediting Agencies

Cajun — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 19:12:00 GMT

Texas made it official on 7-24-08; they will now recognize national accrediting agencies such as the DETC, ACICS, COE, etc. For those of you who are new to the whole issue here's the short and ugly of it. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board passed a policy which stated that only degree holders with a degree issued by a school accredited by one of the 6 regional accrediting agencies will be permitted to use their credentials within the State of Texas. Believe it or not Texas passed a law making it a criminal offense to do otherwise (misdemeanor). Therefore degree holders from schools like Aspen University, Penn Foster College or Andrew Jackson University would be committing a crime by using their degree for gainful employment purposes within the State.

Texas then published a list of diploma mills and degree mills, which was woefully non-comprehensive and in some cases outright wrong as in the case where they listed California Coast University as a degree mill. Unfortunately for the credibility of the State, California Coast University was accredited by the DETC. As you may imagine this captured the attention of the DETC, various alumni of California Coast University and generally anyone who else who may be concerned and the formal protests and letters began to flow not only concerning the inappropriateness of labeling California Coast University as a degree mill, but also the inappropriateness of the policy against legal and appropriately recognized accreditation agencies and the schools they accredit.

To make a long story short, the board eventually agreed to reconvene and reconsider their stance on accreditation. Shortly thereafter, on July 24^th they agreed to recognize national accrediting agencies as well. As for how this new policy will play out in the various state licensing agencies there is still a question. For example, Texas will not permit anyone who earned a JD via a distance, regardless of accreditation, to sit for the Texas State Bar Exam to practice law in Texas. CPA's are required to have earned a minimum of half the required credit hours in accounting in a regionally accredited school's B&M classroom, butt in seat. Additionally the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement will only recognize higher education from one of the 6 regional accrediting bodies and even goes on to itemize them in their educational standards. So though Texas is not out of the woods yet, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/GeneralPubs/Agenda/Ag2008_07/IXI/default.htm

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So I'm Considering a Doctorate Degree

Cajun — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:56:00 GMT

First up, I've written about them before and I'm doing it again, but the Harrison Middleton University's College of the Humanities and Sciences has the best looking all around liberal arts doctorate programs I've seen. I love the concept of performing your research based upon readings from the Great Books, many of which have shaped our way of life in the Western World. Some of these works have influenced everyone from Marx to the framers of the United States Constitution to Einstein. I love the concept, I love the idea of the program.

The cost is very reasonable at just over $16K and of course I love the idea of being "Doctor Cajun." However there is a con, the degree seems as if it would have very little practical use as a credential in the "real world" even though the education gained from this program may prove invaluable indeed. So the inner pragmatist within me keeps shouting "something else, find something else" so I continued my search.

Found at http://www.chumsci.edu/pages/degree/doctorarts-coursework.asp

My search eventually landed me on Northcentral University's Web site. This school offers a deep law enforcement discount placing the degree program squarely within my predefined "affordable" range and the idea of a PhD soothes my inner pragmatist because of its utility in teaching and academia. I've made no secret of it; if at all possible I would love to teach college management, leadership and criminal justice courses. I am passionate on the subject matter, I am interested in the topics and because of that, I am gifted in those areas.

NCU has concentrations that are in areas of interest to me such as in Criminal Justice, Homeland Security, Homeland Security: Leadership and Policy and a strange but interesting offering in Business, Corporate and Campus Security. Holy cow!!! On top of that if I choose 18 hours in electives towards Organizational Leadership that will be added to the transcript as a secondary specialization. So it would read something like Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration with a specialization in Criminal Justice and Organizational Leadership…not bad, eh?

Another consideration is that NCU is accredited by the ACBSP and is regionally accredited by the NCACS which would turn into a weighty teaching credential.

I'll have to start really weighing my options again. In all honesty if I could have any job on the planet, right at the top of my list somewhere would be a college professor or instructor in criminal justice, management and leadership, I've just never considered that to be a practical goal but now it looks like it could actually happen one day…maybe.

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10 Ways to Spot a Fake Online University or College

Cajun — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 01:44:00 GMT

On occasion I will get a question from someone on how to spot a fake school online. Note that I am talking specifically about degree mills, not necessarily unaccredited schools, there is a difference. First let’s define a degree mill, a degree mill is a “school” that will sell you a diploma and usually provide some sort of transcript with no work or at best very, very little work. These schools generally serve as a time bomb in people’s resume and often prey upon busy working professionals. Unfortunately some people go into the deal in the full knowledge that they are buying a “degree” in order to attempt to place it on their resume, fraudulently representing an education that they in fact did not receive or earn.

The following 10 items are “indicators” of a mill, meaning that although a school which meets some of the criteria below may not necessarily be a mill it is enough to be suspicious.

1.) If the school does not mention accreditation whatsoever or claims accreditation from an agency not recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

2.) If the school requests a resume and promises unlimited life/work experience towards your degree.

3.) If the school offers a flat rate for a certain degree level. For example rather than stating an Associate of Science is $175 per credit hour they simply give you the final price upfront such as Associate of Science = $3,500. Be especially wary of doctorate degrees with a fixed price.

4.) If the school request payment for the entire program upfront, usually using a credit card.

5.) If the school accepts Paypal.

6.) If the school has an almost exhaustible list of majors in almost any area you can conceive of including at the doctorate level.

7.) If the web site will not mention the actual name of the school or schools from which you will “earn” your degree. These web sites often claim to protect the university’s reputation by acting as the middle man to have your credentials reviewed. As the old Sarge would say, “Bravo Sierra”!

8.) If you cannot find any mention of the faculty, president, etc. anywhere on the web site.

9.) If the school’s web site is on one of those freebie “build your own” web hosting sites.

10.) If the school offers a “free sample” of what your diploma and or transcript or an image of what it would look like.

Again these 10 items are not guarantees that you are looking at a degree mill, but they are pretty good indicators.

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