My Ashford University Experience : education

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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Considering online college? Here’s a formula to choose the best one for you

Cajun — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:19:00 GMT

In the forums one of the most frequent questions I see is "which school is right for me" or "can you help me choose a school" or "do you know of a school" etc. The problem with answering those questions is that choosing the right school is impossible for someone to do for you. They can suggest, point you in the right direction, even offer options but ultimately it is a personal decision that you, the student has to make. After all it is you that will do the work and ultimately pay the tab.

So here's a little exercise to help you decide on choosing a school.

Write down the top 10 criteria you have for a school. For example when searching out my MBA program some of my criteria was as follow:

I.) The school needs to be regionally accredited.
II.) The MBA needed a Leadership emphasis.
III.) The curriculum needed 12 classes or less.
IV.) The program must be under $15K.
V.) The school needs to be campus based with an online program.
VI.) The school needs to have accelerated courses.
VII.) The school needs to have 1 quantitative course combined finance and accounting.
VIII.) The school needs to have a good reputation.
IX.) The school needs to have a good support program.
X.) The school needs to be AACSB or ACBSP accredited.

I then take these 10 criteria and apply a number in order of priority with "10" being the highest and "1" being the lowest. Think of it in terms of dollars, $10.00 is worth 10 times more than $1.00. Make sense?

So now let's assume my criterion was as follows:

The school needs to be regionally accredited. = 10

The MBA needed a Leadership emphasis. = 7

The curriculum needed 12 classes or less. = 6

The program must be under $15K. = 9

The school needs to be campus based with an online program. = 5

The school needs to have accelerated courses. = 8

The school needs to have 1 quantitative course combined finance and accounting. =2

The school needs to have a good reputation. = 4

The school needs to have a good support program. = 3

The school needs to be AACSB or ACBSP accredited. = 1

As you can see, in my criteria of comparing two different schools I have assigned "The school needs to be AACSB or ACBSP accredited" as the least important of the 10 and "The school needs to be regionally accredited" as the most important at "10". Of course you make your own list and assign your priorities according to your opinions and desires.

Now in comparing two different colleges, for example let's compare Ashford University and Texas A&M Commerce.

Ashford scores in:

The school had to be regionally accredited.

The MBA needed a Leadership emphasis.

The curriculum needed 12 classes or less.

The program must be under $15K.

The school needs to be campus based with an online program.

The school needs to have a good reputation.

The school needs to have a good support program.

The school needs to have accelerated courses.

The total score was: 52 at 3+4+8+5+9+6+7+10

Texas A&M Commerce scores in:

The school needs to be regionally accredited.

The MBA needed a Leadership emphasis.

The program must be under $15K.

The school needs to be campus based with an online program.

The school needs to have a good reputation.

The school needs to be AACSB or ACBSP accredited.

The total score was: 36 at 10+7+9+5+4+1

As you can see Texas A&M Commerce has some things going for it that Ashford does not as Ashford has some things going for it that Texas A&M Commerce lacks in my opinion. But in the end Ashford scores higher overall than Texas A&M Commerce does. Thus Texas A&M Commerce is eliminated from my list.

Just keep going like that until you emerge with a winner. If you end up in a tie extend your criteria to 15 or 20 things instead of just 10.

I hope that helps.

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Reading the Student Stories at Ashford University

Cajun — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:46:00 GMT

Tonight I was reading the various student success stories on the Ashford University's Web site in an effort to gain some encouragement and get some perspective. I got both but I also got a little bit of a surprise too, after reading so many success stories I am starting to really see how the ability to study and earn a degree online has changed so many people's lives for the better. Schools like Ashford University, which began as a small campus school took a big risk in developing online programs in what could have been a dismal and costly failure but the gamble seems to be paying off as a win/win for the school and the students alike.

Before Ashford ever existed though I can only imagine what the pioneers of online education had to go through to get the first online degrees up and running. They were probably drawn and quartered by their fellow academics for even supposing such a radical notion could work, but it has and it has changed lives in the wake.

There has been a phenomenon in education within the last 10 to 15 years where online education has gained common acceptance as a viable credential not only in the professional world but increasingly in the world of academia as well. I guess one could call online education a paradigm shift away from many of what had become traditional forms of education where technology has ironically put the notion of the "university" closer to what the original university was designed to be, a place of learning and open discussion, where all pupils are equal and one is only individualized in success by their accomplishments academically.

The beauty about reading these student successes is that not only are they touching and inspiring because they are true, but they are touching and inspiring because of the diversity in the online student body. Not the forced kind of diversity where one has to attend workplace classes in order to learn to keep a "respectful" manner about themselves concerning the cultural differences, race, sex, etc. of others, but actual diversity to where sex, race, cultural background, etc. are all on a perfectly even playing field, a playing field where work and success will stand solely upon the merit of an individual's thoughts, capabilities and efforts.

When I read these people's success stories I see some common themes, they overcame some type of adversity, often they did not think college possible for them, they all took a risk by attending college, they all are glad they did it and they are all looking forward to the future. These people are you and me; they are the heart and sole of the country. They are the kind of people who work hard to get things done, who have the vision to see what needs to be done and who have the courage it takes to do it. I'm glad to be counted among them and find each of these people uniquely inspiring in their own way. I cannot wait to meet some of them at graduation.

See more at…http://www.ashford.edu/campus/profiles/

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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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