My Norwich University Experience : Accreditation

Is It Real?

WheelCipher — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:30:00 GMT

I received an e-mail the other day from a fan who evidently reads my blog. The email was short and to the point. It simply asked if my degree from Kaplan University was real, or were they a diploma mill.

I was not sure what to think. In one of those rare moments where I was not sure what to say to such as question, I just replied, “It’s real. It got me into a very good graduate school.” What this tells me is that (1) people are not doing their homework and (2) there is some stigma out there regarding online degrees. I think that if someone had any questions about a certain school being a diploma mill, there would be enough information out there that would confirm or deny any suspicions that might exist. This is especially true here at e-Learners.

Second, I have personally witnessed what has been a tremendous (and legitimate) fear of online education subside to almost nothing over the past six years. The proliferation of diploma mills “back in the day” was a real fear and to some extent, is still a fear for some people.

What has transitioned over the past six years or so since I started my college career at Kaplan is a flood of credible accounts of people like myself taking the leap into online education. Sites like e-Learners, the media, and traditional brick-and-mortar schools adopting distance learning has done so much toward reducing the fear of diploma mills.

Furthermore, many people have been “outed” for listing diploma mills in their credentials. Every once in a while we see the article that talks about people in government and other high-ranking positions who took the easy way out. Awareness of the impact of diploma mills has caused the truth to float to the top. This is good for us.

The bottom line is that people need to do their homework. Do not be afraid to ask others who have been there. People need to understand accreditation. Define your dreams and go for it.

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Fan Mail From Lynne

WheelCipher — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:33:00 GMT

Hi Scott,

I ran across your name/website when researching Kaplan University. I am a semi-professional photographer (I have to say that because I do make a little money through photography) and was impressed by your work!
My question to you, though, is this: what was your experience with Kaplan University? How have you perceived the credibility of a degree from Kaplan? I am considering applying to Kaplan as they have a Master of Science in Legal Studies/State and Local Government degree that would be perfect for the completion of my education.
I have an A.A.S. in Legal Studies/Paralegal and a Bachelor in Computer Science/Database Administration & Internet Management (double major) from Limestone College.

I also have 20 or so Masters hours in Geographic Information Systems from University of Denver. About half of my education has been received via online courses so I am well versed in online learning. I work in regional government in Information Services/GIS and utilize every aspect of my education in my work.

I would appreciate your comments and/or any suggestions you may have regarding Kaplan.

My experience with Kaplan was just fine. I knew when I started there that I was not going to stop with a B.S. in Management. I knew that I was going to get my MBA and I needed an accredited undergraduate degree. I cannot say how others would perceive my undergrad from there because I did not stop there. I used it as a stepping stone.

If you want to go to Kaplan for the degree you mentioned, I think it would be a good choice. I think going there for my undergrad was a good choice. I would not go there for my MBA because it was not an accredited MBA (by the AACSB or ACBSP). Kaplan is only regionally accredited (the last time I checked).
In my opinion, I think Kaplan will be a good choice. They are a little more expensive than some other schools, but I was happy with the education I received.

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Fan Mail from Rochelle

WheelCipher — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT

Rochelle writes:

I read your site and had a couple of questions for you. I am thinking about attending Kaplan University to obtain a BS Degree in Paralegal Studies. I have signed up and have gone through most of the process. In reading your bio I see that you have a BS from there, but at the end of your site you had said that if you don't get an MBA from an "accredited" school, you may as well not have one at all.

Would taking the online courses from Kaplan University just be a waste of time? I am looking for a degree that means something more than just the paper it is printed on.

Rochelle,

Accreditation is very important. A degree from Kaplan is accredited (regionally) and is just fine if they offer the program you are looking for. As far as the MBA goes, a few primary agencies accredit the MBA. Those are AACSB, ABCSP, and IACBE. You can do a Google search to find out more information on those agencies.

I would avoid a regionally accredited MBA since the two aforementioned agencies focus on business schools and their programs. Depending on what you want to do with your MBA, one of the most important things a potential employer will take into consideration is the accreditation.

You can get the MBA from Kaplan if you want. However, I think there is a lot of value in not only experiencing a program at a different school (other than Kaplan) and the accreditation. Some of the schools that you might look into are Norwich University, University of Dallas, Arizona State, Walden University and others. All of these are accredited by one of these agencies.

Good luck with that search… and if I have not answered your question, let me know.

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Fan Mail From Abiola

WheelCipher — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:27:00 GMT

I was so glad when I came across your blog. My name is Abiola and I reside in Maryland.

I have been considering going back for my MBA for the past few months and have been doing my research for weeks now. At times I just get confused about what school I should attend, accreditation issues, best business online schools to pick from and most of all, if it will be wise to attend an online school or go for the traditional classroom method.

I have a full time job right now and will want it to remain that way. I have to support myself thorough school. Being a foreigner it is harder for me.

I am considering University of Phoenix, Kaplan University, Devry University, Walden University, and Capella University.

In your best judgment, which of the above schools do you think I should try out? Does it really matter if the school is AACSB OR ACBSP accredited? How will the accreditation affect me when seeking a better job in future?

I really need your help and assistance to figure this out. I am all by myself in this country. I need your advice.

I can only speak of Kaplan University since that is where I got my undergrad degree. I have heard some great things about Capella and Walden. If I were you, I would call each of those schools and ask questions. Each one may have different requirements in terms of admission. At the same time, just because one school worked for me does not mean it would be the best school for you. I can sit here all day and give you pointers, but at the end of the day, you will need to do some research on your own to find out which one is best for you.

Having AACSB or ACBSP accreditation is VERY important. Employers will look to see if the school you attended has one of these. If you get the MBA from a school that is not accredited, you may have a hard time justifying it in the eyes of any future employer. When looking for schools, please narrow your selections to those that are sccredited.

Furthermore, ask questions of other students that attended these institutions. There are message boards here at eLearners.com that can help out a lot. For me to talk about how good one school is over the other would be wrong since I have not attended those. I only went to Kaplan. I enjoyed my time there. At the same time, their MBA program is not accredited by the AACSB or ACBSP last time I checked. That school would be off of my list for that reason.

I spent a year researching the best school for my MBA. You may need to do the same. This is a very expensive and life-changing decision. Don’t make a mistake because you didn’t do enough research. Take your time and do it right. You will be happy you did.

Do you have any questions about distance education
or anything in this post? Feel free to contact Scott anytime!

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Fan Mail From Nina

WheelCipher — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:00:00 GMT

I have been doing extensive research about Kaplan University. And I came across your blog. I have an A.O.S in Hospitality Management and Kaplan is willing to accept my credits and place me as a junior in their Advanced start General Business Program. I would like to attend Kaplan, but I heard horror stories of their financial aid and such.

I am deciding between Kaplan and UOP. After doing more research Kaplan is more expensive than UOP, but I will be getting my degree in less time. I guess my main concern is the quality of education that I will be receiving at Kaplan. Many claims say that is a diploma mill. I guess every person is different when it comes to learning.

I never thought about accreditation until after I read your article. This made me realize that I want to attend Kaplan even more. The primary reason why I am writing is because I eventually want to continue to get my MBA. And I was wondering if you knew off-hand any online graduate schools that accept and respect Kaplan University credits? Kindly email me if you have any information.

This is not a bad place to be in. First of all, if you have decided that hospitality management is what you want to do, and you are so far along that you can be considered a junior, I think this is a no-brainer. If Kaplan will accept your credits, I would go for it. Yes, it may be more expensive, but that is something that you need to weigh against taking the whole program over at another school.

It amazes me how many people write to me about Kaplan’s financial aid and problems they have experienced themselves or hear about others who have. I went there for four years and never had a single problem. I just don’t know what to say about that.

If you want to continue on to a MBA program, I can say that Kaplan is a good place to start. Having a degree from there got me into a really good graduate school. I know Norwich University (one of the oldest schools in the country) accepts degrees from Kaplan. I would suspect that any accredited online graduate school will do the same. Kaplan is accredited and you should not have a problem.

Good luck!

Do you have any questions about distance education
or anything in this post? Feel free to contact Scott anytime!

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