My Norwich University Experience : Kaplan University

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 Brandon

WheelCipher — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:08:00 GMT

Scott,

I read your blog and was looking for reviews of Kaplan by Alumni. I have not found much information and I have a few concerns. I would like to attend Kaplan for IT Network Administration, but I do not want to pay for a school if the degree is not going to be taken seriously by future employers. I know they are accredited but have you ever had any problems with someone questioning your degree from Kaplan. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Brandon,

Acceptance of online degrees by current and future employers is growing at a tremendous rate. As long as you find a school that is accredited, you should not have a problem. Some employers even encourage getting an education online since it has become so difficult to get one at traditional schools when you combine work and other responsibilities.

I have had two employers since I started going to school and both of them looked highly upon the fact that I had my degrees. The fact that two of them came from Kaplan had little bearing on the situation. I would not let opinion stop you.

I think that acceptance has come a long way in the last several years and if you happen to run into an employer that does not look favorably on your efforts, it could be a sign of deeper problems that you will not be able to fix. All good employers cherish and value employees with education. Keep that in mind when you are looking for a job.

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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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Kaplan on Television

WheelCipher — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:08:00 GMT

Things must be going well at Kaplan University. The school where I earned my Associates degree and my Bachelors degree seems to be branching into online advertising. I was watching the latest episode of NCIS that I had recorded on my DVR the other night and while fast-forwarding through the commercials, I see the Kaplan logo flash in front of my eyes.

I haven’t seen too many online schools venture into TV advertising. Maybe I am out of the loop or don’t live in an area of the country where there is a concentrated effort to market on television. Perhaps this is a new thing for them. Either way, it was interesting to see. The only education “institutions” I see running commercials are those that are not accredited or specialize in one thing (i.e. art, medical assisting, etc…) So I have a question.

Does advertising on TV by reputable institutions like Kaplan, Walden, Capella and others show a new and exciting way of getting the word out to people who may not be familiar with distance education, or does the attempt at advertising on television cheapen the experience or perception that some may have?

I have not seen those 100 year old brick and mortar institutions advertise on TV. I am sure they don’t have to. They are usually not for profit and state-subsidized. The institutions like those mentioned above are for-profit. Now that I think more about it, I have seen a few University of Phoenix commercials in my time. I think most were a few years ago and especially during the Super Bowl.

Anyway, what do you think? Does TV advertising by for-profit institutions cheapen the reputation that they are trying to build that says, “We’re a legitimate, accredited institution of higher learning”? Let me know your thoughts.

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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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