My Norwich University Experience : Fan Mail

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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More Fan Mail About the MBA

WheelCipher — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:17:00 GMT

I just had another question for you. Since you are nearly done with your MBA, do you feel that having work experience is essential to being successful in an MBA program? I am only 21 so I do not have any work experience, partially due to the current economy. So my question for you is should I enroll in an MBA program right after I finish my BS from Kaplan, or should I work first for a few years? Personally, I would much rather start the degree right away because if I wait several years, I might never get around to doing an MBA. Even though nearly all AACSB accredited MBA programs require work experience, the MBA program at the University of Colorado (Colorado Springs) does not seem to require it, though I will have to call the admissions office to verify.

Work experience was very beneficial. I was able to apply what I was learning in real-time. You are young enough where there is no hurry. Take your time. If the program you want to get into requires some work experience, then just work for a few years. If you find a program that does not require work experience, then go for it.

The benefit of having a lot of work experience is that (depending on where you work and what you do) you can usually apply it to what you are doing. At a minimum, you will have a better understanding of what is going on around you. But the bottom line is do what you want to do. The more education you get, the better off you will be.

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Fan Mail From Evan

WheelCipher — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 20:26:00 GMT

Hi Scott,

I have been reading your blog frequently over the past few weeks. I am currently in my next to last term in the BS in paralegal studies program at Kaplan. I want to do an MBA online, but my question is whether MBAs involve many group projects. Based on experiences, I have not had good results with group projects, especially in the online environment due to time zone differences and the fact that not everyone contributes their fair share of work. In addition, I am not that great in math and know nothing about accounting, so I was unsure as to whether this would be an issue. Currently, I was considering the online MBA program at Thunderbird and Indiana University.

Any MBA program you get into will probably have group projects. Part of the learning experience that you need to get familiar with and carry over into the work environment is working on teams. Very few jobs these days let you be the Lone Ranger. Teams are an important part of the workplace today. In my experience at Norwich, we have probably had one team assignment per class. It is usually at the end of the course and takes up the final two weeks. It is a great experience.

As far as your experience with teams, I can tell you that it is a gamble. Some people thrive and others do not. However, I can also tell you that people who go for the MBA degree are usually very dedicated and understand the gravity of doing well in the program. It is a different mindset than an undergrad. People usually accept that they are working on a higher level. This has been my observation.

My team in the last class consisted of me (Central Time Zone) three others (Eastern Time Zone) and one soldier in Iraq. Even though we were ultimately half a world away, it all worked out perfectly. We knew what to expect from each other. There were no surprises. When everyone works together, things happen.

If you are not good at math, join the club. I picked Norwich because it had minimal math. However, I got through it by making time to ensure that I understood the material. You will need to learn it. Any job worth its salt will function on numbers. That is a decision you have to make.

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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 a Working Mom

WheelCipher — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:00:00 GMT

I am a working mom and I have been thinking about going back to school for a long time. My dream is to get a PhD but I don't have a master’s degree. I have a BS in accounting, but I like technology (like web design). I can't seem to find a masters program that might lead eventually to a PhD. Also, even though I like math a lot, I am not that good with writing beyond a very simple program in basic language. So do you think its ok to pursue a master’s degree when one is not so good in programming? I took a few classes. I did well in the 1st level and 2nd level but not the 3rd level. But I still want to work on web pages while getting a PhD!

I have not seen any masters programs that specifically state web design and the school needs to be online since I am a mom and I work full time and drive average of 4 hours per day commuting. The other issue is how to pay for it? I know I need to focus on a master’s degree first but which one should I choose?

I can' t afford to go to school for a masters program and then find out it will not help me get into the PhD.

If you have any comments its appreciated.

Wow. With all due respect, you are all over the map. Let me see if I can provide you with some guidance based on what I know.

First of all, there is no PhD having anything to do with web design, and very few (if any) having to do with technology that is offered online. If you like web design so much, I think you would be much better off doing it on the side, making money where you can and gaining experience that way.

You also need to take one step at a time. You need to make some serious decisions about your goals in education. With a BS in accounting, you might be a good candidate for an online MBA program. After that, if you are not completely burned out on school, you can look at PhD programs. Keep in mind that most PhD programs are designed for clinical or research application. They can also be used to teach at the college level.

Take your BS in accounting and build on that with a master’s in the same field or get a MBA. The only real link I can see (at a master’s level) to what you might want to do could be a master’s in computer science. Those degrees are not offered online to the best of my knowledge.

If you are set on taking online courses only, my suggestion would be to go the business route. You have something to build on. Do not be fooled. The MBA from an accredited institution is hard. Get past that and then we can talk more. If you do get the MBA, you may have a completely different perspective on going any further in your education.

I hope this helps.

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

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