Nothing has been decided for certain yet, but my first semester at Andrew Jackson University may be my last.
It's not that I'm not happy with AJU. The courses, the text books, the customer service...they have all been first rate. The rigor of the program is as stiff as any I have experienced at any brick-and-mortar, regionally accredited institution. The degree program is exactly what I had been looking for during my years of searching for an online program. So, why am I thinking of leaving?
There are a few reasons, actually. They have everything to do with me, and little to do with Andrew Jackson University.
1. I am getting burned out, big time. The number of hours I have had to put into the program are taking me away from time I would otherwise spend with my wife and son. My studies at Penn Foster College were completely self-paced, meaning I could take time off from my studies if I needed to. Not so at AJU. You can study at your own pace with AJU, meaning you can study as fast as you want, but you must be finished with each semester by a particular date. That has meant some long weekends and some late nights for me, considering my work schedule.
2. At the pace I'm going, I won't get my degree for about a year and a half. This is a big one for me, because I really want to finish as quickly as possible. I'm not in a race, but I have been working on my BA for about 4 years now, and I just want to wrap this thing up already.
3. My family is losing patience. It is important to have the support of your family when you are studying for a degree by distance learning. My family IS supportive, but they have also taken a backseat to my studies for going on 4 years now. They want their husband and father back.
4. I have my eye on several different graduate programs. Many of them require an undergrad degree from a regionally accredited school. AJU is nationally accredited.
At this point, my best bet may be to wrap up my current semesters at both AJU and PFC, and then transfer all credits to a school like Excelsior College. I could probably test out of all of my remaining course requirements and earn my degree much faster. I know I would not have to spend nearly as much time studying. It's not that I'm looking for "and easy way out", but rather the quickest path to completion. I have worked pretty darned hard the past four years. It's time for me to finish.
I guess I'll know where I stand after I finish the current semester and get a credit evaluation done at Excelsior. AJU is a great school. I recommend it highly. However, we all have a degree program that works best for each of us, Perhaps this wasn't the right program at the right time, for my particular situation. We'll see.