Based on a post in another thread I decided to check out APU.  If it had not been for that thread I would never have looked into the school, based solely on the name.  I know there is a bias against some non-traditional schools - both from educators and employers and that is the main reason I would not consider a UOP degree- alot of people that I know look down upon the school and if they do, then potential employers may as well.  My boyfriend got his bachelors from UoP and I know from his experience that you get out what you put in.  I got my AA degree completely online from Brevard Community College and it was the same there. 

I said all of that to say this:  I don't have a personal bias against online colleges or non-traditional colleges, as long as they are accredited.  I love to learn and I know that in order to get the education I am looking for, I have to put forth mucho effort.  So, I am looking for an online program that has courses that I know will help me achieve my goals.  APU has a Bachelors degree program in Transportation and Logistics Management and this is what I am looking for.  The courses sound relevant, there doesn't seem to be alot of fluff, I like the non-traditional class schedule and the price is right. 

My only problem is the name of the university!  I'm afraid that certain hiring managers will throw out my resume just based on their bias towards non-traditional learning.  I live in a rural area and will not be applying to companies that will be looking for prestigious educational backgrounds, but the liklihood that they went to a state university is high.  Has anyone had any experience with this type of issue?  And specifically, have any APU grads had this type of experience?  I hate to pass on a great deal, but if I can't get a job after all the time and effort then what is the point? 

It is my understanding APUS/AMU is known and respected in the federal gov't job sector.  I know it has a good rep in the online education industry and has regional accreditation.  Beyond that, I am not sure.  Hope this helped a little, and I hope some grads may have more information.

I suppose you could contact them and ask how their alumni fare in the job market, but the answer may be biased.

 

APU and AMU are both known and respected in federal work, law enforcement and military.  That aside I cannot tell you much else but this...

1.) They are regionally accredited, just like any state school and they should be easy to find on the various publications put out by the CHEA and U.S. Dept. of Ed.  So no worries there.

2.) The HR people most often are simply looking to put a check in the box when asking for a BS degree.  It really doesn't matter as much as most people would speculate simply because there are not a ton of qualified people out there (trust me, I see hundreds of applications come across my desk) in many professions and secondly because often your major will be of more interest than the school you obtained the degree from, especially in skilled trades.

I don't think online degrees are nearly as biased against as they once were and if you get an employer that is so wholeheartedly ignorant, are you sure you want to work for them anyways?  I spent some time working in logistics for BNSF a lifetime ago and I can tell you for sure that union types and even most managers are more concerned that you have a degree and a solid work history than whether or not you are a Wharton grad or something. 

If the degree is what you want, I say go for it.  I've always preferred to have a degree from a campus based school myself but I can honestly tell you that the issue has never once come up as to whether I earned my degree online or not.

Thanks for the reply.  You made some good points.  I live ( and want to continue living) in a rural area and will be applying for work in either manufacturing/industry or food processing plants.  Since there probably aren't a ton of people trying to move to rural Missouri, I probably won't have alot of qualified competition and if I have the right educational background, it makes sense that my resume would not be thrown out based on the school I went to.  Thanks for helping me get past this little point. 

I found another website that has reviews of the APUS system and they are practically all good- top notch instructors that care, challenging coursework and good customer service.  So, right now I have narrowed it down to either this school or Bellevue and I have to compare the courses to see which one fits my plans better. 

Thanks again for the reply.

Cajun said everything I'd have said.  They're a perfectly good school, and if they otherwise seem ideal and their name is the only thing that gives you pause, I'd definitely advise you not to worry about it. 

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

I almost enrolled in AMU today and then found out about APU. Same school, different name. They have same programs, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had the exact classes and professors at the same time. Probably be taking classes together. In other words they are interchangable. What I want to know is which one sounds better. Most people and websites know of AMU more than APU. However, I never served in the military, and when I said I might enroll some people kept asking what branch I was in. I don't want that at every job interview, but Military does sound more professional than Public. What do you think? Which is the Mercury and which is the Ford so to speak? I guess if I change my mind I could always "transfer" to the other one. Thanks.

trigg:

I almost enrolled in AMU today and then found out about APU. Same school, different name. They have same programs, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had the exact classes and professors at the same time. Probably be taking classes together. In other words they are interchangable. What I want to know is which one sounds better. Most people and websites know of AMU more than APU. However, I never served in the military, and when I said I might enroll some people kept asking what branch I was in. I don't want that at every job interview, but Military does sound more professional than Public. What do you think? Which is the Mercury and which is the Ford so to speak? I guess if I change my mind I could always "transfer" to the other one. Thanks.

I think they do have the same faculty and courses, and I don't think they hide it -- they're two sides of the same coin.  You'd have to ask the school to know for sure, but I think there are more people who go through them as AMU than APU.  But that's just based on how often I see people ask about the school and what name they're using for it.

I know what you mean about not wanting to confuse people about whether you were in the military, but in the long run, I don't think that there's much of a difference which way you go with this.

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

I don't know, it would look funny to graduate from AMU if you were actually never in the military.  It's like having a degree from Westpoint but never being in the Army.  Maybe it's possible but it looks funny simply because it's outside the box of predictability. 

Hello I attended AMU for about six months. They are they same school but AMU is actually a department created for military students. My cousin and I attended at the same time. Because she is civilian she was under the APUS department and I'm currently in the Air Force so I fell under the AMU department.

I applied under American Public University because I have never been in the Military and thought it was weird. I recently switched over to AMU because I think it sounds better. I'm not worried about it seeming weird anymore. I really enjoy the school. They are so helpful and everything runs pretty smoothly.

To each their own.  Hey are you working on an MPA right now?  I've considered that degree pretty strongly myself as I dig working in government.  How is it so far?

MPA2010:

I applied under American Public University because I have never been in the Military and thought it was weird. I recently switched over to AMU because I think it sounds better. I'm not worried about it seeming weird anymore. I really enjoy the school. They are so helpful and everything runs pretty smoothly.

The picture you're using leaves little doubt you're a fan!

-=Steve=-

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B.S., Info Sys, Charter Oak State College
M.A., Educational Tech Leadership, George Washington University
Doctor of Health Education, A.T. Still University, in progress

Aww Steve, I thought I was being subtle...

 Cajun -  I am in fact working on my MPA. It is a ton of reading but I love it! This is my first grad school experience and it is refreshing to eliminate the fluff classes. Government is so interesting at the moment too. I've attended some great B&M schools and taken some different online classes and the process has never been so easy (registration, financial aid, etc.)

 

 

 

 

Good to hear.  If I can change careers into a municipal position I may consider getting an MPA.  I just cannot justify another grad degree until I know where my next career will be heading.  I was giving some very strong thought on Cal State U. Dominguez Hills.  But APUS is a great alternative as well. 

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have started the process to enroll in my Masters at APU, and am trying to beat the 9-28 deadline to get into the next classes. My only problem is what program to pick. I am a police officer with a BA in CJ. My family thinks I need to continue in CJ so that I could someday teach at the community college level in that subject (they all work at the community college). After 13 years I want out of Law Enforcement with a passion and want to do anything else. What program would one suggest? My math skills are horrible for an MBA and I know nothing about business. I am leaning toward the Management with Human Resources emphasis, and maybe start at the ground level of HR with that and no expierience. Security Management looks good also as alot of our chiefs go on to run security for hotels, banks, etc for high pay some over 100 grand. But they have the management exp and I don't. Public Admin might be an option. What careers are these Masters obtaining people? Is anyone enrolled in these and how are the classes, what do you need to know going in, what math is involved? I thank anyone in advance for any answers that you can give, or any other ideas on programs you can think of.