The title sums it up pretty good, but I will expand on this a little.
(I apologize in advance for the lengthy-ness of this post)

I am almost done with my Associates degree at a comm. college, and I am looking at my options to earn my Bachelors.

I am very interested at the process of earning my BA with one of the Big 3 predominantly through testing. I have been a longtime fan of bain4weeks but once I found this site a week ago it has motivated me even more. The speed at which I could have my BA and the much cheaper costs are very appealing.

However, I have a long term goal of getting a very competitive job. A regionally accredited Bachelors degree recognized by the US dept. of Ed. is all that is required (education wise) to qualify for the job, however the openings with the agencies I will be applying for are highly sought after and I would probably be competing with hundreds of applicants for each opening. My experience,work history, training and qualifications should be good enough to compete, but I don't want to be outdone in the education area. Most of my competition will have Bachelor Degrees from B&M universities.

Before finding this site, my plan was to go to a well respected University in my home state and get a Bachelors degree completely online with them. This would probably take me at least 3-4 more years, which I am willing to do if thats what it takes to accomplish my goal.

After finding this site, I think it might be a better option to "hurry up" and get my Bachelors from EC, then work towards completing a Masters program at a good University.

I could maybe do the Excelsior BA and a Masters in approximately the same amount of time it would take me to complete just my BA at the state school. Possibly for approximately the same amount of money as well.

Someone who already works for one of the employers I will be applying for said his boss routinely tosses out resumes that list Phoenix, Kaplin, Devry, the well known online-only schools. He didn't mention Excelsior, and I think that even if that guy had a problem with EC, I think my earning a Masters from a respected University should be enough to overcome that.

Another point of view on the subject: Others who have been hired into the positions I am working towards tell me all their boss does is check the box for degree if the applicant has one, no matter the school, and moves on with the hiring process and focuses on other things. The hiring guy with the prejudice to distance learning could be few and far between...

With all that said, what do you guys think?

This is the age-old question...but your situation seems like a no-brainer and it is similar to mine. Get the BA at EC or TESC and then get the masters. Let me explain why.

Your BA is not nearly as impressive as your masters degree will be no matter where you get the BA or Masters.

Scenario A: You as well as 50 other applicants all have BAs from the state college. Obviously this equals a draw for everyone and then experience and talent prevails.

Scenario B: You have a BA from EC and a Masters from whatever school and everyone else has a BA from the state college. You automatically move to the top of the list for consideration.

And guess what...once you have your masters degree no one is going to care a lick where you received your BA from.

I am finishing up at EC in October and moving onto the MBA program.

Again, my advise: Get the BA as quickly and as cheap as possible and get the masters in the same amount of time that it would take to get that "prestigious" BA from somewhere else.

__________________
Excelsior BS - General Business - 2008
Enrolled at Jacksonville State University - MBA - complete in 2010 (60% complete)

121 credits...ALL DONE BABY!!!

54 credits transfered in from prior college
54 credits by examination
6 credits from community college
3 credits from CSU-Pueblo (Operations Management)
4 credits for Information Literacy and Business Strategy from Excelsior

CLEP:
Principles of Macroeconomics (64)
Principles of Microeconomics (61)
Principles of Marketing (66)
Principles of Management (72)
Info Systems and Comp Applications (57)
Introductory Business Law (65)
Social Sciences & History (61)
DSST:
Principles of Supervision (58)
Principles of Statistics (67)
Introduction to Computing (60)
Principles of Financial Accounting (56)
Principles of Finance (55)
Money and Banking (52)
Ethics in America (66)
Management Information Systems (58)
ECE:
Ethics: Theory and Practice (B)
Organizational Behavior (C)

GMAT: 600

Coincidentally, I just received similar advice from a friend of mine who is a teacher. She said that since TESC wasn't that well known, if I was going for a masters, it should be from a well known school. In my case that would be Arizona State, University of Arizona, etc..

She said that Univ of Phoenix was known for handing out credits based on life experience, similar to a diploma mill, and most of the other "online" schools (Kaplan, Devry, Walden) did the same thing. Hence some of the discrimination against those particular schools.

I don't know how accurate this is, but I just thought I'd pass along what I heard.

__________________
Jesse
BA in Liberal Studies, Thomas Edison State College, 2008

There is definitely a negative perception about the "BIG" online schools, UofP, Strayer, Kaplan...it is unfair and wrong, but it does exist.

Fortunately, EC, TESC, and CO are far enough under the radar that most people have never heard on them. Most people will probably just assume that they are small private schools in the middle of nowhere, which would likely have a better perception than a "BIG" online school. All of this, of course, is completely subjective to the person evaluating your resume or whatever. I have heard from some human resource people that atually evaluate an "online" degree in higher regard than a B&M degree because they recognized that it takes a self-disciplined, motivated person to complete these degree programs and it shows a sense of commitment that employers are looking for.

Unless, you are going to Harvard there is no way to make everyone happy, so I say get that BA as quick, cheap and easy as possible while making sure that the school is accredited...

__________________
Excelsior BS - General Business - 2008
Enrolled at Jacksonville State University - MBA - complete in 2010 (60% complete)

121 credits...ALL DONE BABY!!!

54 credits transfered in from prior college
54 credits by examination
6 credits from community college
3 credits from CSU-Pueblo (Operations Management)
4 credits for Information Literacy and Business Strategy from Excelsior

CLEP:
Principles of Macroeconomics (64)
Principles of Microeconomics (61)
Principles of Marketing (66)
Principles of Management (72)
Info Systems and Comp Applications (57)
Introductory Business Law (65)
Social Sciences & History (61)
DSST:
Principles of Supervision (58)
Principles of Statistics (67)
Introduction to Computing (60)
Principles of Financial Accounting (56)
Principles of Finance (55)
Money and Banking (52)
Ethics in America (66)
Management Information Systems (58)
ECE:
Ethics: Theory and Practice (B)
Organizational Behavior (C)

GMAT: 600

.....................

__________________
ShotoJuku +
A.S., B.S., M.S.

Always be ready to release your mind and be willing to listen to the advice of others. Remain flexible. - Gichin Funakoshi

I agree. Just get it done and move on to bigger and better things.

__________________
Jesse
BA in Liberal Studies, Thomas Edison State College, 2008

Unless, you are going to Harvard there is no way to make everyone happy, so I say get that BA as quick, cheap and easy as possible while making sure that the school is accredited...[/quote]
>>


And it's worth noting, that after you get your bachelor's degree from EC or TESC, you can go right over to Cambridge and enroll at Harvard in the Extension program. It's open enrollment! A Master's degree from Harvard will get you noticed.

If I were advising my own child (and I will in a few years) I wouldn't hesitate to suggest he earn his BA from TESC and his Masters from Harvard Extension.

__________________
Jennifer
ALM, Master of Liberal Arts, Harvard University, 2099 or sometime sooner
AA & BA, Social Sciences, Thomas Edison State College, 2008
AOS, Culinary Arts, Culinary Institute of America, 1990

How to do your own Unofficial Evaluation http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...ighlight=alpha

InstantCert WORKS! http://www.degreeforum.net/general-e...g-members.html

"Brick walls are there for a reason....They’re there to stop the other people.” Randy Pausch

Thanks for the responses guys.

I was leaning towards going this route, I just needed a nudge. I am decided now. I think I will enroll in Excelsior for a couple classes per semester and start attacking some exams.

Bmills, I agree that the Big 3 are, to most people, under the radar that they dodge most of the stigma some associate with getting a degree from places like Phoenix, Kaplan, etc.

I will also being keeping an eye out for different Masters programs. I noticed some of the biggest universities near me (UF, FSU) offer more Masters programs online than they do Bachelors. I will see what the search feature here can turn up on Masters programs

I answered your PM.

__________________
ShotoJuku +
A.S., B.S., M.S.

Always be ready to release your mind and be willing to listen to the advice of others. Remain flexible. - Gichin Funakoshi

I live in NJ where lots of people send their kids to Rutgers because it is a state school and not quite as expensive. I am always amazed when people from other states are impressed by a Rutgers degree or attendance. Most of the people in my part of NJ think of Rutgers as an easy school.

I think if you get a BA degree from an out of state school or 1 of the big 3 most people will not know the difference. Get it done and spend the time on your masters that will impress more no matter where it is from.

__________________
Linda

EXAMS TAKEN
1/07 TECEP Psycology of Women (Needed/ acheived) 60/74
1/08 DSST Technical Writing 46/64
4/07 TECEP Word Processing Fundamentals 65/75
4/07 CLEP Info Systems & Computor App. 50/64
3/07 DSST History of the Vietnam War 44/66
11/07 DSST Intro to World Religions 48/65
5/08 CLEP Analyzing & Interp. Literature 50/69
5/29/08 CLEP Intro to Psychology 50/65
6/12/08 CLEP Intro to Sociology 50/69
1/27/09 CLEP Social Science & History 50/66
Finally 3 FEMA Done!!
Planned
Intro to Theater TECEP
Organizational Behavior TECEP or DSST
Physics I TECEP or EXCEL
Physics II TECEP oe EXCEL
Physical Geology TECEP or DSST
Calculus CLEP or EXCEL
Foundations of Education DSST
Intro to Education Psycology CLEP
2-3 FEMA credits
Global Environmental Change class
+ 43 B & M CC credits and 3 TESC credits and Finally on 6/30/08 an AA Degree
Eventually a BA in Natural Science/Mathmatics