Excelsior More Money For Tuition Out Of The Big Three?

[roxyprincess129]

I was trying to get information on Excelsior and came across this. I cannot believe how defensive and redundant you are, Exfactor, get a life you ignorant jackass. Everyone knows a BA in Psych is more common, and not better or worse than a BS, just different. Get over yourself and off your damn high horse. God you're annoying. And that is all.

[sanantone]

And you have yet to provide information that states that those with B.S. degrees are not more equipped for graduate school than those with B.A. degrees.

You have the burden of proof because you were the first person to make the claim.

"While one degree is not necessarily better than another, some educational experts suggest that students who earn a B.S. degree in psychology have greater flexibility and more opportunities. However, it is important to focus on choosing a degree that is the best-suited to your unique needs, skills, interests and professional goals.

The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology is a great option for students who have a strong interest in psychology, but also want to explore other disciplines in greater depth. Students who choose this degree option can also opt to later go on to further study in law, education, journalism, political science, and business.

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology offers excellent preparation for careers in science, as well as further graduate study in psychology or related disciplines. Students with a strong interest in science can also benefit from this degree options extensive study in biological science and research methodology."

Consider a BA in Psychology if you:

Are planning on going straight into the workforce after completing your undergraduate degree
You plan on going to graduate school in a non-psychology field such as business, law, counseling, social work, management
Consider a BS in Psychology if you:

Are interested in a more science-oriented curriculum
You plan to earn a graduate degree in psychology
You plan to go to medical school

What's the Difference Between a BA and a BS in Psychology?

This is just a blog by someone who doesn't even work at a university and doesn't even have a graduate degree in psychology or a closely-related field. I prefer looking at the university websites to see what they think.

The APA also states that psychology programs differ base on the school an individual attends, which is something you have continually preferred to ignore.

What? Did I not say several times that the differences between a BA and BS vary by school? Are you not the person who made the blanket statement that most graduate students have a BS? You seem to ignore that admissions deans do look at the courses on your transcript and that just about ANYONE can take additional math and sciences courses. There are history and English majors getting into graduate psychology and related programs.

Even Yanji stating that based on their experience at a brick and mortar they could also see why the B.S. is held higher. So what exactly is your experience with the B.A. vs B.S. in psychology at a brick and mortar? Because the way I see it you are trying to create an argument when their is none. You have no foundation.

I took several psychology courses at a community college. My younger sister, as I stated twice before, has a BA in psychology from a traditional university (she did not attend online), was on the premed track, and has a minor in biology. One of the quantitative research methods professors in my PhD program has a BA in psychology.

....And then to try to discredit my psychology degree, when I have over 90 brick and mortar credits with a majority being in the natural sciences, along with psychology courses with labs I find to be extremely funny. Rushing to judge someone not know the source of their credits, when they are combining their previous credits to finish a degree from which they left off on is not smart, what so ever. Just because Excelsior B.S. does not have as many science courses required as the school I attended which did, does not mean I need to look somewhere else for a degree. At the school I attended if you were an honor student in psychology you had to pursue a B.S, if your gpa became lower than 3.2 you were projected to a B.A. by default. You could't have an overall gap lower than a 3.2 to major in psychology with a B.S. at all.

All of this means nothing because you ultimately chose Excelsior because they have a BS in psychology. You can't honestly tell me that you chose Excelsior because their BS program is heavy on math and science. You went for a superficial degree title.

But yet, you have a degree in social sciences, and criminal justice.... yet you are trying to come for me. LOLz

What does this even supposed to mean?

Failure? But you are responding to it, are you not? ...and you are the one thats upset that someone decided to select a school based on their actual experience. So again whats your problem? But the hard science credits I have on my transcript don't look like a B.A. though.

Your reasoning for choosing the BS doesn't line up with what's actually offered at Excelsior. If someone erroneously believes your BS is superior to the BA offered by Excelsior, I'm not sure that's the kind of person I would want to deal with in academia. Basically, you're admitting that you're playing into the misconceptions you've witnessed from online forums and a professor. By the way, Student Doctor is all over the place on this subject. I came across a thread where most said that the BA vs BS thing doesn't matter.


No, the hard sciences on your transcript don't look like a BA or BS in psychology because they didn't come from one of those programs. If you had a BA, those same science courses would still be on your transcripts.

Whicht is what I said all along, so again. What are you arguing about?

That is not what you said all along; you said the BS will make one more competitive. There is a difference between saying that and saying that additional math and science courses will make one more competitive. BS programs vary by school, and there are people with BA degrees who have taken more math and science courses than required.

Psy.D. vs. Ph.D.

A PsyD is a graduate degree, is it not?

Nope, because many B.A., seek master degree outside of psychology. So whats your point again?

Cherrypicking.

LOL. University of Iowa is the school YOU linked to.

...and that same link state Approximately 22% of all declared psychology majors choose the BA option, and the other 78% choose the BS degree option. Students pursuing a BS with a concentration can also (and often do) choose to complete a minor.

So what? You don't know why most of their students chose the BS. 85% of the students at Baylor choose the BA. Again, we don't know why.

Post the quote where I said a B.A. provided less? I said the B.S. provided such students the opportunity to be more prepared for graduate school, which you very own cherry-picked sources are stated, so again whats the problem? Never did I state those with a B.A. couldn't enter graduate school, you said that and ran with it. And its also ironic that Charter Oak offers concentrations but you all wanted majors instead of concentrations.

I don't even know what you're babbling about here. Really? Saying that those with a BS are more prepared for graduate school is essentially saying that those with a BA are less prepared. The quotes from your links talk about being prepared for a career in research and research-oriented graduate programs. You act as if all graduate programs are research-oriented and as if everyone with a psychology degree wants to become a researcher. Your eyes seem to be blind to the fact that most of my sources said that those with a BA in psychology are prepared for graduate school. You saw one or two schools that said that those with a BS are more prepared for certain types of graduate programs and ran with it.

I have stated many times on this forum that Charter Oak's concentrations are the equivalent of majors. The issue lies with HR software because the major is really in general studies. You can stretch the truth a little and say you have a major in so and so, but the truth is that the software that screens online applications does not have human judgement. When you have human eyes reviewing your resume and cover letter, this is not as much of an issue. However, HR is not the same as graduate admissions. HR is often not going to carefully analyze your transcripts to see if your concentration is indeed the equivalent of a major.

[Exfactor]

I was trying to get information on Excelsior and came across this. I cannot believe how defensive and redundant you are, Exfactor, get a life you ignorant jackass. Everyone knows a BA in Psych is more common, and not better or worse than a BS, just different. Get over yourself and off your damn high horse. God you're annoying. And that is all.

You joined just to say that? Sure you did. I'm annoying but I have you in here reading my post. Go sign back into your other account on here, and stop playing the aliases game, banana nose.



I got your mind, and I'm not giving back to you, gonzo nose.

[sanantone]

You joined just to say that? Sure you did. Go sign back into your other account on here, and stop playing the aliases game.



I got your mind.

If you're talking to me, I'm currently signed in and just posted a long post that took me several minutes to type up. You can see my status on the home page of the website. Now you're getting paranoid. Wow.

If you click on Roxy's profile, you can see that she joined on the 3rd. I must be psychic and created an alias 11 days ago knowing this conversation was going to happen.

[Exfactor]

You have the burden of proof because you were the first person to make the claim.

False. I stated that such students were more prepared. If a high school student attends a college prep high school, and take college prep courses in high school, are they not in some shape or form more prepared for the college experience than a student who may not have? I don't know where you get this ideal that I said those with B.A. degrees can't get into graduate school. Once again, doing what you do best rushing to judgement.

This is just a blog by someone who doesn't even work at a university and doesn't even have a graduate degree in psychology or a closely-related field. I prefer looking at the university websites to see what they think.

False. So the opinion of a professional is irrelevant?

What? Did I not say several times that the differences between a BA and BS vary by school? Are you not the person who made the blanket statement that most graduate students have a BS? You seem to ignore that admissions deans do look at the courses on your transcript and that just about ANYONE can take additional math and sciences courses. There are history and English majors getting into graduate psychology and related programs.

False. You stated that both degrees were the same, even though I presented to you links that stated otherwise, even though I told you in my experience how such was treated by the deans and department faculty at the school I attended. I even presented to you a link from a university that says that a B.S may have a competitive gain in the graduate school admission process, you ignored that.

I took several psychology courses at a community college. My younger sister, as I stated twice before, has a BA in psychology from a traditional university (she did not attend online), was on the premed track, and has a minor in biology. One of the quantitative research methods professors in my PhD program has a BA in psychology.

Thats nice, the psychology classes I took at community college, were totally different than the ones I took at the 4 year school. However, thats my experience.

All of this means nothing because you ultimately chose Excelsior because they have a BS in psychology. You can't honestly tell me that you chose Excelsior because their BS program is heavy on math and science. You went for a superficial degree title.

I sure did, because I left off on a BS in psychology, so why wouldn't I finish were I left off? Superficial? Not from the people I know, and from the higher-ups in the office I work in...

Your reasoning for choosing the BS doesn't line up with what's actually offered at Excelsior. If someone erroneously believes your BS is superior to the BA offered by Excelsior, I'm not sure that's the kind of person I would want to deal with in academia. Basically, you're admitting that you're playing into the misconceptions you've witnessed from online forums and a professor. By the way, Student Doctor is all over the place on this subject. I came across a thread where most said that the BA vs BS thing doesn't matter.

How is it a misconception when you don't even know what your talking about? I'm already working in my area of study. I conversated with psychologist long before I made my choice.... and if I had someone with a criminal justice degree trying to tell me about psychology that is also the type of person I wouldn't want to deal with in academia. Just because you attended a school where B.A. and B.S. degree were equal does not mean everyone did. There was a direct focus to graduate as much students with a B.S, as I said before you had to maintain a certain GPA to even get a B.S. in psychology or else you were projected to a B.A. degree; however, thats my experience, what is your problem? And for you who have very little knowledge in this area to step and tell me whats what when I attended a school that sends more African Americans to graduate schools and the Ivy League than any other school in the nation; how and what graduate schools accept when I have buddies at Yale and Columbia who tells me their are more B.S psych degree graduates in their programs than B.A. is beyond laughable.

That is not what you said all along; you said the BS will make one more competitive. There is a difference between saying that and saying that additional math and science courses will make one more competitive. BS programs vary by school, and there are people with BA degrees who have taken more math and science courses than required.

Clinical Psychology is the most competitive graduate field within Psychology. Both the BS and the BA will qualify you to apply to a Clinical Psychology graduate program. If you can do very well in the higher level math and science courses, the BS may make you a slightly more competitive candidate. However, if taking the higher level math and science courses will bring down your GPA, it is not to your benefit to do so. In this case, it would be more beneficial to choose the BA option and be sure to gain extra research experience in Psychology.

Major Information Session | Department of Psychology

I don't even know what you're babbling about here. Really? Saying that those with a BS are more prepared for graduate school is essentially saying that those with a BA are less prepared. The quotes from your links talk about being prepared for a career in research and research-oriented graduate programs. You act as if all graduate programs are research-oriented and as if everyone with a psychology degree wants to become a researcher. Your eyes seem to be blind to the fact that most of my sources said that those with a BA in psychology are prepared for graduate school. You saw one or two schools that said that those with a BS are more prepared for certain types of graduate programs and ran with it.

I have stated many times on this forum that Charter Oak's concentrations are the equivalent of majors. The issue lies with HR software because the major is really in general studies. You can stretch the truth a little and say you have a major in so and so, but the truth is that the software that screens online applications does not have human judgement. When you have human eyes reviewing your resume and cover letter, this is not as much of an issue. However, HR is not the same as graduate admissions. HR is often not going to carefully analyze your transcripts to see if your concentration is indeed the equivalent of a major.

....And you saw one or two B.A programs that said such and ran with it. Just because your experience is different then someone else's, does not make that individuals experience invalid. I have always said that at the schools I attended a B.S. degree was projected to the upmost, matter of fact at the brick and mortar I attended psychology was apart of the school of science and mathematics, and if an individual had a GPA lower than I believe a 3.2 they were projected into the B.A. degree paradigm. I don't know why you feel the need to make a persons experience be untruthful, when another forum member also stated based on their experience they could see why the B.S in psychology was treated that the same. Even when I made the statement of the biopsych professor who has a B.A in biology and a masters in psych making fun of her B.A in biology you went on the attack, to be honest stop making it personal. Some schools have a preference for B.S. degrees no matter how a cherrypicked source says their equal. And then to try to dismiss my psychology degree at Excelsior is just funny.

[Exfactor]

If you're talking to me, I'm currently signed in and just posted a long post that took me several minutes to type up. You can see my status on the home page of the website. Now you're getting paranoid. Wow.

If you click on Roxy's profile, you can see that she joined on the 3rd. I must be psychic and created an alias 11 days ago knowing this conversation was going to happen.

[Yanji]

Let me clarify that my Psych department anecdote was based on the opinions of people essentially making generalizations. While a Psych BA may have negative perceptions compared to a Psych BS within a Psych department, those perceptions only apply to that specific department and even then only on the most superficial level. It's just all part of the rivalry game between majors/programs at universities, like how Physical Sciences students look down on Life Sciences students for being somehow "inferior".

Adcoms look at transcripts, which go deeper than the superficial level where these (often inaccurate) perceptions lie.

But yet, you have a degree in social sciences, and criminal justice.... yet you are trying to come for me. LOLz

What's your point? You have a social science degree too. Because, you know, putting down a PhD candidate by insulting their major totally makes sense...

And for you who have very little knowledge in this area to step and tell me whats what when I attended a school that sends more African Americans to graduate schools and the Ivy League than any other school in the nation; how and what graduate schools accept when I have buddies at Yale and Columbia who tells me their are more B.S psych degree graduates in their programs than B.A. is beyond laughable.

Besides the fact that an all-undergrad liberal arts HBCU sending a lot of students the Ivy League grad programs is not at all surprising, I think your sense of superiority for actually having taken classes at a B&M is ridiculous. Sure, Morehouse and Georgia Tech are good schools, but it's not like nobody else here actually attended classes before... in fact, most of us have probably been "traditional" students at some point in our lives, but immaturity/life decisions/bad luck got in the way and that's why we're here. I'm a legacy at Cornell, I have a 720 GMAT, 168 LSAT and I myself (not "buddies") got into F/T MBA programs at Yale, Indiana, UCLA and Georgetown with a couple of scholarship offers - yet you don't see me making pretentious side comments in every single one of my posts. This is a place for people to help each other, and self-aggrandizement is completely uncalled for. At the end of the day, you also graduated from an unknown Tier 3 school and if you're trying to connote that you're somehow better than that reality, that's not even a conversation worth having.

[Exfactor]

Let me clarify that my Psych department anecdote was based on the opinions of people essentially making generalizations. While a Psych BA may have negative perceptions compared to a Psych BS within a Psych department, those perceptions only apply to that specific department and even then only on the most superficial level. It's just all part of the rivalry game between majors/programs at universities, like how Physical Sciences students look down on Life Sciences students for being somehow "inferior".

...And at the end of the day my experience is my experience.

Adcoms look at transcripts, which go deeper than the superficial level where these (often inaccurate) perceptions lie.

Yet, their are still many that go deeper than that.

What's your point? You have a social science degree too. Because, you know, putting down a PhD candidate by insulting their major totally makes sense...

So it's ok for her to insult me, and for me not to respond. Sure. Social darwinism.

Besides the fact that an all-undergrad liberal arts HBCU sending a lot of students the Ivy League grad programs is not at all surprising, I think your sense of superiority for actually having taken classes at a B&M is ridiculous. Sure, Morehouse and Georgia Tech are good schools, but it's not like nobody else here actually attended classes before... in fact, most of us have probably been "traditional" students at some point in our lives, but immaturity/life decisions/bad luck got in the way and that's why we're here. I'm a legacy at Cornell, I have a 720 GMAT, 168 LSAT and I myself (not "buddies") got into F/T MBA programs at Yale, Indiana, UCLA and Georgetown with a couple of scholarship offers - yet you don't see me making pretentious side comments in every single one of my posts. This is a place for people to help each other, and self-aggrandizement is completely uncalled for. At the end of the day, you also graduated from an unknown Tier 3 school and if you're trying to connote that you're somehow better than that reality, that's not even a conversation worth having.

False. She tried to insult me for having a psychology degree from Excelsior, assuming I didn't have hard science credits... i.e her using her sister as an example to try to demean me while failing to note I was originally a biology major, and that the school I attended required science courses for the B.S. such as a year of biology, and chemistry or physics. Stop trying to cherry-pick, while ignoring her demeaning comments, while focusing on mine, if your gonna criticize be fair. Where are these pretentious side comments that I made? I since some bias, and I'm quiet proud of my psych degree, from my unknown school. It appears what we have here is a case of
selective attention, which really is not worth responding to, or having a conversation with. Because as I said my experience is my experience, and for someone outside of my area of study trying to tell me what is what in my area of study while trying to psychoanalyze someone, while cops are running the streets like gangs is not worthy of a response.

[sanantone]

You're talking in circles, and no longer refuting what I've said. Your strategy now is to deny your original claims while still making them in different words. Anecdotal experience is anecdotal experience. I did not find one or two schools that said BA programs are just as good for graduate admissions; I found several plus I quoted APA. I'm not going off of my personal experience at one or two schools; I'm going off of what I've seen after reviewing hundreds of graduate programs in various social science fields when deciding which programs I was going to apply to. I don't care what you say your buddies told you. I've learned in life that people's generalizations are often wrong. People are even wrong about their own fields many times. I've come across people who have been wrong about what's going on in their own schools because they don't know what goes on behind the scenes and don't know all of the students in their program. The fact is that Columbia has no problem with accepting mostly BA students to a sociomedical sciences program that is shared between their public health school and social science department (which includes psychology). Individual experiences are limited. You made a generalization based on your limited experiences, and now you want to back pedal and say that you're only talking about your own experiences. Your posts are right here for everyone to see. Your generalizations are loud and clear.

How did I insult your BS from Excelsior? I have a degree from the Big 3, so I don't look down on other degrees from the Big 3. I just stated the truth. Excelsior's BS is NOT rigorous when it comes to math and science requirements. Excelsior's BS is, in reality, not different from its BA. If you take that as an insult, then that says more about your own insecurities. Yes, choosing the BS at Excelsior is superficial because there is practically NO DIFFERENCE between its BA and BS. If you know of deans and professors who agree with you, then they are being superficial, too. You're the one who looks down on BA degrees even though the BS you completed looks just like a BA. I did not imply that my sister is superior because she completed higher levels of math and science than the typical psychology major. I used her as an example to illustrate that it is much more accurate to review someone's transcripts than to make judgments based off of a degree title that is not even standardized across colleges and universities. I don't think that people who completed less math and sciences are inferior; you're projecting on me what you're thinking in your head.

[sanantone]

I looked at all of the biographies and CVs of the PhD students in Yale's Department of Psychology. BA degrees FAR outnumber BS degrees. The disparity is so great, it's not even funny. So, what were your former classmates saying again?
Students | Department of Psychology