If an employer questions your degree during an interview?

[burbuja0512]

But I feel this is the best option of the “Big 3” as the name “Charter Oak” sounds like a rehab facility to me.

hilarious I knew that there was something that attracted me to COSC.. with my daily glasses of wine while studying, COSC was the perfect choice for me!

Ha ha - just kidding of course. It sounds like you had your ducks in a row for the interview and maybe there wasn't anything wrong with you. A few months back, I was interviewing for an open position on my team and there were three equally qualified candidates that I liked. I had my boss interview them and he also couldn't make a decision. It actually got to the point where we were sitting there picking through our notes from the interviews and reviewing resumes and cover letters trying to find mistakes because we couldn't think of other ways to make a choice. They were all that good. Maybe they were being nit-picky because there were several people to choose from?

Anyhow.. there will always be discrimination, even if the more obvious cases are prohibited by law (thankfully). It's human nature. Even amongst ivy leaguers - a Harvard grad would hire another Harvard grad over an equal applicant from Yale.

The good thing is that a Big 3 degree gets you to a 2nd interview, which is a heck of a lot more than you would get with no degree.

I don't think that there are issues with the Big 3 names.. they're obscure and that's good. I can list off 50 obscure B&M colleges that cost a hundred thousand or more for a degree. So much better to be unknown than to be well known for advertising like UoP.

[Ace_King]

That is good and I actually like seeing stories like this. Those being truly honest on how COSC,EC,TESC were viewed by employers.

[burbuja0512]

That is good and I actually like seeing stories like this. Those being truly honest on how COSC,EC,TESC were viewed by employers.

I have to add that I don't think that it's just about how the big 3 are viewed by employers. It's really about how any online or unknown college is viewed.

Would it be any different if we had chosen to go to.. I don't know.. Capella? What about Metropolitan State College?

Capella is all online and can be pricey and Metro State is a college in Denver that is totally B&M. I have to say that I think that if employers have an issue with an unknown degree, the candidate that spent lots of money to go to Capella or Metro would also be in trouble either because the degree is online or because it's totally unknown (well unless you're here in Denver.)

[kiyanalynn]

totally agree ...

I agree. I was actually thinking of going with COSC now since it's cheaper of the big three. Either way, which ever I choose I am going with a master's at the end of the day from a B&M school. Not saying employers will totally ignore my undergrad but...it will be much better to have that Masters from a B&M school in my opinion..

[Ace_King]

Your right. There are so many U.S state colleges and universities with the weirdest names. Yet, the big three sound more ..ehh.."normal" to me. We have a state college here called "Edison State College", I wonder if they will get me mixed up if I ever choose TESC. Haha, hopefully not.

[Mian]

I have to add that I don't think that it's just about how the big 3 are viewed by employers. It's really about how any online or unknown college is viewed.

Would it be any different if we had chosen to go to.. I don't know.. Capella? What about Metropolitan State College?

Capella is all online and can be pricey and Metro State is a college in Denver that is totally B&M. I have to say that I think that if employers have an issue with an unknown degree, the candidate that spent lots of money to go to Capella or Metro would also be in trouble either because the degree is online or because it's totally unknown (well unless you're here in Denver.)

You're right and I think it's about some online schools having a bad reputation for being degree mills. I can understand the concern about that. If it were me being questioned I would be sure to point out that my classes had proctored exams so it's verifiable that I completed the work. Well, except the one I plan to do with ALEKS.

That's one thing even I would consider suspect if I were an employer making hiring decisions; doing classes that have no proctored exams like the PreCalc with ALEKS. How could you prove that you didn't have your sister or friend do it for you? You'd only have your word and not knowing you I wouldn't know just how good that is. I'd really want to look at which and how many classes were completed that way.

So I think it's best to do the bulk of your credits and important, degree-related classes in a way where your exams are proctored...or to do higher level classes in the same subject that way so you can say you were able to move on from the lower levels by completing the work yourself.

Some people are going to be suspicious of these degrees no matter what you do, but I don't think it will be that many if you point out how it's done through proctoring.

[bawhitsett]

Some people are going to be suspicious of these degrees no matter what you do, but I don't think it will be that many if you point out how it's done through proctoring.

In order to get to the point to where you can justify your credit obtaining efforts, if necessary, I would suggest not letting your big 3 degree be the permanent crown jewel of your academic and professional credentials. Use it to check the "bachelor's degree?" box while pursuing other relevant experience and credentials. Hopefully you will eventually reach a point to where it doesn't matter, be it earned from Excelsior or the big state U.

[burbuja0512]

In order to get to the point to where you can justify your credit obtaining efforts, if necessary, I would suggest not letting your big 3 degree be the permanent crown jewel of your academic and professional credentials. Use it to check the "bachelor's degree?" box while pursuing other relevant experience and credentials. Hopefully you will eventually reach a point to where it doesn't matter, be it earned from Excelsior or the big state U.

:iagree:

If you're spending too much time talking about college, you're not spending enough time with what relevant skills you bring to the table. Everyone with a degree should have a certain level of knowledge, so don't focus on it - it's the same thing that any other recent grad will be talking about! Focus on your job/life experience and what makes you a better candidate than the other 499 people that applied for the position.

[Ace_King]

:iagree: Well put my friends =]