Explaining the Big 3 to my colleagues...

[Prloko]

Having a bit of an issue. Every time I tell one of my coworkers that I'm in school, they ask where. When I try to explain that I'm taking a fast track method of getting through my undergrad degree, they ask if it's a purely online school and I explain to them that it is but they are RA. Is there any one else that's been to a Big 3 school, that started to feel a little embarrassed because of the way people react? I'm actually very proud to FINALLY be finishing up something I started years ago, but I can't help but feel like other people think it's a cop-out way of doing things, or that it's not something they can even relate to.

I'm almost to the point of changing the subject when I'm out with people that start talking about their "college days". I feel like COSC has been more challenging than ANY of the brick-and-mortar schoolwork that I did waybackwhen...it's just a quicker timeline.

Has anyone else had the problem of explaining that these aren't "fake" programs when out with friends or colleagues? I think part of it is that some of my friends actually teach at physical campuses and they don't want to have to learn how to teach online formats (and that's going to be an issue for them in the future, because it's not going away).

The one thing to remember is that they are your CO-workers. The gal with the fancy degree, the guy with the big state school, and the guy with the TESC/COSC/EC, all working at the same job will tell you that they waisted their time and money. If they brag, just tell them "the good it did YOU, you're working at the same job as I am." Now if they're your superiors thats another story.

I used to work in a job with all college grads. I had a high school diploma and while they were going to frat parties and getting drunk, I was working from the bottom doing low level clerical work. In those same four years, we had the same job, me from experience, them from college. The difference was they were $50,000 in debt where I made $120,000.

Of course, I'm sure these co-workers are in management positions.