vent- Ashford U

[cookderosa]

I'm pretty sure the cost will be lower at ACHS than Ashford. I'm positive it will take less time. I'm pretty sure that even if they take none of my outside credits, I still have fewer than 60 credits left to take, which is more than I can say for Ashford. I'm still looking into the other options, but so far everyone I've looked it will take either my ACHS credits or my other credits, but not both. And no one is taking any of the credits I tested out of ACHS, which is not a problem *at* ACHS.

The only reason I want the bachelors in the first place is because I want to enroll in this: http://hawthornuniversity.org/MSHN/mshn-...rview.html and it's a master's program so they won't take me without a bachelors degree. (I have asked them if they'd consider waiving that requirement and taking me on a probationary basis, 'cause you never know unless you ask, right? But they said no.) It isn't accredited at all right now, so I can't imagine they'd refuse to accept the BS from ACHS, but I'm also hoping they'll be accredited by the time I'm ready to enroll; they've been in process for a while now.

The only difference it makes in my state is whether or not I can use the designation "nutritionist," and the regionally-accredited bachelor degrees wouldn't allow for that, either, because they're in the wrong AOS.

dfrecore, I have no issues with TESU. They were actually my original plan, that bombed when I discovered about national vs. regional accreditation. They will take 0 of my 66 credits in transfer, because of the accreditation discrepancy.

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But there's still the matter that they're nationally-accredited, not regionally.  Once I've completed the degree, will that matter?

Yes.  Especially in your field.  - But that's for another day.

I am not sure that I'm feeling especially articulate right now, but if I could try and encourage you a bit.  I was EXACTLY where you are, and reading comments from others in this thread brings it all back.  I remember hitting a few speed bumps during my AA/BA process.  

Getting through the classes was always the LEAST of my headaches, it was ALWAYS the "process" happening somewhere outside of my control.  This or that person's hand in my completion/success in some office somewhere.  

On the other side of this, with my degree(s) in hand, I want to tell you that 50% of people who start won't finish (ever) and I believe it's because of the B&#LSH$T of a broken system.  When I meet college graduates, I no longer am *impressed* by their knowledge or smarts, I'm impressed by their tenacity.  College is just about jumping through the hoops and not letting them wear you down.

Whatever you decide, don't stop.  Just keep going- that's the only way.

Thank you.  I needed that!  And I totally agree.  I just told my husband last night that I don't mind taking the actual classes; I hate dealing with the politics.

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Let me back up a little here. Marketable is good, obviously, but that isn't my primary goal. My primary passion is educating consumers about health, so the greatest value of a credential, for me, is something that will communicate to readers that I'm not just another mom with a computer. (Not that "just a mom" with a computer can't really know her stuff in MY mind, but that's not reassuring enough for everyone!) And I need a bachelors degree of some kind in order to enroll in the masters program I want, which I also don't have a specific end in mind for. I just want to do that program because it's of interest to me.

My *original* plan was to transfer everything possible into TESU, do some PLA, and hopefully be a good ways through a degree in Liberal Studies with LDAS concentration (or whatever they call it when it's LDAS) in "health communications" or some such. All my official education (and some independent study) is in holistic health, but most of my experience is in writing, editing, Wordpress management, basic web design, etc.

So I'm definitely open to something other than holistic health. I'm just somewhat limited in what my credits would apply to. (I don't want to do a business degree, though. Nothing wrong with it; it just sounds less interesting to me than a trip to the dentist, so I don't see myself being able to stick it out for the remaining classes if they're all business.)

I know I'm not telling you something you don't already know, but states regulate this field (nutrition/wellness/health/medicine) heavily (falling under the helm of public protection) which *technically speaking* to do what you're trying to do- you don't even need a degree. It's worth pointing out that though I have a Masters of Science degree in Nutrition from an RA college, I can't call myself a Nutritionist in almost every state - I'd be practicing medicine without a license.