What do you think of online degrees vs regular degrees?

[asscherisme]

I have been a stay at home mom for almost 11 years and I think I am going to lose my mind. I adore my kids, but I never thought I was the stay at home mom type- I even told my husband that when we married. I have my bachelers and started on my masters while working very successfully while going to grad school. I quite grad school and work when I had my first child and never went back. I now have 4 kids ages 4-11.

I am not interested in going back into the field I was before (business) so I figure my masters credits I earned towards my MBA will be useless to a new degree, but I'm hoping my 4.0 grad school average as well as my previous work history or rising high in my company position will at least get my foot in the door when applying to a grad program. I've been out of the work force so long - almost 11 years that I'm hoping at least my past record will show that I have the brains to do the work if they accept me.

I have no idea how I will balance it all. I will need a program that lets me take just one course a semester including summer and spread a masters over 3 or 4 years instead of the usual 2. So by the time I finish, my youngest will be in 2nd grade.

I know my husband expects me to stay home until our kids are through high school but I swear I am going to lose my friggin mind being home. I really really am.

Plus I don't like that I'm dependent on my husband for income. I don't want to go into details but I'm questioning our long term future and I NEED to make myself marketable in a job market.

Right now, I know nobody would hire me and my skills are far from current.

The degrees I'm thinking of would require pre-requisites because they are science related and I have a B.A. not too much science there and business courses for my masters work.

What do you all think of online learning vs classroom learning?

Or maybe a combo of both such as online for prereqs vs classroom for masters?

Considering I got my BA in 1990 before online learning, I can't imagine how it would even work!

Also, for those of you with young kids, am I crazy to even consider this? Keep in mind, I have FOUR kids. Ages 4,5,8, and 11.

I kinda feel trapped because I feel if I don't do something, I am going to lose my mind in my house. Even with playdates, activites etc, I so much miss interacting with others in a brain using/making me think kinda way!!!!

Advice and comments are welcome!

Also, at age 39- well 40 by the time I start- will I feel like a dinasaur in masters level classes?

The field I'm thinking of is nutrition which is pretty competative but really interests me.

My frieinds and family I have discussed this with feel its a great fit for my personality and interests.

Also I feel its a field that once I do start to work, my age will work for me not against me.'


Afterall, who would you rather take nutrition adivce from- someone in their 40's or 20's? I don't think my age will hurt me at all when I start to work.

And please ignore the spelling mistakes, my 4 year old is sitting on my lap- not a thing to do if I'm doing graduate work or applications LOL.

edited to add: a big issue holding me back too is that while it would always be nice to have extra income from work, we would do just fine as a family if I never worked again. I figure its gonna take me a few years just to recoop the cost of a degree. So it makes me feel selfish that it would be hard on my kids.

But that being said, I have this intense fear that if my marriage fall apart, I need need to be able to bring in some income and have my own career.

I never never thought I would be in a situation where I'm home and losing my mind. I always swore I would not stay home. I enjoyed it the first 5 or 6 years but its really really hard.

I'm not sure I would want my daughters to take the path I did. But there is not right answer is there. Being a woman with kids is tough no matter how you look at it. I worked my butt off in college and my career and wonder if I made a mistake by walking away. But on the other hand its been amazing having the change to be with my kids.

Can you all tell I'm confused!

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

I applaud your for what you are doing. My mom worked until I was 10 and deciding not to was the hardest she ever did, either way you will question your decision, but it doesn''t mean this isn''t the right one. My FI and I have an agreement that I will give birth to the children but he has to stay home with them so I don''t throttle them, so I understand your position.
If there is any question at all about your long term future together than doing this is critical.
My FI works with for profit internet schools and I am getting my masters at a highly respected physical institution, so here are my thoughts coming from both sides.
Online: These schools tend to let you finish faster are less rigorous and will let you do the majority of your work online which is great. However, the degrees are considered less respectable than from a more traditional institution. In a booming field like nutrition that shouldn''t be an issue unless you want to make it big and start writing books about it. If you want to be a consultant than an online school is more than enough.
Traditional: They are more respectable and will give you more oppurtunities when you finish and some have online possibilities. The downside being they tend to be more dificult and less flexable on scheduling and very few are entirely online.

I can''t imagine your age will be strange in grad school in your field. People go back to school all the time for things like nutrition so I would really doubt you wouldn''t be the only one not in your 20s. As for whether I would feel more comfortable getting nutrition advice from and older or younger person, it doesn''t matter. In the case of nutrition I would take the obviously in shape 40 something over the overweight 20 something.

I hope this helps a bit and I am glad to offer more advice if you need it. Good luck

 

[Pandora II]

The only place I would consider doing an ''online'' degree would be with the University of London External Programme.

Their degrees are fully validated - and equal to an ''on-campus'' degree from a University with a great reputation.

Many of these on-line places are degree-mills and the certificate is worth less than the paper it''s written on.

I''m hoping to do the FGA gemmology diploma by correspondance next year, so I''m not against the on-line idea - just make sure you know what you are really paying and putting your time into.

 

[Steel]

When I saw your title, I thought "as long as you have to do more than collect 3 crisp packets or chocolate wrappers and send in a SAE with three 1st class stamps" then you should be fine

!

But jokes aside I commend you for your drive, I don''t have kids but I imagine you have an already full schedule. Well done for looking to take on more. I agree in principle with making sure you are marketable in the workplace (if you cannot stay in employment), I would never choose to be reliant on my partner but these things can happen esp when children come into the picture (even with the best laid plans) so I think making yourself workplace ready is a great idea. It could be fun too

! Even if you never use it in a commercial sense, education can never be a bad thing.

Regarding my first comment, it is semi serious. Only choose recognised courses. Check with ''professionals'' in your desired practice area to see that the course is a good one [they might know - oh that course from coursesonlinetakenbyasscherisme.com is not worth the paper it is printed on, or not, whichever the case may be]; I imagine it would be terribly dissappointing to discover your course is not recognised.

 

[neatfreak]

I think what you are doing is fabulous first of all.

Now if online is your only choice, then it''s better than nothing. But make SURE you take online classes through a real, accredited, brick and mortar university. An online degree from a respected state/private school will take you much further than an online degree from say the University of Phoenix online.

That being said, attending a real university if possible is the best. Unfortunately as there are so many online "degree" programs these days that aren''t worth anything, the value of an online degree is lessened even if it is through a well respected university.

As for being out of the labor force, I''ve been on the admissions committee for my graduate program, and let me tell you they take a LOT more into consideration than just degrees. For someone like you, it will be really really important to outline your experiences that make you a student that will add substance to their student body. Even if those experiences are as a SAHM, they are VALUABLE. I have seen some fabulous essays from women who were out of academia for years and years, but their experiences and outlooks on life were so compelling that they were admitted.

So don''t give up just because you''ve been out of it for so long, and please check out the online branches of well known universities. DON''T get a degree from just any online place, because it won''t necessarily be worth anything...

 

[asscherisme]

I want to clarify, I meant online in terms of prereqs only, not the actual masters degree. I was not that clear when I wrote it. Part of the experience for me would be classroom and getting out of the house. And it occurred to me after I posted that programs I''m interested in I''m sure could offer more specifics about where they recognize prereqs from.

Like I said, I never never thought I would be the type to be dependent on a man to support me and recently its started to concern me greatly.

And I think it would be fun to. I love to learn and I enjoyed college and the grad classes I took. Hard work, yes but the feeling of accomplishment and learning is worth it.

 

[Julianna]

Date: 12/17/2007 6:27:12 PM
Author:asscherisme

I have no idea how I will balance it all. I will need a program that lets me take just one course a semester including summer and spread a masters over 3 or 4 years instead of the usual 2. So by the time I finish, my youngest will be in 2nd grade.

Hi Asscher! I got my Bachelor of Science from a university that has both an online and on-ground program. I had my Associates degree when I started, and it took me about 2.5 years at one class every five weeks to get it completely finished. I only took one five-week break because there was a class in there that I didn't need, so I just waited for everyone else to finish it up and then joined my group again. There is no reason you can't tailor your classes to fit your schedule, that's the main selling point of universities that have online programs.

Plus I don't like that I'm dependent on my husband for income. I don't want to go into details but I'm questioning our long term future and I NEED to make myself marketable in a job market.

Agreed, agreed. At least make sure you are marketable. And a Master's makes you perpetually marketable, in theory.

What do you all think of online learning vs classroom learning?

I think that online learning would be diffiult in some disciplines, ie. my degree is in Information Technology, and a lot of it was programming, which requires a lot of math and logic that I couldn't have always figured out for myself. HOWEVER, my homework was often online; that is to say, I got on and watched a presentation and then had to answer review questions, and I never had a problem with that aspect of the learning. I have a friend who is getting an MBA online right now, and seems to be having a problem-free time. It seems that many online universities require you to work in groups alot, so if you are not keen on that, maybe it's not your scene.

Or maybe a combo of both such as online for prereqs vs classroom for masters?

Considering I got my BA in 1990 before online learning, I can't imagine how it would even work!

If you didn't have the proper credits, they'd sure as heck let you know what you had to do to get up to speed.

Also, for those of you with young kids, am I crazy to even consider this? Keep in mind, I have FOUR kids. Ages 4,5,8, and 11.

If you think you can do it, you can do it. I drove an hour roundtrip for two and a half years EVERY Thursday, never missed one, for classes that ran from 6-10 at night, after working a full day. You can do it. I don't have any kids, but it still wasn't easy. And if you only had to be on a computer instead of in a classroom, heck! You could do it in the evening when they're sleeping. Or in the day when most of them are at school. Of course you aren't crazy. Of course you can do whatever you put your mind to.

Also, at age 39- well 40 by the time I start- will I feel like a dinasaur in masters level classes?

No you will not. I was 25 when I started and I was one of the youngest there.

Afterall, who would you rather take nutrition adivce from- someone in their 40's or 20's? I don't think my age will hurt me at all when I start to work.

I'd rather take nutrition advice from someone who has the credentials and common sense to back it up, whether 20's, 40's or 60's.

You can do it if you want to do it. It's neither selfish nor silly. Good luck with whatever you choose!

 

[KimberlyH]

I am enrolled in a master''s program at an online school; it best suited my needs both personally and in my ability to work. I would have made a different choice, and been willing to sacrafice what was necessary, to have participated in a traditional program if I had known what I was in for. The calibur of students, the administration, and the instructors have all left me feeling like my degree isn''t worth all of the energy and effort I have put into it. I would highly recommend going a different route if at all possible.

 

[lyra]

This sounds like a fantastic idea. I don''t have much advice at all, but just wanted to lend my support. I have a friend who is attempting her masters in another field after being off work for many years due to health concerns. Getting a placement in a good online course isn''t easy, but it is a valid way to start out. Go for it. You''ll be glad you did. And the way I look at it, regardless of how long it might take, where will you be that many years down the road if you don''t do it--just that many years older is all!

 

[eks6426]

I would look for an online arm of a traditional brick & mortar school. Those tend to be considered "more credible" still in the work world. Many of the state schools are now offering online classes. I have an aunt who works for a state University and her entire job is getting the online programs up and running.

Good luck to you in your choice. I can''t imagine having 4 kids, let alone, trying to go to school at the same time. But if you can do it while they are in school themselves you should be able to get it done.

 

[asscherisme]

Thanks for all the feedback.

I will definately persue my masters degree but I recieved some DEVASTATING health related news this afternoon regarding my daughter. Just devastating and it made me realize that I need to focus on her right now so I am gong to wait until she is a little older.

 

[snowflakeluvr]

hi assherisme,
i am so sorry about your little girl i hope everything is alright. i read your post with interest because i have five children (ages 2 to 19) and have generally been out of the work force for 19ish years. i have considered the same as you, for the same reaons.
you will know how/when the time is right.
i also wanted to tell you that my very healthy 17yr old son became type 1 diabetic last december...no family history, no IDEA of what type 1 entails...we spent a week in children''s hospital, under a very comprehensive education program. much of it was focused on nutrition. it felt like bringing a newborn home from the hospital(what if i drop him? what if i kill him?) the nurse said to me," there is no one thing you can do to him to really hurt him". i was sooo afraid that if we miscalculated his food intake, or his insulin, that i would literally kill my child. we have progressed so much over the year that i usually only give him a few shots a week(he takes several daily) he is very compliant and an awesome teen-ager. he will graduate with honors in may and his soccer team at school just won the state title in november. please know that whatever it is you are facing, that your daughter has the most important person in her corner-YOU! i had a lot to learn about my son''s condition and i know he/we still dont'' always make the best food choices(who does?) but he''s going to be ok, have a full life, and do what he has to do to stay well. i tend to keep the long-term effects of diabetes "away" from him at this point(kidney issues, etc).
i hope i did not say anything to offend. it has changed my life forever to have a chronically sick child, but it''s much better now than i imagined it would be.. i hope everything is ok with you, your daughter and your family.

 

[asscherisme]

I'm sorry about your son's diabetes. Type I and type II run in my husband's famiily so thats something that I am very aware of regarding my children's diet and our pediatrician watches for as well. So if my kids developed it, it would be hard but not a shock.

The health issue I was referring to was I got a diagnosis of autism for my daughter yesterday. That means she is my 3rd child to have autism. Thats 3 out of 4.

 

[snowflakeluvr]

i am so sorry. it sounds like you have a very full life, with much responsiblity. my 4 year old was a very late talker(age 3) so i have a little knowledge about autism. he did not really show any traits but with him not talking, i really looked for them at times.
you will be in my prayers.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Asscherisme,

I am really sorry that you are going through this challenging time right now. I would like to offer some comfort, however, I understand that nothing I can share can make it better. This being said, I also know that it is times like these that make life all the more sweeter when we look back on the strength we demonstrated to overcome and perservere.

I would like to offer some encouragement with regards to furthering your education. I never thought I would go back to school and certainly didn''t feel as though I could do it because of this or that or some other thing, however, I did it ... I obtained an online Master''s degree vs a traditional B&M degree b/c it better suited my lifestyle. I was able to work full time and take my school work with me, so to speak. I could do it at home or even if I was traveling etc, in other words, I could do it according to my schedule, for the most part.

No matter what anyone says, an online degree is no joke. I spent approx 30-40 hrs a week focused on schoolwork and submitting substantive responses for assignments, participating in the virtual classroom or reading etc, in addition, to working full time. Being truthful, I initially and mistakenly equated the increased scheduling flexibility of an online degree with being an "easier" degree to obtain. This, as far as I am concerned, is a fallacy. As is the case with an educational pursuit, what you put in is what you get out.

Although I do not know you personally, your dedication to your children and ability to see that they are taken care of, makes me have every confidence that you would be successful in obtaining a Master''s degree whether online or otherwise. Given you situation, however, online might better accomodate your other responsibilities and reduce any potential additional stress that could be caused by scheduling conflicts and classroom demands on your time.

I can also assure you that you will most certainly not feel like a dinosaur in a master''s level class. The difference with a graduate vs undergrad degree, in large part, is that people actually want to be there, in my opinion. Many are adult students who have made a conscious decision to further their education to either fulfill themselves personally or to make themselves more competitive in the workplace.

Regardless of the viability of your marriage, this is something that you sound as though you would like to do for yourself. Do it. You may never ultimately decide to pursue a career or work outside the home, if you don''t choose, however, the personal pride and sense of accomplishment you would experience for achieving this goal is something that no one, outside of yourself, would be able to offer you.

I wish you the best!

 

[lumpkin]

Sparklicious, thanks for the insight. My husband and I have discussed my going back to school, too, and I wondered about on-line programs. I took a remote class once and LOVED it. It was before on-line, but it was a video taped class. I really liked being able to replay parts of the tape that confused me, and I didn''t have to spend all my time trying to take notes and thus missing some of information, which was then gone. Also, as much business is conducted over the internet and how much information is on the internet for the sole purpose of information, it''s hard to believe that on-line degrees will continue to be less valued. The other thing is that technology is changing so fast that once you get your degree, at least in IT field, it''s already obsolete to some degree. People in the IT network over the internet constantly to update their knowledge and skills. Maybe *right now* the on-line degrees aren''t as well respected, but I don''t expect it to be that way for much longer.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Date: 12/20/2007 10:05:51 AM
Author: lumpkin
Sparklicious, thanks for the insight. My husband and I have discussed my going back to school, too, and I wondered about on-line programs. I took a remote class once and LOVED it. It was before on-line, but it was a video taped class. I really liked being able to replay parts of the tape that confused me, and I didn''t have to spend all my time trying to take notes and thus missing some of information, which was then gone. Also, as much business is conducted over the internet and how much information is on the internet for the sole purpose of information, it''s hard to believe that on-line degrees will continue to be less valued. The other thing is that technology is changing so fast that once you get your degree, at least in IT field, it''s already obsolete to some degree. People in the IT network over the internet constantly to update their knowledge and skills. Maybe *right now* the on-line degrees aren''t as well respected, but I don''t expect it to be that way for much longer.

You''re welcome, Lumpkin ...
Something else I might add for both your benefit and Asscherisme''s as well. Not only does an online degree offer education with scheduling flexibility ... Since there is a huge focus on "virtual" teamwork you may have the edge over other people in your workplace who are not experienced with this type of team, thus, setting you up to be prepared for opportunities to which your colleagues have not yet developed skills to contend resulting in your "competitive" edge. This is especially true given that companies/business is becoming increasingly global at a rapid fire pace.
Good luck to you!

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I totally agree that online degrees are only going to become more common and more accepted. Our son is finishing his degree online, and it has been challenging and wonderful. If I were trying to balance a family and school or work and school, I would definitely pursue an online program from an accredited university.

 

[Independent Gal]

First of all GOOD FOR YOU! It sounds like a smart thing to do, both for your sanity and for your future.

Many graduate programs will let you go part time and take just a few classes at a time. So, you should be OK. Also, many MA programs are 1 year long + a thesis, full time, which means you might be able to finish up faster than you thought, part time.

I want to raise a couple of reasons to consider doing classes ''in person''. First, in my long years of schooling, I often learned as much from my classmates as from the professor. SEcond, and perhaps more importantly, if you are feeling trapped at home, and thinking about the possibility of ''standing on your own'' in the long term, then being in a classroom with other students might help you make new connections. I''m talking about social connections - friends of your own, so to speak, and also professional connections. These students might be your future colleagues, and having contacts always helps.

Think of it as taking some ''me time'' every week.

My mom went back to school to do her Ph.D. when I was about 8 years old (and she had two other kids under 10). I feel so proud of her and her accomplishment and it was what inspired me to do a Ph.D. later on. She then went on to a very fulfilling career which brought a sense of independence, a sense of accomplishment, and later, more ways of relating to her now grown-up, working children.

Go for it. Seriously.