Is there any point in getting an AA?

dkotschessaa

So I've been in and out of school for years now. I plan on pursuing at least a masters - I'm one year away from a bachelor's degree.

But i have a zillion credits - kind of all over the place. I realized I might be eligible to get an AA from my university. I think I meet all the requirements and would just have to fill out an applications or something.

Might there be any point to this aside from making me feel materially rewarded for having all those credits? I mean it's not like I don't plan to graduate anyway. But dammit, I have so much schooling, I feel like I should have something to show for it - if it's just a personal thing. Am I being stupid?

-Dave K

Choppy

What's an AA?

dkotschessaa

Associate of the Arts.

bcrowell

Are you in the US? In the US, universities don't give AA degrees. Community colleges give AA degrees.

No, an AA won't do you any good if you're planning to complete a bachelor's. It might help you get certain kinds of jobs if you dropped out and didn't complete the bachelor's.

Did you attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year school, where you're now enrolled?

dkotschessaa

My university does offer an AA. It's an obscure little thing they have tucked away amongst the things they offer (http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/9798/aacert.htm)

Yeah, I know it's probably useless. It's more of a personal thing.

I have:

Credits from community college (about 12 years ago) in general studies
Credits from another college (about 10 years ago) in music
Now all the humanities and math for my current degree from this school. I just have so many credits. I feel like I should have something to show for it. It's silly, I know.

-Dave K

Travis_King

If all it is is an application, why not?

Vanadium 50

One plays where this may useful is if you plan to transfer. At some places it's easier to transfer in a whole AA than course-by-course. But since this piles up assumption on assumption, so I wouldn't argue this is necessarily a good reason to go down this path.

dkotschessaa

It's kind of a whimsical thing. I don't think I'll be pursuing it. Perhaps if I knew I wasn't going to finish, it would be something for a resume besides "Some college." I was just wondering what people thought.

phriot

If it doesn't take much effort, I say go for it.

I earned my AA at a community college. I didn't technically need it when I transfered to my 4-year school, but it was a big morale booster for me when I needed a "win." Also, I don't feel that having the AA has hurt me in any way at all. I can't recall, but I may have been asked about it when I interviewed for grad programs (biology), but I was accepted to multiple schools, so it couldn't have been a negative.