Studying Physics being an Active Duty soldier?

[Vanadium 50]

When you go on active duty, you commit yourself to the mission of the United States, and your dreams, hopes, whatever are rather meaningless to people who set in D.C. managing your career.

This. Read this again. Get it tattooed on you if you think you might forget it.

Your goal of getting a PhD is unlikely to mesh with the Needs of the Service. I don't want to say that it's impossible, but those folks in DC (hmmm...isn't the Pentagon actually in Virginia?) are not sitting around thinking "How do we help this soldier get his PhD?" I don't know how the Army does it with MOS's, but the Navy has what are called "critical ratings", and if you are in one, it practically takes a nuclear explosion to dislodge you from it so you can do something else. That includes, in most cases, moving from one critical rating to another.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

Not sure, if I can do the same thing: bring home the kit and do the lab stuffs on my own.
Do universities usually accept online Science degrees, when it comes to the post-graduate programs?

Usually diplomas and transcripts do not specify whether or not a given course or the entire degree was online.

The courses students I work with have taken on line appear on their transcripts exactly like the same courses (equivalent course numbers) taken at the same institution in person. The institutions receiving those transcripts have no way to tell the difference.

In the US, the first critical question is whether the institution and program are properly accredited. In addition to regional accreditation, engineering programs should be ABET accredited and Chemistry programs should be ACS approved.

Other than that, it comes down to the ranking of the institution and their reputation. Graduating from LSU (as I did) with a given GPA is not as highly favored as graduating from GA Tech would have been, but their reputation is better than most other public universities in Louisiana.

But if an institution has both online and in-person programs, it may not even be noted on your degree whether you attended in person or online. It's just a degree in the given major from the given institution.

 

[micromass]

Do universities usually accept online Science degrees, when it comes to the post-graduate programs?

I think that typically universities see online degrees as rubbish.

 

[Dr. Courtney]

I think that typically universities see online degrees as rubbish.

Yes, the bias exists. But do you know of cases where a degree (or specific courses) are clearly noted as such on a transcript? As far as I can tell, schools issuing transcripts are well aware of this bias and do not note the online nature of the program on transcripts.

If a school offers both online and in-person programs and a student completes a degree, how will the university know it was online?

I recall some time ago in a faculty position at a school starting some online programs, I suggested that online courses be marked as such on transcripts, so those receiving the transcripts could know that and weigh the quality issues for themselves. The idea was vehemently opposed.

When I went further and (as a member of a state education committee) suggested teacher certification programs only accept a certain maximum percentage of online coursework, I was officially disciplined by my employer. My reasoning was that if certified teachers were planning to teach science courses and labs in person, that a certain amount of their college science coursework should be in person. Expressing my view was framed as "undermining" the efforts of my employer to gain acceptance of their online coursework.

 

[Noman Rasheed]

Ah ...

Just got to know that I can actually provide Army the letter from the university, which should state that when I am going to graduate, so they would push my shipping date.
I can also go Officer, once I reach my unit. I am so happy now.

40A MOS, here I come!

 

[MarneMath]

You won't be allowed to officer once you reach your unit. It makes no sense. Why would the army train you a specific MOS and then release you from that MOS to allow you to become an officer? The answer is they won't. It takes at least a few years of service (and usually exceptional service) for an officer to be willing to release you, an enlistee from his/her command in order for you to go OCS. Secondly, even if you magically got selected to go OCS. Odds are against you from going 40A. You, as an OCS recruit are at the very bottom of pecking order. What this means is, whatever is left over from ROTC/West Point Graduates, is what is open to you.

I say this not to discourage you, but to hopefully make you face the reality of your next few years. The Army can be great, but it can be a great disappointment if you do not understand what you are signing up for. I no longer have a lower lift leg, but that was my choice. I don't regret, because I loved my soldiers, I loved my job, and I loved the uniform. Make sure you are willing to make the sacrifice.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Noman, I don't understand why you bothered to post here, if you are going to ignore all the advice you are getting. Advice from people who have been there. On PF, this is unlikely to maximize the utility you get. In the military, ignoring advice from the people who have been there before is likely to get you a trip home in a body bag.