Very restricted in undergrad options, need advice

[jonq1987]

NO NO NO NO NO!

I would run as fast as you can from APU and for-profit "university" out there.

lol already did. I'm going to Drexel, it's private but well known and award winning.

 

[MacLaddy]

This is my very first post in Physics Forums, https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=335015, and it almost echo's what your asking.

I looked at many of these online courses, and came to the realization that it is more practical to go to a community college. Even there I am taking almost all of my curriculum online, (most colleges offer numerous online classes) and I've been doing it since I started. But let me tell you, online classes are not any easier than in-school classes. In fact, they may be even harder. My online algebra and trig classes hammered me every single night. Five days a week they assign homework, and more tests then you can imagine. It's when I finally went to class that I got a break.

If your situation doesn't allow you to go to school, then take a look at your community college and make a plan. You could probably keep yourself busy with their online classes for long enough to change your current situation.

 

[MacLaddy]

There are 186 Comments about DRU's undergraduate program: 84 negative, 63 positive.

http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/DRU.html

 

[jonq1987]

http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/DRU.html

I don't care about that, I learned a long time ago not to pay attention to those reviews. It's the same with university of phoenix but I went there and i loved it. Those reviews are drummed up mostly by pissy whiners who got upset over one or two little things, or something bad happened that was really their own fault for not reading everything they were signing up for. Almost all private universities have bad reps because of those annoying people. Keiser University look terrible online but I graduated from there a few weeks ago and the clinic that hired me only did so BECAUSE of how much they like Keiser's curriculum compared to other schools.

The only way to know if a school is worth it is to actually go, because people will always have bad things to say about it.

 

[twofish-quant]

But let me tell you, online classes are not any easier than in-school classes. In fact, they may be even harder. My online algebra and trig classes hammered me every single night. Five days a week they assign homework, and more tests then you can imagine. It's when I finally went to class that I got a break.

I taught at the University of Phoenix and teaching an online course was one of the hardest teaching experiences that I've every had, for the same reasons. For the right student looking for the right things, I think UoP is a fine school. Rather expensive though.

 

[twofish-quant]

I don't care about that, I learned a long time ago not to pay attention to those reviews. It's the same with university of phoenix but I went there and i loved it.

Also one of the things I liked about teaching at UoP is that you had a high quality of students. I taught an intro algebra course, and the people there were in their 30's with a lot of ex-military, and so I had to do a lot less (actually no) babysitting, which is an issue in most traditional colleges classes. Occasionally, you'd have one or two whiners, but the courses are set up so that the other students were able to take care of the whiners so I didn't have to.

 

[twofish-quant]

If it's not ABET accredited, THEN IT'S A WASTE OF MONEY!

Not true for electrical engineering and software engineering. No one cares if you are ABET accredited. In those fields, people actually don't care much how you got your knowledge. I've been able to get jobs as an application programmer, not withstanding the fact that I've only taken only one computer course in my life, and you can take it online if you want (google for MIT 6.001).

Credentials don't count for very much in the software world, because it's easy to test for knowledge, there are people with Ph.D.'s in CS that can't program and college dropouts that can (Bill Gates).

This can work both ways. You could spend massive amounts of money getting a EE/CS degree and then find it's useless because you don't have the skills to pass an interview and no one cares that you have a degree.

 

[jonq1987]

Not true for electrical engineering and software engineering. No one cares if you are ABET accredited. In those fields, people actually don't care much how you got your knowledge. I've been able to get jobs as an application programmer, not withstanding the fact that I've only taken only one computer course in my life, and you can take it online if you want (google for MIT 6.001).

Credentials don't count for very much in the software world, because it's easy to test for knowledge, there are people with Ph.D.'s in CS that can't program and college dropouts that can (Bill Gates).

This can work both ways. You could spend massive amounts of money getting a EE/CS degree and then find it's useless because you don't have the skills to pass an interview and no one cares that you have a degree.

I can only speak on what I've seen but every software and electrical engineer job I have seen always says you need a degree. I have yet to come across someone who will hire on knowledge alone.

 

[mege]

I can only speak on what I've seen but every software and electrical engineer job I have seen always says you need a degree. I have yet to come across someone who will hire on knowledge alone.

I'm currently working in a job that was posted as 'requires Computer Science Bachelors or similar degree' without having a college degree. But I also have a dozen years experience doing this, so they looked past it. I'm sure anyone with sufficient skills would have been evaluated, even without a degree.

 

[jonq1987]

I'm currently working in a job that was posted as 'requires Computer Science Bachelors or similar degree' without having a college degree. But I also have a dozen years experience doing this, so they looked past it. I'm sure anyone with sufficient skills would have been evaluated, even without a degree.

well with that much work experience of course that makes sense. But today I feel a person my age would be hard pressed to find a job with no credentials. (I'm 23) But I come from the medical field so I guess I just look at it like that because of our requirements.

 

[mege]

well with that much work experience of course that makes sense. But today I feel a person my age would be hard pressed to find a job with no credentials. (I'm 23) But I come from the medical field so I guess I just look at it like that because of our requirements.

You do have to start somewhere, though, was more my point. Getting into a job that 'requires a degree' is a bit of a misnomer for (I think) most jobs out there. You will have to start somewhere though, with a little bit of experience, and work your way up.

Maybe I overlooked it, but what do you really want to do? What is your ideal career?

 

[jonq1987]

You do have to start somewhere, though, was more my point. Getting into a job that 'requires a degree' is a bit of a misnomer for (I think) most jobs out there. You will have to start somewhere though, with a little bit of experience, and work your way up.

Maybe I overlooked it, but what do you really want to do? What is your ideal career?

Well I would love to work for the government or big name private sector companies. Of course i can't just instantly work there without job experience, but that's what I'm aiming for.

 

[mege]

Well I would love to work for the government or big name private sector companies. Of course i can't just instantly work there without job experience, but that's what I'm aiming for.

Doing what? I'm sure they all hire janitors. :p (however, I'm guessing that's not your career goal)

 

[jonq1987]

Doing what? I'm sure they all hire janitors. :p (however, I'm guessing that's not your career goal)

lol well I don't have a clear picture of that just yet, but as I go through school i will learn what I enjoy more and I will decide then.

 

[mege]

lol well I don't have a clear picture of that just yet, but as I go through school i will learn what I enjoy more and I will decide then.

Then, unfortunately, I think that I can only parrot what some have already said: the online route may not be in your best interests. This esspecially if you're unsure what you want to do. Online degrees offered by (mainly) for profit schools have very tight curriculums that are non-transferable and may not even apply within their own school for a different (even though similar) degree. Not to mention they're incredibly expensive when compared to 2 years of community college and 2 years of traditional University. Most community colleges have a lot of 'online' classes that you can take which might make going to school easier. There will still be some classes, esspecially the more 'technical', that you'll need to take live, but any of the english, history, and other geneds can probably be taken online reducing your time away from home. Also, I know the community college near me has free day care for students - which is a huge perk and maybe something that can help you.

 

[jonq1987]

Then, unfortunately, I think that I can only parrot what some have already said: the online route may not be in your best interests. This esspecially if you're unsure what you want to do. Online degrees offered by (mainly) for profit schools have very tight curriculums that are non-transferable and may not even apply within their own school for a different (even though similar) degree. Not to mention they're incredibly expensive when compared to 2 years of community college and 2 years of traditional University. Most community colleges have a lot of 'online' classes that you can take which might make going to school easier. There will still be some classes, esspecially the more 'technical', that you'll need to take live, but any of the english, history, and other geneds can probably be taken online reducing your time away from home. Also, I know the community college near me has free day care for students - which is a huge perk and maybe something that can help you.

Well i already called the school I plan to go to for grad school and they said the degree I'm getting and the school I'm getting it at is more than welcome.

 

[Angry Citizen]

Did you ask how many classes you would have to make up before you could begin your grad school courses? They may allow it, but they may also muscle you into doing two years of catch up while they convert your precious youth to slave labor for research purposes.

 

[jonq1987]

I would just have to make up some math and science.. like more advanced physics and calc.