…was my dilemma. Let me back up a little. I was investigating a good, regionally accredited online MBA program when I ran into these initials: AACSB.

It turns out that this is a professional accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, International. Some MBA programs have this distinction and some do not. So, what’s the diff (especially if I can get out of the GMAT!)?

From my research so far, it seems that having an AACSB accreditation is a mark of quality within the business community. What’s more, it definitely carries more weight among employers who are none too hip on the idea of online education.

If I’m going to shell out 25K for an MBA, it only makes sense to have a professional agency oversee the quality of the degree. In addition, further research has revealed that an AACSB accrediation is not only more widely recognized for academic excellence, it just might be more affordable!

The Internet is indeed a beautiful thing….

I was cruising through a few forums recently about the debate between national and regional accreditation for online schools. Online education can be tricky and the differences between accrediations are sometimes confusing. here is a tip: always go with a regionally accredited school. Why? Well:

a) R.A. schools are more widely recognized

b) Transferring credits is nearly seamless with regionally accredited coursework

c) Employers place a higher value on R.A. schools

If you are going to invest $20K or more on an education; your best bet is to make sure the school is regionally accredited.

It never ceases to amaze me how people dream up ways to bilk you and me out of our money. Two things that really irk me about online education:

1. Diploma Mills

2. The boneheads who actually buy this garbage.

I was reviewing a gentleman’s resume recently and noticed he had a degree from Rochville University. After doing a bit of research, I found that I can buy a degree from Rochville for as little as $199. I can also have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 5 days! Wow! What a joke…..

What goes through people’s heads when they say to themselves “You know, if I bought a degree I could get a promotion and a raise and a new car and a….Pink Slip.” I have a friend who is a recuiter and he told me a story about an applicant who got a Bachelor’s degree…from a community college!

There are a lot of terrific online schools out there. It is beyond me why people think they need to lie about their academic credentials to make it in the world. Anyway…just thought I’d rant a little. Thanks!

Why go into debt for a piece of paper anyway? A college education can start at $10,000 and go up from there. In fact, a public institution Bachelor’s degree has been recently estimated at more than $45,000. Is it really worth it? I can tell you from first hand experience that it is absolutely worth the time and expense. There are several reasons why a college education is not only a good idea; but, a necessity in the job market of tomorrow. I will get to those in a minute. First things first…. 

A college education is most definitely an investment: paying upfront for larger, future returns. Sometimes all we can see is the money going out to student loans, fees, and credit card debt. What we don’t see about an education are the benefits that those payments and all that hard work can secure.  (more…)

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest growing jobs through 2014 are:

1. Home health aides
2. Network systems and data communications analysts
3. Medical assistants
4. Physician’s assistants
5. Computer & software engineers (applications)
6. Physical therapist assistants
7. Dental hygienists
8. Computer & software engineers (systems)
9. Dental assistants
10. Personal aides

An interesting (but not surprising!) factoid about this list is that of the Top 10 fastest growing careers; 60% of them require a college education. What’s more, the earning potential for non-degreed careers (1, 3, 9, and 10) is rated as either low or very low.

Let’s look at it from another perspective. The unemployment statistics reveal that the jobless rate is inversely proportional to educational level. In other words, the lower a candidate’s education level, the less chance they have of finding a job. The following chart illustrates this important point: (more…)