Is the school you get a degree from as important as having the degree itself?

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:19:04 -0400

With all the different online universities and colleges available to us the question I hear a lot is, Does the college matter or is just having a degree enough for most employers? I realize the first step is looking to ensure the school is accredited but even then you hear different option’s of what that degree is actual worth. I have several friends attending different online programs such as AMU, Thomas Edison, Trident and Grantham and their requirements to get a degree tend to vary quite a bit as far as course work. Would love to here from some veterans/retired military who are working in the defense sector and their experiences with job searches and how their college degree was a positive or potently a negative.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 9:24 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:24:37 -0400

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member, there's going to be some scrutiny on the university. Education is better than no education (hence the baseline requirement for a degree in many job searches). Ultimately, though, it's the level of knowledge you attain. The better names generally have that reputation because they promote more rigorous curricula and make you that much better - not just because they cost more, etc.

And yes, there's degree discrimination too..

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Mar 15 at 2015 9:40 PM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:40:39 -0400

This has been hit upon before. Nonprofit is viewed better than for profit schools. Degrees linked to schools with brick and mortar campus are views better than online only schools. Ivy League is viewed better than State which is viewed better than for profit. Etc, etc, etc.

Is it right? No, but it is the truth.

Response by COL Anthony Scotto made Mar 15 at 2015 9:42 PM

COL Anthony Scotto — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 21:42:21 -0400

If you're looking for a job with a military contractor, the school is much less important than the level of education you have documented. Your "level of education" (not necessarily your knowledge) directly impacts what salary level you qualify for under any given contract. Your hiring manager will have very little wiggle room in what he pays you based on location, military specialty, and level of education. On the other hand if your speaking of law or medical degrees... the school may make a difference in starting salaries. For most of the other fortune 500 companies, degrees are a matter of filling the square.

Response by LT Luther Loughridge made Mar 15 at 2015 10:12 PM

LT Luther Loughridge — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 22:12:33 -0400

Depends on what you are getting a degree in as to the value of the school. Accreditation from a regional source is the traditional source and gets the greatest respect. Then comes the Nationally Accreditation. Lat are the unaccredited school or those offering only a terminal degree. I am retired CG LT (O3E) and am the Director of Environmental Health and Safety. The ASSE recognizes degrees from many institutions including Columbia Southern University. Since they are the body that Credentials Safety Engineers, I chose CSU. Ifound you are looking for credentials, then see what the credentialling body accepts. Specifically Engineers, Industrial Hygenists, Environmental, and so on.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 16 at 2015 12:11 AM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 00:11:24 -0400

That depends. If you are getting a degree for the Army... than no. If you are getting a degree for life after the Army, then yes. The school name on your diploma mean a lot in the civilian world. A BS from Columbia U is not the same, in the job market, as a BS from Central Texas College. The school matters on the outside.

Response by SSgt Carmelo Rivas made Mar 16 at 2015 12:17 AM

SSgt Carmelo Rivas — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 00:17:57 -0400

In my experience, the only people that care at times about where you went to school is co-workers, not bosses. Like many others have said, you are mostly filling a box requirement with your degree. Those coworkers with the huge student loan debt and the ivy league degrees are the ones who care. And, who cares what they think?

Response by SFC William "Bill" Moore made Mar 16 at 2015 9:06 AM

SFC William "Bill" Moore — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 09:06:21 -0400

For me, it's the School. I will probably never use my degree and would not have went back except for a promise I made my Son the year before he passed. I am a Blue and Gold WV Mountaineer, so my diploma with be from WVU.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Mar 16 at 2015 10:39 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 10:39:02 -0400

A local firm only grants interviews to University of CA graduates, CA State grads are wasting their time to submit a Resume or CV there. It is a selective world, standing out is difficult.

Response by SSG Jeffrey Spencer made Mar 16 at 2015 12:22 PM

SSG Jeffrey Spencer — Mon, 16 Mar 2015 12:22:49 -0400

Read and react to this statement. Would you hire this person? Then scroll down.

I graduated with honors from Harvard...

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...in basket weaving.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Mar 19 at 2015 11:08 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 23:08:25 -0400

Lets not forget who one markets themselves on a job resume. I am pretty sure I can find grads from a community school who can balance a check book and more than a few Ivy league grads who can't.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Apr 14 at 2015 9:29 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 21:29:45 -0400

Can be. For instance Engineering degrees that lead to professional registration must be from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and their Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC). There are many schools who offer Engineering Technology programs which are ABET Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC). The later is not valid educational criteria for professional engineering.

I've had to counsel many a "technologist" who thought they could be engineers. They can be, but have a bunch more school to take. The exceptions for long term experience has pretty much dried out. These programs are typically put on by third tier institutions as they don't have the resources to conduct full blown engineering curriculums.

I advise all to make sure any program you take will be considered valid by whatever credentialing body applies and then see if it links correctly to educational criteria for whatever licensure you're seeking.

Response by SSG Jeremy Kohlwes made May 4 at 2016 6:08 PM

SSG Jeremy Kohlwes — Wed, 04 May 2016 18:08:56 -0400

Yes, Yes, YES. Along with the proliferation of online schools, there has also been a lot of "degree mills" developing as well. These "universities" pretty much take your real world experience and translate it into a degree. So it's basically just buying a degree. Many of them have been discovered for what they are and won't even count for promotion points anymore. On top of that, there are numerous legal battles happening right now with several of the hybrid online/for-profit schools. If you ask any educational advisor (NOT with those types of institutions) and they will tell you nothing beats a traditional brick and mortar school, even if you are just doing online classes with them (e.g. Embrey Riddle online).