I've always wondered about this...

GoneButNotForgotten · ‎03-29-2020

How do employers regard applicants who have degrees from on-line colleges, universities, etc.? I see them advertised a lot but I wonder how legitimate they really are and how a potential employer would think of them...are they diploma factories or what?

Meowingkitty · ‎06-19-2010

I got mine many years ago (I was 38 at the time) from an online school (most of the classes were online even though they did have physical locations) and no employer cared. All they seemed to care is if you did the time. My employer at the time even paid for it so I paid nothing for my degree. I would rather go online than have to waste my time driving, sitting in a boring classroom etc. I could go when I felt like it on my time. If iI had to go to structured classes at a structured university I would never have done it.

Tori3569 · ‎06-27-2010

As someone who interviews and hires people as part of my job, education doesn't matter as much to me as experience.

If I did need to consider education in my decision, I would have no issues with someone that got a degree for SNHU or ASU online. I did part of a second degree I received from Cornell online. Nothing wrong with online education.

bikerbabe · ‎03-09-2010

Depends on the college and the degree and most importantly, whether it is accredited, and by what agency.

Many nurses get their more advanced degrees through online programs that are mainly papers/research and clinical time.

spumoni99 · ‎02-16-2019

@Tori3569 wrote:
As someone who interviews and hires people as part of my job, education doesn't matter as much to me as experience.

If I did need to consider education in my decision, I would have no issues with someone that got a degree for SNHU or ASU online. I did part of a second degree I received from Cornell online. Nothing wrong with online education.

Before retiring I was involved in hiring also and I totally agree with this. The field I worked in really was not taught in college so experience was important. Not a lot of people had the experience either so we really were impressed with the persons attitude and their ability to learn.

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

My former doctor received his undergraduate degree from an online school. His diploma, which was hanging in his office, looked like every other diploma.

Lilysmom1 · ‎11-08-2020

I agree with @bikerbabe . It would depend on the institution and how they get their accreditation. There can be a world of difference. I chaired the Board of Directors at the continuing education school of one of our major universities. All online education is not equal and accreditation is a big deal.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

Speaking as someone who interviewed and hired hundreds of employees until I retired a couple of years ago; it depends on the college. All online degree programs are not created equally. If an online or distance degree program was accredited to provide degrees. If the degree program was linked to a brick & mortar college or university; the degree was acceptable. However college degrees from unaccredited colleges were not accepted. Human resources verified education and made the determination. I can only remember a handful of times when HR told me that an applicant's college was unaccredited and therefore the degree was unacceptable. It was unfortunate because we only verified education for applicants we were going to hire. The best of the candidates for the job. With so many legitimate online programs available now, people aren't getting those worthless degrees anymore. Actually my younger daughter is a working on a master's degree in elementary education now. It's an online program through through a state university. The course work is the same as it is for those who attend on campus. Both hubby and I got our master's degrees through a program for medical professionals that was a blend of online and on campus classes. That was many years ago.

Carolina925 · ‎03-09-2010

I worked for a government agency and they didn't care where you got your degree from, just that you had one. Our county and state agencies here are the same.