John Stevens ⋅ Middletown , MD ⋅ 20 years experience

Jimmy,

I did the opposite. I went to a traditional school for my undergrad. After gaining 15 years of experience in the military and private industry I went to an on-line school for my MBA with American Military University. Graduate school was a validation of knowledge I gained over the years. The quality of education wasn't any different - the student has a big impact on that.

School recognition is the real question. I took a post grad course after my MBA from Villinova University. Pretty prestigious school. The course was on-line and no one knows the difference. Again, the quality of the education wasn't any different.

What brick and mortar schools will give you is the campus experience. This allows you to immerse yourself with like minded students and faculty by "living" your education. It also allows you to more easily develop relationships.

I hope this helps.

Good luck - John

Lavonne Brigger ⋅ Frisco , TX U.S. Air Force ⋅ 26 years served

Jimmy-

My husband did Embry Riddle which caters to the military. He did in person at the JRB in Fort Worth (they have space at many bases) and did their On line and Eagle Vision web based training as well. Embry Riddle is a highly regarded University with a large focus on aviation studies so may or may not work for what you want. Another recognized non profit online degree (at least with ATT and Verizon) is from WGU (Western Governors University). While at ATT I worked with people who had achieved their Masters from there. It's competency based so should help with utilizing your past experience.

I think larger corporations simply look at whether or not you have a degree, not where it's from. As well, a lot will depend on the field you're going into.

I hire Account Managers and honestly, I don't look at where their degree is from, I look at work experience and attitude more than anything else. Hope this helps! If you have any other questions I'm more than happy to answer them.

Thank you!

Lavonne

Jerry Millar ⋅ Seattle , WA ⋅ 14 years experience

Jimmy,

John and Tom sum it up very well! Be very skeptical of online for-profits, do not discount the value of experience an on-campus university, and chose a school with national recognition because you never know where you are going to end up living/wanting to work. I researched for nearly two years before deciding on a hybrid degree program through a major university and I have been very pleased with the flexibility it provides me! I work 50-60 hours a week and have young children so being able to work at my pace and still visit campus 4-5 times a year is quintessential.

As far as what employers will look at depends on a number of factors, just make sure that you present yourself well and can passionately articulate why you chose the path you did and you should do great! Employers ultimately want results and you should not shy away from telling them that. I am surrounded by MBAs (some Ivy League) and I am still working to complete my undergrad, let me know if I can answer any specific questions about the schools I considered and the schools I stay away from.

Jerry

Tom Cal, CFA ⋅ San Francisco , CA Army Veteran, Investment Manager ⋅ 25 years experience

re: your undergraduate Bachelor degree:
* whether online or "traditional" ( or a hybrid), the university's overall reputation and alumni network are key. Does the school have an alumni clubs/chapters in cities where you might eventually live?

* Be extremely skeptical of online for-profit college. Some for-profit online programs might be good, but many are poor. Go in a skeptic.

* Explore online programs offered by "traditional" universities.

* Don't underestimate the benefits of a traditional face-to-face college experience. (e.g. developing interpersonal relationships with professors and fellow students, extra-curricular activities, etc.) Consider completing the initial "2-years" of work online, and then transferring to a traditional "brick and mortar" program.

Re: Masters
* it never too early to begin a dialogue with MBA and other Masters programs. Identify 5 -10 MBA program in which you are interested. Direct questions to admission counselors at these, programs and listen to their feedback.