Hello,

So I dropped out of school about 70 credits in to a BS in CS. Got a programming job and have been doing it since (bout 3 years). I have a bit more free time though now and am looking to finish up my degree. I've thought for a long time that finishing it online would be best, since I don't feel like I really need an instructor to hold my hand, I'd like to work ahead sometimes and I'm used to working on my own schedule.

Has anyone got their degree online? If so where? I've been looking into a couple colleges, but the reviews are ALL over the place. Some people saying it was the best experience ever, some people complaining that online degrees suck and not to them.

I've looked a bit into Baker Online, and Grantham online, the prices seem pretty cheap (around 250 per credit), and they both look accredited.

If anyone has gone through this mess or has some information or advice, or even school recommendations, please let me know. Thanks alot.

in before the "accreditation" lecture.

I finished my degree "online"... but through a real university, not one of those "online universities". I started as an on-campus student, and then I moved cities to start working, and finished the degree via "distance education" through the same school.

I'd trust a real brick-and-mortar school's distance programmes more than some virtual school.

I finished my degree "online"... but through a real university, not one of those "online universities". I started as an on-campus student, and then I moved cities to start working, and finished the degree via "distance education" through the same school.

I'd trust a real brick-and-mortar school's distance programmes more than some virtual school.

@OP & @Hodgman I am thinking of doing the same thing . I dont really have much advice to offer except that I am in the same position & interested about online degrees. I was at Uni but I just got an intership & would like to finish my degree through distance education. Hodgman, I think I remember that you are in Australia like me(Sydney for me), what University did you do your distance education through (if you dont mind me asking )? I am thinking of doing mine through the University of New England.

When looking at a resume for education, I verify that it is an actual bachelors degree in computer science from a real school.

I don't care your method of attending that school. I don't care if you visited a traditional school's classrooms, or through webcams on a distance education program, or through an entirely online accredited university. There are a steadily-increasing number of online universities that are just as rigorous as the traditional schools. I don't care which you attended.

Second, I want to see evidence that you can actually do the things you should have learned. Evidence includes work history or a portfolio of projects.

Third, you will be interviewed. If your interviewers don't trust your school they will ask you deep questions about your education. Even if they do trust your school, you should still expect deep questions about your education.

Fourth, if hired, you will be expected to demonstrate your abilities and knowledge on the job. It is an easy matter to fire a new hire within the first few months on the job if they don't demonstrate the skills they promised.

I wouldn't do it unless someone else is paying for it (like your company). The price is extremely expensive compared to other schools. The online school I go to now is about the price of tuition at Harvard. The dollar/credit hour math doesn't always add up. For instance, at my school it takes 180 credit hours for a degree, so the $/credit hour looks decent, except you need 50% more credits so it's 50% more expensive.

Spend a little bit more time doing research on b&m online programs instead. I know Regis had an online comp. sci program, there are a few others (even some state schools I think).

Cost wise, here will be your best options:

1. Local state school
2. online state school
3. online private university
4. online degree farm (phoenix, westwood, etc.)


Last, your degree won't get you a job and it won't magically make you more money. Make sure you spend time networking and having completed projects to show, that will pay off more in the long run.

I think I remember that you are in Australia like me(Sydney for me), what University did you do your distance education through (if you dont mind me asking )? I am thinking of doing mine through the University of New England.

I went to Charles Sturt Bathurst campus (and then moved to Sydney and switched to distance-ed).
Their comp-sci/IT school is pretty average though, but I guess when studying via distance, poor lecturing isn't that much of a big deal
Plus I was a HECS student, so I can't complain about free education ;P

Since you've already got a job (and have had it for three years), are there really any advantages to finishing your degree? It sounds like a lot of money spent on what you either don't need or what you do need and would have to learn for your job anyway.

Hey, thanks for the replies.

As for wanting the degree..I don't know, I'm not too far away from finishing, and have extra time. I thought it would be good to at least say I have it. Also all job postings i've seen also say BS in CS required, I obviously haven't applied for anything, so I don't know if it's really necessary, but it can't hurt to improve one's resume.

Since you've already got a job (and have had it for three years), are there really any advantages to finishing your degree?

[size="4"]YES!



It will impact your career.


Having or not having a degree will impact your entire career. If you don't have it you will earn less EVERY TIME you change jobs. You will be passed over for promotions. You will have a more difficult time changing between jobs, since your application will be immediately filtered from many places. All of your peers will have bachelors degrees, and some will have masters degrees; why should they pick you when they can pick someone with similar experience and more education? It will limit how high you can climb the corporate ladder, as many management positions basically require it when making lateral moves. Over your lifetime it will reduce your earnings by a million dollars or more.

Perhaps more importantly it will impact your self esteem.


I have worked very closely with three programmers who did not have degrees, and each of them confided in me how big of a mistake it was to not finish, and their regret at how it hurt them. There are many topics that get covered in school even if you don't like them. Self-educated people will generally avoid these topics. Self-educated programmers typically avoid areas like theory and advanced math, and instead focus on the flashy topics. As an example, one of my degreeless co-workers who had an impressive history and amazing coding skills spent a month working on building a scripting tool to parse asset data and compile it up. He was clearly frustrated and had stayed late many nights during that month trying to wrap his brain around it. At this point I was asked to help him out. He had manually built a reasonably good grammar but had not completed it. We discussed language grammars and I gave him my book from my Junior year of college. He spent a day devouring the book and we finished the entire system in two days using a simple grammar. He confided that it was yet another case of missing education that hurt his esteem.


If you stop, it is EXTREMELY difficult to get back in. The longer you wait the more you will be outside the college groove. You'll have additional responsibilities that interfere with college life.


Until you die, it will always be "something I almost did, but never finished." Finish it, you will be better for it.