Whats the best/cheaper options out there? I'm looking for either an AAS/AS, possibly a BA in business. Something that will get me a piece of paper and be useful in getting out of 'just above minimum wage'.
I know some of you will tell me that business is a horrible choice, but in my experience, employers don't care what your piece of paper says, just that you have one.
At the school I work at our Business students have a 100% job placement, so I don't think that business is a bad degree to pursue. I would stay away from the online for profit schools and would choose a online program like PSU online program or Harvard, just choose a school that has a base school that is well established.
My next door neighbor used to work for Capella University, I think they generally get good reviews: http://www.capella.edu/
I'd pick an online program from a brick and mortar school. I'd also think more about what you'd like to do with your career. Your degree absolutely does matter in most cases. If you want to do retail management at a small chain, any degree might work. If you want to be a quality manager at a drug manufacturer, you better start that chemistry degree. You don't want to be stuck 10 years from now, wishing you weren't held back by your college major.
I think a business degree is a good choice. I have one from Texas A&M. If you want to go online, then I think the online courses from a brick and mortar school is a good suggestion. I think most, or many, of the regular universities have online stuff. Also don't discount night classes at your local feeder 2 year college. Get your first two years knocked out at one of those.
Also, the for-profit online schools are starting to get a rep, if you know what I mean. A degree from Bumfuq U Brick and Mortar is going to be looked at much more favorably than one from U-of-BurningBird in the future.
Something business related or Math/Science related. Whatever you do, try to get through Calc 1 and/or Business Calc, as well as whatever the business stats course is.
Frankly, I found the 3 or 4 online classes I took to be completely worthless. Would have been better off at the community college, or even a middle school class. Not always the case, but that is what it was for me.
To get a B, I had to put in about 10% effort. To get an A, I would have had to put in about 99.87% effort. Yeah, not happening for a gender studies general education course. The Marketing class wasn't much different. That one I really wish I had taken in person, but I was on a mission to get out in 4 years. Man was I a dumbass.
Dr. Hess wrote: I think a business degree is a good choice. I have one from Texas A&M. If you want to go online, then I think the online courses from a brick and mortar school is a good suggestion. I think most, or many, of the regular universities have online stuff. Also don't discount night classes at your local feeder 2 year college. Get your first two years knocked out at one of those. Also, the for-profit online schools are starting to get a rep, if you know what I mean. A degree from Bumfuq U Brick and Mortar is going to be looked at much more favorably than one from U-of-BurningBird in the future.
I'll second this. Not a universal truth, but you will have to fight harder to get a job out of a for-profit online school, and then you will have to fight harder to prove yourself.
Also, if you have an online degree from a Brick and Mortar, your degree is simply "Brick and Mortar". No indication of it being online.
Stay away from the for-profit career colleges. `Tis a squirrelly industry.
As someone who occasionally gets to hire people, my personal preference is for people with degrees from brick and mortar colleges. Unfortunately most people who went to the for-profit online places didn't seem to have the same sort of in-depth knowledge even though I'm pretty sure they worked as hard at their degrees.
Please note this is anecdata.
I already have 2 years from a state university, stupid idea. Should've used a community college until I knew what I wanted to do.
I used to work for a company that was right at the center of the career college industry (being intentionally vague here) and saw first-hand that they usually are not in it to provide education, they are in it to funnel as many student loan and grant funds into their pockets as they can.
Which then means managers don't want people coming out of them, because managers aren't completely stupid.
There's nothing wrong with a good community college, though.
1kris06 wrote: ...I know some of you will tell me that business is a horrible choice...
Really? Considering most people will end up in a business environment, it seems like an entirely reasonable non-specific "job" degree to me.
Probably not a good choice if you are trying to get into an engineering / science field (unless you want to work in Admin) but clearly a lot better then a French literature degree. 
If I ever have an extra ~$500 burning a hole in my pocket, I'd really like to get a Doctorate for "life experiences" from one of those online fly-by-night places. I figure it's no worse than becoming a minister from one of those online places(possibly the same place?) - and I know several people who have those. 
Not that I plan on using it for boosting my career(I'd likely never put it on my resume), but just for the joke of doing it and to irritate my friends with actual graduate degrees. 
I think a degree choice a lot of people forget about is Business + something domain specific. That tends to make you really valuable to potential employers in ways that a business only degree can't.
Definitely go with a real school. My wife did online with Marist College and SUNY and they accepted each others online credits like a regular school.
How recently did you finish the two years of state school? You could have some or all of those credits transfer over depending on where you end up. I work in college admissions and my school will accept classes from accredited schools as long as it was done within the last few years. As others have mentioned - avoid all of the for-profit schools. Basically, if they have an ad on TV, do not give them any of your money. Try to find an online program from a real school and that will be your best bet. Depending on how your high school and/or college grades were - you may be able to score some scholarship money as well.
I did some graduate level classes at NC State via the online classes. I knew all my professors well, and was able to go on campus for additional help if I needed it. I basically saved $1000 per class by signing up online.
Recommendation from someone who did night school and graduates in a couple months. CLEP is an awesome way to keep the costs down. I tested out of a whole year by doing that at a cost of like $20-$35 a credit hour.
Totally agree with everyone saying have it backed with a brick and mortar school. It needs to have some weight behind it.
Look also into schools that give you credit for life experiences. I am going to St. Edwards at night here in Austin. (not a cheap choice but work covers a couple classes a year too so it's not too bad) They have programs where if you can demonstrate you have a skill already that is typically taught in a college setting, you can get credit for it at a much reduced rate.
Another thing too, Online school is not for most people. It has an extremely high drop out rate (something that the for profit schools advertise) Make sure you are up for online. It takes a lot of self discipline.
In reply to Yavuz:
2009
Pretty much all legit schools have some on-line program thoguh most may be post-graduate level. I know skaboodles do MS and Ded for education. And one state college in the capital city has an on-line engineering masters program. However, you do have to do one-semester (only one class) on campus.
In many fields, there will be some things which simply cannot be learned online. Group projects are in person. Labwork is hands-on. Engineering is on site. Make sure whatever school you choose doesn't blow for campus access or suck for transfer credits. Make sure you bolster your classes with plenty of in person experience (internships/research assistanceships/jobs/etc.).
I like the idea of online classes to get past the "bullE36 M3" part of your B.S. though!
Also echoing the pick a real school statement.
One nice thing about the New York State system because she could take the most of the labs and such at the nearest campus.
Concur with getting online from brick and mortar. I wouldn't be enthusiastic about hiring someone with a for-profit degree. Doesn't sit well with me. I do have a grad degree from FSU that I took exclusively online- nowhere on my diploma does it specify online- same as an in-person degree. It happens to be in education, so much of our content focused on the difference between "distance" learning and in person. Lots of data to support that distance learning is at least as good as in person for those courses where it is appropriate (can't do labs via distance, necessarily, but group projects.... oh yeah.).
Agree with the just have a degree, any degree for some jobs is what it takes. Got a business degree too. Actually it's a management degree. Night school and online classes combined. In my case, the paper gives me the edge over others with equivalent experience. Plus I went after I retired from the army and was 45 when I finished.
Be aware that online courses take a lot of discipline and work. They usually make up not sitting in a class by giving more course work. And it's usually some type of report or research paper. The online courses I took where offered by a local college that I also went to classes at and got my degree from.
As someone who gets to do the odd hire, I see a degree, any degree, as proof that you can read, write and listen to a level beyond high school. So its a good start. Past that point I look for any training that pertains to the job posting.
While I am a fan of the potential for excellence and social reform that on-line universities offer,I don't know that they are there yet and I have yet to hire anyone from such a background. I am highly suspicious of the tertiary career colleges; as much for their business model as for the population group they attract. That said, if the posting said that post-secondary education or degree is required, I will actually be reading the resume no? Salesmanship is the great equalizer once you are in front of the guy hiring.
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