On campus or online college?

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jth456

On campus or online college?

Post by jth456 »

To anyone who earned their degree after service, did you study on campus, or online? I started school last month and had a hell of a hard time adjusting. I've decided that online courses are probably best for me. Any online colleges anyone can recommend?
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Jim
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Re: On campus or online college?

Post by Jim »

jth456 wrote:To anyone who earned their degree after service, did you study on campus, or online? I started school last month and had a hell of a hard time adjusting. I've decided that online courses are probably best for me. Any online colleges anyone can recommend?
It may be a generational thing, but I never enjoyed online studies. Classroom was my preferred option. Never, never quit!
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jth456

Re: On campus or online college?

Post by jth456 »

Jim,

I hear Penn State has a great online criminal justice degree.
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Jim
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Re: On campus or online college?

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If you want to study online, make sure you go to an accredited school like Penn State. Nobody in the adult world gives much credence to the Kaplan's of the world.
Ranger Class 13-71
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42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
jth456

Re: On campus or online college?

Post by jth456 »

Since I am majoring in criminal justice, I'm stuck between Penn State, Arizona State, and Florida State. I did some researching on top online schools for criminal justice and those three consistently show up. If anyone else has personal experience in that field, I'd definitely like to hear where you went to school and if you did so online.
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IntelToad
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Re: On campus or online college?

Post by IntelToad »

Penn State has a very, VERY good student veteran program, one of the best in the country that was started after Vietnam.

I got in there as part of the veterans program in 1989 and graduated in 1993. I also worked in the veterans office talking with and recruiting other veterans to go there. They also have special classes and advisors to get you up to speed on academics in areas where you may be weak (in my case- math, english, science, grammar....)

As long as the program is online through an accredited school (like the ones on your list) that is fine in terms of acceptance of your degree when you graduate. Going to school physically (as I did) obviously has its benefits in terms of, ahem, social fun, plus Penn State has a very strong veterans club (PSUVO) which is basically like a fraternity except all you need to do to join is be a veteran. My freshman class was about 105 veterans, I knew all of them and we graduated something like 60 % which isn't bad. In terms of being classed with a group of veterans, I don't know if any other schools work that way. I had 100 new buddies during orientation (for veterans) and I still hear from most of those knuckleheads through various means.

Here is the veterans office-

http://equity.psu.edu/veterans

Honestly, is also snows like hell in Happy Valley from November through April. One year in early May I woke up and thought it was foggy, and it turned out to be 6 inches of snow. Great place most of the year, but you are ready to jump off a building by March.
Last edited by IntelToad on June 30th, 2016, 4:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: On campus or online college?

Post by IntelToad »

Also, I believe Ranger Silverback still works at Alabama in the ROTC department, you may want to get in touch with him too regarding going to school there.
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jth456

Re: On campus or online college?

Post by jth456 »

IntelToad,

Thank you for the valuable information. I just completed a summer semester at the University of Alabama. It's just that I can't stand the whole classroom style and I definitely can't put up with these college kids. Silverback and I have met up and it was definitely nice seeing a fellow Ranger. I'm going to go the online route to pursuing my degree in Criminal Justice, while working as a law enforcement officer. I've narrowed my choices down to the online programs offered by Penn State and Florida State. I'm leaning more towards Penn State. Their online criminal justice degree is consistently in the top three of every source I can find, and since you gave me good insight on them, I am strongly considering Penn State.
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Re: On campus or online college?

Post by IntelToad »

Sounds good, good luck.
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Re: On campus or online college?

Post by Silverback »

Heck I just saw you and didn't know you were done.


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jth456

Re: On campus or online college?

Post by jth456 »

Silverback,

I'll stop by your office soon and give you the details.
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Jim
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Re: On campus or online college?

Post by Jim »

Hope you had a good office visit with the Great Ape. Agree with IntelToad, Penn State offers a superb on-line program.
Ranger Class 13-71
Advisor, VN 66-68 69-70
42d Vn Ranger Battalion 1969-1970
Trainer, El Salvador 86-87
Advisor, Saudi Arabian National Guard 91, 93-94
75th RRA Life Member #867
jth456

Re: On campus or online college?

Post by jth456 »

Jim, I'm stopping by his office this week. There's also another former Ranger that works on campus as well. It's nice having resources and people to talk to.
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