Has anyone earned a Bachelors Degree from Kaplan University and then applied for OCS (Army specifically)?

2016-09-30T11:14:50-04:00

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2016 11:18 AM

2016-09-30T11:18:13-04:00

I actually do. I got mine in bachelors in healthcare administration. Graduated in May. It was honestly really easy. It just takes some dedication. If you're interested, you should check them out. But also go by your local education center. What works for me may not work for you. Good luck!

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Sep 30 at 2016 12:11 PM

2016-09-30T12:11:29-04:00

Kaplan and many other online institutions were drug into the Paper Mill fiasco 10 years or so ago. Kaplan is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission since 1997 which the aforementioned fiasco indirectly drug them in as well. So the degrees are "valid" but be careful from there on. Their degrees, except Nursing, do not have specialized accreditation. So if the field you are pursuing has an accredited degree from some other body to meet license or registration criteria, then the Kaplan option may not be for you. So I'm all for online, extension, etc. stuff but make sure it actually helps you get to where you want to be.

So is the degree valid for MIL purposes? Generally, the Services have a shopping list of degrees that receive the pedigree stamp. A BA in Drama might not be on the list. So check it out. The Services are OK with degrees validated by bona fide accreditation bodies.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wood made Sep 30 at 2016 12:33 PM

2016-09-30T12:33:44-04:00

ok, listen carefully. i have been a professor at several colleges, for the purpose of this discussion, i have taught at ITT Tech (now defunct), University of Phoenix, and DeVry University.
First item, who is the school acredited with? the state of Georgia just de-certified one acrediting body thereby invalidating nearly EVERY FOR-PROFIT university.
second item, do the units transfer to traditional colleges. if not, then the military will probably not accept them either.
third item. at this point in time MANY fine traditional universities are beginning to offer on-line courses for both undergraduate (bachelors) and graduate (masters) degrees. they are more expensive, they are much harder, but they are solid degrees (no offense to previous posters)
hope this helps, good luck!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2016 8:50 PM

2016-09-30T20:50:50-04:00

The degree is only a piece of the pie. You need good letters of recommendations, good volunteer history, and clean records: drivers record, credit record, law record. Make aure your letter to the panel is really strong as well.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 30 at 2016 11:20 PM

2016-09-30T23:20:47-04:00

So to become an officer the cirriculum can not be from an online program. Plus depending on the degree ensure the program is accrediated, there is a list that has been published. Go to the ed center and talk to the rotc recruiter to give you guidance.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made Oct 4 at 2016 12:07 AM

2016-10-04T00:07:21-04:00

The first thing that I tell people to check is if the credits are transferable. In most cases if they are not you should probably be somewhere else.

Response by MAJ Karl Swenson made Aug 24 at 2020 11:33 AM

2020-08-24T11:33:54-04:00

With COVID changing the look and feel of higher education by the day, more and more schools are attempting to get into the online format. As I recall, Kaplan was recently acquired by Purdue University in its bid to find an online presence. I have been a professor at Western Governors University for 9 years, WGU is an all-online university that now has 150,000 graduates. We have a name well known to employers. Back in the day, the Army didn't care what my degree was in, as long as I had a degree. Of course, back in the day, our alternative to traditional colleges was the correspondence school and the well-desrved bad reputation that most of them had. It has taken WGU over 20 years to get out from under that reputation. Okay, my point is this: make sure your Kaplan degree is a notable one. Hopefully, it is in a field that the Army can use. Don't give up trying, if the Kaplan degree doesn't make it, find another school and work on another degree. OCS isn't going anywhere and the experience will make you a better soldier, and a better human being. OCS made me what I am today....