Would you get a degree for an extra $500 a week?

1SG Steven Stankovich Right there with you brother...started college in 1983.....currently engaged in negotiations with AMU, Charter Oak (although they are too expensive for me), Columbia Southern University, Excelsior College and Grantham University. Whoever decides that my "worldly" experience coupled with the 5 other schools I have gone to is worth the most will get my tuition for the last 10 or so classes for the BA and then the Masters....
I am actually excited about going back

I've never received a college degree. I did attend BSU and completed their Vo-Tec mechanics course. In 1983 I was making around 2 grand a month. I left that job for a guide job and started making 600 a month, but was much more happy, plus I had no expenses, everything I made I saved. Now I own my own farrier business. I choose how much I want to do. I live well, but my wife and I aren't "keeping up with the Jones'". In fact I've cut down on my business a bit as I was paying too much taxes because we own everything.

I don 't know if earning more constitutes a better life or if a better life comes from how we live.

I will say, my hat's off to all of you who have started a degree and are staying the course, no matter how long. If I'd started one, yea, I'd have finished. Keep on truckin!

Good luck 1SG Steven Stankovich Having dropped out of HS after really never attending to join the Army, I now have a Masters level education, taught school for years. It was also a long haul for me, was drinking too much after Nam to finish it then.

SFC James Sczymanski - Way to go! Congrats.

PV2 (Join to see) I agree with you regarding certifications, but I view them as a way to keep your skills relevant, where degrees provide you with theory and mechanisms to apply critical thought to a subject. My experience in IT has been where I have built teams with degrees and without degrees for a diverse thought pool. Further, I would argue that degrees permit a hiring manager to see that a candidate for employment is able to apply themselves over a long period of time and complete the effort successfully. One thing I did learn when I left the active duty and entered my civilian career is that not everything happens as you would expect it to, that is if you follow all the rules and are successful you will not always get the next promotion. I returned to school and completed my MBA, simply so that I could improve my employment potential, and it has worked thus far.

Good luck with your studies...

PV2 (Join to see) Not doubting that a bit. But I will say this...I am a Federal Agent, no big deal (proud of it, love my job, but this is my point). The government assigns job series to each and every job, in this case it is 1811 (note, this is the same job series for ATF, DEA, USMS, FBI, Secret Service and about 79 others). All 1811s go to the same training to get the certification. I have over 16 years in that field (as 1811). I cannot apply for an entry level job with some of the agencies, because they have a degree requirement for application that is NOT Waiverable (even though I hold the certification and have that experience). This is silly, but it is what it is. And in applying for federal jobs, you check boxes to get to the interview. The interview will be worlds different for someone with a degree and no real experience, and someone with a degree and years of experience. That is the reason why I am advocating for the degree. If it is at all possible (and I get it, it costs money) to get the degree, get it and get it early, it only gets harder (myself as example at nearly 50, going to be taking classes that I could teach. It is what it is. I have a feeling that in just a few years, the Bachelors degree requirement will be replaced by the Masters degree requirement. As the world gets more educated, the competition gets tougher.

@1stSgt James Nolan I work for USDA. Perhaps I lucked out because they had an immediate need and my skills allowed me to come in and hit the ground running because that is what I did. I plan on getting my bachelors but I think if the circumstances are right you can get in a different way.

Working in a profession requires a degree. Thus, those practicing law or medicine need one. For all others, it's a toss up. The degree may help you get a job, but your skills and your work ethic will be the things that help you earn a living.

CPT Laurie H..

BUT DON'T GO TO FOR PROFIT COLLEGE!!!! DON'T GET AN UNACCREDITED DEGREE!!!

Warmest Regards, Sandy

http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/02/pf/college/for-profit-college-degree

I go to American Military University (AMU). It is a For-profit, but is regionally accredited. My learning experience has been goo, and the classes are not easy (most of them anyway). I have a lot of course work and tons of research papers.I know some Soldiers that have gone to the Phoenix and Kaplan and both say that they have very little coursework and they pretty much just have to logon and write a little in a forum to get good grades.

Does the school itself hold any weight or are all for-profit schools regarded in the same manner? I plan to teach History when I retire from the Army but I hate to think that I am wasting my time.

I certainly think that my 3 degrees paid off for me at least. Except for the first AA degree supplemented by the old GI Bill, I worked full time and paid for all of my education myself with no student loans. Once you start, you get used to it. Since a lot of the work that I've done required degrees, I wouldn't have been able to be hired without them so they certainly were worthwhile at least for me.

I utilized my G.I. Bill to obtain my degree because the job I wanted required it. I would encourage everyone to utilize their G.I. Bill to further their education.